Artful Deceit & Love

9.A friendly date!

Mridula was staring at the carvings on the roof of her room as she had no better work to do. She had finished all her case studies and was now free...

"If I would have known that I would get this bored, I might have worked at a slower pace." She said to herself while sighing.

She heard a knock and soon Veer walked in.

"I am so glad you are here!" She said as she dragged Veer to the sofa.

"I am actually here because since Bhai Sa and Leela are away...I have to attend all of his social obligations!"

Veer said as he sat next to her.

"So, I was thinking would you accompany me?"

Mridula looked at him and asked, "That sounds like a date to me, Kunwar Sa!"

Veer saw her mischievous eyes and decided to play along.

"So, would you like to go on a date with me?"

"A friendly date!" He added as he bowed his head a little and forwarded his hand like a true gentleman. She nodded while laughing as she placed her hand on his.

"So, what is this event about?"

"It is a fundraiser...The money collected by the sales of the paintings would go for education for the orphaned!" He explained.

As the event was for a charitable cause so she agreed readily. It was then decided that they will meet at the front porch at 5 in the evening to go to the event.

~~~~~~

Mridula and Veer entered the art gallery, hand in hand, to find dozens of paintings and sculptures displayed there. Many were works of famous artists and were given out to charity for the social case. They were welcomed by the event organizer and Veer and he got into talking as the two were school friends.

She excused herself from there and was looking around. She was looking for something that might catch her eye and she could buy it to help those children. Her taste in paintings was not something that was hard to decipher or should have a deeper meaning. She wanted paintings that were just pleasing to the soul. She liked paintings that calm the mind and not make you think for hours about their meaning!

She walked down different aisles and parts of the gallery in hopes to find something. Every painting was beautifully crafted but she wanted something that she genuinely wanted to buy.

Veer came up to her and wanted to take her to meet a few of his friends. But chose otherwise when he saw her keenly observing the arts.

She walked to the end of the gallery where only a few paintings were displayed. Her eyes caught a simple painting of the desert at night at the very corner of the wall. It was a landscape painting that showed the sand dunes of Rajasthan with a starry night. The moonlight showed the golden sand dunes turning silvery white in color. She always wanted to visit the desert at night when the weather was cool and the surroundings, calm and quiet.

She asked for the price of that painting from an assistant passing by.

"That painting is sold out ma'am! But you can see the other paintings..." The assistant said.

"But I wanted this only...!" she said as she looked at the other paintings, not liking any one of them.

"Can you tell me to whom did you sell this painting to...?" She asked. Maybe she can convince that person.

The assistant looked around and then pointed to the other part of the gallery where a man was standing.

"To that sir...over there!"