Unraveled Threads

As the door closed behind them, Akriti felt a rush of conflicting emotions swirling within her. The warmth of Vihaan's kiss lingered on her lips, igniting a spark of excitement that mingled with the familiar weight of familial expectations. She had just escaped the suffocating atmosphere of the engagement festivities, only to find herself caught in a whirlwind of intimacy.

“Are we really doing this?” she asked, pulling back slightly to gauge his expression. Vihaan’s eyes sparkled with mischief and something deeper, something that made her heart race.

“Why not? It’s not every day we get to steal a moment like this,” he replied, his voice low, almost conspiratorial.

Akriti’s mind raced back to her mother’s relentless chatter about traditions and expectations. She had felt like a puppet, dressed up to impress, while her heart screamed for freedom. “But what about your parents? They'll be expecting you back,” she said, a hint of apprehension creeping into her voice.

“They can wait,” he said with a shrug, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. “Besides, I think I’d rather be here with you than listening to them plan our wedding.” His playful smirk made her giggle, but the laughter quickly faded.

"Vihaan, this is all so sudden. I barely know you," she admitted, her heart pounding. Despite the kiss, she felt a wall rising inside her, a protective barrier against the vulnerability of falling for someone new.

“True, but life is about taking chances, right?” He stepped closer, and she could see the sincerity in his gaze. “I’m not asking you to marry me, Akriti. Just to embrace this moment.”

Before she could respond, a soft knock echoed from the door. “Akriti! Are you in there?” It was Arjun, her younger brother, his voice breaking the tension.

“Quick, we need to hide!” Vihaan whispered, a playful grin returning.

As they scrambled to find a place out of sight, the reality of their situation hit Akriti like a cold splash of water. She was here, hiding with a man she barely knew, while the weight of her family’s expectations loomed outside the door.

They squeezed into her small closet, their bodies pressed closely together. Akriti felt the warmth radiating from Vihaan, and for a moment, the chaos of her life faded away. She could hear her brother’s footsteps retreating as he moved on to search another room, and she let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“What now?” she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur.

“Now, we wait,” he replied, his breath brushing against her ear, sending shivers down her spine. “And maybe talk a little.”

“About what?” she asked, her heart racing for an entirely different reason now.

“About us,” he said, his tone turning serious. “About how you’re feeling. I know this isn’t easy for you, Akriti. But I want to know you.”

His sincerity struck a chord deep within her, and she found herself wanting to share her thoughts, her fears, and the nagging pressure she felt from her family. “It’s just… everything feels so rushed. My mother is determined to marry me off, and it’s like I’m being paraded around,” she admitted, her voice catching.

“I get it. My parents are no different. They have their vision of my future, and I’m just supposed to fit into it.” He paused, searching her eyes. “But what do you want?”

The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken desires. Akriti’s heart raced as she reflected on her dreams and aspirations, the yearning for independence, and the fear of losing herself in someone else’s plans. “I want to be respected for who I am. I want to be able to choose my own path,” she replied, her voice firm.

Vihaan nodded, understanding glimmering in his eyes. “Then let’s make a pact. We’ll take control of our own stories, together. No more hiding, no more succumbing to expectations. We’ll define who we are, not our families.”

Just then, the door swung open, and Arjun popped his head in, his eyes widening in surprise. “What are you two doing in there? Playing hide-and-seek?”

Akriti’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she shot Vihaan a panicked look. “Uh, we were just—”

Before she could finish, Vihaan burst out laughing. “Yeah, you caught us! But now we need to go before Mom realizes we’re missing. Let’s make a grand exit.”

Arjun rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile. “You’re both ridiculous.”

As they stepped out of the closet, Akriti felt a renewed sense of purpose kindling within her. She glanced at Vihaan, who gave her a reassuring nod. Maybe this was the beginning of something more than just a fleeting kiss. Maybe this was the moment she would start to reclaim her narrative.

With her heart racing, she resolved to challenge the status quo, but little did she know that their journey was about to take an unexpected turn. As they moved back into the living room, the air was thick with anticipation, and outside, the world was unaware of the storm brewing beneath the surface—one that could change everything.

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Thanks for stopping by this book and reading it, if you enjoy then please do like and comment, so that I can update more. This story is going to be 18+ so no 15 yr olds should be wandering here.

Also please do check out my other story as well, "Desire you"

Happy Reads!

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