"Hey how are you feeling now?"

As soon as Avni plopped on her bed her phone received a text. It was around 7pm in the evening she came back home. She just took a shower. Changing into some comfortable PJ's she grabbed a soft cushion and placing it under her chest she laid on her stomach. During these days of menstruation period this posture gives her lower abdomen some soothing effect. Though she is not having any acute pain as such right now but due to her heavy abnormal flow there is always kind of an infinitesimal ache in that spot, until the flow totally ends. One of the medical conditions related to that critical menstruation cycle she suffers every month.

"Much better than last two days" she sent replied to the sender. The sender is Juhi.

"I would have called you. Thereafter thought, you must be doing not well. So I didn't" another text from Juhi blinked on her device.

"Yup last two days was worst" Avni retorted letting out a aggravated exhale.

"Can I call you now?"

"Yup" her one word reply.

"He called me last night" the second Avni received by the first ring it was Juhi who resumed with her rapturous breath whilst she tried sounding stable. But Avni know her bestie more than any person does. Actually Juhi is doing quadrille inside.

"Hummm....he took your number from me yesterday" Avni grinned evoking the sight Ayan has put his facade extempore, cavalier asking for Juhi's number. Ofcourse he made that face and his voice as casual as if he is asking for a number he needs to check up on a patient.

"He thanked me for the cake" Juhi bashfully uttered, earned Avni grinning much broader.

"Yep" she responded shortly popping the 'p'

"He has nice voice. He is very courteous" Juhi added in a tone too much of coy. There formed a fiddled frown on her forehead listening to Juhi whereas her smile didn't slip off.

"And?" Avni encouraged her to continue with an amused tone.

"I didn't want to end the call that soon but I had to. You know my Mom and Dad. There were just.... He called me at the middle of the dinner when having my meal I was surrounded by those two creeps_ My parents. They were gawking at me as if I'm talking to my boyfriend there. Looking at their countenance anyone could say they had already started counting the invitee list inside their that brainless heads "Juhi ranted her annoyance. These days Her parents are really very keen to get their daughter a groom she has already mentioned it few times. And Juhi is having hard time managing them not to just jump on those heavy weight Guys searching for their bride, they come across in those matrimonial app they have made account for their only daughter lately.

"I can surely say your face betrayed you the most." Avni said chuckling over the comments she made on her parents. Juhi is the same since the day Avni first met her. Never hesitate using some stupid words for her parents in such kind of situation. Funny though. But they are the most adorable parents she had ever seen. Her father looks like a Teddy bear in human form. Short height, chubby cheeks and his face always smiling. And her mother too much caring always bringing lots of handmade food items for both of them they used to be roomies during their campus days. Her both parents are IIT pass out, settled in Bangalore with their highly paid jobs. They couldn't attain Aravi's wedding only the reason they already had another wedding on uncle's side around the same date. As expected Juhi chose joining Roys whilst her parents attended the one of their side.

"And my voice" she added chuckling leaving Avni having an idea how bashful she appeared talking to him under her heart at the zenith of its beat.

"So what did he say actually?" Avni persisted hearing her friend's jovial tone on the other side.

"It was a small conversation. I have already told, because of that awkward ambience everything was opposite my wish. So I called him this evening, apologized for the hasle I pulled up yesterday night ending the call" Juhi stated in a single breath.

"You did?" Avni's astounding voice. She didn't think Juhi would take up the things this easy. She thought Juhi would get mini heart attack if Ayan personally going to call her. Although she had but the last part was unexpected.

"Yup. This time the conversation advanced a little further than last I have remembered. He asked me of mine. The b'day date. And then our small chat moved to those boring medical stuffs. Our common interests you know" saying she let out a slothful sigh. And there isn't a rocket science needs for Avni to confirm Juhi rolled her eyes at the end. It's quite apparent she didn't like that conversation she had with her crush. Rather she would have exhilarated to know about him more. Like if some sort of those personal chat would have happened any.

"Slow and steady wins the race. Remember" Avni reminded her with a her usual gleeful tone.

"Yep. It does. But here I want to be the rabit who wouldn't take that nap in between the race being over confident" she retaliated back for which Avni startled delightfully.

"Seems you really like him a lot" Avni's quick repartee caused Juhi bit a giggle when she felt her cheeks heated up by the words Avni tormented her by.

"Who told you that. I don't" she responded with a galvanizing tone lacing with humour in it, then both ended up in a fit of chortle understanding eachother's unsaid words. They are absolutely those kind of real best friends considering too long time now.

*

Avni was lying peacefully with her ear phone on. It's been a while her call with Juhi ended and she turned her ph in radio listening to her favourite station. Then when her mother walked in with intention to have a talk with her daughter about her love life, she has recently got the confirmation from the most trusted person she knows, which she has been trying to figure out as well really long.

"So You have a thing for Neil. Do you?" Neela looked straight in her daughter's eyes. Her much restraint demeanor attracted her daughter go eerie under her mother's contentious gaze over her.

"Thing? Mom seriously?" Avni could hardly keep herself composed. She abruptly got off the bed she was sitting with the hot chocolate mug in her grip. Placing the half drunk mug on the bed side table with a thud she walked other side away Neela. She have got fed up of this hiding thing.

I'll spill everything to Mamma today. Lets have a talk. We are grown up now. Established as well. Jyada se jyada kya hoga? Lets face it now. She rambled inwardly and next second she is face to face with her mother.

"I love him and He loves me" Avni proudly stated as if declaring some legal concordat she has made official just now.

"You are not" Neela's stringent words condemned cutting her off on the process of shaking the ground Avni is standing on. Her eyes wide in consternation, she flinched harshly stuttering a step backward. How could her mother grow so cold, repugnant knowing her daughter in love with her favourite son!

On the other side Neela's heart in havoc riot with herself, there is no way she will let it confide Avni's past to destroy her present.

Avni

Since good last fifteen minutes listening to those already known facts related to our this intimate togetherness from my mamma, I finally initiated to opened my mouth to her not so liking. I know I'm going to hurt her now. I crossed my arms over my chest preparing myself.

"I would leave him. Trust me I would do. Only if you promise me something. before I break up with him." My voice overly arctic speaking to that lady my birth giver. But inside it's breaking my heart into million pieces even thinking of leaving the guy who has become my everything now.
As expected Mamma has pulled her most scowling face she could have. And impaled my head with reasoning out all those foreseeable facts I have already known, would come up on my way in future because of this decision of mine. However at the end I think I have noticed it correctly, her face softened a bit in hope on my words I have uttered.

"What promises?" Mamma balked at my drastic conscent. Attentively she looked at me.

Despite I startled inside with my own monologue, yet I kept my demeanor austere. No way I'm stepping back now. Since morning I have noticed something is up with her. Her gloomy visage, that perciptable awful silence in her behaviour said it all.

And here she is in my room at this hour when none is at home. She has emerged in my room with hot chocolate and some cookies to have an uninterrupted conversion with me.

"Nothing hefty. Just Promise me after that you will leave me on myself. You would never try me to hitch with anyone else in future. Neither You would force me to get married with someone I will never ever fall for." I said succinctly with all the stubbornness I could have gathered in my voice. Listening to my words I have noticed slowly all colours of her face drained off, her gaze extended being terrified grasping her breath. She knows how much I mean it.

"Avni..." The word came out of her mouth like bleating weakly holding all the ache she could have amassed in her those beautiful eyes. My heart clenched looking at her face. I'm the responsible for this condition if her. I so wanted to rush to her and hug my mamma tight. But this is not the time to go all brittle.

"Yes Mamma nothing comes free in life...there's a price to pay for everything..if you ask me to fix it like before then you have to let go few things permanently. If you can manage to do as I say then go ahead I'll do exactly as you say" I swallowed a lump. My eyes started filling with those enormity of emotions I'm unable to detain inside much tedious.

"Ooh bachha I'm not your enemy...I love you the most in this world shona...how could I see you in pain" her voice quake. Her eyes didn't repress those tears threatening to fall down, they are now freed. My chest swelled up watching my mamma crying. Oh god why this love is so painful?

"Then why you said to leave him?" My confrontational tone despodently brought mamma stared up with a jolt. Now my voice trembled suppressing not to break down infront of her. This is not the time to be feeble Avni. You have to fight for that Neil, your only love. There is a voice in my head rebuked me to stay steady. And I followed her.

"Because I'm aware of the consequences. You know that Sweta. And how she is. she dreams of her grandchildren" Mom mumbled in between wiping her eyes and before I may relinquish my rants I darted my eyes away that weak sight.

"Yes I know" my curt answer filled the room. I have a doubt if it's me talking. Because I have never talked to my parents this crude. It's me always weak unlike Di, when it comes to hold my ground. And then again what's done is done. There is no looking back at this point.

"Avni look at me.... I'm not saying there is no hope at all...but you know the entire thing shona...there is a very less possibility.." she said and I dragged a sigh deeply before I asserted something I think it's the best time I would let my heart bare.

"And I'm living with that infinitesimal hope mamma..." the moment these words left my mouth stifling a weep, I heard a low sob behind me. This is how things move when we Indians talk with our parents. And trust me it's a most hateful part of our life.

Tell me Am I wrong choosing my love over every ramifications I'm cent percent sure I'm going to face next?

Tell me should I choose my sphinxlike future over my dreamlike present?

*

"Jaan!" his tempting, croaky voice is the cause of a tremendous blood rush through the every fiber of my body, putting my heart on amok. His face nuzzled over my neck, down my ear. His tender touch giving me solace after what I had yesterday with my mamma.

"Mamma knows about us. She is not happy" I said in a faint tone, caused Neil stopped what he was doing. His head shot up with a jolt away the spot, then it craned to have a look over me. My face crestfallen I fiddled with my fingers on my lap. Not getting any response from him other than a harsh sigh out of his chest. When I looked up, my heart leaped looking at his clenched facial muscles. His eyes stiff looking straight. What the crap with him now?

"That piece of shit Ayan" gritting his teeth painfully Neil let those acidic words out.
I never saw him this infuriated on someone. Not even over those boys in school tried to flirt with me. He had always been that calm, rational, considerate in any circumstances you put him into. Then what so special with Ayan?

"Neil it's not him" I said meekly. Why I'm feeling so nervous all of a sudden?

"Would you defend him now? Like seriously Avi?" his accusative gaze piercing me. His hold tightened around my waist he pulled me to him closer so that he could see through my soul. My grip tightened over his shoulder I bit my lips in trepidation. Is he going to be mad at me?

It's a day four he knows how I feel during these days. I mean who doesn't know about this condition of Mine?

Today around evening he asked me to meet and we are here in his condo.

Neil had drown me in his lap when I absent-mindedly proceeded to take the seat on bed beside him. Then kissing all over my face he encircled his arms around me and dug his face in my neck before he nuzzled that spot and his muffed, yearning voice was heard slury " I so always miss you my love"
I closed my eyes feeling how his each and every words saturate my chest, my heart, my eyes, clog my speaking power, block my brain.

There is no way I would live my life without this man.

And subsequently as a result of my previous words, now his face draining out all that softness a second before. And it turned into some possession mirroring a cranky facade, he is building inside.
It's necessary for Neil to understand that Ayan has nothing to do with my life, nor with us. This is another ado over nothing I have to unleash soon.

~~~~~~

Thank you for Reading.

Love MoN ❤️