Bruises| Abhira FF ✔️

CHAPTER 30

Third Person's POV

It was the night before Rhea's birthday. The little girl's excitement was on another level, which is why it took Akshara almost an hour to get her to sleep, and now she was standing on the terrace, giving a few minutes to herself.

But she was rather disturbed than at peace. Abhimanyu's strange behaviour was bothering her to hell when it shouldn't. She knew about how his behaviour could change from ice to fire in a quick span of time, but this time, she was sure that it wasn't just his mood swings.

He was lashing out at her on minor things. He was making a fuss about every little thing, which is something very unusual of him. She knew she shouldn't be concerned about him, but her mind couldn't help but drift in his thoughts every time.

She was trying to hide to control and neglect these strange feelings every time she gets when he's near around her. That tingling sensation, her stomach churning up, those slight goosebumps. But it seems like her heart wasn't in favor of what her mind was telling it to do.

She wrapped her arms around herself as a wave of cold breeze hit her body. She rubbed her arms slightly, trying to warm her body a bit when she felt a presence behind her. She tilted her head slightly and saw Abhimanyu standing at the entrance of the terrace before he moved to stand beside her.

"Still awake?" he asked, breaking the awkward silence between them.

"I was just about to go to bed." she replied and turned around to walk away, but he grabbed her by her hand and stopped her.

"Leave my hand." she said as she tried to get her hand out of his grip, but it only got tighter.

"Will you please stop avoiding me?" he asked as he moved closer to her.

"I'm not avoiding you. Rhea's birthday is tomorrow, and I need to get up early for preparations. So, will you please let me go!" she shot back.

"Not until you talk to me." he said and pulled her closer to him, making her turn towards him.

"Talk? The last time I did, you didn't seem to like it." she taunted, and he closed his eyes for a second before opening them again to look at her.

"Akshara... I know I shouldn't have talked to you like that... I was just stressed." he said and held her other hand too.

"And it makes you feel better, right? Treating me like shit! Does it make your mood better?" she asked with a sadistic chuckle.

"What? No!" he immediately shook his head as a frown appeared on his forehead.

"I don't know if you know that or not, but.... I respect you. I truly do. Whether you believe it or not." he said as his thumb unconsciously caressed her knuckles, and she looked at him.

"I'm sorry, Akshara. And I'll make sure this won't happen again." he apologized to her, and a small smile unknowingly spread across her face.

"It's alright." she replied with a smile before she felt his arms wrap around her, making her shock.

"Thanks!" he said, still hugging her. She hesitated at first but then slowly hugged him back, feeling herself safe around him.

She expected him to jerk back upon realizing that he was actually hugging her but to her surprise he kept her in his embrace long enough for her to completely melt into him and to be honest she wasn't minding it at all.

"Ehmm...." he cleared his throat before separating from her, and she tugged her hair behind her ear, looking away, trying hard not to blush.

"I should go... I better go.... Uhh.... Goodnight!" she stuttered, totally looking like a dork before she ran off the terrace, and Abhimanyu smiled at her actions.

The next morning.

For the past two days, neil's life had never been better. He and aarohi were now finally back on track. After continuously apologizing to her, she finally forgives him. He entered Aarohi's cabin with a wide smile on his face, but it immediately disappeared upon seeing her brother.

"Hey neil, kairav bhaiyya wanted to meet you." Aarohi said, drawing the attention of Neil.

"Oh, so you are Neil!" Kairav forwarded his hand towards him, and neil shook it firmly with a nervous smile.

"It's nice to meet you, sir." Neil replied.

"Oh please, you can call me bhaiyya too like aarohi." Kairav smiled at him, and he nodded.

"I think it's nice weather for all of us to have a little breakfast." Aarohi chimed.

"I'm all up for it!!" Neil said, and kairav nodded in agreement.

"Happy Birthday to you.... Happy birthday to you...." Rhea fluttered her eyes open as she felt Akshara whispering the birthday song in her ear.

"Happy birthday, dear Rhea....Happy birthday to you!" she completed the song and kissed her cheek, making Rhea smile.

"Thank you!" she replied with a smile before lazily pulling Akshara into a hug.

"Happy Birthday, Princess!!!" Abhimanyu entered the room with chocolates and two bouquets of flowers in his hands.

"Papa!!!!" Rhea immediately got off the bed and ran towards her father.

"Here you go!" he said, handing her a box of chocolate and a bouquet of red roses.

"Red roses! You remembered?!" she asked with excitement.

"Of course I do. As you said, princesses deserve red roses as a gift." he quoted her words, making Akshara smile.

"Thank you, Papa! I'll put it in a vase." she pecked his cheek before running downstairs with chocolates and flowers in her hand.

"Uhh...These are for you!" he said, handing Akshara a bouquet of white roses, and she looked at him.

"I-I really wanted to buy something for you-- and I thought red roses would seem kind of inappropriate to give so...." he explained innocently, scratching the back of his neck.

"I love these!" Akshara replied with a smile.

"I-I really meant what I said last night. And these... white roses are my symbol of respect for you." he told her, motioning towards the white roses.

"Thank you!" she nodded with a smile, and he smiled back.

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