Chapter 78 - All The Tossing And Turning
Mike turned back and saw Akira leaning back on the door. She was acting all funny and weird.
"Hey, what's wrong? Is everything ok with you?", Mike asked.
"No, I am also fine. Actually, I have never been better", Akira said and waltzed to her bedroom.
She lied on her bed and started recollecting each and every moment that she had spent with Raymond in slow motion. Her heart was filled with mushiness. She plugged in her earphones and started listening to some love songs. After a while, she restlessly started flipping her phone.
After much hesitation and contemplation, she texted him,
"Did you reach home safely?" - Akira
She was anxiously waiting for a reply. She wanted to take a wash and change into her night clothes but she didn't want to leave because her heart was stuck there waiting for his text.
Even after 10-15 minutes when she didn't get a reply she got all disappointed. She sighed and dragged her dejected self to the washroom to freshen up. After coming back from the washroom the first thing that she did was to pick up her phone and check her message. Still, there was no message yet. She knew based on the distance from her house to Katherine's house that he would have reached there by now. So her heart was restless not to see his reply. but what she didn't know was that Raymond went back to his own house and his house was at quite a distance.
After waiting for a few more minutes when there was still no reply, she got a bit agitated. Then couldn't bear it anymore and pinged him again,
"I am sorry I didn't know that interns are not allowed to ping their bosses. From next time onwards I would shut down my curiosity. Sorry for disturbing your privacy" - Akira
Then she locked her phone screen and started tossing on the bed. But every 30 seconds she was switching on her phone to see if there was any reply. But there was none for another 10 minutes.
Her tiny heart couldn't understand where she went wrong. The intimate moments that they had shared a few hours ago, did you mean nothing to him? Was it just a spur at the moment? Her heart was beating unsteadily.
Vikram was still sitting outside in the car. He was at loss of words and ways to vent out his anger. He opened WhatsApp and saw that she was getting online intermittently. He didn't want to know as to who she was texting to because somehow he had already guessed in his head. But a few seconds later he was surprised when he saw that she had pinged him.
"I reached home safely. Sorry if you are still up worrying because of me" - Akira
"Good to know that and c'mon Akira don't be all formal with me" - Vikram
"By the way where are you taking me for dinner tomorrow?" - Akira
All the fire that was raging inside his heart was quenched just one text from her.
"Do you want to choose the place?" - Vikram
"No, no your taste is far far better than mine. but please don't pick and expensive one like last time. I will definitely kill you if you do that" - Akira
"When have I ever done anything that you didn't want me to Akira?" - Vikram
A sweet smile spread on Akira's face when she saw the text from Vikram. In this world of uncertainty, he was the pillar upon whom she could lean on at any time. In the world filled with infinites he was her unity.
She replied back with tonnes of smileys to Vikram and then wished him a good night.
Vikram saw the stream of smileys which Akira had sent and his heart was lit with joy and it was only after that, that he started his car and went back to his home.
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His phone buzzed with messages while he was driving, but he didn't bother to check because he thought it was something related to work.
Initially, he wanted to stay at Katherine's, but midway he decided to go back to his own place because he knew that the next morning her sister would have done nothing but place plates filled with questions in front of him.
After reaching his place he went for a quick shower and then pick up his phone to check if there were any emails or messages before going to sleep.
He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw two messages from Akira.
"Did you reach home safely?" - Akira
"I am sorry I didn't know that interns are not allowed to bring their bosses. from next time onwards I would shut down my curiosity. sorry for disturbing your privacy" - Akira
His heart filled with joy after seeing the first text. He had never expected in his wildest dreams that she would ever text him. His Joy was quadrupled after reading the second message. Him not replying to her message had really affected her. A smile spread on his face and he started texting back immediately even though it was already late, hoping against hope that she would be still up.
"Sorry I just saw your message. I was driving back to my house" - Raymond
Akira who was trying hard to sleep woke up immediately after hearing the ping sound. Her face blossomed with a smile which slowly turned into a wide grin.
"Oh, no problem. I am just glad to know that you have reached safely" - Akira
She thought of wishing him goodnight along with the message above but she didn't because she was scared that if he saw the good night message, he would probably reply back with just a good night and she didn't want the conversation to end just yet.
"Thanks for texting me. I thought that was never going to happen" - Raymond
"Why were you so sure?" - Akira
"Because it's you" - Raymond
"I could also say the same for you" - Akira
"Well, I am the boss. So technically you should be the first one to ping me right?" - Raymond
Akira saw the message and thought for a while and replied back.
"So am I talking with my Boss now or Raymond?" - Akira
"Aren't they both = Me?" - Raymond
She saw the message and wasn't sure what to text next, so she paused. He saw that she wasn't replying anymore and texted again.
"Well jokes apart thanks for everything. For taking care of my sister and my niece in my absence. I can't thank you enough" - Raymond
"And I am not saying it in the capacity of your boss. This is coming straight from Raymond's heart" - Raymond
"I am glad that I could be a part of it" - Akira
"Akira, I am really sorry for that day. I was too rude to you on your interview day. I shouldn't have said those things. I didn't mean any of it. I wanted to say sorry before but didn't know how to" - Raymond
"I know you didn't mean it. It's ok" - Akira
"How is your shoulder now? Are you able to sleep ok?" - Raymond
"Yeah, it's fine. I lie on the other side to avoid any pressure on it" - Akira
"Are you in pain?" - Raymond
"There is no pain there right now" - Akira
"But what about your heart?" - Raymond
"Huh" - Akira
"How is your heart Akira? Do you still feel broken?" - Raymond
"Don't worry, I have a glue gun (smiley face)" - Akira
She wanted to say something but said something else. How could she have told him that he had already mended her broken heart?