Rekindled | ✓

Chapter 26. Bike Ride

🎶 Dil Na Jaaneya

Published on 24.12.2022

❝ it feel so good to fall in love
but how I fell I'll never know
the way we kiss, the way we touch
for you my heart will never go. ❞

🥀

"Did you forgive Rahul?"

Ayansh's eyelashes flutter. He wasn't expecting this. "Sorry?"

"Did you forgive Rahul?" She repeats as if it was a normal thing to ask.

"Haven't you asked this before?"

"Yes." She answers in a monotone. "And I'm asking you again."

He looks forward, his mood turning sour. "Yes."

Inaaya stares at him besmused. "You did?" Mock surprise coats her voice. "Didn't seem like it."

"Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting, nor does it mean that I've to be all gooey with him."

A laugh escapes her at his exaggerated way of expressing his view. It was truly amusing.

"Why are you asking me this anyways?"

"I was curious." Inaaya defends herself.

"I don't understand how can you talk about him so casually after whatever happened." He says in a low voice, looking at her writing something on the sand beside her.

"I don't like him but then, it doesn't matter. It wasn't him who hurt me, atleast for the most part. It was you who did by agreeing to him." She explains offhandedly and he feels another prick of guilt nagging at his chest. "He had somehow managed to find my number and had contacted me today."

Ayansh curses under his breath and even though Inaaya hears it, she lets it slide.

"Apologised to me again. I simply said I'll think about it." She continues and smiles when she finishes writing her name in bold letters on the sand.

Ayansh stays quiet, his mind deep in thought. "I don't understand why are you having this conversation with me," he finally speaks.

Inaaya chuckles. "Why should I forgive you Ayansh?" She looks at him, an easy smile on her face and even though he knew there's nothing deep about that smile, he could feel it mocking at him. "And suppose, I forgive you then, what? Should I behave with you just like you treat your brother?" She inquires, genuinely curious.

His heard thuds at that question. He stares at her confounded, not understanding anything. He wanted to make things right between them, wanted them to start again and she knew it. He couldn't understand where was this coming from and then that little, hopeless part of him that seems to be a little delusional, a little too optimistic whispers to him that maybe, finally she's looking beyond the wall that stood between them. Maybe this was her silly little way to admit that perhaps not everything was lost, perhaps they still had a chance, a chance to come back together, a chance to rekindle the lost love.

"When I came to Cambridge," he starts, his voice solemn. "I wanted your forgiveness. I wanted you to know that I never faked my feelings towards you. I wanted you to know that you didn't fall for my facade, you fell for the real me. I didn't want a second chance because I knew you deserved better but later," his voice softens, "I realised I wanted to be better, for you. I want to prove to you that we aren't a tragedy. I want to make you believe that if you give us a second chance, it will be worth it. You're my shore, Inaaya." She could feel herself tearing at the enormous amount of emotions behind his words and the intensity in his voice. "And I'm that wave that will keep returning to you." He adds, without missing a beat.