Closure

8. Patch Up

Abhi rushed after Akshu, but she had already taken a cab. Frustrated, he hurried back to his cabin, grabbed his bike keys and helmet, and sped off towards her house.

Akshu arrived home and rushed upstairs to her room. The house was empty, with everyone still at the hospital, though Kairav and Arohi could return at any time. She washed her face with cold water and then slumped onto the bed. Emotionally exhausted from the events of the past two days, she lay there, blankly staring at the ceiling.

She then heard a thud against the leg of her bed. Startled, she looked down and saw a small piece of wood wrapped in paper. Someone had thrown it through her window. Rising slowly, she peeked outside and saw Abhi standing right below her window. He held another piece of wood, and the moment he saw her, he put his hands to his ears apologetically and mouthed, "Sorry."

The sight of him brought back all the painful memories from an hour ago that she had been trying so hard to suppress. Tears welled up in her eyes.

In a burst of anger, she picked up the wood and threw it back at him. Abhi ducked just in time. She then unfolded the paper and saw a sad-faced smiley with "Sorry" written beneath it. She tore it into pieces and threw them out the window as well.

Turning away, she went back to her bed and closed her eyes. The bond between Abhi and Akshu was pure and unbreakable, and deep down, both of them knew it. But their expressions of love were as different as their personalities. Abhi's love was like fire, consuming him entirely and impossible to ignore. Akshu's love was soft and calm, like the ocean—deep and profound but not loud. The fact that he questioned it and thought she regretted him in her life made her angry.

After a while, a thunderstorm rolled in, and it began pouring heavily. The part of Akshu still upset didn't want to go back to the window to check, but the part of her that loved Abhi deeply was now worried. She wondered, "Could he still be there? But it's been hours." She clutched her hands tightly, torn between her emotions.

Time passed slowly, and she wrestled with herself, not knowing what to do. Then, she heard a sneeze outside. She knew who it was. Without hesitating, she ran to the window.

There he was—her Abhi—still standing there, drenched and shivering, having not moved an inch. The sight of him standing there, soaked and stubborn, melted her heart. She grabbed an umbrella and ran downstairs.

She held the umbrella over his head and scolded, "Are you crazy? You'll get sick."

Abhi looked deeply into her eyes, his voice soft yet filled with intensity. "Maybe I am. Because I actually feel like I'm losing my mind. I'm so sorry, Akshu. I didn't hear the whole conversation and thought you regretted my presence in your life, that I had ruined your relationship with your family. I was wrong, and I'm a fool. But I love you with a love I've never felt before and never will again. It consumes me entirely, and I don't have a problem with that. But sometimes, it terrifies me, Akshu. It scares me to imagine my life without you. And I'll be honest, I was jealous, believing you loved your family more than me, that you might leave me for them. I was wrong. Punish me however you see fit, Akshu. Just please, don't leave me. I can endure any pain, but not the agony of losing you."

Akshu melted at her Abhi's heartfelt confession. She dropped the umbrella and hugged him tightly. "I am not going anywhere. And I don't love anything or anyone more than you. Never again question my love for you. Nobody can do that. Not even you."

Abhi, with a hint of a smile, asked, "But am I not the love? Should I not be an exception to the rule?"

Akshu replied, "Now is not the time."

"Sorry," Abhi said with a small, sheepish grin.

Then Akshu said, "And Abhi, my love for you scares me too. When others hurt me, it just hurts. But when you do that, I feel lifeless."

Abhi hugged her tighter and gave a small peck on her forehead. They stood there, drenched in the rain but enveloped in warmth, knowing their love was strong enough to weather any storm.

Since no one was home yet, Akshu took Abhi inside and handed him a towel to dry his hair. She offered him Kairav's clothes to change into, but Abhi refused. She lit a fire in the living room fireplace, and Abhi promptly took off his shirt and started drying it off.

Akshu couldn't help but notice his abs, feeling her heart flutter. Trying to keep her cool, she remarked, "Such a show-off."

Akshu went to the kitchen and made some tea. She returned to the living room, but feeling exhausted, she soon dozed off on the sofa, leaving her tea unfinished. Abhi watched her sleep peacefully and felt a sense of calm wash over him. With the rain having stopped, his tea finished, and his clothes dry, he knew it was time to leave, especially since anyone could come back home at any moment.

Before leaving, Abhi wrote a note: "I love you," with a happy smiley face next to it.

When Akshu woke up, she looked around for Abhi but didn't see him. Then she spotted the note. She read it, smiled, and went back to sleep, clutching the note close to her heart.