Lover| Abhira SS ✔️

CHAPTER 02

She woke up as her alarm went off. After taking a shower, she went downstairs for breakfast. As usual, Manish and Swarna were discussing her marriage preparations.

She groaned in frustration as she made her way to the front door instead of the dining table. Her hand landed on the door knob before she was called out by her Manish.

"Akshu, where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going for a walk, bade papa!" she answered him.

"But you didn't have your breakfast yet!" Swarna jumped into the conversation.

"I'm not hungry. I'll have it later, badi ma!" she lied and quickly made her way outside, avoiding further questions.

During the walk, down the street, her stomach started growling. She was hungry. The first thing she ever does after waking up is to have breakfast. But nowadays, she has been skipping almost every meal in order to avoid all the marriage talks.

She was sick of it. What to wear? Pink or red? Long or short? Heavy or light? They didn't ask her if she wanted to marry saiyyam or not? Then why are they asking her for these materialistic things?

"Akshu, wait up?" saiyyam came from behind.

"Hey!" Akshara greeted.

"Hi! You are early today." he said, still out of breath.

"Yeah, I just...." she couldn't find the words to explain.

He was not like him. He can never be like him. Abhimanyu always used to understand what she wanted to say. It was like he already knew what's going inside her mind. No one can ever be like him.

"Akshu?" he broke her out of trance.

"Y-eah?" she blinked her eyes a few times before concentrating on what he was saying.

"I was saying that Abhi is coming this evening and I want you to be at my house when he comes." he told her, and her heart sank at the very moment.

"Well, I have to go now. Maa must be waiting for me at breakfast. See ya later, Mrs. Birla." he winked at her and left.

Mrs. Birla. In a few days, she will be losing her identity. She hated this. She hated this thought. She wanted to be free. Free enough to make her own decisions. Free enough to marry a guy of her own choice.

With a heavy heart, she walked back to her house. Upon reaching home, swarna was waiting for her in the living room. She called her out as soon as she entered the house.

"Yes, badi ma?" she sat down in front of her on the couch.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"W-hat do you mean?" Akshara was confused.

"You are acting strange nowadays. Are you not happy?" She asked.

"It's doesn't matter, ma. You are happy. Bade Papa is happy. Everyone is happy. And about me? Is it not a big deal if I'm happy or not?" she replied with a big fake smile.

"But...." Akshara didn't let her finish.

"Did you hear bade papa? Yeah, I think he's calling me." By saying this, she left the living room.

Before her alliance was fixed with saiyyam, swarna tried her best not to let this marriage happen. She was never in favour of it, but she also had no power in front of her husband.

Eventually, she also became in favour of this marriage, leaving Akshara alone to fight this war of hearts.

It was almost evening and everyone was present at Saiyyam's house, waiting for the birlas's to come. Anand and Mahima went to the airport to receive them.

After waiting for half an hour more, they finally arrived. Akshara’s heartbeat grew as the doorbell rang. Abhimanyu's parents, along with Saiyyam's parents, came in and were greeted by swarna and manish.

Her eyes were searching for him, and when he finally did enter the house and her life after six years, she forgot to breathe for a second. Their eyes immediately met, and it felt like it was only them in the world.

He quickly looked away like he never knew her. Like she was a mere stranger to him. She tried reading his facial expressions but couldn't. He was blank, new.

"Akshu, oh my God! You've grown so beautiful." Manjiri approached her. Meanwhile, saiyyam shared a long hug with Abhimanyu.

How are you, Aunty?" she hugged her.

"I'm good. I can't believe it. It feels like just yesterday you were playing with abhi and saiyyam in the backyard and now look at you all grown up, getting married." she said, and Akshara tried to hold back her tears.

"Abhi, what are you doing standing there? Won't you meet your childhood best friend?" Harshvardan asked.

His eyes again landed on hers, and again, there was still this strangeness in his gaze. For the first time, she couldn't read him. He took a few slow steps to approach her.

"Hey!" he greeted her. She couldn't help but give a faint smile.

"Congratulations!" he smiled.

"F-or your marriage." he stuttered.

"T-hank you!" words barely made their way out of her word.

"Abhi! Let's go upstairs. We're gonna stay together just like the old days." saiyyam said, dragging him upstairs.

And, it was their childhood all again. Abhimanyu spending his vacations at Saiyyam's house. Her crush on abhi. But this time, one thing was changed. She was getting married.

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Here's the second update. Hope you guys will like it. Leave your thoughts about it.

xoxo