The moment Sorab said that one name, something inside Akanksha finally gave up.

All the strength she had been holding onto, all the composure she had maintained in front of everyone, shattered in an instant.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly.And then she cried.

Not the quiet kind of crying where a person wipes away a tear and pretends everything is fine.

She cried like she had been waiting for someone to finally tell her that she didn't have to be strong anymore.

Sorab held her firmly.

He didn't say, "Don't cry."

He didn't tell her to "move on."

He knew her better than that.

For weeks, Akanksha had been answering questions, smiling for cameras, meeting people, attending shoots and pretending that everything was perfectly normal.But he knew that behind all of that was a girl who hadn't really had the chance to process what had happened.

So he let her cry.

For fifteen long minutes, the only sound in the room was her muffled sobbing.Sorab's hand moved slowly over her back, silently telling her that he was there.

Eventually, her crying softened into occasional sobs.

Only then did he speak.

"Akku..."

She didn't respond.

"Kya hua, baba?"

She tightened her grip around him instead of answering.

Sorab sighed softly.

"Tu mujhe kuch nahi batayegi toh kis ko batayegi?"

Still nothing.

He gently pulled back enough to look at her.

"Sun, mujhe strong banne ki acting mat kar. Mere saamne toh bilkul nahi."Akanksha lowered her eyes.

"Jo kuch bhi hai na, andar rakhne se woh khatam nahi hota. Bas aur bhaari hota jaata hai."

He paused.

"Tu itne din se sabke saamne smile kar rahi hai. Interviews diye, shoots kiye, logon se mili... sabko laga Akku bilkul fine hai."

His voice softened.

"Par tera bhai jaanta hai ki tu fine nahi hai."

Akanksha's eyes filled again.

Sorab continued.

"Isliye mujhe bata. Kisi ne kuch kaha? Interview mein kuch hua? Ya phir..."

He hesitated.

"...phir se uska naam aa gaya?"

Akanksha closed her eyes.

That was enough of an answer.

Sorab understood.

"Bas... yahi?"

She finally whispered.

"Uska naam sunte hi mujhe samajh nahi aata mujhe kya karna chahiye."

Sorab remained silent.

Akanksha wiped her cheeks.

"Main honestly try kar rahi hoon, bhai. Main sach mein try kar rahi hoon."

Her voice trembled.

"Main chahti hoon ki main usse bhool jaun. Main chahti hoon ki uske baare mein koi kuch bole bhi toh mujhe farak na pade."

She gave a bitter little laugh.

"But hota hai."

She looked at him.

"Har baar hota hai."

"Ek reel aa jaati hai. Kisi ka interview aa jaata hai. Koi uska naam le leta hai. Koi mujhse pooch leta hai ki main uske baare mein kya feel karti hoon..."

She shook her head.

"Uska naam sunte hi main freeze ho jaati hoon."

Sorab listened carefully.

"Jaise mera dimaag mujhe yaad dilata hai ki mujhe usse hate karna chahiye... but mera dil..."

She stopped.

"Bas chup ho jaata hai."

Sorab gently asked, "Tu abhi bhi usse pyaar karti hai?"

Akanksha immediately looked away.

"I don't know."

A long silence followed.

"Shayad nahi."

She swallowed.

"Ya shayad... feelings itni simple nahi hoti."

She looked down at her hands.

"Main usse baat nahi karna chahti. Main uske paas wapas nahi jaana chahti. Jo usne kiya uske baad main usse maaf bhi nahi karna chahti."

Her voice cracked.

"Par jab koi usse hate karta hai na..."

She paused.

"...mujhe bura lagta hai."

Sorab frowned slightly.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

She shook her head.

"Usne mujhe hurt kiya. Mujhe tod diya. Phir bhi jab main dekhti hoon ki log usse hate kar rahe hain, mujhe lagta hai... pata nahi... jaise mujhe uske liye bura nahi feel karna chahiye."

She looked frustrated with herself.

"Main khud ko samjha nahi paa rahi."

Sorab gave her a small understanding smile.

"Because feelings don't disappear just because someone hurt you."

Akanksha looked at him.

"Jab koi kisi ko dil se apni life ka part banata hai na, toh uss insaan ke liye jo feelings thi woh ek din mein erase nahi hoti."

He continued softly.

"Trust toot sakta hai. Relationship khatam ho sakta hai. Gussa aa sakta hai."

"Par care..."

He shrugged.

"Care ko thoda time lagta hai jaane mein."

Akanksha's eyes became moist again.

"Finale wale din bhi mujhe ajeeb laga tha."

"Kya?"he asked

"Laga jaise woh kuch kehna chahta tha."

She stared into space.

"Uske expressions... pata nahi. Woh smile kar raha tha, but mujhe laga woh genuinely happy nahi tha."

She lowered her voice.

"Uski aankhein kuch aur bol rahi thi."

"Jaise?" Sorab again asked

"Jaise woh mujhe kuch samjhana chahta ho."

She sighed.

"Maybe I'm just imagining things."

Sorab didn't immediately answer.

Akanksha continued.

"Phir kuch din pehle maine uski post dekhi."

Her voice became smaller.

"He looked happy."

She forced a smile.

"Normal. Jaise kuch hua hi nahi."

She looked down.

"Aur mujhe gussa aaya."

"Uspar?"

"Khud par."

Sorab's expression softened.

"Mujhe laga... woh aage badh gaya."

She took a shaky breath.

"Wo life me age badh gaya hai. Aur main?"

She touched her chest.

"Mujhe lagta hai main abhi bhi wahi khadi hoon."

Her voice broke.

"Jis din usne mujhe chhoda tha... main shayad wahi reh gayi."

Sorab gently held her hand.

"Akku, tu wahi nahi hai."

She looked at him.

"Tu bas abhi bhi uss version of yourself ko heal kar rahi hai jo uss waqt toot gayi thi."

She remained quiet.

"Tu peeche nahi hai," he continued.

"Tera healing process uski life se compare nahi hota."

He paused.

"Ho sakta hai woh genuinely happy ho. Ho sakta hai nahi ho. Humein pata nahi."

"But uski life dekh ke apni progress measure mat kar."

Akanksha nodded faintly.

"There's something else."Sorab waited.

"Social media pe log bol rahe hain ki everything was planned."

"What?"

"Uska Splitsvilla mein aana. Ruru ka aana. Unka breakup. Sab kuch."

She looked confused.

"Log bol rahe hain ki it was all a plan."

Her voice trembled.

"But if that's true..."

She looked at Sorab.

"Toh meri kya galti thi?"

Sorab didn't answer immediately.

"Maine toh kuch plan nahi kiya tha."

She wiped her tears.

"Maine toh usse genuinely pasand kiya tha. Jo moments humne spend kiye... mujhe kabhi nahi laga ki woh fake the."

She whispered,

"Toh phir woh sab kya tha?"

" Me sach me use chahne lagi thi, apna future imagine karne lagi thi"

Sorab looked at her helplessly.

"Why did he leave me?, why didn't he talk to me once, why didn't he tried to explain or understand me?"

A long silence.

"I hate him."

She said it firmly this time.

"I really hate him."

Then she whispered,

"Par mera dil phir bhi maanta nahi ki story itni simple thi."

Sorab looked away for a moment.

There was something he had been thinking about for a long time.

Something he had never told her.

Because somewhere in his heart, he also felt there was something missing.

Something about Yogesh's behaviour that never completely made sense to him.

He still remained in contact with Yogesh.

Not because he had forgotten what happened to Akanksha.

But because, to Sorab, Yogesh was also like a younger brother.And somewhere deep down, Sorab had always believed that Yogesh had genuinely liked Akanksha.

Perhaps he was wrong.

Perhaps there was another side to the story.

Or perhaps there was simply something neither of them knew yet.

He didn't know.

And until he did, he wasn't going to fill Akanksha's mind with more questions.

So he kept that thought to himself.

Instead, he said,

"Akku, main tujhe ye nahi bolunga ki tu usse maaf kar de."

She looked at him.

"Na main bolunga ki usse mil. Na main bolunga ki wapas uski life mein ja."

He squeezed her hand.

"Jo hua uske baad decision tera hona chahiye."

He paused.

"Main bas itna chahta hoon ki tu uss insaan ko apni life ka permanent punishment mat bana."

Akanksha looked down.

"Usse bhoolna zaroori nahi hai," Sorab continued.

"Bas uski yaadon ko apni zindagi control karne dena band kar."

She remained silent.

"Ek din tu uska naam sunegi aur tera heart race nahi karega."

"Ek din koi uski post dikhayega aur tu poori raat nahi sochegi."

"Ek din tujhe yaad aayega ki kya hua tha... aur tu bas kahegi-haan, woh meri life ka ek chapter tha."

He smiled gently.

"Bas ab woh teri poori kahani nahi hai."

Akanksha's eyes filled again, but this time she didn't cry.

"Tu hamesha mere saath rahega na?"

Sorab smiled.

"Pagal hai kya?"

He tapped her forehead lightly.

"Main tera bhai hoon. Tujhe mujhse chutkara milna mushkil hai."

She laughed through her tears.

Sorab smiled.

"Waise ek kaam karte hain."

"Kya?"

"Thoda break le."

"Break?"

"Haan. Social media se. Interviews se. Splitsvilla ke discussions se. Har uss cheez se jo tujhe baar-baar ussi jagah le ja rahi hai."

He leaned back.

"Jaipur chalein?"

Akanksha looked surprised.

"Jaipur?"

"Haan. Ghar jaise feel hoga. Apne log milenge. Family ke saath time spend karenge."

He smiled.

"Mera fashion show bhi hai kuch din baad. Woh attend kar lenge. Phir tere saath thoda ghoomenge."

Akanksha thought for a moment.

"Maybe..."

She smiled faintly.

"Maybe mujhe sach mein break chahiye."

"Then it's decided."

"One week?"

"One week."

She nodded.

"Okay. Main apna schedule clear karti hoon."

"Good."

Sorab stood up.

"Tab tak apna kaam khatam kar. Phir hum nikal jayenge."

He pointed at her.

"And no overthinking."

Akanksha rolled her eyes.

"I'll try."

"Try nahi. Kar."

"Okay, baba."

"And remember..."

He smiled.

"Tu akeli nahi hai."

Akanksha looked at him for a moment.

Then Sorab suddenly made a face.

"Ab bas rona band kar aur smile kar."

She frowned.

"Kyun?"

"Aisi shakal achhi nahi lagti."

Akanksha narrowed her eyes.

"Achha?"

"Haan."

He grinned.

"Bilkul suar jaisi lag rahi hai."

Her jaw dropped.

"TU NE MUJHE SUAR BOLA?!"

Sorab immediately ran.

"Arre mazaak tha!"

"RUK!"

She grabbed a cushion and chased him around the living room.

"Kutte! Aaj tu gaya!"

"Pakad ke dikha!"

Their laughter soon filled the entire house.

And for the first time in weeks, Akanksha wasn't thinking about the past.

She wasn't thinking about Yogesh.

She wasn't thinking about what happened.

She wasn't thinking about moving on.

She was simply laughing.

Maybe the pain was still there.

Maybe tomorrow it would return.

But tonight, she had her brother beside her.

And sometimes, healing didn't begin with forgetting.

Sometimes, it simply began with having someone beside you while you slowly learned how to breathe again.

Will Jaipur bring new beginnings for Akanksha or something else is waiting for her?

No one knows

And somewhere else, life seemed to be moving forward beautifully for someone else...

Or at least, that's how it appeared from the outside.

That's it for today guys.

How's the chapter?

Please comment so I can know what you guys are thinking about the story and should I write further?

I will upload new chapter if I get your feedback

Likes and comments

Your authority

Butterfly 🦋