Twist in Time

Decisions

When Abhimanyu witnessed Akshara's state a few minutes later, parched against the podium, head leaning and completely soaking with tremors every now and then, he felt his entire body give out.

The sky had turned a misty grey as a roar of thunder was heard in the background with a gust of wind flashing past them. He experienced such rush and panic that he had to hang on to something close to him to compose himself. Reaching out for his phone, he instantly called his chauffeur, describing where to pick him up.

Within seconds, he rushed to her, instantly picking her up and holding her close to him in his arms. She was so tiny in his arms. So fragile.

All along, she acted so tough and so intimidating with the walls she had put up around her. But seeing her like this. Abhimanyu's entire heart broke.

"Oh Akshara" he whispered painfully, moving the strands of wet hair that were covering her face. He, himself was getting wet in the pouring rain but he couldn't care less.

Charles landed in front of him a few minutes later and Abhimanyu quickly placed Akshara in the backseat of the car and then took a seat next to her, covering her shivering figure with his jacket.

"You crazy girl" he whispered, his heart hurting at her state. Cupping her cheek, he wiped the water off of her face.

"Why can't you take care of yourself?" he whispered.

And then a second later anger enveloped him, and a firm decision that he'd taken. "If you can't, then I will".

"To my home" Abhimanyu instructed Charles.

***

Back at Abhimanyu's Goa home, he had called the local doctor, someone who was a good friend of Abhimanyu's who had quickly rushed over and checked Akshara's state.

After assuring him she was fine, the doctor left with a promise to keep the interaction a secret. The last thing Abhimanyu needed was more headlines in the media.

And now he had to complete the hard task of waking her up because he knew he could not let her sleep in this state with drenched clothes.

Abhimanyu Birla was a gentleman, he'd been raised with his Mother's strong ethics but he simply did not have the willpower to change her clothes himself. No, even he could not control himself that much.

"Akshara" he shook her gently and waited before giving her one more tug.

Slowly, she batted her eyelids, and as her facial expressions changed and quietly she let out a breath before opening her eyes and facing him.

Not being able to help himself, the fear pulsing through his veins from earlier, he wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank god you are okay" he whispered visibly distraught.

"Abhiman- Abhimanyu?" Akshara questioned weakly. Realising her state, Abhimanyu separated himself from her and looked at her patiently.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Abhimanyu iterated the past hour "you're at my house in Goa" he said hesitantly, "I saw you in the rain and you were not in a state to go back to the hotel"

Akshara stared at him for a second processing this information, he looked restless. Very restless.

He's worried.

Worried about me? Akshara realised

"Oh" Akshara said simply, suddenly feeling shy. She looked down at herself wrapped in a blanket and then noted she was completely drenched and covered in his suit jacket. Her new found recognition of her feelings for him sank into her belly as the seconds passed.