Mallika
"I'm leaving for the day. It might be late by the time I come back." he stated, his back facing me. Distant as usual, I shaked me head. Even though his words sounded ignorant, I could see how he was shuffling in place, hesitant to make a move forward. Just before I could open my mouth to reassure him, he started walking away. Sighing, I turned around to go back inside, but not before hearing the words I was hoping to hear.
"O-one more thing...don't do anything stupid."
I smiled at his antics, because I've been with him long enough to know what the words truly mean: Stay safe.
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Sumedh
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get her words out of my head. As I watched the children practice, my mind was completely diverted. She's always a wonder to me. Something about her...something about her words...something I can't figure out...
"Gurudev! Gurudev!" the voice of one of my students, brought my attention back. "We have something to give you."
I put down my weapon and turned to face him. He slowly revealed what he had hidden behind his back - a sapling. The other boys gathered around him and the group came closer to me. The little boy reached out his hands to offer me the plant. "Gurudev, this is for you."
I looked at the plant, confused. Another boy piped up, explaining the gift. "Gurudev, just as this sapling requires the proper nurture and care for it to grow into a healthy and beautiful plant, we need your knowledge and experience to help us grow into brave and skilled warriors. Please accept this sapling as a token of our gratitude."
I reached out and took the sapling into my own hands. Suddenly, I remembered my niece back home. I remembered how she giggled, how she snuggled with me when showing me her paintings, how she was the only person who loved me the way I wanted.
"Gurudev! Gurudev!" I was broken out of my trance by the calling of my students.
"Ok enough talking, boys! Pick up your weapons and continue practicing!"
I put down the sapling on a nearby rock, making a mental note to take it home at the end of the day. Because for some reason, I felt the care it deserved could only be given by someone else...
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Mallika
My surprise for him was done. I spent most of the afternoon working among the pots near the fire. As if just on cue, I heard footsteps walking into the entrance behind me.
"What is going on here?" his surprised voice made me turn around smiling.
"Today we will be having a proper meal!" I gestured to all the prepared varieties of food in the pots. He didn't say a word, but I took his silence as an indication of approval. He put his stuff down, washed his hands, and sat down near me. I served him portions of all the food onto the leaf in front of him. For some odd reason, nervous flutterings started happening deep inside me. Would he like it? How will he react?
I watched as he looked at the food thoughtfully. "Are you not going to eat?"
"Um, I'll eat a-after you."
"Weren't you the one who said friends eat together?"
Slowly, a smile made its way onto my face, as I nodded. I swear, he melted just a bit. I got situated right next to him, eyeing him the entire time. He replied to my glances with his own eyes in the silence.
I signaled to the food with my eyes, wanting him to go first. God, if you're listening, please make my food taste good. I watched as he ripped a piece of roti and picked up some curry with it. Putting the morsel in his mouth, I watched as his face went through a series of changes. He finally turned, while I was holding my breath the entire time. I raised my eyebrows asking the question.
"Good," he muffled through choking on the food.
I quickly handed him the small water pot, as he chugged down the whole thing. "Is it too spicy," I asked, silently yelling at myself. I knew I shouldn't have put too much red chili powder.
"No no, it's good. Really good."
I looked at him suspiciously. Cooking for the first time and he thinks it's really good. Something is fishy.
I myself picked up a small morsel of the food and put it in my mouth. A second later, I quickly got up to spit the food out. Sitting back down, I saw that Sumedh was trying to hide a smile.
"If it was that bad, you could have just told me," I bitterly said, upset with myself.
He replied with a thoughtful glance at me. "Rajkumari...I didn't savour the taste of the food. I savoured the taste of the hard work behind it."
And with that he continued eating, while I stared in awe as he finished the whole thing. "T-thank you," was the only word that I managed to mumble in the end.
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Sumedh
She made me smile - yet again. It was something I couldn't resist, almost as if this is how it's supposed to be. After years, I finally realized the meaning of comfort and belonging. "I have something to give you." The words came out of my mouth randomly. I held up the sapling, watching her intrigued face.
"M-me?"
"The kids gave it to me, talking about the growth of knowledge and stuff. But I f-feel like you deserve it."
She looked at me shocked, and it was too late to take my words back. "You brought a lot of changes out of me. Something in me seemed to progress...seemed to grow. That's why, I think in that same way, you can nurture this to grow."
She hesitantly reached for my hands, while I slid it to her. Just as she turned to leave, I grabbed her arm, immediately making her freeze on the spot. "The other day you said I lost all my happiness...but now I feel it's coming back."
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Mallika
I couldn't resist the smile that crept on my face. Him standing in front of me, finally opening up, and getting the joy he deserves was the reason for this smile. He let go of my arm and turned to walk away, when I stopped him.
"Wait!"
"Hmm," he said, not turning around.
"Just as a child needs both its parents: mother's love and father's protection, so does this sapling." I looked at him with my eyebrows raised, hoping he would get the hint.
He turned around hearing my words, a small smile playing on his lips. Taking the sapling, he walked farther, as I joyfully followed behind, secretly celebrating my victory.
We found a spot nearby and got to work. Sumedh started to dig as I went back inside for the water pot. Meeting back up, we crouched down next to each other and began planting. As we mixed up the dry dirt and water, a muddy mixture formed.
Suddenly, a mischievous idea began to form in my head. I hope I don't cross the limits here...Lets just hope he doesn't get mad. I picked up my hand, that was lathered in mud, and brushed it across his cheek.
He immediately jerked back, not expecting the gesture. Stopping the work, he turned his head to face me. His serious expression made me brace myself for his explosion of anger. But instead, out of nowhere, my cheeks felt the stroke of mud. I was left with my mouth wide, gaping in shock at his unexpected response.
Enjoying the game that had just been created, I got competitive. I muddied his other cheek, but he didn't back down. He tried getting me back, but I was already standing, running out of the way. I ducked every attempt of his, as we ran around the hut. Once more when he tried, he succeeded. He grabbed my wrist and brought me closer, putting mud on my forehead and traveling down to my other cheek.
I looked into his eyes, smiling and enjoying the play, but then realized: this had become something more. My smile slowly faded into something else as I could feel every place he was touching me. His grip was firm but gentle on me, holding my wrist to keep me close to him. I could feel his fingers still lingering close to my cheek, still there after the mud on my face.
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Sumedh
In this position, the thought had struck me: I had crossed the limits.
Leaving her hand, I separated from her, creating distance. You can't. You know you can't. Or else, she'll end up like the others. Dead.
I averted my eyes from her, and got back to work. Taking the plant, I put it in the small hole we had created. After filling the rest with soil, I got up and walked away, towards the lake. After cleaning up, I headed back, walking back at a slower than usual pace.
When I reached, I heard her water the plant. Not a single word was exchanged between us. I gathered up the courage to walk up to her and speak. "What happened today shouldn't happen again. It's better off like that."
When I didn't hear a single word from her, I turned around to leave her alone. But that's when she decided to say the words that froze me right on my spot.
"You fear love, don't you?"
My heartbeat fastened as my mind scrambled for something - anything - to come out of my own mouth. But at the end, I couldn't. She had figured it out and there was nothing I could do about it.
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Mallika
I turned to face him, gathering courage to say the next couple of words. It's time...
"You fear love, don't you, Rajkumar...Sumedh."
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Ooooooh big cliffhanger! Lots of Sumellika moments! AND a lot of stuff going on!
Bad news: Today was the first day of school for us meaning our lives are gonna get hectic once again 😣 Meaning, possibly, less writing time. Meaning, possibly, less posts! We are trying out best to stay ahead of schedule and find as much time to write. But keep in mind, there most likely will come a time when our pace will slow down. Hope you all understand! 💖
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