"Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes, my lord," Sumer Singh said, as he watched Prithvi open the lids of random vessels inquisitively in the kitchen.
"That fatso has already been moaning for an hour. He'll probably die if it takes longer than that," Prithvi paused. "On second thought, take all the time you need."
"I heard him shouting a while back. Did he annoy you about something?"
"He interrupted me when I was in the middle of something," Prithvi said darkly. "And so I had to settle the score with him."
"I have told him a hundred times not to yell like that. I hope your work wasn't completely wasted."
Prithvi grinned, "I can always take it up again. Actually, I'm looking forward to restarting."
Sumer Singh looked inquisitively at Prithvi as he began to leave. The lad was looking very pleased about something. Perhaps it would be a good time to approach the topic he had been putting off since morning.
"My lord, I received a message from your father's uncle today," he said tensely.
Prithvi paused at the door, and Sumer Singh's apprehensions rose as he sensed the light-heartedness draining out of the boy.
"60 years of alcohol and drugs and he's still alive?" Prithvi contemplated, turning around at the door with cold eyes. "That man is a symbol of hope for all generations."
Sumer Singh couldn't help but smile. Adityaraj's uncle had been the black sheep of the family, and had been the main reason for their name being splashed across all newspapers during his youth....for all the wrong reasons. But the confirmed bachelor had also doted on Adityaraj, and had been a pillar of support for his nephew at crucial junctures in life.
"What did he want?" Prithvi asked briefly, interrupting the sudden gush of memories.
"He has been very unwell for a long time, but his condition has deteriorated in the past month. Yesterday, his old attendant called me up and said -," Sumer Singh faltered, "- said that he has once again expressed a wish to see you."
"You know perfectly well that I don't want to -"
"I know you don't wish to have any kind of relationship with the family," Sumer Singh said, quickly cutting across the sharp reaction. "And that is why even though he had asked me several times in the past, I had managed to put him off. But now...since he is so ill....I didn't have the heart to refuse outright."
When no response came his way instantly, feeling more hopeful, Sumer Singh pressed on ahead, "You don't have to decide right away, my lord."
Prithvi remained silent for some more moments, and then nodded and curtly said, "I'll think about it."
*********************
"So Rishabh is back in the hostel?" Nishi asked.
Nandini nodded. "I had been getting ready to go and visit him, when ma told me he had been discharged already."
"How did she know?"
"She knew Prithvi had been taking care of the whole thing, so when she met him outside, she asked him and he told her. He had been returning after taking Rishabh to the hostel," she smiled unconsciously, feeling as pleased as she had been when her mother had told her.
"For someone who is just friends with Prithvi, it is odd how you blush every time you talk about him," Vrinda injected suspiciously, and Nishi giggled.
"Hey look, the festival's posters," Nandini exclaimed, and quickly stood up and walked towards the beautiful, vibrant hoardings on the canteen's walls.
"They've been here all this time. Funny how you just saw them," Nishi observed, joining her nevertheless.
"By the way, did you hear the latest news about your play?" Vrinda asked in hushed tones.
"It's not my play," Nandini said resolutely. "You know I've already told Daya that I will not be participating in it."
She had spent a harrowing hour trying to convince Daya. But she had finally been able to persuade Daya to cast the second choice – a very pretty second year student – in place of her.
"But you are still the understudy,"
"That's bearable, because I know for sure I won't be called upon to perform. I'm just so happy I don't have to go on stage," Nandini said fervently.
"That news hasn't spread as yet, everyone still thinks you are going to be part of it. And that brings me to the main news," Vrinda lowered her volume. Nishi and Nandini exchanged puzzled looks.
"I overheard Daya talking to her friends when I was waiting for you both. Suvek is going to play the part of the prince. And she was saying that he pestered her into casting him in the role and throwing out the boy who had already been finalised. I think he did it because you'd been chosen for the main role. Now that you've backed out, he's going to be mighty angry. Now I know you think we have been imagining that he likes you but -"
"No, I don't think you've been imagining it," she said quietly. "I – I think you two were right about him. There is something funny in the way he behaves with me. And now I'm even more relieved that I opted out of the play."
Three times since morning she had caught him staring at her, and every time, there had been a strange look in his eyes that was partly triumphant and partly something else….and it had repulsed her.
"Thank god you finally believe us! It's really creepy to think that he's muscled his way to become the lead just because he believes you'll be opposite him. I hope he comes to his senses soon," Nishi frowned.
"I don't feel comfortable even talking to him," Nandini confessed.
"We know….you are only comfortable talking to one special guy these days," Vrinda giggled.
"I'm not listening to this!" Nandini said, exasperated. And she quickly spun around to walk out of the canteen before the telltale blush gave her laughing friends more fodder to badger her.
********************
Nandini smiled and waved goodbye to her friends as the car drove away. She had expressed a vehement desire to study in the library to justify staying behind in the college for some more time. When the car had passed through the gates, she breathed in relief and turned towards the parking spot for bikes, feeling very foolish yet unable to ignore her instinct.
A while ago, she had been standing with Vrinda, Nishi and several of their other common friends outside the college, discussing the fast approaching college fest, and the gradually nearing exam period. In the middle of the chitchat, she had seen Prithvi. He had been quite far away, and was accompanied by three other boys; all four were deep in conversation. She had started to smile and wave, before realising that her friends were nearby.
She had been maintaining a dignified stance against all the several mischievous comments about her relationship with Prithvi that had been coming at her all day. And this was no time to give her best friends more ammunition, especially since they were standing along with a large group of other friends.
But just before she turned away and returned to the laughing banter, his eyes suddenly met hers, then looked casually away towards the enclosure where students parked their motorcycles and then back at her again. All in the span of a couple of seconds before he and the other boys took the diverging path to another division of the college building.
Nothing had been said or discussed, but here she was…..walking to the parking area. In all likelihood, he wouldn't be there at all. But she couldn't go home without confirming that she had misunderstood his sign.
She reached the spot that marked the beginning of the line of bikes and looked around the almost empty place, and her mood lifted.
She hadn't been mistaken. He was there.
He was pacing restlessly near his bike, and even as she watched in amusement, he absently kicked away a stone to vent his frustration at having to wait. At the sound of her steps, he stilled and turned, and the impatient frown was replaced with relief.
"You took your time. Come on, let's go." he retorted, getting onto the bike.
Took her time? she thought resentfully. How unfair was that, when he hadn't even asked her openly to come here. But that observation could wait....
"What do you mean 'let's go'?" she enquired doubtfully. Was he under some misconception that she was going to be seen roaming around with him on the bike. And he had been the one who had ticked off Sankatmochan when the latter had suggested it that day, she thought crossly.
"I meant exactly what I said. Are you expecting me to pick you up and plonk you on the seat?" he asked.
Nandini looked skeptically at the impatient boy on the bike. "I am not sitting with you on that," she said indignantly.
"Don't make a fuss. I am not taking you for a spin around your grandfather's pot belly," he scowled.
"Prithvi, don't make fun of him!" she said fiercely, "And I want to know where you're taking me."
"In the opposite direction from your house," he said enigmatically, apparently determined to annoy her.
She wasn't convinced. Even if they were going in the opposite direction, there was every chance someone would spot her on the road. But her resistance was already wearing down, and she knew she was going to go with him in the end.
"But why?" she stalled in a futile attempt.
"I want to sacrifice you to the ancient gods," he said sarcastically. "Have I reached the end of the questionnaire or is there another sheet?"
"Alright," she sniffed. "But when we come back you'll have to drop me –
"- As far away as possible from the eyes of your family and friends," he completed the sentence correctly.
"What if I fall off? I am not going to hold on to you, if that's what you're thinking!" she said determinedly.
Visibly incensed, he slid the college bag off his shoulders and kept it on the seat behind him.
"Give me yours," he said, and took the proffered bag and kept it next to his. There would now be a respectable distance between them once she sat down.
"Hope you're satisfied. Now anyone seeing us will only think that one of us has a contagious disease of some sort," he said irately.
Nandini laughed as she slowly moved forward and perched herself cautiously on the seat.
"In case you fall off in the middle of the road and I don't realise it....it was nice knowing you."
"Stop frightening me," she said firmly, "If anything happens to me, I'll come back as a ghost and haunt you forever." But she gripped the stylish black metal handle by her left side for support with a cold hand, more petrified than she wanted to admit.
"I've managed to get used to this face of yours, haven't I? The ghostly one will find it impossible to come up with an uglier version. So go ahead and haunt me all you want," he retorted with a grin, revving up the bike.
"You really are the most charming man in the whole world," she rolled her eyes.
"Charming or not, I'm going to be the only man in your life," he confirmed, and grinned when her retort was replaced by a tiny squeak of fear as the bike raced off.
***********************
Nandini stared in amazement at the beautiful scenery that had opened up in front of her. She had never seen this part of Shamli even though she had grown up in this town. Prithvi had been true to his word, and had taken the route in the opposite direction to her house. They had been on the highway for a few minutes and then he had suddenly taken a very sharp detour to a narrow track off the road. That had been alarming enough, but then the bumpy road had started moving uphill and she had frozen in her seat.
She had wanted to ask him their destination once again but her throat had dried up. So she had simply shut her eyes tight until the winding path eventually opened to a wide, even road. There, the sight of large shards of glass near one of the huge trees that lined it thickly, evidently an accident site, did not do much to restore her confidence. However, despite herself, she had slowly been captivated by the wild loveliness of the area. And when his bike had finally come to a halt, she had felt glad that she hadn't missed the chance to visit this unknown corner of her town.
She had disembarked in silence from the bike and walked through the trees by the road to the clearing beyond them. Against the brilliantly blue sky, fluffy white clouds were kissing the tops of small, undulating emerald hills far into the distance. Even the land she was standing on was swathed in velvet, and she couldn't resist the temptation to step out of her sandals and stand on the soft grass.
Feeling carefree and light, she turned to Prithvi with radiant eyes. "How did you find this place?" she asked delightedly.
"I told you….I've been researching spots where I can discuss world affairs with you in private," he grinned and her heart did a somersault.
To conceal the colour on her face, she quickly turned to the front and ruefully said, "I think I was safer with you when you didn't like me."
"That's what you think," he muttered under his breath, as he sat down easily on the grass, with his legs stretched out.
Nandini walked on the endless jade carpet with growing pleasure, breathing in the scented wind that was amusing itself with her hair, and enjoying the feeling of grass tickling her feet. Feeling happier by the minute, she swirled to thank Prithvi for bringing her to this enchanted land.
But he was looking somewhere into the distance, lost in thought. She looked at him uncertainly, and began walking in his direction. When she reached him, she sat down on her knees and softly asked, "So what do you want to talk about?"
Slightly startled, he looked at her with a scowl. "Who said I wanted to talk about anything?"
"No one needs to tell me. I can see what's going on in your mind with the same supernatural power with which I can hear your steps," she said mischievously.
A dangerous grin spread across his handsome features. "If that was true, you wouldn't have dared come to this isolated spot with me."
"I am not afraid of you," she fibbed splendidly, mentally measuring the distance between them.
"You're not far enough to be safe," he said amusedly, apparently realising what was going on inher mind.
"Stop teasing and tell me what's troubling you," she said hastily, turning pink.
Fortunately for her, he looked away again to the green horizon, and his fingers idly tore at some blades of grass. "There's this old man…a relative of my father's," he said reluctantly. "He is unwell and wants to meet me because he thinks he's going to...."
"That's terrible!" Nandini said anxiously.
"He isn't all that critical," he said dismissively. "But Baba still wants me to go and visit him."
"You don't want to go?" she asked hesitantly.
"I haven't decided. I hate meeting any of my relatives," Prithvi muttered, "They are a crazy self-obsessed bunch," he said disgustedly. "And even they were forced to christen this particular specimen as the devil during his youth."
"But that's blasphemy," Nandini cried out in horror. "Everyone knows YOU are the devil incarnate."
She started chuckling as he looked at her in irritation, and then squealed in actual fright as he suddenly lunged out. His fist caught hold of her dupatta and he yanked her towards himself. She wasn't sure how he managed it, before in the next second, she was sitting with her back to him, and his arms were bound tightly around her.
"What are you doing?" she said in bashful discomfiture, and made a feeble attempt to push away his arms.
"I can think better like this," he replied coolly, refusing to budge.
He thought better like this? She couldn't think at all when he was holding her in this manner, she thought ruefully. And after wavering for some minutes, the halfhearted indignation also flickered and vanished, and unsure of what to do, she remained still. Shrewdly discerning her defeat, he gently gathered her closer so that her head was resting under his. Gradually, the stiffness seeped out and she relaxed against him.
For some time neither spoke, and she simply basked in the confused but peaceful warmth.
Then she quietly said, "It must be a wonderful thing….having a large family around you. When I was growing up, I always wished I had been part of a joint family. It would have been so much fun."
"It seems like that on the outside," Prithvi said tersely. "It is anything but fun….. Just miserable conflicts one after the other."
"But at the end of the day, you're with people who are tied to you by blood, and that bond cannot be erased by anything," she said lightly, and after a pause, tentatively asked, "This uncle who wants to see you….was he close to your father?"
"I think so."
"So he'll be able to tell you many things about your father," she murmured. "Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
"I don't want to hear anything about him," Prithvi said coldly, "Nothing anyone says can vindicate him."
Nandini sighed. "Prithvi, I don't know what he did. But I know that every story has two aspects…..perhaps you've only known one side of it. If you don't want to know it, no one can force you. But if you give the truth a chance, my heart says you won't regret it."
"Don't tell me I should visit him."
She smiled at the irate warning in his tone and rested a soft comforting hand on the arm around her waist. "I don't need to tell you anything, because you always do the right thing in the end."
"Smart," he snorted.
"No, honest," she refuted earnestly.
When he didn't say anything, she cautiously asked, "When you – I mean, just in case you feel like it," she corrected hastily, "and you decide to visit him, how long will you be away?
"I don't know…maybe a month or two," he said seriously.
"Two months!" she said, dismayed.
"If I don't feel like extending the stay," he modified.
"But why would you extend it when you don't want to go in the first place," she asked agitatedly.
"I didn't want to tell you this….but I'm getting more and more sick of this place with every passing day," he sighed.
"What?" she asked in shock, freezing for a moment. Then feeling suspicious, she tried to twist around to decipher from his expression if he was simply teasing, but he firmly held her in place, not letting her turn.
"Yeah….I'm starting to really miss my old city," he continued imperviously. "You are a good distraction," he reassured her kindly, "But still, I was thinking I'll just quit my course and move back to the city. I could drop in twice a year to see you. Good plan, isn't it?"
Nandini felt her body turn cold with anger. She didn't care if he was just teasing, because everything he had said had been like the summary of her biggest fears since the beginning.
"Don't bother visiting me at all! Go wherever you wish and don't ever come back," she said angrily, unsuccessfully trying to get to her feet while prying his hands from around her stiff form.
"That won't do," he said thoughtfully, gripping her arms to keep her from rising. "I can't risk the idea of some other poor, innocent man being forced to tolerate you."
She couldn't see him but she heard the grin in his voice and that did it. She bent her head and small, white teeth bit into one unyielding hand.
"Nandini!" he yelled and the momentary loosening of his clasp helped her turn towards him.
He stared at her with mild surprise for a moment, and then some understanding dawned in his gaze. But she continued to glare angrily with fiery black eyes, which suddenly widened as he leaned forward and kissed a creamy cheek very softly, stunning her completely.
Lost for words, she started to summon the grit to ask him why he had done that. But she couldn't find any traces of the fury that had seemed overwhelming just a second ago. Not wanting to meet his gaze, she turned away awkwardly.
"Revenge really is sweet," he mused.
It was a provoking statement, but even though it rankled, she didn't feel up to retaliating. Instead, she badly wanted to check his right hand, but somehow the arm had curled around her again and she was feeling too unsettled to seek it.
"I'm sorry," she said in a small voice, still sitting rigidly. "Is it hurting?"
"Not as much as I'd like it to," he murmured
Nandini stilled as tears welled up in her eyes. Why did he have to say something like that ….
"Smart," she whispered, struggling to keep her voice from trembling
"No, honest," he said simply.
Brushing away the dampness in her eyes, she yielded finally and leaned backwards to rest against his chest again.
I love you, she said silently, contentedly listening to the steady sound of his heartbeat. Would she ever have the courage to say the words aloud to him…. Some times she wanted to tell him so desperately that she was terrified the words would slip out in an unthinking moment.
At other times….in moments like these….the words seemed superfluous…too small and insignificant to encapsulate the love that had become her reason to live.
***********************
Love in all forms is the purest of emotions. And yet, there is no other feeling that has been punished more often in the history of the world. The only solace is that it gives the victimised souls the courage to withstand the persecution and emerge stronger with every blow.
Sankatmochan stopped writing and re-read the lines. Yes, they had come out alright. But a second opinion would be useful.
"Prithvi!" he yelled.
"Don't dare read that crap aloud, you moron," an angry male voice responded from the other room.
"But I need your opinion on this piece of writing!" Sankatmochan shouted back.
"It sucks,"
"But you haven't even read it as yet!"
"I haven't sinned enough for that,"
He wasn't going to accept that for an answer. Sankatmochan determinedly got up to his feet and plodded to Prithvi's room. He surveyed the scene from the door. There were papers all over the room; some carrying only a couple of numbers, while others had calculations scribbled all over the surface.
His best friend was seated at the table in his room and was jotting more numbers furiously on the notepad, while simultaneously frowning at the screen of his laptop which was opened onto some technical site and a large book, simultaneously ignoring the continuous ringing of his cell phone which had been tossed on the bed.
"Since you are free at this time, shall I read out the new lines I've written? Or perhaps you'd like to listen again to my earlier writing to see it in fresh light?" Sankatmochan asked animatedly.
"That depends on how brutally you want to die," Prithvi said tersely. "One more word from that sickening crap, and you're finished."
"I protest this injustice!" Sankatmochan announced, limping to the bed and sitting down on it to stage a demonstration. "You owe me a favour for informing you about the superstition-based activities in this house. Didn't you pay attention to what I had said then? Let me repeat - the old uncle and Nandini planted the Tulsi because of the superstition that it will keep away harmful influences from the house," he smirked.
"If that was the intention, I wish they had done it before your arrival."
"I am certain you wouldn't have been so generous if only Sumer Singh had been involved," Sankatmochan said smugly.
"Shut your mouth!" Prithvi hissed angrily, sparing him a glare.
"Ah! Afraid of the old man knowing this delicious secret, huh!" Sankatmochan laughed.
Prithvi picked up the heavy paperweight from his desk and irately flung it in his friend's direction without looking up from papers.
Sankatmochan yelled and ducked, and the piece of glass just missed him by an inch. Then he sniggered again.
"How true it is what they say about love! Everything your sweetheart says and does appears to be right. But you should know that she hurt my feelings very badly. She called me -" Sankatmochan swallowed painfully in remembered misery. "She called me 'bhaiya,'" he wailed.
Prithvi looked at him in amusement. "Why aren't you trying to kill yourself? Surely that insult demands an extreme action like that."
"I shall endure it only because she is your girl," Sankatmochan said with dignity. "But let that heartbreaking topic be buried here. On a different note, why aren't you answering this phone?" he asked, staring at the continually ringing mobile.
"Because I know it must be Rohit or one of the others," Prithvi said indifferently. "They have been pestering me to return to the US."
"When are you going? This time I will accompany you at any cost. I cannot wait to see all those fair beauties with my own eyes!"
"You will not be seeing any beauties, because I'm not leaving this place," Prithvi said absently, scrutinising a complex calculation.
"Yes….I can see your point," Sankatmochan said sadly, getting up. "Why would you leave? You've won the heart of the most beautiful girl in this town, while I am left listening to her calling me -" he swallowed hard, unable to say the word aloud again.
"Stop whining! She's not the most beautiful girl in the town," Prithvi retorted.
Sankatmochan chortled as he limped towards the door. "Your lies are getting almost as good as mine."
When the halting sounds of footsteps faded away and he was alone again, Prithvi laid down the pen and slowly leaned back against the chair.
"I wasn't lying, Mochi," he murmured, and looked at the small purple bruise on the inside of his white forearm. "She's the most beautiful girl in the whole world," he grinned.
******************************************