Discordance

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Abhimanyu could not think or breathe past the blood rushing in his ears, how had things gone so awry? It really was his fault for yelling at her the moment she got home but he had been so worried, pacing their room trying not to think of worst case scenarios. She had not answered a single text or call of his and nobody had heard from her in hours, HOURS! How was he not supposed to panic at that?

But even he knew that yelling at her was her one hard boundary and he had crossed it but surely she wouldn't have had this much of a harsh reaction at him being concerned? Whatever it was his blood was frozen in his veins, he definitely should not have yelled at her. When would he ever learn. She was already so skittish and wary of him and now he had made things worse.

He sat down on the edge of the bed grasping his head in his hands wanting to pull his hair out, his mind kept replaying her words but as hurtful as they were he couldn't get the image of her eerie eyes and the haunted look on her face go. She said she hated him, she wished she had never ever met him and in this moment Abhimanyu wished that she never had because it would mean she wasn't upset at whatever he had done and she could be happy elsewhere away from him.

He was so guilt stricken and anxious yet it was only his heartbreak that he could focus on. Why did it hurt so damn much to hear her say those things to him? How had he ever blamed her for ruining his life when he was the one that had taken her joy and happiness away. How would he fix this? Maybe he should reiterate that he would set her free and she can go back to her life like none of this ever happened. His resolution in tact, Abhimanyu swallowed past the lump in his throat finally blinking and looking around the room.

So lost was he in his own heartbreak for the past hour, he realized with a jolt, that he couldn't hear, see or think past his own damn self. And that is why he missed Akshara's soft sobs from the bathroom drowned out by the shower stream from time to time. She was not okay, he thought as he instantly got up on his feet, but surely this wasn't because of him yelling at her? She would never in her wildest dreams confess as to what was eating her up but she was his monkey, his Akshara. How could he ignore it when she was in pain?

He knocked on the door gently but neither did she stop her sobs nor did the sound of the shower. It had been more than an hour, what was she doing in there? Did the thought of his presence cause her this much pain that she refused to come out?

"Akshara, please come out. Look I will go sleep in the guest bedroom but please come out. I am so sorry for yelling at you" he said resting his head on the door but his hope for a response was dashed to the ground when her sobs never stopped. Suddenly a trickle of fear crawled onto his back, what if she hurt herself in there? Her wrist was already botched up.

He frantically began to knock and call out her name but nothing seemed to be going through. He knew what he had to do but the invasion of privacy was so severe that she would never forgive him. Weighing the pros and cons of it all he concluded that her safety was his priority so what if she never spoke to him again? She would be safe and secure and that's all that mattered.

"Akshara I am going to come in if you don't open the door, please I am worried about you" he said and she never responded, continuing to wait loudly.

"Please come out, I don't want to make you uncomfortable by unlocking the door, please" he pleaded loudly and desperately but again nothing.

"I am coming in, I promise to keep my eyes closed I just want to get you out of there" Abhimanyu begged but when she did not respond to his pleas after he had told her multiple times that he was coming in, he had to bite the bullet and do the needful.

Grabbing the key he unlocked the bathroom door and immediately placed a hand over his eyes, reaching blindly to the sides to find a towel and hastily grabbing it the moment his hands made contact with it. His feet took him to where he could hear her sobs and he held out the towel for her whispering gently "Look I have not seen anything, please can you take this towel and come out?" he coaxed but got not response.