I Love Being Yours

Chapter 36

He offers not a word, but ears,
To listen deep, to quell all fears.
A shoulder strong, a gentle touch,
His love a balm, too much is much.

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Aarthi POV
I awoke to the soft hum of Bangalore's morning, a sense of safety cocooning me. The events of yesterday felt like a distant nightmare, but the warmth of Ekansh's presence was a reassuring anchor to reality. His gentle touch on my hand brought me fully awake.

"Good morning," he said softly, his eyes filled with concern. "How are you feeling?"

I took a deep breath, the memory of the unwelcome attention and my frantic escape playing in my mind. "Better," I whispered, my voice still fragile. "Thanks to you."

Ekansh's hand tightened around mine, a protective gesture. "You don't have to thank me, Aarthi. I'm just glad you're safe. Do you want to talk about it?"

I nodded, swallowing hard. "It was at the office outing. One of the guys kept touching me inappropriately. It reminded me of what happened before... I felt so trapped and scared. I just ran."

His jaw clenched in anger, and he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me. "I wish I had been there. I would have made sure he never came near you."

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I felt a little safer in his embrace. "I couldn't even scream. At the same time there were thunderstorms, I really get scared of them and I just wanted to get away."

"Aarthi," he said firmly, lifting my chin so I had to meet his eyes. "You did the right thing. You got yourself out of there, and that's what matters. You're safe now."

I continued to speak, " I really didn't do anything to make him touch me Ekansh please believe me. I'm really sorry, but I didn't do anything that he behaved that way with me." I pleaded literally as I didn't want him to misunderstand me.

"Hey hey Aarthi relax, first drink some water," he passed me the water bottle. Which I gulped in one go.

"Relax a bit Aaru, I know you would never do something like that. I trust you." He spoke while holding my palms together looking straight into my eyes.

"No matter what the rest of the world say, I trust you. Not anything less." He declared.

I nodded, the tightness in my chest easing slightly. His unwavering support made the weight of the day feel a little lighter. "Thank you, Ekansh. I don't know what I would have done without you."

He smiled, though the worry in his eyes didn't fade. "You'll never have to find out."

The rest of the day passed in a comforting haze of normalcy. Ekansh suggested we stay home as he already applied leave for both of us and watch movies, a quiet day to help me recover.

We ordered biryani, my favorite, and settled on the couch.

As the familiar scent of spices filled the air, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. The simple routine of eating together, talking, and watching a movie was exactly what I needed.

Ekansh's presence was a soothing balm, and for a while, I almost forgot about the shadows lurking in my mind.

After the movie ended, we stayed on the couch, talking quietly. I told him more about what had happened, and he listened with a fierce, protective expression. His anger on my behalf was both comforting and unsettling.

"I'm going to find him, Aarthi," he said, his voice low and determined. "He needs to pay for what he did."

The intensity of his words took me by surprise. "Ekansh, no. I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."