ABHIRA [SLOW UPDATE]

CHAPTER 4: PIYA TOSE NAINA LAGE RE

Without even realizing it, Abhimanyu had found himself drawn to the ghat time and time again, compelled by an invisible force—his growing desire to see the mysterious girl again. He needed to confirm she wasn't just a fragment of his imagination, that she was real.

Sitting on the stairs near the water, Abhimanyu let the street performers' melodies wash over him. The music was beautiful, but it didn't touch him the way her voice had. He was lost in thought when his heartbeat quickened—a familiar rhythm he had only experienced in her presence. His eyes scanned the crowd, searching, when he heard it—a faint, familiar tune.

It was her.

Without hesitation, Abhimanyu followed the sound, letting his heart guide him through the winding streets. A few meters away from the ghat, he came upon a secluded tomb by the water. There she was, sitting beneath it, singing softly:

लग जा गले के फिर ये हसीं रात हो न हो,
शायद फिर इस जनम में मुलाकात हो न हो।

Abhimanyu stood frozen, his heart racing as her voice filled the air. It wasn't just music; it was like a balm soothing his soul. Every note she sang seemed to resonate with something deep within him, pulling at emotions he didn't understand.

As he watched her, captivated by her voice and presence, it felt as though she was singing just for him. For the first time in years, Abhimanyu allowed himself to simply listen, to let her melody fill the empty spaces in his heart.

On the other hand, Akshara finally felt like she could breathe again. After her panic attack at the hospital, her Mimi had been treating her like fragile glass, and Akshara hated it. That's why she didn't want anyone to know about her episodes—she needed space.

As she finished her song, she sighed and glanced at the still water, letting the serenity envelop her. Just as she began to lose herself in thought, her phone chimed—it was a message from Mimi, asking if she was okay. Akshara sighed and decided it was time to head home; she didn't want to worry her great-grandmother any more than she already had.

But as she stood to leave, her foot slipped on the edge of the stone. Her eyes closed in panic as she felt herself falling toward the water.

Abhimanyu, who had been watching from a distance, acted on instinct. He reached out and caught her, his hands gripping her arms to steady her. For a moment, the world seemed to stop. His breath caught in his throat as he looked at her face up close for the first time. She was as beautiful as her voice.

Akshara, expecting to fall, instead felt herself being held. Slowly, she opened her eyes and was met with the most captivating pair of dark brown eyes. They shimmered in the sunlight, and she found herself unable to look away.

Abhimanyu gently pulled her away from the water's edge, his heart pounding in his chest. Akshara instinctively clutched his shoulders, their proximity leaving no space between them. She could hear his heartbeat, and he could feel her soft, steady breaths.

For what felt like an eternity, they stared at each other, lost in a moment they didn't fully understand. But then Akshara's phone chimed again, pulling them back to reality.

Flustered, Akshara quickly stepped back, scolding herself for getting so close to a stranger. She straightened her dress and mumbled, "Thank you so much. Aap nahi hote toh..." She gestured awkwardly toward the water.

"Mera hona shayad aap ke liye hi tha," Abhimanyu mumbled, barely aware of what he was saying.

Akshara blinked in confusion. "Kya?" she asked.