I'LL ALWAYS BE HERE
"I don't care what you say Bhai, I am never going to let go of him!"
"Aali..." Abhi's voice trailed off as Aaliya banged the door behind her with enough force to rouse the rabble living under his roof and exited the house
Abhi sighed. For a moment he wished he could pick up the vase sitting smugly on the daisy patterned tea table next to him and smash it on the aforesaid monstrosity but he stilled himself. No, that was what the old Abhi would have done and he had sworn to himself a year ago, that he would never, ever transform into that impulsive reckless selfish creature again. The mere memory of that man made him shudder with disgust
Frustrated with life he walked back into his room, wanting nothing more than to pick up his guitar and lose himself in his music, away from the sheer madness that was his life. Entering his bedroom, he bit back a curse
Great. Now his guitar was nowhere to be found. He was about to yell for Robin or Toby or whatever those idiots were called when suddenly the object he was looking for materialized in front of him. He followed the stem of his guitar to the small hand that was attached to it and finally to a small face made inexpressibly sweet by the gentle patient expression it adorned. Pragya. Oh joy!
"Thank you" he muttered ungraciously before grabbing the guitar and striding to his chair
She followed him. Of course. Slowly, almost timidly she asked"Rohan?"
Abhi's jaw tightened at the sound of that name. "Yes" he snapped. "My idiot sister has somehow convinced herself that he is her Mr. Right and has chosen to turn a blind eye to his hobbies which include drug dealing and seducing girls". He knew he sounded like a bear gone off its rocker but he didn't care. He was effing furious, furious enough to tear down the entire house down. Or murder Rahul.And his sister. Actually the latter two seemed like great ideas but he would need ways to get rid of the bodies and then the actual weapons...
His plans for murder were interrupted as two small hands suddenly cupped his face. He blinked to find Pragya kneeling on the floor next to him, staring earnestly into his eyes as she tried to smooth out the wrinkles on his forehead. For one brief moment he allowed himself to get lost in the feel of those hands, just her and him, greedily lapping in the sensations before shaking himself free with an oath and gently pushing her away
She didn't seem noticeably fazed as she moved back to sit on her haunches and gave him a soft sympathetic smile" It will work out you know. She will see him for what he is eventually"
"Yeah" he nodded grimly "But until then, I would like to keep her safe" he said glumly
"And you will" the sheer conviction in her voice calmed him down as nothing else could have "Aaliya is smart and she knows that you are always here for her. And maybe sometimes a little experience could be good for her"
Abhi sighed. She was right. Aaliya was way too spoilt and selfish and the whole fiasco with Purab had only worsened her. Maybe a little heartbreak might open her eyes to reality. But meanwhile he had decisions to keep, promises he had made to himself to honour...
Thank you" he said gruffly and tried to get up when her hand pulled at his sleeve, staying him. Damn. He swallowed "Don't look so worried" she pleaded, her big round eyes, wide and imploring. His whole body tensed. "It hurts me to see you like this" she said softly
"Why?" the question came out even before his brain had finished processing it. Damn you brain, Abhi groaned internally
She stared at him unblinkingly before opening her mouth and saying simply"Because I love you."
Abhi held himself very still, his face impassive as his fingers thrummed a chord on his guitar, not giving the faintest sign that he had heard her. Pragya looked at him for a second before sighing and turning away
She stopped as Abhi suddenly grasped her arm convulsively. She turned to find him staring at her, his face suddenly showing all of the desperation and guilt and all the emotions that she knew he had been bottling away for the past year
"It's not that I don't..." he fumbled out in a harsh whisper, his grip almost painful on her arm. Almost. "It's just that I don't feel I deserve to say them yet...I don't feel I am ready to deserve you" he finished , his voice trailing off , his face showing all of his conflicting emotions , the way he was breaking his own heart in guilt ,etched out for her to see
She hugged him impulsively, holding him tight as he tried to pull off. Abhi. Her darling Abhi. When the truth had finally come out, everyone had fallen apart. Daadi had collapsed, Mummy had had another spell of fainting. ... But he had been hit the hardest. Even as he had apologized to her family, even as he had made arrangements to take Daadi abroad for the treatment she needed, she had sensed the turmoil behind that stoic face and it had made her love him more
She had fallen in love with him when he had been the loveable rogue who had hated her, loved him more when he had been the guilt ridden wreck of a man and fiercely loved him when he had held himself apart the 6 months he had been in Chicago for Daadi's treatment and when the only piece of communication between them had been a curt letter he had sent her stating that he would fully cooperate in the divorce proceedings, take the blame on himself and make sure that she would not be bothered in any way
6 months later he had come back to find her standing with a welcoming thali at the door ,a smile and news from his indignant lawyer that Mrs Abhishek Prem had torn up the divorce notice and thrown him out of the door. He hadn't said anything but the smile that ghosted across his face and the eyes that had suddenly lit up had been answer enough to her silent question
Coming back to the present, Pragya let go of him enough for him to lift his face to look up at her. Her eyes stung as she saw the tell tale tear tracks on his cheeks. Caressing his face lovingly she said" I know you have your own stubborn demons to fight. But whenever you are ready, I'll be right here, waiting.
I'll always be here."
Abhi gave a small answering grin as Pragya beamed at him. The evening sunlight streamed into the room as both husband and wife started to put their pasts behind them and move on to a new life together
Cricket
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