Note: This is a sequel story of Nakli Doctor. It would be better if you know that story.

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Pre-read: Abhira have been friends since childhood. Akshara gave her finals for class 8 and is about to enter class 9. Abhimanyu left Udaipur to do MBBS.

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Akshara was sad. It was evident. Abhimanyu's absence made her realize how much her life revolved around him. She also had a massive crush on him. She knew to him she was probably just a little kid- someone he had protected all his life. To her, he was her adviser, her protector, her driver, her midnight visitor, her confidant, her bff, her 3 AM call- her crush; her all.

Abhimanyu, on the other hand, got super busy when he landed at the new college. He was surrounded by new people. A different life was standing before him. Initial weeks, he called Akshara and Manjiri daily but as classes began and schools reopened for Akshara, they struggled to find common time to talk.

Akshara could not handle this distance. She would rush to Birla house after school and complain to Manjiri who would calm her down with her favourite food. Manjiri was glad for Akshara's company.

One day, Akshara was running to meet Manjiri when she found her in the garden peeling a bucket full of potatoes.

Akshara: Maybe Manjiri Maa is going to make homemade chips. Yum! Should I scare her?

The devil on her shoulder's whispered yes and she started to tip-toe towards Manjiri. Manjiri was clueless to the monster coming at her. She was on a voice call with Abhimanyu and phone was on speaker as her hands were occupied.

Manjiri: Abhi, kaisa raha din?

Abhimanyu: Busy as usual maa, pr classes interesting bhi bohot hai...abhi break hai, thodi der me aur classes hai...

Manjiri: Kitna padhna padta hai tujhe, tu khane ka toh dhyan rakhta hai na beta...

Abhimanyu: haan maa....aap meri chinta mt kro..

Manjiri: Maa hoon teri, chinta to hogi na...accha ye bata, tune Akshu ko phone kiya ya nahi?

Abhimanyu: time nahi milla maa....

Manjiri: Tu na usse naraz krke manega...

Abhimanyu: Kuch bhi maa, kyu naraz hogi vo...mai yahan busy hoon......aur jb mai free hota hoon tb tk shyd vo so chuki hoti hogi...

Manjiri: Pr kabhi kabhi kr liya kr phone, tujhe miss krti hai vo...

Abhimanyu: Ab kabhi toh usse bhi bada hona hoga na Maa...waise bhi bacchii hai vo, kb tk meri friend bankr rehti...aur vo kahan meri baat samajh payegi so mai usse baat krke karu kya?...anyways, mai chalta hoon...class start hone wali hai

Akshara who had stilled when she had heard his voice snapped back into reality. Abhimanyu was overwhelmed with new environment but her innocent heart could not realise complexity of human heart. People at times said things they did not mean but she wasn't that sharp to understand that. She had always been clear as crystal. She backed away slowly and ran away.

That night, she ate her food angrily.

Swarna: Akshu, aram se kahan khaa...Akshu!!

Swarna's phone kept ringing.

Swarna: ye le, ab gussa thook de, dekh aa gaya tere bff ka phone...

Akshara: Mai khana khate time baat nahi krti...

She said and ran away with her plate. She went to Suhasini who was sitting in the hall.

Akshara: Aap khiladoge mujhe, bachpan jaise?

Suhasini and Swarna shared looks. Finally Suhasini nodded and Swarna spoke with Abhimanyu, apologizing that Akshara wasn't available to talk.

Swarna: Pta nahi kya hua hai inhe maji...

Suhasini: kuch nahi hua hoga, tum hi zyada soch rahi ho shyd...

..............

Abhira's friendship saw a shift after that. Their talks became less. Akshara's visits to Birla house became less. She busied herself with dance and music classes. She was already in higher classes now so pressure of studies was high- specially for an average child like her. Her extracurricular activities post that kept her extremely busy. By dinner time, she'd be so exhausted that she would many times end up sleeping on the table itself.

Manjiri was worried initially but the elders thought Akshara wasn't going to Birla house due to her busy routine but in reality it was due to her broken heart. When it was time for Abhimanyu to come home during break, she begged and begged Goenkas to let her visit Kairav in the states.

Manish: But beta, Abhimanyu must be coming for break.

Akshara: But I haven't seen bhai in years! Please badepapa...Nanu bhi honge wahan..I want to meet everyone, pleaseeeeee....

Akhilesh: Let her leave bhaisahab, Naitik ji ki tabyat bhi thik nahi rehti....Vo India nahi aa skte pr Akshu se milkr unhe accha lagega...

Manish agreed and Akshara left for US a few days before Abhimanyu's arrival at Udaipur. He had expected Akshara to be jumping with joy when he entered their house but he did not find her.

Manjiri: kya dekh raha hai idhr udhr?

Abhimanyu: Vo kahan chupi hui hai?

Manjiri: Kon?

Anisha: Bhai pakka Akshu ki baat kr rahe hai..

Neil: bhai vo toh yahan nahi hai..

Abhimanyu: Kyu mazak kr raha hai...

Neil: sach me nahi hai bhai! Maa, aap batao na...

Manjiri: Nahi hai Akshu yahan Abhi...kuch din pehle bye bolkr gayi thi, vo apne Nanu se milne gayi hai ...aur uske bhai bhi wahin hai na...

Abhimanyu: usse pta tha mai aa raha hoon phir bhi? Kb tk ayegi?

Manjiri: bolkr to ek mahine ka gayi hai...

Abhimanyu: pr tk toh mera break khtm ho jayega...

Manjiri: beta...

Anand: Abhimanyu! My boy!

Harshvardhan and Anand enter the house. Abhimanyu meets them.

Anand: idhr baitho, batao hume bhi apne college ke baare me future doctor sahab....

Abhimanyu half-heartedly got into a conversation with them. A weird pain in his heart. He had longed to see her face- even when he did not realize that fully yet.

.................

Abhimanyu was in second year and Akshara was in class 10. Being in a board class kept her busier. Every teacher spoke of boards like a poison she must endure for a great life. They mentioned of the smooth life that laid beyond the great exams. Abhimanyu's pressure of studies also increased with year.

He also missed Akshara often. He craved her sweet voice. He would catch himself listening to her recorded songs whenever he grew tired. He wished he could ask her to send him more songs. However, he felt this invisible wall between them. Moreover, Akshara did not have a personal phone and he could not call Swarna whenever he felt like.

Akshara's mantra was to bury herself with work so much that every thought disappeared. She took tuitions for almost every subject on top of her dance and music classes. Arohi was irked by this. She felt like Akshara was doing so to get good marks and beat her in academics.

Arohi: Mai padhai me acchi hoon isliye jalkr kr rahi hai na ye sb?

Akshara: padhai me acchi hai to dimag laga na....teri meri class hi alag hai! aur waise bhi everyone wants to score good...mai kuch naya nahi kr rahi...bs ladne ka mauka chahiye...

Over the years, Abhimanyu's company had rubbed off on her. She was good at shutting people when she wanted to, specially Arohi. She never took her abuse anymore. This also helped Arohi in a way that she never developed the tendency to use Akshara.

One Sunday, Akshara ran to Birla house with a cake she had baked. She knew it had been weeks since she visited Manjiri. Regardless of how awkward she felt at Birla house now, she could not desert Manjiri & their bond fully.

Akshara: Manjiri Maa!! Kahan ho aap? See!!!

She went to Manjiri.

Manjiri: Akshu!! Kitne din ho gaye tujhe dekhe hue...aana beta...tu to day by day aur sundr hoti jaa rahi hai...

Akshara blushed. She was aware of the changes in her body but she felt Manjiri always hyped her more than she deserved.

Akshara: kya aap bhi Maa! accha dekho na, maine kya banaya...

Neil came out of the room with a phone in his hand.

Neil: Akshu!! Hi! Yr bhai kya gaye...bhool gayi ho tum hume toh poora ka poora...

Akshara: aise nahi hai Neil...aao, see what I baked.

Neil: wow! Looks yum! Mai ye khata hoon, tum baat kro...

He thrust a phone in her hand and she looked at his name on the screen. Her heart thumped badly. She saw Manjiri and Neil busy with the dish she made. Manjiri smacked Neil's hands and told she'll cut it neatly into slices and left. She sent Neil to wash his hands too. She raised the phone to her ears.

Abhimanyu had been talking to Neil. It was weekend, he was free and wanted to catch up with his brother. He heard Neil rush out, yell Akshara's name. He froze and heard her sweet voice. It was distant. He heard Neil shove the phone to her. The silence that welcomed him after that made him realize how much he had missed her. How badly he was wishing to hear her voice! When he heard a soft 'hello', he felt like his heart was born again.

Abhimanyu: Akshu...

His voice has become deeper. This was Akshara's first thought when she heard him over the phone. It made him every more attractive in her opinion. She had trained her heart to let go of her hopeless crush but he only had to whisper her name for her to realize that her heart had made zero progress.

Abhimanyu: Kaisi ho?

He asked when she did not respond.

Akshara: Good. Tum kaise ho?

Abhimanyu: accha hoon.

He thought she'd say in her cheerful voice that she was rocking but her voice- sweet as usual did not sound her usual happy.

Abhimanyu: Hum kbse itne formal ho gaye yrr? Itne dino baad baat ho rahi hai....

Akshara: Maybe we grew up.....

Abhimanyu: We grew up together.....smjhi na...I know the distance and time balance nahi ho paa raha but weekends pr at least we have to talk....I- I miss you gharelu doctor...

Akshara froze at his admission. It have her heart hopes- hopes she had spent months crushing. Abhimanyu felt stupid for his response but he was desperate. He felt like she was slipping away and even when he did not know why, he could not bear the thought of being a memory to her.

Akshara chose to be honest though.

Akshara: I missed you too....almost asli doctor...

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To be continued

xoxo