Author's pov:

Arjun and Sravya entered Maya's room as she messaged them to come to her room. They saw Maya lost in her thoughts. Arjun went near her and shook her, making her come out of her thoughts.

"Why did you call us here?" Arjun asked her.

"Annayya, will you drop me at our farmhouse?" She said, fidgeting with her fingers.

Arjun raised his eyebrows at her. Sravya understood and nudged him not to ask further questions.

"Okay, you get ready. I'll drop you", said Arjun.

Maya moved to get ready while Arjun asked Sravya, "What happened?"

"I think she decided to tell Anna everything about her past", said Sravya.

Arjun made an "Oh" face and said, "I hope everything goes well."

"Hope so", said Sravya.

Arjun sat on the bed waiting for Maya while Sravya left for her room.

"Annayya, come and help me," Maya shouted from the closet.

Arjun moved inside the closet and saw her struggling to drag the huge teddy bear that was gifted by him and his grandpa on her sixteenth birthday.

"Place it on the bed. It is so heavy", she said, pouting, making him chuckle.

He nodded his head and picked up the teddy in his arms while she moved to the garden and plucked some roses. She tied them together with a small ribbon and attached a note to it. She placed them carefully in the lap of the teddy bear while Arjun looked at his sister, amazed.

After that, she went to Vani and Shekar's room and informed them the same. Soon Arjun dropped her at their farmhouse in the city outskirts amidst of their farms in a peaceful atmosphere. It was handled by one of their trusted persons from their village. He along with his family live in the out-house and look after the house and also their farms. She told Arjun to drop Avi after an hour.

She went to the backyard and set the table for dinner for both of them on the patio. She hung some fairy lights and placed scented-candles on the table. She went to their bed room and placed a note on the bed along with a bouquet of flowers. She hung some fairy lights above her bed along with some of their pictures. She moved to the kitchen and heated the food which she had brought along with her. She placed the dessert in the refrigerator.

Just then her mobile pinged. It's a message from Arjun telling her that they were on their way. She went to their room and quickly changed her attire. She took the food and arranged it on the table and sat there on a chair waiting for Avi.

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

I was sitting with Yash when I got a message from my bunny to come to our room. I went to our room and searched for her everywhere, but she wasn't there. Where did she go? I looked at our bed and saw my villain there holding a note and also a bunch of flowers. You must be wondered who the villain is, that's her teddy bear which was gifted by my thathayya(grandpa) and Arjun on her 16th birthday. From that day, she always clings to it while sleeping, which I hate. And she also brought that thing here also with her.

See, how that idiot is looking at me. I took the note and read it.

Hey Avi,

I guess you didn't find me in our room. And you must be scolding my baby by now.

What the hell? From when she is calling that stupid thing a baby.

Oy! Dare you scold my baby. Otherwise you'll not have my handmade food from now on.

Great, now she is blackmailing me with my weakness for that stupid.

See, it's easy to blackmail you. My foodie baby.

I grinned reading that.

Now stop grinning like an idiot and get ready. I've kept your clothes on the bed. Come fast without wasting your time in gelling that hair of yours. I'll be waiting for you in our farmhouse.

With love,

Yours bunny.

Damn when did she go to our farmhouse. I got ready quickly in the attire she chose for me. I gelled my hair and applied my favourite cologne. I moved out of the room and saw Arjun waiting for me in the living room of the first floor. I informed amma and nanna and went from there.

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

After some time...

Arjun and Avinav reached the farmhouse. Arjun left from there after dropping him. Avi entered the house and directly went to their room. He saw a bouquet of his favourite white orchids lying on the bed. He was mesmerised looking at the room. He looked at their photos which were hanging on the wall above the bed. Their photos from their childhood to the present date are there. He took the bouquet in his hands and saw a note attached to it.

Hey Avi,

I guess you have reached here if you are reading it. Did you like the decorations? Sorry, actually I've less time to do everything. You must be thinking why I've planned this all of a sudden. I'll tell you. But before that I've to feed my hubby's tummy, right. So come to your favourite place, I'm waiting for you there.

Yours bunny.

He chuckled reading it. He safely kept the note in his pant pocket and moved towards the backyard.

There she is clad in a saree of his favourite color. She is talking to someone on her mobile with her back facing him. He slowly made his way towards her and slid his hands around her bare waist making her gasp. He turned her around and placed his lips on hers. Seeing her not responding to the kiss he pinched her waist, making her come out of the trance. She came out the shock responded to the kiss with the same intensity. Her hands made their way to his perfectly gelled hair while he pulled her close to him.

Soon, he broke the kiss and kissed her forehead lovingly. She closed her eyes feeling the moment. She encircled her arms around his neck and pulled him close to her. She inhaled his cologne deeply, which always manages to calm her nerves. She kissed his forehead then his both eyes. He winced as she bit his nose while she giggled. She gave sloppy kisses on his both cheeks and kissed his chin. She hugged him tightly.

He separated himself from her and looked at her.

"Damn, she is looking so sexy, man", he thought in his mind.

She lowered her gaze unable to bear his intense gaze. He tucked her hair strands behind her ears and pulled her closer. He caressed her cheeks with his thumb. She looked into his eyes, all she could see was love for her.

While he noticed the pain in her eyes. She quickly averted her eyes from him.

"Come, we will have dinner." Saying that, she dragged him and made him sit on the chair.

She served the food for him, she was about to serve it in another plate, but he stopped her and made her sit in his lap. She was about to get up, but he held her waist tightly. She gave up and sat there quietly. Both of them fed each other.

They moved towards their room and lay on the small bed on their balcony. Maya was lying in Avi's arms with her head on his chest. Both of them lay there enjoying the cool breeze and the dark night. He raised his head a little and looked at her. She was busy doodling something on his chest, lost in her thoughts.

She snuggled more into him and asked, "Don't you have anything to ask me?"

"

About what?" Avi asked her.

"Why do you trust me so much, Avi?" Maya asked him.

"How can I not trust my soul, bunny? But, I guess my bunny didn't trust me enough," Avi said, closing his eyes in pain, while she had tears in her eyes listening to him.

"And why do you feel that, Avi?" Maya asked, composing herself.

"If you had trusted me enough, then you would have come to me and shared all your problems with me just as you used to do in childhood." He sat up, saying that. She also got up and sat facing him.

"Tell me, Maya, don't you and Arjun trust me enough to share your problems with me? Did you remember how you both used to share each and everything with me? Tell me, when was the last time you talked to me properly before our marriage? You have been avoiding my calls for the last two years. You stopped coming to my house. Okay, I agree that you are busy with your studies and the job. Wherever we are, we used to celebrate our birthday together, but you broke that ritual too last time, even after being in the same city." Avi asked her, making her look at him in shock.

"I know you were there in the orphanage that whole week," said Avi.

"How did you know that?" Maya asked him.

"Guess what, I can track your mobile and also your car," said Avi.

"I'm your first best friend, right?" Avi asked her, to which she nodded her head.

"Then, why did you start to push me away from you?" He asked, looking straight into her eyes.

"I didn't want you to get close to me. I saw the love your eyes held for me. You deserve better, Avi. I didn't want you to get tangled up in my messed-up life. I know, I'm wrong in my place," said Maya.

"Are you serious, Maya?" Avi shouted at her.

Maya lowered her head. Tears started flowing from her eyes.

"Bunny!" He called her lovingly. Her tears are always his weakness.

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

I took her in my arms while she hugged me tightly. She cried till her body gave up. I never saw her cry like this after the death of Aditya Mavayya (Anjali's husband). She was closer to Adi Mama and Anju atta than her own parents, and for them, Maya was their first baby. She couldn't attend the funeral of Adi Mavayya as she has her semester exams. She came on the 13th day after his death. I still remember how she cried in Anju atta arms that day as she couldn't see Adi Mavayya for the last time. She even fainted that day due to the continuous crying.

"Bunny, please calm down," I said, rubbing her back.

"Trust me, Avi, I didn't want to hurt you. At the same time, I couldn't see you in pain. Didn't I see how you used to cry secretly in your room whenever I used to cry or be in pain? That's why I started hiding things from you. I know one day or the other you will eventually get to know, but at that time I thought it was right," she said, coming out of the hug.

"I always loved you, Avi. But it's just that I didn't realise it earlier. I saw you adoring me many times. I even used to steal glances at you. I thought it was just an infatuation that would pass, but somewhere deep down my heart knew what we shared was something more, something pure. I'm afraid to accept it."

Before she could continue, I asked her,

"Why are you afraid, Maya? What is the exact reason that made you bury your feelings in your heart?"

Today, I want all the answers to my questions.

I know she loves me just as I do, or may be more than that. But before we confess to each other, I want some answers from her.

Keep smiling and take care ❤