"Why isn't she picking my call? " He said in a worried tone as it's been Past 10:30  in the night and she hasn't been home yet.

She has been working late since last week. But she will be home before 10. But today it's been pretty late and Neil was calling from Past 5 minutes but her phone went unanswered.

It's been 11 and Neil here restlessly waiting for her. At one point He got agry as she is not picking his calls. He don't know why he heart feels restless but he just wants to see her fine.

Within sometime she reached home and saw him sitting on the couch. He stood up seeing her and sighed. But she seemed not to be fine for him. Avni didn't said anything and started moving towards their room. Neil too didn't asked her that what took her so long today. But He wanted to ask her whether she is fine. Neil followed her behind.

When he entered, he was shocked to see her tearing all those draft sketches she had made. He knows she have put lots of effort to make that.

"Avni.. What are you doing.. " He tried to stop her but she did in vain.

"Avni.. Stop it... " He hold her hand and pulled her which made her to crash against his chest.

"Leave me Neil.. " She said suppressing her cries while Neil looked at her teary eyes.

"Avni.. What happened? " He asked in concern stepping towards her.

"Why you want to know? ... I don't need you... " She said slightly pushing him back.

While Neil actually realised what she would have felt when he did that as he tasted his own medicine. She wiped her tears looking away.

"Avni.. " He called her and sighed.

"Okay you don't have to tell me anything.. But first come here.. " He said to her and made her sit on the bed while she sniffed. He went near the table and poured the glass full of water and gave her while she looked at it and just ignored him. He hold her hand forcefully and gave her the glass.

"Why do you care?.. Huh?.. I can take care of myself... " She said to him shrugging his hands away.

" Okay... I know.. I wouldn't have said like that and I am Sorry.. " He said to her while she looked at him and said nothing.

She sipped some water and was not looking at him while he was only looking at her.

Before he could speak anything she left from there to get freshen up. When she came back, he was nowhere in the room.

Later on

Avni was talking over the phone to Saisha telling about what happened in the office as she took a day off. After a call, she put off the call and just stood there in Porch sighing deeply.

She suddenly heard some footsteps and turned to find him with a bowl of ice cream. She looked at him and turned again.

"I have read somewhere ki... Ice cream can really lightens the mood.. " He said coming near her while she stood like she didn't hear him.

He frowned seeing no reaction from her. He knows she won't go easy with him. He turned her to make her face him.

"I am sorry.. But I listened to you speaking over the phone.. " He said to her while she lifted her face to look at him. She didn't said anything.

"You are not going to scold me? " He asked her.

"Why would I?... You could have pretended that you didn't heard it.. " She said and about to go while Neil hold her hand stopping her.

"Avni.. I said I am sorry right.. " He told her frowning

" You don't have to be Neil... We are no one to each other... But I really don't know how to push away... So let me be alone for sometime please.. " She said and left from there and lain on the bed covering herself with duvet making him sad.

The Next Day

Avni woke up early than usual. She turned and found him nowhere. She wondered thinking where did he went this early. She remembered how she behaved yesterday with him and sighed.

"I over reacted yesterday " She clutched her hair into a fist thinking about yesterday.

She quickly got up to get freshen up but stopped when she caught something on the table. She moved towards the table and found the sketches which she tore yesterday to be sticked together. She knows who would have done this. She quickly got freshen up and moved downwards and found the door to be opened.

"He is not home ? " She frowned and made herself coffee and came back and went to close the door to find him sitting on the Garden.

She moved towards him while hearing some footsteps, he turned to find her. He stood seeing her.

" Why did you wake up early? " She asked him.

"Hmm.. Just like that.. " He said while Avni sighed and sat on the bench while he did the same too.

"Why  did you do that? " She asked him looking straight while Neil looked at her.

"Do what? " He asked her back not understanding her.

"Why did you stick those sketches..? " She asked him looking at him while Neil looked at her and then looked away.

"Thinking that you won't tear that again.. Seeing my efforts... " He said looking down which made Avni really chuckle.

Neil looked at her seeing her smile and felt relieved. He scratched his hairs.

"I am Sorry.. .. Really.. " He said to her looking at her eyes. He don't know why, he couldn't able to bare the fact that she ignored him yesterday. Avni just looked at him.

"Neil.. You didn't have to ask Sorry... " Before she could say he interrupted.

"Not again Avni... " He have no mood to prolong this fight of them while Avni was still looking at him.

"I am sorry... I should have not shown my frustation on you yesterday..." She said to him while he smiled hearing her.

"As you heard yesterday...You would have known that Everything went in vain...So you really wasted your sleep yesterday trying to stick it together " She said with a sad chuckle.

"Why? " He asked her while Avni looked at him confused.

"My Sketches... My Designs... I have told you na... That I have some clashes with colleague... She actually plagiarized my designs with some changes...For this project... " She said in a go while her eyes became teary.

"How did she stoled it? " He asked her

" I don't know .." She said and sipped her coffee.

"This is so Wrong.. Why didn't you exposed her?" He said to her while she looked at him.

"She got approved... For this Project..." She said not looking at him.

"How can you leave her like that?.. It's your hardwork! " He said to her as like he is angry on her for leaving her just like that.

"You are saying as like she will accept it her mistakes?...And do you think..i would have done nothing to expose her...?..
But nothing happened " She told him furrowing his brows while he sighed.

"Then Avni.. You could do better... " He said to her and she again looked at him hearing him.

"There is no time Neil ... The clients will have a final check of the designs tomorrow... " She said to him in a hopeless tone.

"So what? .. We have a whole day ahead.. " He said to her as like motivating her.

" Neil.. This isn't as simple as you say.. " She said to him and stood up and about to go in. While he hold her hand stopping her

" Avni.. Listen to me... Why don't you just try ah? .. Sometimes keeping it simple will be beautiful... It's all about being creative and the idea... And i know you are talented.. " He said to her while she just continuously looking at him.

" I can do it? " She asked in doubtful tone.

"Any doubt? " He asked her and pattered her shoulder cheering her up.

"Come.. " He said and took her in.

It's been a long day for both of them. Neil didn't disturbed her the whole day. It was little difficult for her to come up with sudden idea and the designs but she didn't want to give up.

......

It's been 5 in the morning. She kept her file and everything ready to get some sleep. She turned to find the bed a whole messy with all the Draft Sketches she had made. She stood up to find Neil sleeping in the couch with his head rested on the couch rest in an uncomfortable position.

She came with a blanket and covered him while he stirred in sleep.

" Have you completed? " He asked her in sleepy tone with his eyes still closed.

"Are you still awake? " She asked him.

"Yess.." He said to her and opened his right eye to look at the time.

"Liar.. " She said to him while he pulled her and she sat beside him and he kept his head on her shoulder.

"Sleep here for some time.. If you start cleaning now..It will take time.." He said to her with his eyes closed while she smiled. She kept her head above his and soon she dozed off.

....

She woke up at the right time and looked at Neil who is still sleeping. She slowly moved making sure not to wake him up but he again stirred in sleep and moved away from her with his eyes still closed.

"You sleep.. Sorry" She said to him.

"Wake me after you get ready... I will drop you.. " He said to her and lain on the couch completely.

"No it's okay... I have time.. I can go...you sleep " She said to him while he didn't said anything.

She left to get freshen up and came back after some time and started arranging all the papers that are scattered on the bed. Avni was surprised to see a sketch. She remember him seeing doing something with the Paper yesterday but she didn't know he was actually drawing her. She smiled widely looking at it.

She then cross checked her file and turned to see him sleeping. She moved towards him and kneel down to reach his level. She was continuously staring at him.

"Thank You Neil.. May be without you.. I could have give up.. " She said in a low tone and was just staring at him. She was looking at his closed eyes.. Then her gaze travelled to his lips. It was her first time admiring his facial features. She was getting carried away and bent forward close to his face to kiss him but stopped realising what she is doing and stood up quickly and left.

XXXX

Here is the next Update 💖

Hope you guys like it

Do tell me how was the chapter 💖

I tried in my laptop and yeah it's sorted 💖. Thank You aksharaakkuz dii for the idea ☺.

Much Love

Reza... ✨