Swarnima left the college early that day. Her life was never smooth but always on the edge and was now on an emotional bungee jumping spree. Abhedya kept pushing her and her quietness and lack of explanations were worsening the situation. She was taught to behave tough and not emotional in any situation. But Abhedya was breaking her walls.
He was building various emotions in her which she forgot existed.
Her love for him was the only emotion that didn't die under the pressure of the rules and mandates.

She entered her house when a message from Nivi popped on her phone 'hey Nim please come to teach me early my parents celebrate their anniversary in the evening and there's a party so... can you come early? We can skip too *wink emoticon*'
Swarnima smiled and replied 'I am on my way.'

Swarnima was in Nivi's room when Nandini came to the room and invited Swarnima for the party in the evening.
Swarnima was confused as to why was she invited as she has to keep a low profile and the showdown in the college already got her a lot of publicity. But Nandini was in no mood to listen and refused to accept 'no' as her answer.

After about an hour when Swarnima was leaving for her home Abhedya crossed her path but both of them didn't bother to spare a glance at each other.
It wasn't ego but that stage in a relationship where you do not know what is the next step to be taken, so you avoid each other.
BAD DECISION because one good conversation can shift the direction of change FOREVER.

Swarnima was at her home when her doorbell rang. She got alert and quickly wore her lenses and specs and opened the door for, Abhedya. She was not expecting to see him neither did he have any plans to come until an hour back. Abhedya entered her home and gave her a packet. She looked at him all confused so he cleared,  "mom has sent this and 'me' for you. So your chauffeur for tonight is at your service ma'am." Abhedya bow in front of her and straightened himself.

"But isn't it too early? I mean there are two hours still." Swarnima asked him and ignored his chauffeur comment.

"Yeah, I told mom the same. But you know what she said....?" Abhedya sat on the sofa and asked for a glass of water.

Abhedya's behaviour was confusing Swarnima. She returned with the glass and gave it to him.
"Sit," Abhedya asked Swarnima to sit next to him and she did.

"Mom said she wanted to see you dress up as you did for the open mic night. She was proud of her choice of 'dress' that night because according to her you looked stunning. She said she always liked dressing you up. Even when we were kids it was her and not your mother who dressed you up. And all these years she has missed dressing you and now she wants to make it up. Dad said he has taken 'permission' on your behalf. So go get ready."
Abhedya was all calm and composed and Swarnima feared the storm that was about to come.
"Thank you. You can go but. I will come on my own." Swarnima said looking down at the packet in her hands.

"I specified I have been appointed at your service." Abhedya was not taunting but said in a serious tone.

"But you have to get ready as well. Have you brought your change?" Swarnima asked him.

"Why is there nothing  in that cupboard left for me to wear?" Abhedya enquired and Swarnima's eyes widened.

"Umm... Ummm... yeah maybe... but maybe not for the party. How do you know?" Swarnima was hesitant. She did not tell him about his cupboard then how did he know.

"Obviously you will never tell me 'anything'. But I have my sources. So, can you open it for me?" Abhedya asked her with hope.

Swarnima was playing with the knot of the packet. She could not decide because the things in the cupboard were special and gathered with love and if Abhedya rejected it, she would be shattered and the rough patch that was there now will never be able to get repaired.

"I am waiting," Abhedya told Swarnima who was thinking what to do. She was dying to give those things to him and now when he was demanding she didn't know if she should give him or not.

"What's on your mind?" Abhedya asked her calmly.

"I don't know, honestly," Swarnima replied.

Abhedya took her hand and explained, "you know, your inability to show and tell is the reason 'we' are fighting. I know, I have behaved like a jerk, a fool, a dumbass and all synonyms of a perfect idiot. But you have also lead me to behave like that.
I am still not over the fact that you hid your identity. Then this changed you... I am trying to adjust to the new you. Honestly, till the time I didn't know who you were, I had no problems with you. I think I started to 'liii' Ummm... so yeah, it was fine. But now I keep drawing a comparison between the old and new Swarnima. In the process, I say mean things to you which I don't mean, trust me. Especially what I said yesterday to Arya. I know you are very pure and pristine."

Abhedya now put his hand on Swarnima's cheek and continued, "I don't know what went wrong between Adah and you. I saw her condition at the infirmary and all the doubts she implanted in my mind seemed logical to me. And believe me when you also refused to reply and answer me I lost my temper and said what should not be said. I agree I am at fault but please understand I need your support to normalise the situation.
If you would have told me in the morning only that it was mom who forced you to dress up I would have shut up there and then and not doubted your intentions. But again, you kept quiet. And always and you know it very well when someone does not answer me I cannot take it. Nim please open up or at least try to slowly break your wall and bring out the real you and not the made-up you.
Abhedya held both her hands and ordered, "I have said enough now it's your turn and you have to speak for a minimum of two minutes."

Swarnima widened her eyes again.
"Oh! Come on now!! You already have such big eyes don't widen them more you look scary."

Swarnima looked down and smiled. Abhedya smiled too. She tried to release her hands from Abhedya's grip but he didn't let her. She looked at him and asked through her eyes why wasn't he leaving her hands.

"I am not leaving your hands, EVER." Abhedya announced and Swarnima requested 'god please call me now. This boy is the death of me. He cannot talk so sweetly and honestly to me. Dear heart, please don't fail.
Dear brain, please talk wisely.
Dear sense organs, please behave properly.'

"If you don't leave my hands how will I talk?" Swarnima requested Abhedya in a sweet silly tone.

Abhedya smiled and countered, "why? Do your hands talk? Oh! maybe yes... because the punch that landed on my jaw still hurts." Saying that he touched his jaw.

"You deserved that one," Swarnima clarified.

"I cannot disagree and have apologised and will keep doing till you don't forgive me," Abhedya confessed with utmost honesty.
"Now speak or you want me to add more minutes?" Abhedya warned her.

"No! I think two minutes is enough. So, where do I start? I will also keep apologising to you for hiding my true identity till eternity because I know, no sorry or any action can seek apology for it.
I went to buy a new dress for myself for open mic night because I wanted to wear something decent not for myself but the state's pride. When the throne will be claimed I know the old pictures and videos will get viral and it would be against the state's pride if my pictures wearing those clothes came out. Masi explained to me that we live in a judgemental society. At times have to forgo our ideals and behave as per society rules. You see, change cannot be brought in a day. Honestly, I selected a ruffled shirt and jeans for me but masi rejected it and I wore what she strictly ordered me to. I was going to wear that today but, I guess she has different plans for me.
I could not tell you this in the morning because what you said was partly true... I may have got brownie points because of the change in me. It was hypocritical on my part."

"No! I didn't mean it, please... I, " Abhedya cut Swarnima in between but she also cut him and said, "why no? You just said it loud but I felt the same too. Thank you for making me realise it. I will try not to do so in future.
What happened between me and Adah Ma'am was something I never want to experience again. But I have no regrets about what I said because after losing the verbal argument, she faked her suicide attempt. I came to apologise to her remember? She refused to accept it but the nurse there told me she was lying just to gain sympathy.
I should have told you everything before but I didn't because... I didn't want to break the relation you guys have. Her actions are not justified but everyone is different and am sure she will realise that making up things that are not true is not the right way to win someone's heart."
Swarnima took a pause and Abhedya asked her, "what do you think is the relation between me and Adah?"

"I know you are not romantically linked with her but you share the same friends' group. So, maybe friends?" Swarnima replied and hoping her answer is correct.

Abhedya gestured, continue.
"What?" Swarnima asked in confusion. "Are two minutes not over yet?"

"Is this some viva going on? You are still left with the answer to some questions... okay,  I will ask once again, " Abhedya sat on the floor forwarded his hand and asked Swarnima, " will you Miss Swarnima accept my offer to help you bring out your real self? Will you promise me to not hide away your emotions and say what you feel. Lastly, will you give me a tour of the mystery cupboard which Arya was talking about?"

Swarnima's heart's lub-dub increased.
Her genius brain was unable to solve the puzzle Abhedya today...
her skin gave way to goosebumps,
Her eyes showed love
Her nose smelled his freshness
Her ears  heard his honest answers
Her tongue was sugar-coated with so much sweetness in the atmosphere.

Taking a deep breath she composed herself and promised, "I will try my best."

"My hand is waiting for your hand," Abhedya said casually but his eyes held a different expression.

Swarnima touched his hand but he held her's tight. He sat next to her and requested, "time for mystery cupboard?"

"Okay, come." Swarnima made up her mind and got up. Abhedya left her hand followed her. Both were walking one after the other, feeling the warmth of each other's hand missing.

Swarnima before opening the cupboard questioned Abhedya, "what made you change? You were so angry with me in the morning."

Abhedya was expecting the question. " when mom told me she forced you to dress up. I analysed the situations we faced in these two days. Because I was hating the fact we were fighting. I did a check and found what happened between Adah and you. I have to say she a cunning fox and I am happy you said what you said to her. It then hit me what I told you was even more derogatory. I..I...I mean the comment which I was punched for. So, after all the equations were solved, I came here and confessed everything I felt. I hope I satisfied you."

Swarnima was just looking at him and after understanding the truthfulness of his words she nodded her head and went to get the key to the cupboard.

Hahaha haha hahah
Abhedya was laughing. Swarnima turned to him and asked him why he was laughing.
He stopped laughing, came to Swarnima and pulled her soft cheeks. "You know you are super dumb." And continued laughing...

After years Abhedya pulled her cheeks and she was registering the moment in her permanent memory when her brain instructed her to ask, "what makes you laugh?"

"What did I ask you in the end?" Abhedy questioned her, still laughing

"You just answered my question about your changing decision," Swarnima replied.

"Haha... no! I asked you 'did I satisfy you?' And you nodded." Abhedya again started to laugh.

"So? You did satisfy me." Swarnima answered innocently.

"Hahaha! God!! Forget it! You are not meant for such jokes. Leave it." Abhedya said now putting a stop at his laughing session.

"I thought you offered to help me understand stuff I didn't." Swarnima was now curious to know what the joke was.

"Oh! I have got my self into trouble. Okay, I will try explaining it to you. You know when a man asks a woman is she 'SATISFIED'? And no!! Don't give me any philosophical answers."
Abhedya was smirking.

Swarnima was thinking when Abhedya came forward and whispered, "don't get your brain working. You won't get it. You have killed the joke. So, in simple language the common question a man asks a woman after SEX is 'did I satisfy you?' And depending upon the experience she answers yes or no."

Swarnima's eyes bulged out at the newfound information. A simple statement could have an alternative meaning to it.
Hahaha
Hahaha
"Look at your face 'chicken'." Abhedya again started to laugh.

Swarnima turned her back and started searching for the key. She was tomato red and could not afford to show her face to the boy standing in her room. Good thing she wore her lenses else the change in the colour of her eyes would have given him her state of mind and heart.
After taking a few more minutes she brought a beautifully wrapped box and gave it to Abhedya.

He opened the box and found a key in it. Swarnima gestured him to open it.

Abhedya took the key and asked Swarnima, " I asked you today about it so you are giving me access to the cupboard but I shall open it the day you yourself ask me to open it and only then I will see what you have in store for me. Till then keep this key with you and I shall try to be worthy of its access."

Abhedya put the key back in the box and gave it to Swarnima.
"Don't worry, I have my change in the car. I just wanted to know whether you and I can build a little trust. Now go and change I will get ready too."

Abhedya left the room and Swarnima pinched herself to make sure she was not dreaming. Because if it was a dream she wanted it to be real and if it was a reality she swore to maintain the beauty it held.

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Dear Readers
Abhedya took a step forward to break the wall between him and Swarnima. He spoke what was in his heart.
A confession is an act of honesty and courage.
What twist will now this budding relation take?
Stay hooked
Lots of love!