ᒪOᐯE YOᑌ TOO ᗰᑌᑕᕼ TO ᕼᗩTE YOᑌ

7 ✦𝑨 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑲𝒊𝒔𝒔✦

The cool evening breeze brushed against Meksha's face as she stepped out of the house, her thoughts still drifting to the stories Rhea and their mother had shared earlier. Akshar's life had been full of passion and dedication-things she had never associated with him before. Now, learning about his deep connection to the failed invention, it was as if she had peeled back another layer of his complex personality. The realization tugged at her heart in ways she didn't quite understand.

Just as she was about to lose herself in thought again, Rhea came running down the stairs. She was dressed in her favorite outfit, clearly eager to sneak out and meet her secret boyfriend.

"Meksha!" Rhea whispered hurriedly, glancing over her shoulder to make sure their mother wasn't nearby. "Can you do me a huge favor?"

Meksha raised an eyebrow, curious. "What is it?"

"I need you to go pick up Akshar for me." Rhea glanced at her phone nervously. "He's at some bar with his friends, but I kind of... well, I have plans tonight." She wiggled her eyebrows meaningfully, and Meksha understood instantly.

Rhea wanted to meet her boyfriend, and naturally, she needed an excuse to get out of her brotherly duties. Meksha hesitated for a moment, but then something inside her-perhaps curiosity-sparked. The idea of seeing Akshar outside his usual guarded demeanor intrigued her. She nodded.

"Alright, I'll go," Meksha agreed, trying to keep her voice neutral, even though inside, she was oddly excited at the prospect.

Rhea beamed, "You're a lifesaver! Here, I'll text you the address." She quickly sent the details to Meksha's phone before giving her a quick hug. "Good luck, and thanks again!"

Meksha laughed softly as she watched Rhea dart out the door. The thought of picking up Akshar from a bar didn't seem like that big of a deal. She could handle it. After all, how bad could it be?

---

The bar was lively, with music thumping from within as she approached the entrance. Meksha's nerves fluttered as she neared the address Rhea had sent her. She had never been to this part of town before, and the thought of walking into a bar where Akshar and his friends were hanging out made her uneasy. What would he think when he saw her? She didn't want to appear out of place, but she also didn't want to seem like she was spying on him. She was just doing a favor for Rhea-that's all.

Meksha entered the bar and followed the directions Rhea had given her to a private room in the back. Her heart raced as she approached the door. Taking a deep breath, she knocked softly before pushing it open.

The room was filled with laughter, and she spotted Akshar immediately. He was sitting with a group of his friends, all of whom were gathered around a table, clearly in the middle of something.

The moment Akshar saw her, his face fell. "Shit," he muttered under his breath, but Meksha caught it.

All eyes turned to her, and she could feel the weight of their gazes. Meksha was about to explain why she was there when one of Akshar's friends spoke up, sounding amused.

"Well, well, Akshar, looks like your timing is perfect," the friend said with a grin, nudging Akshar's arm.

Meksha frowned, confused. "What's going on?"

Another friend leaned back, smirking. "We were just playing truth or dare, and Akshar got a dare. He has to kiss the first girl who walks into the room."

Meksha blinked in shock. "What?"

Akshar's expression darkened as he glared at his friends. "We all thought it'd be one of the workers, not you."

His friends, however, were clearly enjoying the unexpected twist. "A dare's a dare, Akshar. You can't back out now," one of them teased.

Meksha quickly raised her hands in protest. "Wait, it's fine! You don't have to do this. Really, I just came to-"

Before she could finish, Akshar was on his feet. The room seemed to close in as he crossed the space between them, his eyes locking onto hers. Meksha's heart pounded as he reached for her hand, his grip firm but gentle.

For a brief second, she thought he would kiss her on the cheek, something harmless to get the dare over with. She had braced herself for that.

But when he pulled her closer, Meksha's breath caught in her throat. His face was inches from hers, and then, to her utter surprise, he tilted her chin up and pressed his lips softly to hers.

The kiss was nothing like what she had imagined. It wasn't a quick peck or a casual brush of lips. No-Akshar kissed her with a tenderness she hadn't expected. His lips were warm, moving slowly against hers, and for a moment, the world around them disappeared.

Meksha's mind went blank, her heart racing in her chest as she stood frozen, unable to process what was happening. This was Akshar-Akshar, the boy who had bullied her and treated her like dirt. And yet, here he was, kissing her as if nothing else mattered.

His friends, who had been expecting a cheeky, playful kiss, fell silent. They exchanged bewildered glances, clearly taken aback by the intensity of what they were witnessing.

Meksha didn't know how to react. She could feel the warmth of his body, the way his hand gently cradled the back of her neck as if he didn't want to let her go. It was a kiss that sent a shiver down her spine, and before she could stop herself, she found herself kissing him back-just for a brief moment, just enough to lose herself in the unexpected intimacy.

When Akshar finally pulled away, his expression was unreadable. His friends, still in shock, erupted into whoops and cheers, but Akshar didn't seem to hear them. His eyes lingered on Meksha's face, searching for something-an answer, a reaction, anything.

Meksha blinked, her mind still reeling from the kiss. She had come here to pick him up for Rhea, not to become part of some twisted dare game. And yet, here she was, standing in the middle of a bar, her lips still tingling from Akshar's unexpected kiss.

"I-I don't understand," she stammered, taking a step back.

Akshar's jaw clenched, his face clouded with frustration as if he couldn't believe what had just happened either. His friends kept laughing and teasing, but he didn't join them. Instead, he simply stood there, staring at her as if the kiss had confused him just as much as it had confused her.

"I didn't mean..." Akshar began, his voice low, but he didn't finish. His gaze darted to the floor, and for the first time, he looked genuinely lost.

Meksha swallowed hard, her mind racing. What had just happened between them? Why had he kissed her like that-so gently, so passionately?

"I should-um, I should get you home," she said awkwardly, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence that hung between them.

Akshar nodded wordlessly, his face still blank with confusion. He turned to his friends. "I'm leaving," he said flatly, grabbing his jacket and heading toward the door.

Meksha followed him out of the bar, her heart still pounding in her chest. As they walked in silence toward the car, she kept sneaking glances at him, but he didn't say a word. The tension between them was palpable, but neither of them knew how to break it.

Finally, as they reached the car, Akshar stopped and looked at her. For a moment, it seemed like he wanted to say something, but the words never came. He simply shook his head, climbed into the passenger seat, and closed the door.

Meksha stood there for a moment, staring at him through the window, her mind still spinning. The kiss had changed something between them-something neither of them was ready to face.

And for the first time, Meksha wondered if maybe, just maybe, Akshar didn't hate her as much as he claimed.