A little thing called FIRST LOVE ft.Avneil

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The hospital room was quiet, save for the soft beeping of machines and the occasional rustle of clothing as someone shifted in their seat. DD, exhausted from the events of the night, was slumped on the sofa, his head tilted to the side in an uncomfortable sleeping position. Vidyut, though awake, looked drained as he scrolled aimlessly through his phone, his mind clearly elsewhere. Sunheri, wrapped in her shawl, had fallen asleep in the single chair, her body curled up in an awkward position, but she didn’t care. The tension of the night had taken its toll on everyone.

Neil, however, couldn’t rest. He sat beside Avni’s bed, her small hand gently enclosed in his. His eyes were fixed on her, his heart heavy with guilt. He could barely hear the others; his world had shrunk down to just Avni and the sound of her shallow breathing.

"Sorry, Avni," Neil whispered, his voice hoarse. His thumb gently stroked her hand, as though the small movement might comfort her, or at least ease the turmoil in his chest. "I was late. I should have been there before everything happened. It’s all my fault."

His mind kept replaying the events of the night, over and over again. The helplessness he felt when he found her, the rage that had surged through him when he saw Sanjay, and now, the deep, gnawing regret that he hadn’t been able to prevent any of it.

"I should have been more careful, followed you," Neil muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he held her hand a little tighter. "You wouldn’t be lying here like this if I had just… done more."

His eyes filled with unshed tears as he stared at her pale face, her usually lively eyes closed, her lips dry. She looked fragile, so unlike the strong, confident Avni he was used to. He felt a lump rise in his throat, and he swallowed it down, refusing to let himself break down.

"I told you I’d be there for you, no matter what," Neil whispered, guilt choking him. "I promised you, and I broke that promise. I let this happen. I’m so sorry."

"I’ll never forgive myself for this," he said quietly, his voice cracking with emotion. "But I promise you this time, Avni—I won’t let anything like this happen again. I’ll protect you, no matter what. I swear it."

As he sat there, consumed by his own guilt, the room around him seemed to fade away. All that mattered was Avni, and the silent promise he made to himself to never leave her side again.

-------------------------------------------------------

Avni's eyes fluttered open, slowly adjusting to the soft light in the hospital room. The first thing she saw was Neil, sitting beside her, holding her hand tightly even in his sleep. His face looked tired, worn with worry, and seeing him like that sent a wave of warmth and gratitude through her. She shifted her gaze around the room and saw Vidyut, DD, and Sunheri all asleep on the sofas, clearly exhausted from the long night.

With a soft voice, she called out, "Neil…"

Neil stirred, his eyes opening almost immediately at the sound of her voice. He blinked, quickly sitting up when he realized she was awake. "Avni!" he exclaimed, his voice still groggy but filled with relief. "Are you ok?"

The sound of Neil’s voice woke up the others. Sunheri stirred, stretching her arms, and DD sat up, rubbing his eyes. Vidyut was the first to fully take in the sight of Avni awake and alert. "I’ll go call the doctor," he said, his voice filled with urgency as he quickly left the room.

Avni gave Neil a soft, weak smile in response to his question. She could see the worry in his eyes, but also the overwhelming relief that she was awake. It made her heart ache, but she was grateful he was by her side.