This is a story of a girl who loves cricket and a guy who is a budding cricketer.
Akshara Sharma is a diehard fan of cricket. and Vikram Krishna is a budding cricketer.
what will happen when they cross paths? will they start a like or hate relati...
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As I ring the doorbell, Ara opens the door. Her eyes are red and puffy, and my heart breaks seeing her like this.
"Vicky! I'm so—" she begins, but I don't let her finish. I pull her into a tight embrace, my voice filled with regret.
"No! I'm sorry, Ara! I should have been more patient and listened to you!"
Ara shakes her head, tears streaming down her face. "I should have talked to you! I'm sorry for not opening up and for all the harsh words I said earlier. I didn't mean any of it!"
Her words are choked with sobs, and it tears at me to see her so distressed. I gently cup her face in my hands, wiping away her tears with my thumbs. "It's okay," I whisper, my voice trembling. "We both made mistakes. What matters now is that we're here, and we need to work through this together."
Ara nods, her eyes searching mine with a mix of relief and sorrow. "I've been holding so much inside. I didn't know how to let it out or how to explain everything."
I hold her gaze, my own emotions raw. "I understand now. Anu bhabi told me about what you've been going through. I didn't realize how much you've been carrying. I'm sorry for not seeing it sooner."
Ara's eyes widen with surprise and gratitude. "She told you?"
"Yes," I say softly. "And it made me realize how important you are to me. I want to support you, Ara. I want to be there for you, no matter what."
She leans into me, her sobs gradually easing. "Thank you, Vicky. I'm so sorry for everything."I gently stroke her hair, trying to soothe her. "We'll get through this. We just need to communicate and be there for each other. I promise I'll listen and support you.
"Ara nods, her tears slowly subsiding. "I want that too. I want us to be okay."
I pull her close again, holding her tightly. "We will be. We just need to take it one step at a time."
As we pull apart, Ara shakes her head, her expression a mix of urgency and determination. "No, I can't wait any longer. I have to explain everything to you!"
I look at her, my heart racing with a mix of worry and anticipation. "Okay, tell me. I'm listening."
Ara takes a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as she begins to speak. "The truth is... Kabir was threatening me. Akshay and Shreya got into a relationship after returning from Australia, and Kabir had pictures and videos of them together. He threatened to release them if I didn't cooperate with him."
My jaw tightens, and I can feel the anger building inside me. "What did he want from you?"
Ara's eyes fill with pain as she continues. "He wanted me to be his... Akshay and Shreya reached out for help, and we thought we could find a way to deal with it. Kabir said he could help only if he clicked on a link that would give him access to Tilak. So, we made the link look like an advertisement, hoping he would click on it." I can't help but feel a surge of anger at the thought of Kabir manipulating and threatening Ara. "And he clicked on it?"
"Yes," Ara confirms, tears welling up in her eyes. "Two days ago. That's why I went out to the party and came home drunk. I was trying to drown out the fear and the stress. I couldn't tell you about it that night because Kabir showed up at the house, and I didn't want to worry you or make things worse."
My fists clench, my knuckles turning white as the anger inside me boils over. "So, all this time, you've been dealing with this alone while I was completely in the dark?"
Ara nods, her voice breaking. "I'm so sorry, Vicky. I didn't know how to tell you. I was scared and overwhelmed. I didn't want to add to your stress."
I take a deep breath, trying to control the rage and hurt I'm feeling. "You should have told me. We could have faced this together."
"I know," Ara says, her voice filled with regret. "I should have. But I was trying to protect you, and I thought I could handle it on my own."
I gently pull her back into my arms, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside me. "You don't have to go through things alone. We're a team, Ara. We should face everything together.
"Ara clings to me, her sobs muffled against my shoulder. "I'm so sorry for everything, Vicky. I promise I'll be more open and honest from now on."
I hold her tightly, my anger slowly giving way to a deep sense of resolve. "We'll get through this. We'll deal with Kabir and any other challenges together. We're stronger than this."
"Ara! W-what about that night in the hotel!?" I blurt out, knowing I should let it go but unable to shake off the lingering doubts.
"What night?" she asks, looking confused.
"Who was the man coming out of your room that night after I left you following our date?" I ask, trying to keep my tone steady.
Her face goes through a range of expressions before she responds. "There was no man, Vicky! I went straight to sleep that day. I was exhausted."
I frown, feeling a mix of frustration and skepticism. "But I saw a man coming out of your room. He kissed you, and I closed the door before you could see me and went into my room."
"Wait," Ara says, realization dawning on her. "I came to your room the next morning, and you weren't there. KL bhai said you were in his room?"
As she processes this, Harry walks in carrying my luggage. "Shit," I mutter, understanding dawning on me.
"Was that the reason you were avoiding me in the beginning?" Ara asks, her disbelief evident.
I smile, feeling both embarrassed and guilty. "Might be!"
Ara looks at me with a teasing glint in her eyes. "You were jealous? Thinking I might have kissed some guy after our first date?"
I chuckle, pulling her closer by the waist. "Maybe I was. I guess I was a bit insecure." Ara giggles, her earlier tension giving way to amusement. "You're adorable, you know that?" I smile, brushing a stray hair from her face. "I guess we both have our moments. But now that we've sorted things out, we should focus on being honest with each other."
She nods, still smiling. "Definitely. And you know, next time, maybe don't jump to conclusions so quickly?"
I laugh softly, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Fair point. I'll try to keep my jealousy in check."
We share a warm, affectionate smile, the teasing and laughter helping to mend the rift between us. The night's events feel like a distant memory as we find solace and comfort in each other's arms, ready to face whatever comes next—together.
