DESTINED TOGETHER

Chapter 28 - Clear as mud

"What do you mean we've to submit the project before it was due? Wasn't the deadline on June 5th!?" Akshara Goenka, exclaimed loudly, as her brows shot up, eyes widening.

"It was Akshara, but for some reason, they've moved the date forward. So now, the new deadline is on May 25th." Rhea replied, discontentment evident in her tone.

"But babe! It's the 29th of April today! We've less than a month to finish the damn project and I didn't even finish with my photos yet. I won't be able to get what I want in less than a month!" Akshara said frustrated as she stood up from the bed, leaving her laptop, on which she was working on.

"Tell me about it. I don't even have the half of the pics I need and I don't have any idea how I will find time to complete the project with daily classes at Uni. I wanna hang myself!" Her friend cried.

"Relax. You'll be fine, Baba. You've started your work way earlier than me. I saw yours, you finished more than the half." Akshu reassured. "Just trust yourself and focus on the rest. You can do this."

"Okay. You've a point. I'm maybe dramatizing the situation but it still sucks, especially for you who joined the course late. It isn't fair." Rhea answered as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I don't know..." Akshara sighed as she let herself fall back on her bed, tired after a day of college and two hours of working on her project at home.

"Sending you virtual hugs babe." Rhea consoled before her tone dropped in a teasing way. "Or, you can ask Abhi to hug you while you whine about your projects."

Akshara smiled automatically at the mention of his name. "Please, I'm exactly going to doing that."

Rhea chuckled in the call. "I bet you're blushing right now." Akshara rolled from her spot to glance at her face in the mirror and indeed, her cheeks were tinged with a pink hue.

"Me? Nah." She denied with a grin.

"And I'm Queen Elizabeth." Rhea countered, sarcastically.

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Akshara rolled her eyes as she made her way out of the room. "How's he doing by the way? It's been a while since I saw him."

"He's busy as heck. He's taken a leave of three weeks so they're draining him with workload now. Plus, he also has his exam preps to deal with." She spoke in concern. "I dunno how Abhi handles it but he sometimes worries me with his workload." She frowned more. "Even his senior, Dr. Roy doesn't show some pity on him. Jerk."

Her bestie laughed from the other side. "Akshara, chill. If Dr. Roy shows pity on your Abhimanyu, then he won't pass his exams and complete his MD."

"You're just worried and frustrated for him, babe. Don't worry. You said he's taking a leave right?"

Akshara sighed and nodded. "Yep. Don't know why though, I forgot to ask him." She mumbled to herself.

"K. Work aside, what about you two?" Akshu could bet her friend was wiggling her eyebrows at this very moment, fighting back a smile.

"What about us?" She faked ignorance, just to annoy Rhea.

"Aksharaaaa...You know very well what I'm talking about." She groaned. The latter laughed before curling up comfortably on the couch by the large floor length windows.

"We're more than fine, I guess. He told me a week ago that I can take my time and set the pace."

"That's so sweet and considerate of him, Akshu." Her interlocutor whispered, admiration filling her voice.

"I know right? He's amazing Rhea. He's just so attentive, understanding, caring and so protective." She spoke earnestly as an image of Abhimanyu flashed in her mind. "Do you know he didn't once crossed his limits or made me feel uncomfortable in the past week? We were cat and dog before so it's normal but even now, when he's all rights, he won't do a wrong move."