(So far you have read that after coming to Nidhi’s house, Meera has slowly started talking to everyone. Since the day she arrived, one name has constantly been troubling her — “Akshat.” Although she hadn’t properly met him yet, she had only seen his eyes… and she never imagined that someone she hadn’t even met could disturb her so much. So how does Meera finally come face to face with Akshat? Let’s read.)
After washing her hands and face, Meera came to the dining area. Dadu, Dadi, and Nidhi were already seated. Radha asked Meera to sit down as well. Vijay and Arjun had returned from the office. Soon everyone gathered around the dining table. The fragrance of food filled the hall.
Meera’s eyes were fixed on the door. Everyone had arrived… except the one she was unknowingly waiting for.
Radha noticed and said,
“Ajju, where is Akshat? Please call him.”
“Mom, I spoke to him. He said he’s at a friend’s party. He’ll eat there and come back,” Arjun replied.
“This boy… no one knows what he’ll do next! You all start eating,” Radha said as she began serving food.
Arjun was sitting right in front of Meera. Every now and then, he glanced at her. But Meera was lost somewhere else. Once again, she didn’t get to see Akshat.
Radha served a bowl of kheer to Meera and said warmly,
“I made this especially for you. Taste it and tell me how it is.”
Meera took a spoonful and smiled.
“It’s very delicious, Aunty. Thank you!”
“Meera, Mom not only makes tasty kheer but all kinds of delicious food. If you stay here, you’ll become her fan,” Nidhi teased.
“I’ll eat… and learn to cook as well,” Meera replied lightly.
“You don’t know how to cook?” Arjun asked impulsively. Everyone looked at him. Embarrassed, he quickly added, “I mean… girls usually like cooking, so I thought…”
Meera smiled at his awkwardness.
“No, I don’t know how to cook. I never needed to learn. At home, Mom cooked, and in the hostel we had a mess. I only know how to make tea.”
“How did you manage to eat hostel food? I stayed in a Delhi hostel for two years — it was terrible!” Arjun said, making a face.
“It’s not that bad,” Meera laughed. “Sometimes there’s more water than dal in the dal… and in potato curry you have to search for the potatoes.”
Everyone burst into laughter. Even Meera couldn’t stop smiling.
Vijay then said kindly,
“Beta, if you ever need anything related to college, let us know. Everyone here is your own. Study well, stand on your own feet — that will make us very happy.”
“Thank you, Uncle. I will work hard and definitely succeed,” Meera replied confidently.
“You surely will, beta. And you’ll make your mother proud,” Dadu added.
After dinner, Dadu and Dadi went out for a walk together.
---
Later, standing in the balcony, Nidhi and Meera watched Dadu and Dadi walking hand in hand in the garden.
“Meera, can I ask you something?” Nidhi said, turning toward her.
“Yes, ask,” Meera replied, folding her hands together.
“Have you ever been in love?”
“No,” Meera answered directly.
“There must have been someone at least once!”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe what! You’re so beautiful — anyone could fall in love with you!”
“Why are you asking all this today?” Meera asked, looking into Nidhi’s eyes.
“Just like that. Tell me — what is love according to you?”
Meera thought for a moment. Her gaze stopped at Dadu and Dadi.
“That,” she said softly, pointing toward them.
“You mean Dadu and Dadi?” Nidhi asked, confused.
“Yes. At the last stage of life, they’re still together… happy. Staying with each other always — that’s love. They must have seen happiness, sorrow, laughter, tears, hundreds of problems… yet they never left each other’s side. Being each other’s support, they must have lived their lives happily — and you can see the result of that happiness on their faces today.”
“Wow! You think so deeply!” Nidhi said, impressed.
“Not deeply. Practically,” Meera replied calmly.
Nidhi smiled.
“However you think, you’re always right. Make me your student — I seriously need such wisdom!”
They both laughed.
“Meera, you look so beautiful when you smile. Always stay like this,” Nidhi said softly.
“This smile is because of you, Nidhi. No matter how many times I thank you, it won’t be enough,” Meera replied.
As they talked, Meera’s eyes kept drifting toward the main gate.
“Why do you keep looking at the gate? Is someone coming?” Nidhi teased.
“You talk nonsense! It’s very cold here. I’m going inside,” Meera said quickly, as if caught.
---
Later that night, around midnight, Meera went downstairs to collect Vineet’s notebook.
Everyone was asleep. As she turned to leave, she saw a shadow near the window — someone trying to climb up using the wall for support.
“Maybe it’s a thief. Otherwise, who climbs like that?” she thought.
Determined, she quietly went upstairs toward the hall balcony, forgetting that it was Akshat’s restricted area.
As soon as the shadow crossed the balcony railing and entered the hall, Meera grabbed his arm tightly, twisted it behind his back, and said firmly,
“What are you here to steal? Think you’re a clever thief? It’s not easy to escape my eyes!”
“Thief? What the hell?” the boy snapped.
“Wow! Thieves in Indore are so educated — speaking in English!” Meera taunted.
He struggled.
“Who are you? What nonsense are you talking?”
“Forget about me. You tell me what you came here to steal!”
“I’m not a thief! This is my house. I can enter however I want. Who are you?”
“Great acting! Your house? One tight slap and you’ll confess everything. Wait, I’ll call everyone!”
As she tried to scream, he quickly covered her mouth and pushed her gently against the wall.
In the dim lamp light, she saw him clearly.
Dusky complexion. Sharp, intense eyes. Reddish lips. A small black stud in his left ear. A tiny tattoo below his collarbone.
Her heart started pounding.
Those eyes… she had seen them before.
Thinking fast, she stamped hard on his foot.
“Ouch!” he hissed, removing his hand.
She screamed.
“Shut up! If Dad hears, he’ll kill me!” he whispered urgently, covering her mouth again.
Just then, Nidhi arrived.
“Bhai! What are you doing? She’s my friend Meera!”
Meera froze.
“Who… is he?” she asked hesitantly.
“This is Akshat bhaiya!” Nidhi replied.
“What?” Meera whispered, horrified.
Akshat glared at her.
“If she’s your friend, tell her to behave like one — not like James Bond.”
Nidhi stepped in front of Meera.
“What did she do?”
"Ask her! In my own house, she’s calling me a thief. Stupid!”
“Is it true?” Nidhi asked Meera softly.
''I thought a thief had entered the house. I mean… who climbs the wall and enters from the balcony?”
Akshat pointed at her.
“It’s my house! I’ll enter through the door, balcony, window — however I want! Nidhi, if you hadn’t come, she would’ve killed me!”
“Why would I do that?” Meera protested.
“Just get out of here. I think both of you should leave,” Akshat said sharply.
---
Later, feeling guilty, Meera brought ointment and approached him.
“Please apply this. It will reduce the pain. I didn’t know who you were. I’m sorry. Please forgive me if you can.”
Akshat said nothing. He just looked at her silently.
His silence made her even more restless. She quietly walked away.
---
The next morning at 7 AM, Meera saw him sleeping on the sofa.
In sleep, he looked like an innocent child.
“While sleeping, you look so good. No anger, no irritation,” she thought.
Sunlight was falling directly on his face. She gently pulled the curtain forward to block the rays.
Downstairs, she folded her hands before Lord Shiva and prayed,
“O Lord Shiva, please don’t let me make any mistakes. Everyone here is so kind. Even unknowingly, I should never hurt them.”
As she turned, she bumped into Arjun, who was holding a bowl of turmeric. It spilled all over his shirt.
“I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention. I’ll clean it!” Meera said anxiously.
She started wiping it with her dupatta — which soon turned yellow.
“In trying to clean my shirt, you ruined your dupatta,” Arjun said gently.
“Oh no! I ruined my favorite dupatta!” she muttered to herself.
Dadi arrived and laughed.
“Oh Arjun! You spilled all the turmeric on yourself?”
“It fell because of me. I’m sorry,” Meera said sadly.
“Don’t be upset, beta. It’s a good omen! Turmeric spilling means something auspicious will happen. Maybe Arjun’s wedding!” Dadi teased.
“Oh Dadi!” Arjun blushed.
“She’s right. You’re of marriageable age now,” Radha added, smiling.
“I’ll go change my shirt,” Arjun said quickly and left.
“See, Meera? He runs away at the mention of marriage!” Radha joked.
“When the right time comes, he’ll say yes himself, Aunty. And you’ll see — he’ll get a very nice girl,” Meera said.
Just then she looked upstairs and saw Akshat stretching lazily.
She thought to herself,
“As for him… no idea if any girl will ever say yes to marrying him. He truly wrote the right thing after his name — Complicated.”
---
This is just the starting,trust me this story is going to be amazing 😍
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