My Summer Love Story | ✔️

ch. 49 ✰ live life to the fullest

"Akash?" I murmur, my legs feeling like lead as I amble towards him. His blue eyes are filled with curiosity as he studies my figure, acknowledging my sullen red eyes and chapped lips, due to the intense crying and the panic attack I almost endured. He takes a deep breath in and immediately engulfs me in a hug, and that is when I released it all.

My eyes start swarming with tears, and I let out a sob, feeling my chest heave with pain as tears spill down my cheeks and onto his soft shirt. His warm and strong hands hold me close, making my body swoon with comfort, and I wrap my arms around his back, squeezing his shirt tightly.

As of right now, all I want is to stay by him, stay with him, and stay close to him. No matter what, I won't let go because I made that mistake earlier, letting him go because I was simply scared to be loved... and to love.

I release from him and blink my tears away, looking up at him. "What are you doing here?" I croak out.

His blue eyes twinkle at me as he presses his full lips together. "I came here to visit you, of course. You really thought I was going to let you handle your pain alone?"

"I have my brother." my lip curls up into a half-smile as I gesture towards Rahul, who stares at us from the back. Akash nods his head, chuckling to himself. "Yeah, well, I see that now."

Akash releases from me as Rahul walks up to him, and Rahul thrusts out of his hand towards him. "Hi, I'm Reeya's brother," he speaks out, sending a grateful smile towards Akash. "I am guessing that you are either a close friend of my little sister's or a significant other." Rahul looks towards me with a smirk and I feel my cheeks warming up.

He chuckles as he goes to firmly shake my brother's hand. "I'm her boyfriend, yes. We just started dating."

"That's wonderful," Rahul sighs. "I hope you're taking great care of her, yeah?"

"I can take care of myself," I murmur, rolling my eyes.

"Uh, no, you can't," he narrows his eyes at me. "Remember that one time when you came over to my house and left your underwear out on the bathroom cabinet for everyone to see?"

My eyes widen as I hiss at Rahul, "That was two years ago!"

"You were twenty-two years old though, and I'm pretty sure a twenty-two-year-old should remember to pack their undergarments away and not keep them out for everybody to gawk at," Rahul snorts. I feel embarrassment forming in my body as I hear Akash laughing in the background.

"Anyway... let's not bash on me any longer," I grit through my teeth, trying my very best to change the subject. "Now that we have Akash here, I think we should introduce him to your wife and kids while we wait until we're allowed to visit our parents."

We all turn towards Anaya, Gia, and Dev, who walk towards us after Anaya took them to the vending machine at the end of the long hallway. Anaya strides towards Akash and shakes his hand. "I'm Rahul's wife," she gleams at him and Akash smiles back. "Nice to meet you. I'm Reeya's boyfriend."

"Ah, how wonderful," Anaya's eyes rake over me, glinting with mischief. I scoff to myself as she then gestures towards Gia and Dev. "These are my kids."

"Sweetheart!" Rahul yelps, and Anaya giggles, playfully rolling her eyes. "Sorry, our kids." She leans down and motions for Gia and Dev to go up to Akash. So, their chubby little legs waddle over to Akash and, due to his six-feet tall figure, they go up and hug his legs, looking like pebbles next to him.

"Hi, hi, hi!" Gia giggles, looking up at him as if he were a statue. "You're so big."

"Oh, uh, thanks," Akash chuckles, leaning down so the kids could hug them. Dev babbles to Akash while Gia excitedly encircles around him, and Akash breaks down into a fit of laughter. I can't help but feel my insides bubbling with happiness, thinking about how he amazingly he handles little kids. His large bicep goes and pats Gia's tiny head, the tattoo on his bicep gleaming against the LED light. And Dev whispers something in Akash's ear while he laughs, playing with Dev. Oh gosh, my female hormones are taking over my mind...