S A C R I F I C E

C H A P T E R - 1

Hazel eyes 

The heavy rain of May poured relentlessly, the wind howling as thunder cracked in the distance, casting jagged flashes of lightning across the dark evening sky. The cold breeze whipped around the deserted streets outside the police station, where Akshay, tall and broad-shouldered, stepped out. His 6-foot frame was soaked through, but he seemed unfazed. His sharp jawline and baby-faced innocence were in stark contrast to the deadness in his eyes. He moved without purpose, his shoes splashing through muddy puddles with every step, his face devoid of any emotion, as if the world had drained the life from him.

As he pulled his phone from his pocket, the rain pelting his screen, he started scrolling through his contacts. Before he could dial, a familiar voice broke through the storm.

"AKSHAY!" A young woman's voice pierced through the rain like a ray of sunlight. She ran toward him, holding an umbrella over her head. Dressed in a bright yellow salwar, her hair pulled back in a messy bun, and delicate jhumkas dancing in her ears, Anjali brought with her a sense of warmth despite the freezing rain.

"Akshay, you're completely drenched!" she exclaimed, rushing to cover him with her umbrella. "How could you come out without one in this weather?" Her soft voice was filled with concern, but her words hardly reached him.

"Stop it, Anjali," Akshay cut her off coldly, his tone biting. "What are you even doing here?"

"Your dad... he asked me to come pick you up," she replied, her voice faltering slightly. She smiled nervously, hoping to soften his mood.

Akshay let out a bitter chuckle, his smirk filled with sarcasm rather than warmth. "Of course he did. He's trying to set me up with you, isn't he?"

Anjali's cheeks flushed a soft pink at his bluntness. "Well... kind of..." she admitted shyly.

His smirk grew darker. "You're still going along with this? After everything? You know, Anjali, stop being such a—" He cut himself off, anger bubbling beneath his otherwise emotionless expression.

Anjali's eyes welled up with tears. "I've waited for you since we were fifteen, Akshay! How long are you going to punish me for loving you?" Her voice cracked with emotion.

His cold demeanor didn't change. "Did I ask you to wait for me? I never asked for this! There's no way I'm ever going to love anyone." His voice rose, anger mixing with the pain that he refused to acknowledge.

The word "love" seemed to trigger something deep inside him. He stopped, his fists clenched at his sides, and for a brief moment, his eyes glistened as tears threatened to spill over. He bit his lip hard, fighting the emotions rising within him. Without another word, he stormed to the nearby BMW and got inside, Anjali following reluctantly.

"fuck it , Just... kill me already, Anjali," Akshay muttered as he slumped in the passenger seat, his face now wet with tears as much as with rain. "I don't want to do this shit anymore... I can't live like this... not without her." His sobs were low and broken, his once sharp features now distorted with pain.

"Akshay..." Anjali began, her voice soft with sympathy.

"Just fucking shut up!" he snapped, curling up in the seat, his head resting against the window as he let the rain outside match the storm inside him.

~

AKSHAY POV 

 the rain had lightened into a drizzle, but the chill lingered in the air. I was at the bus stop, waiting for Mridhul with my bike, cursing myself for not bringing the umbrella Ma had handed me. I pulled out my phone and dialed him, tapping my foot impatiently.