Chapter 224 - Have you ever been stung by a honeybee? (1/2)

|Innaya|

I blinked my eyes. I did not want to cry. I looked away. The bathroom door was just in front of my eyes. I had to take some steps and I would be out of the atmosphere that was growing tense.

”Sweetheart! I shouldn't be behaving like this. I know. Look, I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you, but all I'm doing is the exact opposite,” Eshan admitted in a low voice.

It did not matter. He was repeatedly saying things that were hurting me. He admitted it himself that he was behaving rudely. In the past month, I had tried to keep my composure. I did not hurt him with my words. My silence was hurting him, I knew it. However, I had no other options.

Eshan was not in that dilemma, yet he was being unkind to me.

”Sorry.” He then sat down cross-legged on the ground. Pad of his thumb grazed across the inside of my wrist as he stared at the cast on my ankle while stroking my skin absentmindedly. His eyes sorrowful as he gazed at the swollen flesh of my leg. I followed his gaze, feeling a pang of heartache at the red swollen ankle.

I was angry at him, perhaps I was not. I was more hurt because of the cold shoulder he gave to me. The stance he chose to express his displeasure was bothering me the most. I would not lie, saying I could overlook it. I could not.

”Have you ever been stung by a honeybee?” I asked out of the blue.

Eshan's head snapped at me. The question was unexpected. For him, and for myself as well.

Eshan looked puzzled. ”Why do you ask?”

”Tell me.” I pulled back my hands from his, placing them by my side. A flash of hurt crossed Eshan's features.

”No.” He shook his head.

”When you get stung by those honeybees, the venomous toxin is left behind in your skin, giving you pain. Your words, your attitude... it is worse than that. Your actions, your words, your aloofness… everything… everything is hurting me. It's like that toxin, which is slowly getting under my skin, giving me pain, bringing tears in my eyes, and making my heart hurt,” I said. Bringing my right hand up, I placed it on my heart. ”Here. It pains here. I really can't bear it, Eshan.”

Eshan visibly flinched at that. His right hand which was resting in his thigh, clenched in a fist. It loosened up twice before curling in a fist again. He then smiled sardonically.

”Oh, I see. You know about the stinger. What happens to that bee after it stings you?” He raised his eyebrow.

I had no answer to that question. I did not know. My grandma loved gardening. When I was twelve, I had once gotten bitten by the honeybee, so I knew about the pain and discomfort. The memory of that incident was blurry in my mind, so I remembered only the painful part.