Haal e dil: The Tale Of Love

➤ chapter 8

"Kri", Aakriti called.

Anaysha's eyes lit up with a hint of satisfaction as she heard Aakriti call him "Kri." She sat back, waiting for the inevitable-Kriyansh was known for his temper when people overstepped boundaries.

"Kriyansh had always been firm about one thing-he didn't let anyone, not even close family, call him anything other than his full name. It was always Kriyansh, nothing else", she thought with a smug smile, fully expecting him to snap any second now.

"Yes princess", he said.

As Kriyansh responded with that soft, calm voice anaysha froze. Her eyes widened, and her mouth parted slightly in disbelief. Instead of the cold, harsh tone she expected, there was only gentleness.

Her initial satisfaction turned into a swirling knot of frustration. She glanced between the two in the front seat, Why is he different with her? she wondered, her thoughts tinged with jealousy.

Her fingers gripped the edge of her seat as she tried to keep her expression neutral, but the surprise, and the sting of disappointment, was clear in her eyes.

"I feel like having chai", Aakriti said with playful glint.

"Ok princess.... I will stop when I see some cafe", he said and she smiled with satisfaction.

His one-word agreement had caught her off guard, "You're not going to ask me that I want chai in the middle of the afternoon?" she asked, raising an eyebrow playfully.

Kriyansh smirked, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Nope," he replied casually "your wish my command princess".

"Good", she said and turned towards the window pretending to look outside hiding her blush and smile.

while anaysha sat fuming, unable to wrap her head around what she was witnessing.

Soon he stopped near a cafe and also informed other cars to take a break as per her request.

They all enjoyed their drinks and snacks and again started their journey. At night they reached their jaipur farm house.

"It's beautiful", Aakriti mumbled standing infront of it.

"Let's go", kriyansh said and everyone entered inside.

"It's very tiring let's sleep tomorrow morning we will go to explore", akash said and everyone nodded he showed everyone their rooms. Everyone got into their seperate rooms.

Aakriti tossed and turned, but sleep wouldn’t come. She sighed in frustration, sitting up in bed, running her fingers through her hair. She doesn't have her sleeping pills, and without them, the restlessness settled in quickly.

Deciding she couldn’t sleep any longer, she quietly slipped out of bed and went to the balcony.

She wrapped her arms around herself, staring at the moon.

Kriyansh lay in bed, unable to stop thinking about her. He remembered that she needs sleeping pills to fall asleep.

Getting up quietly, he decided to check on her. He walked outside the room hoping she had somehow managed to sleep.

But as he was going towards her room. he saw her standing on the balcony in the soft glow of the moon.

She was leaning against the railing, staring out into the night. She looked calm, but he knew it meant she couldn’t sleep.

"Princess", he called she turned towards him with a surprise glint.

Kriyansh stepped closer, his voice soft as he asked, “Why haven’t you slept yet?”