Stardust Serendipity

◉ Chapter 13

Akshara sank into the back seat of the car as Simran took the wheel. "Akshu, you've been up since the crack of dawn to shoot. Good work today." Simran commended, glancing at her through the rearview mirror as they embarked on their journey.

"You too Simran" Akshara replied. "It's strange though, it's so nice out today, yet why do I feel so lethargic?" Akshara mused, stirring from her seat.

"Haven't you been feeling like this since shooting 'Waqt'? Maybe almost drowning in the water has affected you mentally. Shall we have it checked out at the hospital?" Simran suggested, her concern evident in her tone.

"No way. That was a long time ago and I am not that weak, I'm sure that's not it," Akshara dismissed, her mind drifting into introspection. "Now that I think about it, it's been three weeks since shooting 'Waqt.' It feels like the days have gone by both fast and slow... I wonder how Abhi...manyu sir is doing on-site..." 

Her thoughts were interrupted as Simran proposed, "Oh, Akshu! Do you remember that cafe we used to frequent before? Wanna stop by and get some coffee to keep us going for the day?" Akshara nodded in agreement.

Soon, they arrived at the beautiful yet deserted cafe. "Wow... I guess no one's here since it's a weekday," Simran remarked, taking in the tranquil atmosphere.

"For real, we have the whole place to ourselves," Akshara marvelled, her eyes wandering around the empty space.

Simran turned to her with a smile. "I'll go order. What do you feel like getting today?" she asked.

"Hmm, a mocha iced coffee, please," Akshara replied, her lips curving into a content smile as Simran gave her an approving nod before heading to the counter.

"Let's kill some time by playing the game," Akshara thought, quickly taking her seat and immersing herself in the game.

After a few minutes, "Hmm, this level is too hard," she muttered to herself, frustration evident in her voice as she repeatedly attempted to conquer the challenge. Lost in the intensity of the game, she called out, "Simran, come quickly help me beat this level, I can't..." Akshara pleaded for assistance with the game level while extending her phone to seek help.

But her words trailed off as she glanced up and noticed a presence who had silently placed a tray of her order on the table, causing her to freeze in shock. 

"What's this?" Abhimanyu's voice cut through the silence as he sat in front of her, examining her phone. "Is it a maze game?" he asked, his curiosity piqued as he took the device from her hand.

Still dazed from the unexpected encounter, Akshara struggled to process the situation. "What's going on? Is this a dream? Shouldn't Abhimanyu sir be at the location to shoot 'Waqt' right now... But why is he here, playing the game on my phone?" Her mind raced with confusion and disbelief, her expression reflecting her inner turmoil.

"Akshara... is the game over once I die?" Abhimanyu's question snapped her out of her trance, prompting her to stammer, "N-no, you can play again but... sir, what are you doing here?" she asked, the realization finally sinking in that he was standing before her in the flesh, dispelling any notion of it being a dream.

Abhimanyu, clad in a three-piece suit that accentuated his magnetic presence, looked remarkably handsome as if straight from a magazine cover. 

He gazed at Akshara for a few lingering seconds, his expression carrying a hint of gravity, before finally breaking the silence. "I wanted to ask you something," he began, his voice soft but determined.

Perplexed by the sudden turn of events, Akshara nodded, urging him to continue. "Were you like this, too?" Abhimanyu questioned, his gaze probing yet gentle.