Im introducing an additional couple/side characters into this story, they are my other favorites alongside Manan and AvNeil, hope you all won't mind and would enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it <3

Stilllbreathing here's the update! Thank you for motivating me to write! :)))

'~~~' for flashback.

>>>

Avni was casually scrolling through her phone, having nothing else to do. She absolutely hated sitting alone and doing nothing. She was on a strict curfew. Her dad and uncle had banned her from entering the office because she overworked and got sick.

Even though it was Sunday, there was no one in the house except the house helpers. Hansika went to coaching centre and Aman went for special classes, Papa and Neela ma went to office, Nandini and Manik too, and baby Sara was having fun with her Nanu and Nani in Khanna mansion.

Utterly bored and annoyed, Avni decided to text Neil.

Me:
Neeillll

She waited and waited for the double tick to turn blue, but it just didn't happen so she pouted and threw the phone and sunk her face in the pillow, even sleep was faraway from her. A minute later, she heard her phone vibrate with a notification. Excitedly, she opened to find his chat.

Tillu the supercop:
Yes, Avi what happened?

Me:
I'm alone and bored.
Nobody is at home and
Papa has restricted
me to come to the office:((

Tillu the supercop:
Great! You need this! who
told you to overwork?
You got sick yet you
didn't take care of yourself.

Me:
Fine, Bye!

Her reply was enough to let him know that she got more annoyed.

Tillu the supercop:
Wha--
Acha I'm sorry
Avniii
Aviii
Avvvv
Ammuuu!!
BABYYY
I'M SORRYYY

Her phone continuously pinged with his notification but she cared less and pouted, throwing her phone away. Her phone rang seconds later, she knew who it was.

Grudgily, she took the call but kept her silence. "Hey Avi!" Neil tried so hard to sound chill but his voice voiced out the nervousness. Avni didn't respond, her pout kept increasing but she didn't say anything. "Acha naraz ho gaya mera baby.. I'm sorry na," He whined.

"I'm not your baby!" Avni snapped scaring Neil. "Acha sorry," He laughed, he could really imagine how she looked right then. Her nose would be pink, her lips would have that pout which he wish to kiss away.

"I was already bored and annoyed and you are adding into it!" She complained, huffing in the end. "I said sorry na, okay fine, what are you doing?" He asked, trying to change the topic.

"I have nothing to do, I am bored and annoyed, that's why I called you, Are you dumb?" He clicked his tongue at her tone and reply, she was clearly irritated.

"What are you doing?" Avni asked back, after a moment. "I'm hitting the gym. It's been a while." Neil replied instantly making her mind to rift to a world where she could see Neil working out, and for some reason, that looked hot, and internally she suddenly had this weird feeling to see him hit the gym.

"Ooi Avni? you there?" Neil hiccup from the other line, seeing her not replying, unaware of the fact that she was fantasizing about him.

"Uh? I'm here.." Avni replied. "When are you getting free?" She asked. "I just have a little work, but that would be finished by noon. Why?"

Avni hesitated to answer the why?. "I miss you and it's been three days since I last saw you." Although Neil had not expected those words from her, knowing how much of a reserved disposition that she has, he was still happy that she was breaking her hesitations and awkwardness to show her love for him.

"I'm sorry baby, I'll get you in the evening and then we will go for an outing? Take Hansu too, she'd be back by the coaching centre in the evening, no?" Neil chirped, already feeling the excitement rushing through him.

"Okay! I will tell her, she'd probably jump around hearing the news!" Avni giggled, foreseeing Hansu's reaction to their outing. "I know. She's been complaining about not going out since a while."

"Okay! I'll be get myself and her ready by four? Is that okay?"
"Yes, ofcourse. I'll pick you up."
"Fine, I'll hang now, see you at four and-and I love youuu..."
A small smile dangled on her lips as she heard him chuckle sweetly. "I love you too baby.."

Avni slumped into the bed, her hand on her chest and closed her eyes, the flashes of her first date, their first date appeared before her eyes and like a bud blooming into a flower, her lips bloomed a beautiful smile.

~~~

Avni threw almost all of her dresses from her wardrobe in frustration. Hansika, Rhea and Nandini who were sitting on the bed had a 'done with her' expression plastered on their faces.

"I don't understand what happened with you." Nandini said, eyeing her suspiciously. "What happened to the ladydone Avni who never really cared about what she were bout to wear?"

"Sangat ka asar hai bhabhi." Hansika whispered so only Nandini could hear. Avni once again paid zero attention towards the three people. Even Rhea who was a big Fashionista was at loss of words.

A sudden idea emerged in Nandini's head and she immediately took out her phone, shot a snap of a frustrated, choosy Avni (which was a rare version) and sent to Neil.

Neil the bhoot👽:
What is she doing?

Me:
Picking a 'dress' for
your 'date'. Oh and by the
way what did you do to my
Fiesty Avni Ayesha?

Neil the bhoot👽:
I didn't do anything
to Avni Ayesha.
She's just being
Avni Neil Khanna
right now, And isn't it
a wonderful sight?

Me:
Ofc it is. But after the
Date, make sure you
Give me my Avni back!

Neil the bhoot👽:
Your Avni?
Excuse you, she's mine!

Me:
Keep building castles
in the air Neil the
Bhoot🫶

Neil the bhoot👽:
You are the one being
delusional. Not me.
And yes, bhoot is your
husband a.k.a Manik Ayesha.

Me:
👊

Neil the bhoot👽:
Tell her to choose the
white salwar kameez.

Me:
Wait..

Neil the bhoot👽:
I'll face time you, wait
And don't let her know
I'm in line.

Neil the bhoot calling>>>>>
Answer or decline
Answer

Neil almost chuckled as he saw Avni being so frustrated about wearing it. "Ammu wo white salwar dikhavo." Nandini asked. "Which one?" Avni asked back, turning to face her. "This?" She asked again, taking it.

"Yes this one." Nandini said. "Is it nice?" Avni asked, still so unsure. "Ammu why are you being so paranoid. It's Jiju only, wear whatever you want." Hansika was also trying to encourage her. "And no matter whatever you wear, his eyes will always be on you." for the first time ever he heard Rhea say something true and logical. He couldn't resist the cheeky smile as he watched her cheeks go a deeper shade of red, like always.

"Fine. I'll just be back." Avni sighed and took her salwar inside the washroom to change. As soon as she went inside, Neil hung the call and started getting ready for their first outing too.

"Someone's very eager and it shows." Neela teased Avni indirectly, who was pacing to and fro, and drinking water simultaneously to keep herself at peace. The idea of going with him for the first time was exciting, the excitement was so over the moon that she was getting tensed and conscious all of a sudden.

A horn of the car made Avni's eyes bloom with excitement as she made a quick ran to outside, succesfully hitting her elbow on the side of the table, "Ow!" She yelped but didn't stop even after Ashish yelled, "Careful Avni!." Rubbing her elbows with a frown on her face, she walked to the gate to see his car parked outside.

Avni quickly got in, still rubbing her hands. "What happened?" Neil asked, worry in his eyes. "Hit my elbow." Avni answered. He guessed that she might have ran to get to him and a small smile formed on his lips. "Is it paining, yet?"

"No. I'm fine." Avni smiled at him in assurance and he took the car. "Where are we going?" She asked after a while.

"I don't know. Do you have any plan?" Neil shrugged, taking a turn. Avni hesitated, "I do."

"Acha, batao." Neil encouraged leaning into his seat and turning his head towards her. "Okay! We will go to a café or a small shop, roam around the streets, eat golgappe, momos, and then we will go to beach, click a looottt of photos and.. and that's it..." Avni rambling out of happiness was adorable to watch.

"Done." Neil gave her thumbs up, pinching her cheeks as she smiled adorably. They drove to Kashid beach, where they first met each other. The beach had been transformed. A local aesthetic street had been developed nearby to the beach so people often visit there occasionally. Ali was planning for building another branch of Chamko café there too.

The smell of the salty waters and the warm breeze hit their faces as Neil parked the car. They walked hand in hand through the street, fascinated by the shops and elegency of it. Neil stopped surprising Avni. When she looked up, she saw a shop with oxidised jewelleries, particularly jhumkas and bangles. "You love oxidised ones no?" He asked and before she could nod, he was already looking through the jhumkas. He was looking adorable while rummaging for a jhumka for her so she took her phone out and clicked picture of him without him knowing.

"How about this?" He asked after he finally selected one among them. Avni smiled and nodded. "We're buying this, then." He said and went forward to buy it.

Putting it on her sling bag, they continued roaming through the streets. They stopped near a small shop that sells momos, ordered a plate and ate them feeding each other.

They then found solace in the beach. Sitting there with her head on his shoulder and her arm entwined around his biceps, her hair playing on his face due to the breeze, her eyes pleasant and lively as she took in the amazing sight of the sun setting, spreading its golden hues on the sky that was reflected by the sea. Neil felt as if he was in heaven.

"We never really talked about our marriage." Avni spoke softly that he failed to capture what she said. "Hmm, what?" He asked, turning his head as she rose from his shoulder. "We never really talked about our marriage. " She said it more firmly, looking into his eyes. "Our marriage. . ." Neil trailed off, sinking in the memories that he reminisced. "I never thought I'd marry you. Forget marrying you, I never thought I'd get married. "

Neil listened carefully. She was opening up to him, talking to him, and communicating to him. He would listen carefully, he was always ready to hear anything that she says. He loved watching her talk because she did that less. "What were you feeling when you sat in the mandap?" He asked, suddenly curious.

"I.. I don't know. I was, I was very confused. I did not know why Neela ma asked for that, why I sat there. I just knew I did and there's no going back." Avni voiced it out, those words that were inside her heart for so long. "What were you feeling when you found out that it was that you got married to?"

"Shocked. Happy somewhere, peaceful. I felt peaceful but I was shocked and the adrenaline gush was so high, that was why I shouted at you. I cringe everytime I think of the way I behaved." Neil spoke honestly. "That's okay, anyone in your place would have reacted the same way." Avni reassured. Their voice and talks were as calm as the waves hitting the sand beneath.

"When did you fall in love with me, Av?" He asked, a question he always wanted to ask. "When you had the surgery.. that was.. that was when I realized that you were someone special for me. I have never felt that to anyone. The fear, the what ifs, the thoughts, everything were too much. The thought of loosing you was too much for me to take in, a life without you...." She drew in a deep breath, her eyes getting moist as she recalled those painful days she survived.

"At first I thought it was just friendship and that the way I felt for you was because you became my best friend. But deep in my heart I knew it was not that. I wanted you to be alive, fine and perfect. And when you told Dayawanti Mehta that you'd do anything for me, that you loves me unconditionally, I knew, I just, my heart told me that I loved you too in a way I've never loved anyone. I thought that I never deserved you and the relation that we had, I thought I had no rights over you because I married you by cheat but I was selfish because I wanted you, I wanted you to be mine."

Neil heaved a breath in as he engulfed the words that she spoke about him. He held her hands tightly, clenching his jaw to stop the tears from flowing out. "I never wanted to be without you. You became something I couldn't live without. "

He intertwined their hands together, gulped a sob, bought their fingers to his lips and gently kissed them, his heart so full with her love. He felt the tenders engulfing him, he felt the moist of her love towards him on his skin, her love was tender, glister, warm and so her, it felt like he is home.

“You know, I love you." He said so casually like he didn't have nothing else to say, a sweet giggle left her mouth and she looked at him and smiled. “You know that I love you too right? Even if I don't express it?” Avni replied looking into his eyes. “I know. Your eyes can speak.”

“We missed a lot in our life.” Neil whispered as he took in a deep breath and watched as the sun sunk in the blue ocean and Avni's head on his shoulder, her hair on his face. It felt ethereal.

He got surprised when Avni suddenly sat straight and fished through her purse. She then took out the pair of jhumkas he bought for her just hours ago. She signalled through her eyes to make her wear it as she started to remove the ones that she was wearing. Neil carefully put her hair behind her ear and inserted the jhumkas on, flicking them after. He kissed her lobe and she gasped when she felt the sensation engulfing her.

“kaise hai?” She asked, internally signalling him to be her mother. “Just mine.” He replied and held her closer as their noses touched. The warm light of the sun was hitting on their faces and it was surreal. Suddenly, his eyes shifted to her lips glistening under the warm ray of sunlight.

Avni trailed her gaze at the direction of his and gasped slightly when she realised he was looking at her lips and moving forward. Avni remembered the last time they had kissed, it was when Avni got furious when he said he's gonna leave. But that cannot be counted as a proper kiss because it was not. It happened and then it didn't happen and they couldn't even catch the feelings or reminsc them.

“Neil, I--” “Shh”

His eyes were turning darker and darker as their lips had an inch space between them. He lifted her chin so she looked straight into his lips.His hands circled her waist so she wouldn't escape. Slowly and slowly, he placed his lips on hers. It felt ethereal, the naked feeling of their lips on each other, the butterflies that ran inside their stomach, everything. It was only when Neil moved his lips did she realise that she was not in a wonder world and this was happening. He kissed her like she was a sweet, a soft cotton.

His lips caressed hers smoothly and with so much love that she felt like collapsing right into his arms.

If it weren't for the short due of breathing, it would've gone forward for more. As they heaved their breaths, they looked into each other. Both of them were flushed red and Avni hugged him, taking him by surprise, snuggling into his chest so he wouldn't see her beet red face. “I love you.” Neil said as he pecked her hair and held her closer. “I love you too Neil.”

They both clicked a number of photos before they left to a nearby café to eat something. They both walked hand in hand through it and took a seat at a secluded corner to have privacy. Thankfully, the café was not much crouded and had a peaceful atmosphere around. Soft, jazz music played in the background with white walls adorned with fairy lights and artificial leaves were such an aesthetic piece to the mind.

“You liked it?” Neil asked as he watched Avni having a peaceful smile and gleaming eyes as she observed the place. “Yes!” She replied like a child which made him chuckle.

They ordered for a cup of latté and two pieces of red velvet cake because hunger wasn't diving through them. “This is our first time together out.” Neil spoke out his thoughts, “I know. And it's wonderful.” Avni replied calmly, intertwining their fingers and softly rubbing his. “It shouldn't have been this late. We've been together for almost three years and yet...”

“Maybe this is the correct time. Everything has to happen at a time it's meant to be.” Avni said.

“You are taking everything so positively. How can you be so selfless?” Neil asked, wondering, admiring this woman infront of him who took everything in her hands and made a better version out of it, even if her hands got wounded or not. “I learned that from you. And also, going out and all that doesn't matter Neil. What matters is that we sticked together when everything was falling apart. Thats enough for me.”

“You're going to kill me with those words.” He says like a child that made her chuckle. After having their sweet delicacies and laughs and all, they returned towards home.

As Neil applied the breaks, Avni suddenly got up from his shoulder and looked around to see that they've reached the Mehta mansion. No words were exchanged. Just their eye contacts and Avni quickly got down from the car, so did he. Avni was hesitant to turn back and look at him as she kept walking with slow steps. But then, she turned and ran to him and hugged him so softly who was leaning on the car. “Thank you for this day Neil.” She said smiling at him.

Neil said nothing, leaned in and kissed her forehead, pouring out all the affection. He just knew she was going to keep Hansu, Rhea, Nandini, Manik and Aman awake all night to hear about today..

~~~

Here's the end of flashback. I was writing and then I realised I haven't portrayed their first date so here it is. This chapter does not end here. There is so much more to include but I know if I keep this here then I won't write it so the rest will be coming in the next update (which will be small). Also,

Please give me your views on adding another couple into this story.

They wouldn't outgrow AvNeil. This book solely belongs to AvNeil, but like I said in the beginning, they're one of my favorite couples so I thought I'd add them. And anothe reason is because I wanted to extend AvNeil's friend circle, so please drop your views.

Anyways! Thank you so much for reading!