The sky looked exactly like a cotton candy , she was looking at them with a dreading feeling. A feeling of wanting to disappear. 

She gave up one her window seat to her sister,  not a damn good fan of window seats.

Akshara opened her book and started reading until the flight assistant announced about the landing. 

She almost died during the take off and landing. Sending numerous prayers time and again , Akshara sneezed and held tightly the sleeves of her white and pink woolen sweater,  she looked like a school going girl.

Hiring a cab to the hotel they booked,  the newly weds chatted happily about the upcoming adventures they would do where she remained silent but listening to them.

Reaching the hotel , Athira let out a sigh “ oh my God,  the weather's just amazing and awesome,  I can build up a castle and stay forever here. ”

Chuckling at her words , they checked in .

“ Arjun , freshen up and come directly to the restaurant,  will have dinner together. ”

Dev said walking off to the elevator. 

“ You aren't freshening up.”

Seeing Akshara take off her shoes and slipping onto the bed,  Arjun asked her.

“ It's too cold. ”

“ You aren't immune to cold , I presume.  There must be a heater,  I'll  switch it on .”

Nodding her head she covered her shivering form .

“ It's not meant to be this cold her at this time of month .”

Akshara absent mindedly spoke.  Arjun looked at her to see her looking at her hands keenly like she's trying to figure out something. 

“ You have been here before right.”

“ Yes.”

~~~~~~~~~~
Seeing Akshara and Arjun already in the restaurant,  Dev and Athira walked over to the table. 

“ You both are early .”

“ No,  we just came .”

Athira covered her younger sister with a spare shawl
“ You don't have a shawl right .”

Akshara nodded and smiled. 

The food was served and all of them were starved enough to have it silently.

“ Why aren't you using your glasses ? Isn't that paining ?”

Athira asked her and she shrugged.

“ Your eyes are swollen and puffy .”

“ itches too .“ Akshara said  rubbing the tip of her eyes. 

“ Does she have lenses on ?”

Dev asked his wife , Arjun too looked at his wife .

“ Lenses . She has glasses of high power and legit can't see without them on .”

“ Then why isn't she wearing them now?”

“ Amma might be …….“

With that Athira scurred to match her steps with Akshara.  They both talked  and walked  away leaving their husbands. 

“ You knew ?”

“ I didn't.  Does it matter ?”

“ No,  it doesn't.”

Arjun gave Dev a smile and looked ahead at his wife who was smiling at whatever her sister was saying.  He wished her to be like that with him as well .

______________________

“ You know you can wear your specs.”

Arjun said sitting next to her in the couch who had a book in her hand , she straightened herself and stood up from her place ,walking to the cupboard Akshara took out a small sized bag and putting her glasses on after removing the lenses , she returned to her place silently .

Arjun couldn't bring himself to believe that the girl next to him just silently did what he asked her to like he commanded her.

Scrolling , he too immersed himself in his phone since a conversation seemed a war for them .

After what felt like a century, he got bored of the phone and looked next to him to see his wife already dozed off. 

He called out her once and she springed to her foot like some hot lava was poured upon her.  They both stood awkwardly gaping at each other .

Akshara placed the book back on the arm rest and walked over to the bed , placing her specs on the night stand she wished him night and covered herself with the comforter. 

He stood for a while there and walked to the bathroom after taking a pair of nightwear. 

He laid down on the bed , thinking about his wife , who neither showed any changes since the wedding. She remained aloof , she had a smile but that didn't reach her eyes like she was forced to smile , she never initiated a conversation,  she didn't feel comfortable around him .

Was the wedding too soon ?

Was she regretting ?

He slept in the middle of thinking. 

Akshara tapped on Arjun's biceps to wake him up , she shook him with little force and he opened his eyes , gave her a smile and turned to the other side and slept again .

Shocked ? Right she is , since he never behaved like how he did now .

Her mind spoke like she know him since ages .

Shushing her mind , she  bend her one knee on the bed and shook him who was sleeping on the centre of the bed. 

She was bending on his side,  when he abruptly woke up with a jolt sending her to fall down from the bed .

An “ ouch ” was heard from her when she landed on the floor and he immediately sat up but didn't help her.

“ You okay?”

“ Haan”

“ What were you doing?”

“ Kumbhkaran kahinka .”

She muttered trying to stand up on her own since he wasn't ready to help her .

“ You said something ”even he heard her say but masking his shocked and surprised expression he asked her. 

“ No.  Wake up , I uh,  I was trying to wake you up. ”

“ Oh.”

Later the breakfast , they decided to roam around the city .

While others enjoyed their shopping and got gifts for almost everyone Akshara bought some books for her.

“ Where's Dev ,bhabhi? ”

“ Oh,  he just woke up from his beauty slumber and is showering so I decided get a cup of coffee. ”

“ He slept ?  I thought he had some important work with the way he behaved after lunch.”

“ He's a dramatic kid .”

They both laughed at it .

“ Where's Akshara?”

“ She's in the room , reading a book . I thought to have a walk since I missed the gym in the morning.”

“ She's quite aloof right .”

Athira's sudden statement stilled Arjun for a second. 

Athira gave Arjun a warm smile and continued ,

“ She has always been that , she started talking to me after my first engagement broke. ”

What Athira said was making no sense to Arjun,  yet he silently listened to her. 

“ Akshara listens to me like I'm commanding her to do things even if my tone is requesting. Why she is that , I have no answer.  But I have seen her smile and behave normally with you. "

Arjun nodded instead of giving an answer. 

The duo sat silently,  one sipping her coffee the other confused at the way his mind was working. 

And he concluded Athira is right,  Akshara behaves like she's ordered to do something and requesting tone don't work on her since she stares confused at it.

He don't really have an idea on how to make their marriage work . 

The dinner was a silent affair and the sisters retired to sleep but the brothers decided to have a walk .

“ Do you think Akshara is forced to marry me ? "

Arjun asked Dev and he stared at him without giving an answer. 

“ Like she really don't feel comfortable around me ."

“ Give her some time Aju , she might be overwhelmed with the sudden changes .”

“ I am trying to but I somehow end up thinking she really don't want this marriage . ”

The helplessness in Arjun's voice made Dev stop in his track .

“ You know these two sisters are weird .”

Arjun nodded. 

“ Aju , when I first asked out Athira , she outrageously refused me. Then after she came to know I'm never gonna stop my attempts to make her fall in love , she accepted me.”

Arjun just stayed silent and Dev continued, 

“ I won't say Akshara had someone in her life and blah blah , because she didn't.  According to my theory,  Akshara had been controlled by her parents and they raised her as a silent kid , we can't blame her . Give her space and make her trust you , she will change when she'll know you love her.  ”

“ How'd do you I know I love her ?”

“ The  way you look at her , simple .”

“ Oh ,  I don't.  ”

“ Yeah yeah,  go talk to the wall .”

With that the brothers too retired to their room .

Author's note:

The story just couldn't find a way 😕 although I have sequences in my head I'm unable to write bit I loge writing even though I am having no idea of what I'm writing 😅

Ashwani