"Are you feeling better now?", Abhimanyu asked, entering their room. Uttara, who had her eyes closed, nodded. Abhimanyu noticed that she had taken off all her heavy jewelry, leaving only her earrings and a necklace.

He realized that she looked more beautiful without all the jewelry. Her simplicity and innocence were the most appealing things about her.
"How are you here today?", she asked, opening her eyes. "I mean, don't you have practice?"

"I do", he replied. "But I just don't feel like it today."
She narrowed her eyes, but nodded. They both sat there in silence, not knowing what to speak about.
"I am bored", Uttara complained. "You should have let me go to the treasury."
Abhimanyu frowned and shook his head. "No. You are hurt. Even Mata agreed that you need to rest."

"But-----", she started.
"No more arguments", Abhimanyu stated firmly. "Nothing will go wrong if you don't go to the treasury for one day. Just listen to me once without arguing back."
Uttara giggled at Abhimanyu's whiny tone, making him smile.

"Okay", Uttara agreed. "But since it's your fault that I have to sit here the full day, you can't go anywhere as well. You have to keep me company."
Abhimanyu chuckled. "Alright, alright", he agreed.
"But wait a second", he continued with a frown. "How is it my fault? You are one the who tripped and got hurt."
"It just is", Uttara dismissed the matter and both of them burst out laughing.

"Arya", Uttara spoke in a serious tone, after a long pause.
"Hm."
"When you said that I am unwanted......did you really mean it?", she asked softly.
Abhimanyu's breath hitched on hearing her question.
"No", he spoke, truthfully. "I didn't mean it."
"Then why did you......?"
"Anger", Abhimanyu cut her off. "I was annoyed and angry."

"At me?", she asked feeling confused. "But what did I......?"
Abhimanyu's heart melted looking at her innocent face.
"Not at you", he clarified. "You did no wrong. I wasn't upset with you."
Uttara frowned. "Then with whom?", she questioned.

Abhimanyu took a deep breath, dreading this conversation. He knew that he will have to tell her sometime, but not now.
"It's nothing. I was just annoyed that I wasn't given a choice", he lied.
Uttara looked convinced. "Neither was I", she said looking down. "But you shouldn't have spoken to me like that."

Abhimanyu felt guilty again. "I know", he whispered. "I am sorry."
"It's alright", she said, with a small smile. "I forgive you. But from now onwards, we won't take out our anger on each other like this."
"Promise", Abhimanyu said sincerely.

There was a long pause. Abhimanyu felt uncomfortable in the awkward silence. He could tell that Uttara felt the same.
"Umm", Uttara started. "What do you want to do now? I will get bored sitting like this the full day."
Abhimanyu thought for a second.
"Um...tell me something about yourself", he said. "What did you do in Virat Nagar?"
Uttara frowned at his question.
"What do you mean?", she asked.
"Your hobbies. What did you enjoy doing", he clarified.

Uttara looked offended. "I wrote letters to you all those months telling you about myself", she said, sounding hurt. "You never replied but.......you didn't even read them, did you?"
"Uttara------".
"No it's alright", she interrupted him. "I should have known. I shouldn't have expected anything."
She turned around and faced away.

Abhimanyu sighed. She is upset again. But it was understandable. Anyone in her place would be upset. Abhimanyu sat down beside her on the bed.
He put his fingers under her chin and turned her head towards him.
"Uttara", he spoke in a gentle voice. "I am sorry. I know that I am at fault. But please forgive me again."

Uttara shuddered slightly, making Abhimanyu realize how close he was to her. He pulled away from her.
"Alright", Uttara said after a while. "But this is the last time."
Abhimanyu chuckled. "Alright", he said. "So....friends?", he asked.
Uttara smiled slightly and placed a finger on her cheek, pretending to think. "Friends", she confirmed.

"So", Abhimanyu started. "Are you going to tell me about your hobbies?"
Uttara smiled and nodded. She had Abhimanyu's undivided attention as she spoke about dance and music.

Abhimanyu realised that he had perceived her wrongly. She wasn't really the boring, uptight person he thought she was.
He didn't understand much of dance and music, but he could tell that she was definitely passionate about it.
Abhimanyu observed her as she spoke. The way her eyes twinkled and her face brightened.

Maybe, just maybe he has finally started to accept her.

**********************
So, what do you guys think? They are finally on good terms with each other.