ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙᴇᴀᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀʟʟᴡᴀʏꜱ

.Indirect Confession?༊˚

AUTHOR'S POV:

As Avni sat on the bench, tears streaming down her cheeks, she heard a soft sound interrupting her thoughts—a meow. Looking up, she spotted a tiny kitten emerging from the bushes, its fur matted and its big eyes gazing up at her.

She bent her legs to match the kitten's level and gently scooped it into her hands. "You don't have a home either?" she whispered, her heart aching for the little creature.

The kitten responded with a soft meow, as if it understood her plight.

Just then, raindrops began to fall, lightly at first, but soon picking up speed. Avni looked up, surprised to find she wasn't getting wet. An umbrella hovered above her, and she turned to see Ishan standing behind her, his expression a mix of concern and amusement.

"You know the best places to hide, even though you're not familiar with the neighborhood?" Ishan quipped, flashing a smile that made her heart skip a beat.

They settled onto the bench beneath the umbrella as the rain began to lighten. Ishan carefully wiped the kitten with his shirt, his gentle touch calming the small creature.

Avni fiddled with her fingers, avoiding Ishan's gaze. Breaking the silence, they both spoke at the same time.

"What are you doing here?" they asked in unison.

Ishan chuckled, a sound that made Avni smile despite her tears. "Well, I came outside hoping to find you. Luckily, I found you here."

Avni nodded, her mood lifting slightly. "I see."

Ishan glanced at the kitten nestled in her hands. "And this little guy?"

Avni's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I found him here. Looks like he doesn't have a home either."

Ishan understood the deeper meaning behind her words. "Well, he has one now," he said firmly, his voice reassuring.

Avni's brows knitted together in confusion. "What? How?"

"I'll take him with me," he replied. "Also," he added, leaning closer, "you have a home too. Promise me you'll find it soon and hold on to it."

Avni looked into his eyes, feeling a strange comfort wash over her, but she remained silent.

The kitten let out another meow, almost as if echoing their conversation.

Ishan smiled. "Then let's start with this little one. I know a great vet nearby. We can get him checked out before I take him home."

Avni nodded, a small smile breaking through her tears.

As they got up from the bench, Ishan held the umbrella over both of them, and they walked side by side, the little kitten nestled securely in Avni's arms.

The rain had stopped completely now, but the world around them sparkled with freshness, much like the newfound hope that flickered within Avni. She glanced at Ishan, who was focused on the path ahead, and couldn't help but feel that perhaps this was the start of something new for both of them.

Breaking the silence, Ishan asked, "Did you have a fight with your parents?"

Avni looked at him and then at the kitten before replying, "How do you know?"

"Just a guess," Ishan said softly.

Avni's voice lowered. "I did, after ages. The last time we fought, I promised myself I would never let it happen again. I always tried my best to satisfy them, but it seems I was never enough."

"You are enough," Ishan reassured her. "Just take some time and talk to them. I sense it will be alright."

"Thanks," Avni said, her heart warming at his words.

Ishan shifted the topic. "What should we name him?"

Avni looked at the kitten, contemplating for a moment before saying, "How about Aqua?"

"Good name," Ishan replied, smiling.

They arrived at the vet's office, where they got Aqua checked. The vet provided some medication, and after a brief visit, they left the clinic. As they neared Avni's home, she hesitated, her heart racing.

Ishan noticed and spoke gently, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Just talk to them, okay?"

He added, "And remember, you always have me... your home."

Avni's eyes widened at his words, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she offered him a smile and stepped into her house, feeling a mix of hope and apprehension.

Upon entering her home, Avni found her mom and dad sitting at the dining table, looking a little sad. She hesitated, then headed straight to her room.

When her mother noticed her presence, she called out, "Avy? Can we talk?"

Avni chose to ignore her and went into her room, shutting the door firmly behind her. She lay on the bed, tears streaming down her face. She didn't want to disrespect her parents, but she couldn't help it. She was hurt, and it felt like they never truly cared.

Just then, a notification chimed on her phone. It was from Nidhi: "Want to celebrate tomorrow at a café after school?"

A smile crept onto Avni's face as she read the message, thinking about her friends. They were always there for her, no matter what. But then her mind shifted to Ishan. Did he just confess his feelings for her?

Her thoughts were interrupted by another message from Nidhi: "??"

Avni felt a twinge of guilt for avoiding Nidhi's messages, but she believed it was for the best, at least for now. She switched off her phone, rolled over, and soon fell asleep, exhaustion overtaking her.

The next morning, Avni woke up late for the first time in ages. She had slept soundly the night before after so many years of restless nights. As she groggily checked the time, she realized it was already past her school hours.

Hastily getting ready, she rushed downstairs, fully expecting to find the house empty, her parents already gone to work. To her surprise, she found them sleeping at the dining table, remnants of last night's dinner still untouched. A pang of guilt washed over her as she noticed how exhausted they looked, clearly having skipped dinner and sleep.

Avni quickly ran to them, standing beside her parents and watching them sleep. Her thoughts were interrupted when her mother stirred and softly murmured, "Avy?"

She wrapped her arms around her mother, holding her tightly. "Mom!"

Her mother hugged her back, the warmth of the moment filling the room. "I'm really sorry, Avy. For everything. I haven't been a good mother. Please forgive me."

Avni pulled back slightly, searching her mother’s eyes. "Mom, it's okay. I understand… things have been tough for you."

Her mother sighed deeply, wiping away a few stray tears. "We've let work consume us. I didn't mean to neglect you. You deserve so much more."

Avni felt a lump form in her throat. "I just want us to be together, to talk and spend time as a family."

Her father stirred awake, rubbing his eyes. He looked at the two of them and smiled softly. "Avy, you're our priority. I'm sorry for being distant. I promise to do better. Please forgive me as well."

Avni felt tears prick at her eyes. "I love you both. I just want us to be okay."

Her mother nodded, her voice shaky but filled with determination. "We will be. Starting today, we'll make time for each other. No more late nights at the office. We'll have dinner together, talk, and really be there for one another."

Avni smiled, feeling a glimmer of hope. "That sounds perfect."

Her father said, "Good then. We will take five days off, and you too. Let's go outside and enjoy some time together."