Stardust Serendipity

◉ Chapter 24

As Akshara mustered her courage to express her feelings, she gave herself a quick pep talk in her mind, urging herself forward "I guess now's the time. You can do it Akshu...tell him about your feelings".

With a determined resolve, she turned her head to finally meet Abhimanyu's gaze, only to find him already looking at her with a soft smile playing on his lips, his hazel eyes filled with warmth and curiosity.

"Abhimanyu..." she began, her voice trailing off as she was abruptly interrupted by the ringing of his phone. Both of them were startled and exchanged a quick glance before their attention shifted to the device in Abhimanyu's hand.

With a faint sigh, Abhimanyu answered the call, stepping away to take the conversation in private. Left alone in the room, Akshara's heart raced with a mixture of disappointment and anticipation, her fingers gently patting her chest in a futile attempt to calm the frantic beating.

"Hey Vikrant, oh, I will be there soon. I had an urgent matter at hand..." Abhimanyu's voice floated across the room, his expression remaining composed despite the interruption. 

As he continued to speak, Akshara's ears perked up at the mention of Vikrant's name, her mind racing with thoughts and uncertainties.

"What? After? Oh... I will talk to you later then, alright," Abhimanyu concluded the call, his tone unchanged as he hung up. 

Yet, for Akshara, the mention of Vikrant only added to the swirl of emotions and questions in her mind. Was Vikrant trying to set Abhimanyu up with Sejal? The possibility lingered in her thoughts, casting a shadow over the fragile moment between them.

"Sorry about that," Abhimanyu apologized for the sudden interruption, his expression apologetic as he glanced back at Akshara.

"Oh, it's okay," Akshara responded with a faint smile, though inwardly her mind raced with questions. 

"Well? Then did you agree to Vikrant's proposal or not?" she wondered silently, the uncertainty gnawing at her thoughts.

"What are you doing after this?" Abhimanyu inquired, his voice gentle as he sought to engage her in conversation while taking his seat back.

"Um... nothing in particular, what about you?" Akshara replied, her heart fluttering with anticipation at his question.

"I have to attend a press conference... it won't take too long though. Will you wait for me to finish?" Abhimanyu's sincerity shone through in his words, his heartbeat quickening slightly with nervousness, though he maintained a calm demeanour.

As Akshara processed his request, a warm sensation washed over her, filling her with a sense of hope and possibility. 

"If he's asking me to wait... does that mean he wants to meet up with me later?" she wondered, her thoughts drifting into a blissful reverie.

Lost in her thoughts, Akshara was startled back to reality by Abhimanyu's next words. "Vikrant wants to introduce me to some girl... let's go together," he stated nonchalantly, his demeanour unfazed by the prospect.

Akshara was completely taken aback, to say the least. She was shocked by his casual suggestion. "What... what did he just say? Did he agree to meet Sejal during that brief conversation? Moreover.... he wants me to go with him?" Her mind spun in a confusing vortex of thoughts.

"And why the hell is he looking so handsome and irresistible while saying things so nonchalantly?" Akshara mused, a hint of frustration tinting her internal monologue as she struggled to reconcile Abhimanyu's charm with his unexpected proposal.

Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Akshara sought clarification, her voice tinged with uncertainty, not sure if she heard it right the first time "What do you mean by... let's go together?"