DESTINED TOGETHER

Chapter 64 - Pulling at heartstrings

AN : I added a bgm for the second part of the chapter, you can play it if you want. To not disturb the reading, I just left this when you reach that part :
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As she steadied herself, Akshara's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring into Abhimanyu's intense, mesmerizing dark brown eyes, just inches from her own. His gaze, framed by long, thick lashes, drew her in with its depth and seemed to pierce through her facade, reading emotions hidden beneath the surface, as if he could see straight into her soul. He could. It was a fact known by both of them.

She didn't know what she was doing. Was she staring at him out of love and longing? Was she trying to pierce the wall he'd suddenly built between them? Or was she just lost in his eyes without a way out like her heart was his despite everything?

She was aware that he was staring at her too, his beautiful eyes detailing her face. Their proximity ignited a familiar heat between them and they weren't immune to it either. The tension hung heavy in the air as his arms tightened around her waist for a brief moment before he reluctantly loosened his grip, allowing her to get up.

However, she had yet to release his shoulder from her vice grip. He cleared his throat lightly and damn it, she hated how her breath hitched at the sound of his low, rough voice, the very voice she had been trying to banish from her mind for the past two days. Praying he hadn't noticed, she stood up slowly, her gaze avoiding his as she focused on dusting off and arranging her lehenga and accessories, which were heavy and prickling her skin.

Unbeknownst to her, Abhimanyu gulped inaudibly, taking in the breathtaking sight before him. His eyes lingered on her angelic face, adorned with light makeup that complemented her features perfectly. Despite the signs of sleepless nights shadowing her eyes,—for which he blamed himself—he couldn't help but admire their beauty, accentuated by kajal and mascara that highlighted her dark, expressive eyes. Her lips, plump and painted a cherry red, looked even sweeter than he remembered.

She was dressed in an off-shoulder golden and pale pink lehenga. The voluminous pale pink skirt, adorned with intricate golden embroidery, tiny mirrors, and sequins, shimmered in the light. His gaze wandered up to the bare skin of her stomach, where that damn waist chain held her soft dupatta in place, draped like a saree over her off-shoulder golden blouse. The top revealed her delicate shoulders and smooth neck in an alluring way, with her wavy hair gathered to one side.

As she turned slightly, Abhimanyu's heart pounded harder and his blood ran cold at the sight of the criss-cross strings tying the back of her blouse, exposing half of her soft, bare back. She looked like she had stepped out of a fairytale into the mundane world, simply enthralling.

He slapped himself mentally to not let his mind wander in the dangerous territories as he reminded himself of their current situation that soon forced the painful reality back as he averted his gaze, composing himself.

Silence was never an issue for them, they'd always been so talkative, teasing and bickering all day, and the rare moments of silence were also comfortable in the past. But now, the silence was awkward.

The tension between them was palpable, an electric charge that made him want to pull her to him and crush his mouth against hers, erasing any trace of sadness and pain from her face. But he held back. He wasn't allowed to do that anymore, not after he had asked her to walk away from his life, losing himself along with her.

As Akshu fiddled her fingers, a sign of nervousness as he knew all too well, he shook his head, desperate to break the painful silence between them. He mentally distanced himself, retreating to his safe haven where she couldn't breach the walls he had built.