adhura pyaar ┃abhira (3.0)

the aftermath

Akshara's legs lead her back to the villa, she's in a state of confusion and shock. However, there is an immense sense of relief that settles in her, something that she hasn't felt in a long time. 

Her whole family is gathered in the living and rush to her the moment they catch sight of her, drenched in her saree tears stained on her face. 

Abhinav is the first to ask, "Akshara aap teek hain?"

For some strange reason, her mind won't let go of his face or words from earlier, and she misses it already.  But as she looks at Abhinav, she realizes that promise she had made to him in the name of marriage, and a sense of guilt creeps in already. They had done nothing wrong, but clarity has been bestowened upon her, that she will never be able to love Abhinav. 

By now, Kairav had noticed the file in her hands and takes it from her. He wastes no time in flipping through the documents and there's visible shock on his face when he looks at back up at her. He wordlessly questions her and she nods, the happiness in her face visible. Her family notices their exchange, and it's in no time they all find out what had happened. 

She leaves the details of their conversation to their own privacy and just tells them, that the both of them had sorted out their past with their differences. She knows to expect worried glances, and a downfall of questions asking about where their relationship lay now. 

However, everyone was too overjoyed at the current moment to ask many questions, except when Abhinav motioned to the side. There were tears pooled in his eyes which matched along with hers, when he says "Hum ab Kasauli laute ke wapis chali ja sakte!"

It hit her then, it was like a current had hit her with high speed. Abhinav wasn't wrong, they had full rights too. Of course they had to attend a few court trials, since it was a complicated process but after that they were free to. 

But something was stopping her. 

Even Abhimanyu had told her, to go back to Kasauli and make her a happy little family complete again. He had ensured that he would fly to Kasauli every chance he got but wouldn't intervene in their personal life, like he had previously. 

It felt wrong, and it wasn't necessarily the fact that she felt indebted in him to stay back but after today she felt that he really deserved to stay abhir's life, plus she knew how much abhir adored him. 

Making up her mind, she answers, "Haan lekin-"

***

When Abhimanyu reached home, the Birla house seemed like it was facing another funeral contrary to the Goenka villa filled with life.  He knew that his family had found out, what he had done and his mother's furious eyes caused him to look away. 

Everyone was huddled in the living, and with a quick glance at Aarohi he was ensured that the kids were upstairs, safe from the choas to ensue. 

"Kyu?" Manjiri asks, her voice shaking in anger. And for the first time, he doesn't feel anything -- not because he loves his mother less -- but because as he walked in he felt the weight of his actions and suddenly he could feel the physical loss for a second time. 

"Abhimanyu!" She cried in hysterics before moving towards him, Aarohi and Shefali had tried to calm her down but she was yelling at him before slapping him. 

"Manjiri kya hain?" Mahima asks, worried for Abhimanyu. She knew that he wasn't going to say anything against his mother and would take her taunts, but it was dangerous for him especially considering the state he was in now. "pagal hogaya"

"Haan pagal hogaya lekin mein nahi, Abhimanyu hogaya" Manjiri screeches, "Do you really think that she is going to let you meet him again? She will return back to Kasauli with her husband and live happily! WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THIS?"