Author's POV:

The next morning, Maya slowly opened her eyes and saw Avi hugging her tightly. She looked at his face and got lost looking at his features. She noticed some frowns on his forehead. She slowly caressed his head, and soon a small smile formed on his lips. But then, she got flashes of the last night. How tense did he look when he reached here? And on top of that, it was midnight when he came to meet her. When he hugged her, she felt something different in his touch. He hugged her as if someone would snatch her from him. She made a note to talk with him about what happened. But after what happened, would he share it with her?

She was lost in her thoughts when she felt him shivering in his sleep and mumbling something. She hugged him tightly and whispered sweet nothings in his ear. She kissed his forehead and caressed his hair. She patted him slowly while he again drifted into peaceful slumber. She sighed, and she was about to get up but dropped the idea as he gripped her hand tightly.

Both of them were sleeping peacefully in each other's arms when Avi's mobile started buzzing. He slowly opened his eyes and answered the call.

"Hello!" He spoke drowsily.

"Do the hell with your hello. Where the hell are you?" Arjun shouted from the other side.

Avi sighed listening to him, "I'm with bunny", he whispered slowly.

While on the other hand, Arjun got calm listening to him and cut the call.

Avi looked at Maya who was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He slowly got up without disturbing her sleep and got down off the bed. He called someone and told that person to bring his clothes. He went to the bathroom and came out after freshening up. He looked at Maya and saw her sleeping peacefully. He moved to the balcony and started doing exercises.

Maya woke up and looked beside and saw the other side of the bed empty. She got up and folded sheets and set the bed. She went to the bathroom and came out in a bath robe after completing her daily chores and having a shower. She got ready in a crop top nd palazzo pants. She heard some sounds from the balcony. She stood near the door and saw Avi doing push-ups. He was only in his tracks, and his body was covered with sweat, making him look hot. She smiled mischievously and went near him and sat on his back.

Avi was doing push-ups when he felt her gaze on him. Though he wanted to tease her, he dropped the idea as he was angry with her. He felt her sitting on his back, but he continued doing his push-ups without saying anything. Her smile dropped seeing him not speaking anything. She got up and went away from there silently.

She moved down and started breakfast. She was engrossed in her work when a worker called her. She switched off the gas and asked her,

What happened, Varam?

Amma, a man came and told the security to hand this to sir. She said handing a bag to her.

Maya: Okay, you go and haa, I'm preparing breakfast for everyone. You don't prepare anything, okay.

Varam nodded her head and went away blessing her.

Maya took the bag and went to their room and placed the bag on the table. Just then, Avi came out in towel drying his hair. She looked at his well-toned body and was literally drooling over him.

"God, how does he manage to look hot and handsome every time", she thought in her mind while checking him out.

Avi looked at her and saw her lost in him. He snapped his fingers in front of her making her come out of her.

"Like what you see?" He asked, smirking at her.

Maya lowered her head. Her cheeks turned red like tomatoes, and she bit her lower lip with embarrassment.

"Umm, your bag," She said, pointing at the table while tucking her hair strands behind her ear.

"I'm sorry for telling that guy this location without your permission. I didn't have my clothes so I asked him to bring them here," He said, making a stern face.

She nodded her head without arguing and mentally made a note to have a talk with him later. She moved silently to the kitchen.

She started making the paratha along with Varam. She told Varam to continue her and moved out of the kitchen to call Avi for breakfast. She saw him coming down in his casuals.

She went inside the kitchen and started preparing coffee for him. She went out and saw him watching TV. She handed him coffee and went to the kitchen and prepared the rest of the parathas along with Varam. She served parathas and raitha for her and Avi in two plates.

Maya: Varam, you also eat and also serve the rest of them. Saying that, she moved to the living room.

She handed his plate to him and sat beside him. Both of them had their breakfast silently. After the breakfast she took their plates and moved to the kitchen and washed their plates while Avi moved to the room.

After completing her work in the kitchen, Maya moved to their room and saw him sitting on the bed and working on his laptop. She sat on the couch looking at him intensely.

Avi: Will you stop staring at me like that? He asked while doing his work.

My eyes, my husband and my wish. She said smiling mischievously at him. Anyways, do you have any problem?

"God! What's with this girl? Why is she looking at me like that? How can I say that I'm not able to concentrate on my work if she look at me intensely? On one hand she wore that crop top showing her waist making me go crazy, and on the other hand, she was acting all innocent", he thought in his mind, typing furiously.

Maya giggled, looking at him. She sat there reading a book while he continued doing his work. She got bored after some time and looked at him who was busy with his work. She went and sat near him and coughed a little to gain his attention. She pouted as he didn't look at her. She cleared her throat once again and poked him. But he didn't even spare a glance at her. She got angry and shut his laptop and sat on his lap. Before he could shout at her, she placed her lips on his, making him shock.

Avi was shocked and reluctant to respond to the kiss when she bit his lower lip angrily.

"Why are you not kissing me back?" She asked him angrily, breaking the kiss.

"Because I don't want to face the rejection again", he said looking into her eyes.

She felt guilty, and tears brimmed in her eyes. She hugged him tightly and was mumbling "sorry" continuously. She broke the hug on seeing him not hugging her back. She wiped her tears and got up from his lap.

"I'm sorry for the last night, Avi. Even I want to take our relationship further, Avi. I want us to become one soul completely. But what can I do? All those words still haunt me making me feel insecure and disgusted with my own body. Do you know how I feel when you touch me. The way you look at me itself makes me weak. Whenever you touch me, my heart starts beating rapidly and I feel thousands of butterflies in my stomach. I feel secure whenever you hug me. You don't know how much my body craves for your touch. Your cologne fragrance itself makes me go crazy."

She took a deep breath and continued,

"But, I'm not able to remove that incident from my mind. I can still feel those touches lingering on my skin, and I feel impure. I tried my best to forget, Avi, but I failed. And what if you feel I'm not worthy of you one day and get bored with me?" She immediately regretted it as soon as she uttered those last words. His eyes turned red listening to her, and he pulled her towards him harshly and made her look at him.

What did you say, Maya? He asked her furiously, and his eyes were spitting fire. I asked you something, Mrs Maya Avinav Krishna.

I'm sorry, Avi. I really didn't mean it. She said looking down.

Is this what you think about me, Maya? Don't you know about my love for you? How could you even think like that? You know what. Argh! Just leave. Go from here before I do something which will hurt both of us later.

Maya: Avi. She said, trying to talk with him.

Avi: I said leave. He shouted loudly making her flinch, and his body was shivering with anger.

Maya went from there silently and moved to her grandparents room. She fell on the bed and started crying badly.

Heart: What did you do Maya? How could you doubt his love for you?

Mind: Hey! Why are you shouting at her?

Heart: Then, what should I do? Should I give arti for her and you?

Mind: I know, she shouldn't have spoken like that. But try to understand, it's her insecurities which made her speak like that.

Heart: You stop blaming those insecurities every time. Answer me, Did he make her feel worthless anytime?

Mind: No.

Heart: Hmm, did he force himself on her anytime?

Mind: No.

Heart: Didn't he tell her how much she mean to him? His every action shows how much he loves her. He respected her choices, he gave her space to get comfortable, he never forced her to tell him about her past. Then, how could she speak like that about him? I know it's not easy to forget those hurtful words and the pain she has gone through. But she could forget all those things only if she let him in.

Mind: You are correct.

Heart: Good. Now tell her to stop crying and give her some ideas to manofy him.

Mind: Why don't you tell her the same?

Heart: When did she listen to me? She always listens to you only and makes something stupid. So, now it's your duty to make her understand. Bye, I'm going to sleep for some time.

Mind: Stupid, idiot and donkey heart. Oy! Mrs Maya Avinav Krishna. Please, stop crying. Don't forget that we have to manofy your hubby dear. Hello! Maya? Are you there?

Maya drifted into sleep after continuous crying.

Mind: That stupid heart is sleeping, and even this girl is sleeping, leaving me all alone. Huh! Idiot fellows. Even I'll take a nap for some time.

******************

On the other hand, Avi was burning with rage. He was throwing things in the room and was punching the wall continuously, making his hand bleed. He fell on his knees and a few tears left his eyes. He felt helpless.

She is close to him yet apart. He wants to heal her, but she is not letting him in. He felt helpless on seeing her struck at the same thing. He knows it's not easy to move on when they haunt us every day. But at least we have to try, right. And today he felt happy at one moment when she told him how she feels about him. But the next moment he got hurt when she spoke those words. How could she doubt his love for her? He was feeling miserable. He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes thinking about her.

To be continued ....

Hello guys!

Few words about Maya's behaviour.

I'm feeling bad for Avi.

(Avi: Then who told you to add a fight scene b/w us.

Me smiling sheepishly)

Anyways, which book you want me to start, after this book?

Veeru and Taara's

Or

Arjun's and Diya's.

Until then, keep smiling and take care.