DESTINED TOGETHER

Chapter 22- Confused feelings

Her first kiss. She had her first kiss with Abhimanyu. Abhi was her first kiss.

Her heart hammered at the thought as she could still feel his lips molding against hers, caressing hers slowly and softly, his warm hands grasping her waist tightly, leaving their imprint on her. Akshara shuddered and swallowed as she trailed her fingers on her lips, the same lips that were his captive merely few minutes ago. And she loved every second of it.

A tear fell, flowed by another as she leaned her head against the cold tile.

He regretted it. He regretted kissing her.

The instant he apologized, her heart ached painfully. She didn't know why exactly but him regretting their kiss, her first kiss, was indigestible. It hurt. It hurt a lot more than she was willing to admit to herself. Though, it shouldn't. It shouldn't hurt her. They were friends or more. She didn't know. But, she didn't have any rights to be hurt when she herself was confused about her feelings. Why was her heart squeezing? Why did her tears fell? Why? Why? Why?

A knock was heard on the bathroom door and she wiped her tears, turned off the shower and stepped out. After wiping herself and wrapping a towel on her hair, she opened the door to the bedroom, in her pajamas.

Abhimanyu was at the bedside, still in his black jeans and wet t-shirt sticking to his toned body like a second skin. He was placing the tray he held on her bedside table as she stopped at the other side.

Feeling her piercing gaze on him, Abhi  glanced at her way quickly before darting his eyes to the tray again.

"Akshara, I bought you paracetamol for hangover and to prevent a fever from the rain. I made you veggie soup as you can't take any tablets with empty stomach and chocolates are also here, I only had snickers thou—"

"Abhi..." She called him to stop his monologue but also because he didn't once looked at her properly while talking. He kept avoiding eye contact with her and the Abhi she knew was a man who spoke his heart looking into the person's eyes.

She rounded the bed to stand by his side, just behind him as he faced the window. 'Look at me, Abhi!'—She wanted to yell but she held back and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Shouldn't you change too? You'll catch a cold if you stay with drenched clothes." Akshara spoke softly.

"I-I'm going out." He retorted, tone low and her hand fell from his shoulders. "What?"

"I...hmm, I've to leave the car at my friend's place." He added hesitantly and she knew he was lying. From when Abhi lied? Wasn't his honesty her most favorite trait of him?

He turned around swiftly, their eyes interlacing instantly, his pooled with guilt and hers with hurt. But both of them were unable to voice it aloud as they kept looking at each other before he moved away. "Please finish the soup and take the medicines, it'll make you sleep well. I'll be late, don't wait for me." Abhimanyu whispered. "Take care, Akshara."—'Akshu!'. He didn't call her Akshu or any of his silly nicknames once, a part of her protested as he stopped at the doorstep, staring at her from the corner of his vision.

"Good night." Never ever these two words felt so distant in her whole life.

He was about to say something else before he shook his head and closed the door. And she dropped on the bed, confused by his distance and her own hurt over it. She understood her disappointment, if a girl had her first kiss with someone and that person regretted it, anyone would feel bad but she was hurt that the said person was Abhi. Abhi was not a random someone. And that's exactly what bothered her.

When did he became so important to her? What did he mean by calling her his? If she's special then why would he regret kissing her? Was she a bad kisser? Was she unlikable? Was she just someone for him? Or rather no one?