His Unloved Bride | COMPLETED ✓

✿⁠ TO BE HUGGED ✿⁠

ALAIA

“Can I ask you for something?”

I nodded, fearing that he might ask me not to expect anything from him once again.

“Watch a movie with me.”

“Huh?” My eyes widened in suprise. “Movie?”

“I mean— stay with me for awhile.” He fumbled with his words.

My heart came crashing down at the whirling emotions of empathy for him. For a moment, I had no idea how to react. This came rather as a suprise. I thought that he might come home drunk and feel like being alone but I was wrong. Maybe we all need someone to be there for us even if we don't want. Emotional need is something far different than what we expect.

“Which movie?” I asked.

He shrugged, absentmindedly.

I played some random Bollywood movie and we both sat on the couch. He fixed his eyes on the screen but I know, he wasn't actually watching the movie. Through my periphery, I glanced at him, his face stoic. I wanted to do something for him, anything to make him feel better but I doubt if I can do such things. I'm not some sort of healer, I can't possibly end his pain but what I offer him is my arms to listen to his pain.

I played with my fingers in nervousness and even though the TV was running in the background, I was uncomfortable. It itched me to kill this silence and tell him that I'm sorry for his loss but then again will it matter?

Losing your love to death isn't easy, is it? If I feel hurt knowing that probably Agastya will never feel the same for me then what about him; how much pain he had buried in his heart knowing that Zoya is dead?

So, I decided to take my chances and do something for him. Something that is the least I can do for him in this situation.

I pressed my eyes shut and forced myself to remember the pain I've been through on the day when I woke up and everything shattered in a heartbeat. I remember vividly laying on the floor; naked and used. The cold tile and the smell of liquor and drugs made me nauseous, my body ached and I felt my vagina burning in sharp pain. And then my mind started repeating what had happened to me. I enjoyed being in the moment when my boyfriend made love to me and next I know I was surrounded by four of his friends. I tried to stop those images from flashing in my mind because I was ashamed of myself and because I remembered them calling me filthy names while tainting my body.

My gut twisted in pain and tears flooded in my eyelids. I was successful in making myself vulnerable to cry infront of Agastya even if meant reliving the cruel memories.

“Alaia? What happened? Are you okay? Why are you crying?” I heard him shifting his attention to me.

“N-Nothing just my mind decided to go on a memory lane and I was forced to remember how my family treated me after they got to know about my—sex tape....” I breathed out. Partially lying about everything.

He stilled.

Come on, Alaia. You can do this. “C-Can I hug you?” I asked, hoping that he agrees.

He nodded. And that was all I needed, I latched my arms around him. The musleces of his back stiffened but when I rested my chin over his shoulder, they relaxed. After a brief pause, he wrapped his arms around me too and now it was my chance to gasp in comfort. My brain stopped working and I sensed our heart beating in the same rhythm; rapidly. My tears were long gone and I patted myself for being successful in a task of hugging him.

But then he tighten his embrace around me and snuggled his face into the crook of my neck. I wet my dry lips and softly started creasing his back.

I thought of sharing his pain but being in arms like this, my heart is healing too.