Unreachable Destiny- The Curse Of Your Love

Chapter-14: The Intimidating Woman

"She has always been like this?" Ranav joins in with a smile, ready to tease Maya.

"Yeah. Grumpy and no fun whatsoever." Aditya emphasises, letting a chuckle slip.

"I thought she was like this just with me." Ranav looks at Maya and she looks back with narrowed eyes.

"What do you mean, Mister? When have I ever been grumpy with you?" To this Ranav's eyes bulge. She should at least be aware of the fact that she had been weirdly hostile towards him since they met.

"Except for the first time, every other time?"

"I do not remember, Mister." Maya feigns ignorance.

"And you call me 'Mister'. Like I am a complete stranger."

"Me calling you Mister is a nickname." As soon as the words come out of her mouth, Maya regrets saying them. She immediately closes up and doesn't speak for the rest of the journey even though Aditya tries to pick at her again. Ranav on the other hand could not help the smile on his face as he drove.

Once they reached the Swaminarayan Temple in Kothariya, they got out of the car and went into the temple. As they took each step, Maya couldn't help but feel deja vu but she hadn't been here before. Ranav and Akshay feel a similar deja vu but little do they know that this was a place where once, one of them returned with a broken heart while the other two with a new relationship that bound them together for eternity. As they reached the top of the steps they entered the temple with an ethereal feel. They get blessings from the priest as Maya looks around at the ambience of the temple. The entire temple was made of limestone and marble. The temple looks immaculate with its white marble walls and beautiful sculptures on the limestone. With many pillars supporting the four domes on the temple it looked like something out of a movie. Akshay also explored the temple alongside the Maya and wondered how it was so beautiful against time and pollution, but then again, he knows there are temples much older than this one that are just as well kept and beautiful.

"So beautiful." Maya placed her hand gently on the pillars covered in carving of idols. Maya and Akshay walk side by side their hands close to touching but not quite. Akshay nods in a brown study.

"It feels like I have been here." Akshay feels drawn by the walls of the temple and there was no reasonable explanation for it.

"You too? I felt the same way since we entered." Their fingers brush past each other as they feel goosebumps rise in their body. They turn to each other with a meaningful glance, as the threads of their fate interlink, in the same place where they once took vows in the presence of the god of fire to never let each other go. The place where they manifested their relationship once before is where they feel that fire rekindles, but does their destiny end on the same path?

Maya pulls away from the touch feeling a bit dizzy from the thoughts that clouded her mind. She turns around, wondering if what she is feeling is shyness or simply her introverted self refusing to stay put. Maya walks away to the front with Akshay on her heels and as the pair emerges from the corridor, the others observe in silence. Everyone can feel the tension between the two but no one dares to point it out. Not even Aditya.

Kuhu takes the lead to usher them out of the temple reasoning that they need to get home by evening. Though they had snacks in between shopping, everyone decided that it wouldn't do and stopped at a restaurant to have a proper meal before heading to the Rajvansh's house. As soon as Maya reaches home, she rushes inside almost like she is walking on hot land. Ranav looks between Maya and Akshay with complicated feelings. He reasoned with himself that they grew up together, so it's natural that they are close to each other. 

Ramu, the house help, started putting the boxes from the car inside with the help of Ranav and Aditya while Akshay followed Maya inside the house and up to her room. Before Akshay can say anything about what happened at the temple, Maya starts rearranging her things and then goes out of the room in a hurry. Akshay silently follows, curious as to what put Maya on the edge.