Destiny or Coincidence?

Abhilash Ponnam

"What the hell Athi" shouted Dev entering into the room by startling both of us. He was looking so angry that I furrowed my eyebrows thinking what happened to him this suddenly since he was very happy awhile ago. 

She just stopped crying but still was hiccuping from the after-effects of the cry while I was caressing her back to give her some comfort but was startled by the voice of Dev that she shook her body in response while looking at him with her confused eyes. 

I will kill him if he starts fighting for some stupid thing and makes her cry even more than she has already been doing it from awhile. I cannot see her cry or hurt again and won't back down even if he is her best friend. 

"What happened Dev," I asked glaring at him for shouting on her that way. 

"What happened? You are asking me what happened? I need to be the one who should ask both of you the same question" he said exclaiming by raising his hands and tugging his hair in frustration. 

"Dev…" called Athi with a small voice which sounded hoarse because of her crying. "Why are you angry?" She asked looking at him by raising her head from my shoulder to give him the attention. But still, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders to let her know that I will be there no matter what. 

He looked at her with hurt filled eyes that I was taken aback for a moment not understanding about what happened so suddenly. 

"Why am I angry?" He said with a low voice by scoffing which clearly indicates that he was hurt from something which we didn't know and it was making Athira restless. 

She nodded silently by telling him to continue because she doesn't have the energy to ask or even argue with him. 

"One-word Athira. At least you could have said one word to me." He said with so much emotion in his eyes that I was watching him intently to see what he wants to say. 

"I was looking for you everywhere on the beach but couldn't find you and when I have asked Adi about you guys, he said that you both left for the hotel since you were not feeling well." He said looking at her seriously that she looked down by controlling herself from crying again. I can feel her slightly shaking because of the closeness and I wanted to punch him more than anything at that moment but controlled myself from doing anything which will hurt my girl even more. 

"At first I thought that you left me because you wanted to spend the time with your boyfriend but then Riya stopped me from saying anything because she realised something which couldn't because of my happy moment," he said looking at her again with sad eyes that I got confused again. 

"One-word Athira, You could have said one word about today or even you could have ordered me to postpone you know." He said sighing by pulling his hair and continued "I would have cancelled everything in the blink of an eye to be with you," he said while breaking at the end of the sentence which made me look at him in shock. Even Athi gasped looking at him with wide eyes by placing a hand on her mouth. 

"I would have cancelled my plans if I would have known tomorrow's date." He said with a defeated tone while looking at her with hurt. 

"I thought you left me, but you were there for me all the while even though it was hard for you." He said raising his voice again with so much frustration in his eyes. But I think it is indicated on himself for forgetting it or even for not being able to be there for her best friend. 

"Dammit I am sorry Choti," he said running towards her and embracing her in a tight hug that she too sobbed loudly being in her friend's arms again. 

I was stunned to see the feelings and closeness of their friendship that no word was coming out of my mouth. I just sat there looking at them with wide eyes while processing everything that happened minutes ago. 

I already knew that they were a close-knitted group and will do anything for each other. But what I saw today was totally different. I can clearly see the hurt and sadness in his eyes for the mother of his best friend. I can clearly see the bond between these four members. They are not only close because of childhood friendship but even with feelings and emotions also. 

I really feel content knowing that her friends will be there for her at any cost to look after her when it's needed. 

"I am sorry Choti. I am really sorry that i forgot" he kept apologising her by still hugging her. After a few moments, Athi controlled herself and responded to him.

"It's not your fault Dev. Don't apologize. And I wanted to be there with you on your special day so i came." She said looking into his eyes sincerely with a tear-stained face and continued "And never will i suggest you to cancel your plan because of my personal reasons. It's an important day in your life and i cannot steal it for my selfish reasons. I too want to see my best friend happy" she said giving him a genuine smile that I melted there itself by seeing their friendship. 

"But Choti…" he started to say something but she stopped him by placing her hand on his mouth.

"No buts. I don't regret being there and i am so happy for you ok. And what matters is now you are with me. That's it" she said smiling and hugging him again to show her gratitude and feelings that she is indeed fine with her decision. He just sighed and hugged her again in silence. 

She might be not feeling good at present but I knew for a fact that she will be fine with the time because she has her friends whom she can rely on and who can never see her suffer. She will be fine and I will be there for her on this journey to hold her if she falls again. 

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We all returned back to Bangalore on the same evening because I know that Athi wants to be alone or even in peace to deal with it. So I cancelled our previous flight and booked the other one so that we can reach early. 

All the way to Bangalore she just closed her eyes by sleeping on my shoulder without uttering a word in return. 

Everyone understood that there was something wrong with her and didn't question further for which I am thankful because I don't know how I will be able to answer all of those questions if they ask. 

Even her father called me and intimated that he is coming to Bangalore today evening by flight because his daughter needs him the most at present so insisted that I will book the ticket for him. He was against that idea at first but agreed reluctantly after my continuous requests. 

I cancelled all of my meetings and schedules for tomorrow because I want to be with her in her most vulnerable time to support. So after getting down the flight, I went straight to her house with them to make sure that she is doing fine. 

Even my brother accepted that I need to stay with her to accompany her and went to his apartment for taking rest. 

Once we got inside, Athi directly went to her bedroom leaving both of us in the hallway that we just looked at each other not knowing what to do. But he recovered immediately and ran after her to see if she is doing fine. 

I too wanted to go inside and check if she is fine but was unable to move my feet from my position. I was even reluctant to go inside because somewhere I was feeling that she needs Dev more than me at present because of their bond and friendship. 

So, I just took a seat on the couch after closing the main door by placing my hands on the head and held my hair in both pain and frustration because I want her to be in my arms but couldn't do it. I want to make sure that she is fine and not hurting herself. I want to hug her and erase all the pain she is going through at the moment. I want to see her smiling face again. But I know that it won't be possible for a while and I am willing to wait for it. 

I was in my own thoughts when Dev called me to get my attention. 

"Abhi" Dev called coming to stand before me that i looked upwards to see his face "she is calling you," he said taking a seat beside me and stretching himself on the couch.

"Is she fine?" I asked getting up from my seat.

"She will be," she said silently by giving me a half-hearted smile and nodded for me to go inside. I nodded my head in agreement and slowly started walking towards the bedroom while thinking about the first time she cried after knowing about her mother's death. She was devastated and I don't want to see her in that situation again. 

I was surprised when Dev said that she was asking for me because I thought that she might need some space and want to be with Dev itself because of the closeness among them. 

If I want to be honest with myself then somewhere at the bottom of my heart I felt jealous and hurt thinking that Dev might be the one consoling her and not me but then again i erased those negative thoughts from my mind and took a seat on the couch. So, it makes me happy and content knowing that she was asking for me to be with her.  

I know it was stupid of me to think like that but i can't help myself from thinking about these kinds of thoughts. 

After entering the room she immediately hugged by surprising me but nevertheless, I too hugged her in return making all the negative thoughts of mine to wash away in seconds. 

She wanted me to stay with her in bed while she slept in fear of getting nightmares, which was fine by me because all I wanted to do at this moment was to hold her until she is fine. I don't know for how much time she cried like that while staying in my arms, but somewhere in the middle of the night, she slept due to tiredness. 

I was watching her tear-stained face where her eyes got swollen and nose got red due to that much of crying. She looked like a baby while sleeping peacefully, but i know for a fact that she was enduring so much at the moment. 

Thinking about all the events of today, I drifted off to sleep with her in my arms dreaming about our future together. 

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Morning came with her father's arrival and seeing both of us in the same bed that it was a little awkward, to say the least, but he took it lightly by giving us a smile that I breathed in relief. 

It was all a blur throughout the day, getting ready, going to the temple to do pooja on her mother's name, father and daughter time spending, eating and getting to know about our other friends. It was dull and moody at first due to the sadness and atmosphere among us, but later on, it was somewhat good because Athira started smiling to the jokes of brother and we all chatted normally. 

Everyone visited us at her apartment saying that they want to accompany her and support her in every moment. It was overwhelming for her that she cried again seeing the support of her friends. Even i too spoke with her father for the first time, at first I thought that he might be strict but then, later on, I came to know that he is one cool person with friendly nature. He easily mingled with our gang and interacted like he is one among us, mostly because he wanted his daughter to be normal again. So he tried everything he could to make her smile and be normal again. 

Throughout the day, she never left my side by catching my hand in hers. Maybe for the support or strength or anything else, but she was holding me like her life depended on it. I realised that she was scared that she might break down again and to not feel that way, she was holding me for support. I even realised that I became her backbone and strength. 

From that day on, the relationship between us became, even more, stronger and the love for each other too. 

It's been a week since we came back from Chennai and her mother's death anniversary. Everything was turning back to normal and even Athira was smiling a lot again compared to the first two days. Her father was staying in Bangalore for another one more week since he was concerned about his daughter and wanted to make sure that she is doing fine before returning back to Hyderabad. 

So seeing this as the chance, my mother invited them to dinner to get to know even more about them and family members. She wanted to meet her father and make this bonding even stronger. At first, I was against this idea since it had been only a week since everything happened but Athira said that she is fine with it and the perfect timing to interact with each of the families and forget about everything that happened in the past week.

So i agreed to this plan of my mother where both of our families would meet officially for the first time to get to know each other. She was excited for tomorrow that she wanted to prepare food by cooking herself for everyone which she oh so fondly calls 'homemade delicious food'. 

To say I was nervous would be an understatement, I was freaking out of hell. So, it's acceptable that even Athira is feeling the same way as me. It was the most important step for both of us in our relationship and even the most important step of our life. So yes, it's freaking me out but at the same time, it's exciting to know that we will cross another step in our life to become together forever. 

I am so happy that I was moving on cloud nine thinking about all the things that would happen tomorrow and even how we would spend the rest of our lives together. We will be together forever until death sets us apart and even then I will love her forever with all my being. 

Forever is a big word but it's sounding pretty promising at this moment that i want to accept everything that comes in our way. She is the queen of my life and the beat to my little heart which flows because of her smile. She is my everything and will always be. 

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Hello everyone,

Here is your awaiting chapter. I hope that you like it.

Do let me know your thoughts and opinions on this chapter. Will be waiting for your responses.

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Will update the next chapter as soon as possible.

Till then... See you...

Love....