Verbosity (Ansh/SagUn OS/FF thread) - New chap on page 9 - Page 6

Chapter 15

Stuffing himself back into his clothes, his nervous energy translated into a restless pacing up and down the cabin. Watching the stalking man, Prats tried to unobtrusively slip on her own clothes. At his sudden, "Why Prats, Prats? Why now? And it would have been OK to do it with anyone?? Thanks a lot! That's sure good for my ego!" Pulling the quilt over herself, almost up to her eyes, Prats just watched him with wide, slightly teary eyes, "No Sid, it's not that. I thought that its time I crossed the border, and for sure, I do feel 'something' for you. You are handsome, caring, intelligent… everything a girl looks for…" "Goddammit it Prats, you make me sound like a sperm donor! Is that all you looked for from me?"

A tear trickled unheeded from Prats eye, "No Sid, you were the first person I allowed close enough to me to get this far. I feel a connect with you that I haven't felt in a long, long time. I felt I could trust you to take care of me. I love that you seem to like me, that you find me attractive. I too wanted to experience the 'magic' that books and my friends always go on about. As we spent time together, I felt you were 'the' one, the one who could take me past my self-imposed boundaries, make me feel again, without expecting too much in return. But, I was wrong, you don't like me enough to lose yourself in me… I am just not sexy enough for you."

"Don't be ridiculous, Prats, of course I like you… more than that actually! But, I can't make love to a virgin; it's too much responsibility…" As Prats covered her head with the quilt fully, he paused at the softly muffled sound of weeping, "Oh! Come on, Prats! Trust me, what's happened is good. We would have regretted it later." As the muffled sobs turned to a soft, shuddering mewl, Sid looked heavenward in exasperation.

God knows what it would have been like after they'd actually made love. Sure he liked her, found her to be the sexiest thing in his life for a long time. He'd planned to woo her, wine her, and dine her before taking the next step. Maybe the whole thing would have made sound business sense too, and in the long run, he'd see… But, things had taken such a rapid turn last night, that he'd lost control. Come to think of it, maybe he would not have if he'd known the truth… He had no room in his life for a virgin! Virgin? But why was she a virgin? She'd been around Jagan for years… And even if the Singh's had managed to prevent the two hormonal kids from taking the final step, hadn't they been sent on some sort of honeymoon? And why did Prats seem to have issues with self-esteem, more than a normal divorcee did?"

Going off to the bathroom for a quick shower, he leant his head against the cool surface of the metallic interior, he sighed. How had it gone bad so rapidly? And what did she expect? A quick affair and then a slow waltz down the aisle? God save him from over-emotional girls. But was that correct? Didn't she say that she just wanted to get rid of 'that?'

Emerging from his shower, he lay down, in an attempt to sleep and forget what had happened. But the soft sniffles from the other end wouldn't let him. Sitting up, he ran his hand through his damp hair. Crossing over to her, he kneeled next to the bed, "Prats, please tell me what is wrong. So, we didn't make love, but that's not really earth-shaking news, is it?" Shaking her gently, he was surprised when she shot up on her knees, "Not earth-shaking, is it? Well, it may not be for you, but when I am rejected over and over again, it is earth-shaking for me!"

"Whoa Prats, calm down. Tell me what's wrong, sweetheart. Why are you reacting this way?" Pulling a struggling and sobbing wildcat on to his lap, he held her tight until the heart-breaking wails petered off. As the last sniffle snuffled out, he raised her head to his. Tenderly wiping the last tears with the side of his thumb, he crooned, "Please Prats, you seem to be holding a lot of angst within you. Won't you share your feelings with me? Please? We still are friends, aren't we?"

"You are wondering, na, why I am a virgin? Did Bapusa tell you a bit about my life? Don't bother lying; you were chatting till the wee hours that last night, and I'm his favorite topic." Falling silent for a while, she crawled out his lap, going to sit against the side on the cabin, holding a pillow for comfort. "Well, you probably know most of the gory details of how I was orphaned and then taken in by the Singhs as their daughter. You know of Jagan and our marriage. You know that I was deeply in love with him, for most of my growing years. What no one else, apart from Jagan and I, knows is what happened in those 5 days, when we were sent to Mumbai for our honeymoon."

Not wanting to interrupt her, Sid made himself comfortable on the other side on the bed, Sultan climbing up too - to comfort Prats. "Sid, I loved Jagan madly, ever since I was a young kid. I loved the thought of getting married so young to the boy I adored. I supported him in his every desire, remaining alone in Jaitsar in the hope that my love would follow his dream and build a small world for ourselves when he was done. But, all of us were deluded. Jagan never loved me in 'that' way; I was his best friend forever. When the elders asked us to get married, he did put his foot down, saying we were too young to marry; it was illegal anyway. But, no one listened to him, and we married. I was ecstatic to be a 'beendni,' right up to the time Jagan went off to Mumbai to study."

"I waited patiently, for phone calls that became rare with time, and visits that became even rarer. I kept a brave face, because I didn't want my family to suffer too. Then, one day, when Jagan came home after becoming a doctor, our family decided to send us for a honeymoon. Since he had some urgent work in Mumbai – he wanted to apply for a post-grad course – everyone agreed that we should go there together. I just went with the flow, as I always did."

"We were booked into the Taj in Mumbai. Never having seen anything so lavish, I was in bliss, dreaming of the culmination – no, beginning – of our marriage. We spent the days exploring the 'City That Never Sleeps,' eating food I had never seen earlier, dipping our feet into the sea, going for rides, and meeting his friends. That was something he did with reluctance, because once his friends knew we were married, he was in for some serious heckling. But, I had fun. However, the nights were different. Every night, Jagan made one or the other excuses to stay out late (with me) and then – in hindsight – feigned sleepiness, headaches, or tiredness, to avoid the final act."

"I was frustrated, and decided to take a stand. I kept regaling him with I love you's and sneaked pecks throughout the last couple of days. The fifth night, I dressed up in a frothy pink nightie, and made the mood of the room as romantic as possible. When Jagan walked in, I went up to him, throwing my arms around his neck, "Jagan, I love you…" As he stiffened up, I kissed him with all the passion I had stored up for so long. Suddenly seeming to lose control (or perhaps, making a decision), he picked me up and carried me to the bed. As we smooched, me totally unexperienced and he slightly more so, I lost total control of myself, wanting the final union asap. In my eagerness, I didn't realize that Jagan did not return the fervor."

"To my utter shock and mortification, Jagan suddenly sat up, almost pushing my clinging arms away, 'Stop it, Prats. I can't do this…' As I stared up at him in bewilderment, he continued, 'Prats, you know I didn't want to marry you, I was almost forced to do so. And this, this ultimate act of unity, is something I can't go through with at all. Come on, Prats, we have grown up together! I can't suddenly see you as a bombshell! You were, and always will be, my cute younger sister. I wish our parents had listened when I told them this so many years ago. But, their vachan <vow> was more important to them. I am really sorry, but I just can't make love with you; whenever I see you, I see the cute little gal whose nose used to keep running.'"

As Sid sat in stunned silence, Prats sighed, "So, I was rejected by my beloved, forever. We talked the night away, and we decided that we had reached the point of no return. We had to divorce, and soon… I understood that Jagan could never care for as much as I cared for him. So, while he was still sleeping the next day, I left Mumbai to come back home. No one knows of this Sid, except the three of us now."

As Sid reached put a hand to her, she pulled back, "Don't feel sorry for me, Sid. I am over all the pain now. Yes, I did cry and go into depression, troubling my family so very much. But my family came to my rescue – as usual. They packed me off to Delhi, far away from the everyday reminders of my obsession with Jagan. That was the best thing they ever did for me. When I saw big-city life for the first time, I understood that I would either sink or swim. I struggled with my inner self, changing my entire personality as it were. The physical changes in me were obvious to all, the mental only to me and my family members. I changed myself totally to fit in with the modern girls, clothes, body language, attitude, courage, speech, everything. I banished all memories of Jagan from my life, locking them up in a box in my mind. I succeeded so much that I could genuinely celebrate Jagan's wedding to a girl he met at post-grad college. I was truly happy for him…"

"But Sid, today I discovered that I am still weak, and I am still not attractive enough to ensnare men. I am glad that you could stop when you did. I don't want to force another to do something he doesn't really want to do. However, I need to think through my own reaction now, so forgive me if I am off on a different plane for a few days…"

Chapter 16

Rolling over to her side, facing away from him, her body screamed "Let me alone!" Staring at her in dismay, Sid didn't know whether to be relieved or sad; he really didn't know what to say to her anyway. Leaning over, he just laid a soothing hand on her arm. "It's not like that, Prats. Anyway, we'll talk tomorrow." Moving off to his bed, he saw Sultan snuggling up closer to Prats, who promptly threw an arm and leg about him, hugging the big dog close. For a long while, he heard soft sniffles coming from the other end.

In the dim haze of the night, he saw Prats get up and fumble in one of the overhead bins for something. Propping himself up on his elbows, he murmured, "Prats, what's up, dear? You need something?" Without looking at him, she whispered back, "Yeah, Sid, I can't sleep, so am looking for my sleeping pills." Sitting up more fully, he asked in shock, "Pills, Piyu? You need pills?" "Yeah, the doctor prescribed them long ago in Delhi, and though I hadn't needed them for some time now, I keep the prescription filled in." As she turned to pick up a glass, Sid snatched the medication out of her hand, "Stop it, Piyu, I won't be responsible for getting you hooked on to drugs again."

As she struggled to get her pills back, he held it out of reach for a while. Losing patience at the earful he was getting, he bent and swept her up in his arms. As she stared at him, shocked, he whispered, "Don't worry, I don't have any ulterior motives right now. Trust me; you said we were friends, didn't you?" As silent tears tracked down her cheeks, he carried her like she was a baby to his own bed. Laying her down gently, he followed her down onto the bed. "Shh, shh, baby, try to relax. I'm right here, nothing will harm you now."

Running calming hands up and down her back, he held her stiff body close, cooing soft, indecipherable words into her resisting ears. As her slight body slowly relaxed against his, he ran tender fingers through her hair, soothing her as if he would a troubled baby. Finally, as her entire body sank into unconsciousness, he slowly shifted till he was lying flat on his back, his arm still serving as a pillow for Prats. "I'm right here, nothing will harm you now..." How did he say such a thing?? A long-term commitment was not what he was built for.

Agreed, he had been smitten hard when he saw Prats. Her lithe beauty, her gorgeous, lissome body, her energy, her verve for helping others, her independence - " all had attracted him like never before. He was not built for marriage, always looking at relationships with women who knew how to play the game. He was in a hurry, a hurry to get to the top, with no baggage pulling him down. When Bhoomiji had started telling him about Prats, he had thought, "Oh crap, no way! This deal is way too important." But as the story progressed, he had perked up, divorcee, LSRite, hostelite, behenji turned modern..." all seemed just right to him. She sure seemed to be just up his street!

As she mumbled something in her sleep and snuggled her nose deeper into the crook of his elbow, he sighed, "What had he really known? As the days had passed, her keen intellect, her innocent beauty first thing in the morning and last thing at night, her unknowing sexuality, which showed in every movement of her body, her loyalty to everyone she knew, all made her a mystery that he wanted to unravel. He longed to possess her, but on his terms. Bhoomiji or no Bhoomiji, he had wanted this girl, but with no commitments, at least for now.

But, last night had changed everything. This girl was only a veneer, hiding a truly complex, emotionally hurt, and scared girl inside her. All her bravado was just that - " bravado." "I am a Superwoman," was what she screeched to the whole world, contrary to what she really was. Perhaps, only Sultan truly knew her and her anxieties... The question was, now that he knew, what should he do about it? Leave it as the one great defeat of his life, or be the friend he had promised to be and stay with her? As the questions crowded his mind, he slowly drifted off to a state of semi-consciousness. The night covered them with a deep black quilt of darkness, Sultan keeping watch till he too drifted off.

The early morning sun cast feeble rays across the sleeping twosome, creeping slowly upwards till it covered their faces. Coming awake, he groaned at the unfamiliar weight on his shoulder, cramping him even more in the close confines of the sofa bed. Turning slightly, he saw the freshest face relaxed in sleep, almost nose to nose with him. Feeling her comfortable pillow move, Prats eyes squinted open, widening with shock at the handsome face so close to her. As the memories of last night flashed through her mind, she sat up quickly. "Uh, Sid, I need to freshen up..."

As she darted past him, Sid caught a hold of her arm, "Prats, I don't want to discuss last night anymore, but I promised to be your friend, so I'm staying back for the trip. OK with you?" At her hesitant, slight nod, he smiled and released her arm, letting her scoot into the washroom. Smacking his head with his hand, he moaned, "Why didn't I cut and run when I could?? I don't really get you sometimes, Sid babu!!"

Chapter 17

As Sid drove to their next destination, he kept glancing over at the unusually silent Prats. Dressed in a black and white salwar kameez, dupatta draped over her head, she stared out at the passing scenery blindly. As Sultan laid his head on Sid's shoulder, Sid contemplated various topics he could discuss, discarding all of them. He had a feeling he'd get his head snapped off if he invaded her mindspace now.

Finishing with a meeting that was, surprising to Sid, extremely normal, with Prats acting exactly the way that she always did, enthusiastic about new ideas, respectful to elders, laughing vivaciously with the children, enjoying all the activities and the lunch that followed. As Sid observed her thoughtfully, for the first time, he noted a false ring of merriment in her laughter. Was it just today or he hadn't noticed earlier? But, one thing was for sure, she was a good actress, able to hide her true feelings from the world. He was finally understanding her.

Post lunch, a bunch of kids came running up to Prats, who was sitting with some ladies, teaching them some basic English words. "Didi, did you know that the mela <fair> has come to Pipli? Please take us there, please" Grinning at the eager beavers, she stood up, calling out to where Sid lay on a charpoy <rough bed>, "Sid, I am taking the kids to the mela. Will be back in a while..." Almost leaping out of bed, he loped across, "I'm coming too! It's been years since I went to a mela."

With Sultan in the camper, about 16 screaming kids in the back of the jeep, Sid and Prats drew up in front of a paper-flag-lined kaccha road, with a huge ferris wheel at the end of it. As Sid watched, Prats transformed, losing her artificial smile, whooping with joy as she ran down the lane, holding two of the smallest kids by hand. This was the real Prats, the one who forgot her sorrows and enjoyed life as the young girl she was.

Following closely on her heels, he saw her line up the kids at the ferris wheel. Beating her to the ticket counter, he bought 18 tickets, "Prats, are you sure this contraption is safe? I've never sat in one earlier..." Giggling, she tugged at his arm in excitement, "Promise it is! C'mon, the next ride is about to begin." Settling the kids into seats, one big and one small in each, Prats was assigned the biggest kid and he the smallest. As the wheel started, the children started squealing, Prats loudest of all! As the wheel picked up speed, he craned to see where she was sitting. As their eyes locked, neither could look away from each other. The ever-faster, circular motion of the ferris wheel, the wind rushing in their ears, tousling their hair, the screams of delight of the others, all seemed to fade into the background. All he saw was her, and all she saw was him.

As the wheel slowed to a stop, Prats was the first off. Shaking herself free from the spell, she helped take the kids off, one at a time. Putting her hand out for the last kid, she was startled to find it engulfed by a firm, slightly calloused hand. Sid got out slowly, moving ever closer to her, "Piyu, you are truly beautiful... I don't think I have ever seen a more beautiful girl, ever." Lifting his other hand, he tucked her windblown hair behind her ears. Startled by the peal of laughter, they jumped apart to see the kids nudging each other and giggling.

Prats shifted slightly, adjusting her dupatta, "C'mon, let's get some more rides." Following slowly behind as the kids ran from the merry-go-round to the toy train, to the swings, and the bouncy. Prats participated in everything with equal fervor, avoiding looking at Sid directly. He was content just to join in now and again, holding a sick child's head after a particularly violent ride made her nauseous, picking up a couple who were tired and couldn't walk any more. As the kids reached the games, he peeled off some cash to buy coupons for all the kids to participate.

At a shop with many balloons strung on the facing wall, surrounding a tiny bull's eye, he picked up the pellet gun and started shooting off the balloons one by one. Each winning streak got him a small gift, which he promptly handed to a child. After all 16 got a gift each, he aimed at the bull's eye, which had the bumper price, "This one's for you, Prats." As he hit the bull's eye smack in the middle, he whooped with joy, doing a small victory jig around the kids. Smiling at the stall owner, he picked up the first prize and walked up to Prats, "For you, from your Bugs Bunny... I have heard you calling me that when you are pissed off." Dropping a tiny pink rabbit into her hand, he grinned fondly and turned to the kids, "Let's eat! I'm famished."

As the suddenly teary Prats stared at the tiny Bugs Bunny grinning back at her, she followed in the steps of the raucous children slowly. It had been years since someone gave her such a silly, but lovely, gift. Smiling widely suddenly, she ran up to Sid, "I want to eat some chaat <street food>, Sid! Let's order everything there is!" Behaving like two kids themselves, they gorged on aloo tikki, bhel puri, sev puri, dahi bhalla, everything they could get their hands on! Rubbing his hand on his tummy, Sid groaned, "Pet bhar gaya, par neeyat nahin bhari... <the stomach is full, but the mind is not>; let's wind up with something sweet." Smiling fondly at him, she demurred,
"No, I can't manage a bite more, Sid! I'm stuffed." "You? And stuffed?? You are the biggest bhukkad <hog> I know! Where you pack it all, I don't know! Anyway, I'm going to get a kulfi <home-made ice-cream> and you can share a bite or two."

Slurping on a big, fat malai <cream> kulfi, he offered her a bite. Grinning at the sight he made, with a malai moustache ringing his mouth, she daintily took a bite. Mming in sheer pleasure, she grabbed the stick from his unsuspecting hand and danced out of reach! Life was good...

Chapter 18

A few days passed, with the uneasy truce broken by spurts of laughter and friendship. As both relaxed, their respect for each other grew as it became apparent that their aberration was not going to get in the way of their work. Their work progressed by leaps and bounds, with Prats being able to convince young ladies in different villages to become karyakartas <ground-level workers> for the NGO that she planned to start. The NGO would work with Sid's office to promote organic farming in the area and to collate governmental funding.

As they sat around the choolah <stove>, Prats tried to get the ladies of Dohra to come out of their shells, take a stand, and become independent. As she leaned forward to turn a chapatti <leavened bread> on the choolah, a man blocked her hand with a lathi (thick stick>. "People who instigate our women to ignore their familial duties are not welcome in our village." Slowly standing up to face a massively built, mustachioed man, anger writ large on his face, Prats calmly said, "I am not instigating anyone about anything. You should know that..." "I don't want to know anything! I have heard what you did in the neighboring villages!" the man yelled.

Hearing the commotion, Sid came forward, "What's up, Prats? Why is the guy yelling at you?" Raising her hand to tell him to hold off, Prats continued soothingly, "Bhai sahib, you are misunderstanding me. I only want the ladies to be self-sufficient so that they can aid in the growth of the region..." A voice from the back piped up, "You were right, Ratnesh, she does want to prove that we men are incapable of bringing in prosperity by ourselves! Let"s show her her aukat <place in life>." As a motley crowd of 4-5 goons pushed to the front of the crowd, Sid stepped up, partially shielding Prats, "Talk to me about your concerns, guys. I will try to answer all your questions."

Prats pushed him away, "No, Sid, it's alright, I have faced such situations earlier." Suddenly Sid lunged forward, stopping the lathi from landing on Prats head. "Prats, get away into the caravan..." As he fought for control of the lathi, another man hit him on the shoulder, hard. As Sid reeled in pain, a couple of the others charged in, kicking and pummeling him with their fists. Recovering from the shock, Sid regrouped and went all out, his years of physical training coming to the fore; the only difference being that this time he was fighting for their lives. Giving back as good as he got, he proved to be an almost equal match for the goons. Suddenly, he felt someone pressed up against his back, warding off attacks from the rear with something that felt like a tava (flat pan). "Prats, I told you to go!" "Stop talking and keep fighting! We'll talk later..."

As the duo battled, suddenly there was a fury of nearing barks and snarls. One of the village kids had released Sultan who, confined to the camper, had bayed his displeasure, slamming himself against the closed doors and windows again and again. As Sultan joined the duo, snapping and grabbing hold of the other men, the tides turned suddenly, the three providing enough disincentive for the gang to back off. Seeing the goons sidling off, the village men finally came forward to take the men away. As Sid turned to stare at exasperation at Prats and a wildly barking Sultan, Ratnesh made his final move.

Flaying out with the discarded tava, he succeeded in hitting Sid squarely on the side of the forehead. "Siddhant!" screeched Prats, pulling at his arm, deflecting the blow somewhat. Raising his hand to feel where he had been hit, Sid was surprised to see a streak on blood on it. The adrenaline rush had made him feel no pain. As Prats almost started crying, seeing the blood, he brushed the back of his hand across her cheek, "Don't worry, sweetie, I'm fine. It's only a flesh wound."

Turning to the villagers, he said, "I know all of you were not responsible for this, but the police is sure going to come here. I want that man behind bars." As the apologetic pradhan nodded effusively, Sid turned, patted Sultan's head, and took Prats by the arm, leading her to Dhanno. Getting into the driver's seat, he muttered, "We're out of here." As Prats stared at him silently, he zoomed out of the area, not stopping until they were a couple of miles away, near a dhaba he knew. Grimly silent, he got off and stalked into the camper, preceded by the still panting Sultan.

As Prats followed, he turned on her in a fury, "Didn't I tell you that it is unsafe for you to travel as you do! I don't know how your parents..." Meekly, Prats inserted, "But, this is the first time..." "There's always a first time for everything! And if I hadn't been there, I shudder to think what could have happened. In addition, you ignored my orders and jumped into the fray like you are some superwoman! If something had happened to you..." As he trailed off, Prats watched him in silence. When Sid sat down heavily on the sofa, she quietly walked past him to the kitchen cabinet. Pulling out the first aid box, she washed her hands carefully, before approaching him nervously.

As he shrugged off the gentle hand she placed on his shoulder, she smiled tenderly at the pouty boy he had become and brushed the hair off his forehead. "Please Sid, it might get infected." As he sat back tiredly, she gently cleaned the wound out with Dettol, wincing each time he winced. "Good, it's not a deep cut, so won't need stitches." As she probed deeper to clean the wound thoroughly, Sid's muffled ouch brought a worried frown to her forehead. "Ooh, I'm so sorry, Sid! Will be more careful now..." At his answering smile, she continued with her task, concentrating fiercely, tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth, oblivious to the fact that he was concentrating just as fiercely on her.

As she gently pressed a bandage on to the cut, she smiled with satisfaction, "There, all done!" Grabbing hold of her hand, he pressed a soft kiss on her knuckles, "Thank you, for being there, and for being you."

Chapter 19

Their eyes locking, hers still wary and his glowing brightly, they stayed there motionless, gazing at each other, until Sultan bumped into the back of her knees, seemingly reminding her of where she was. As she pulled back awkwardly, Sid smiled tenderly at her, No need to worry, Piyu, I will not do anything that you dont want. Releasing her hand slowly, he was taken aback when he felt the soft touch of her lips brushing against the bandage on his forehead. No, Sid, its me who should thank you before being there, and for being you.

With awkward smiles exchanged at this newfound admission of their appreciation for each other, Prats went off to lie down for a while. Sid picked up his phone and dialed 100. Informing the police of what had happened, he ensured them of what would happen if prompt action was not taken. Snapping his phone shut, he leaned back in his chair, eyes closed as he relived what had happened that afternoon. His extreme terror when he saw the danger that Prats was in, his anxiousness to get her to safety, his anger when he felt her slight body pressed up against his back, protecting him " him! Damn her! She never listened to anyone!! His back-of-the-mind acknowledgement of her every move and placement while they fought the goons, and his sense of overwhelming relief when he realized that no harm had come to her. He hadnt even realized that he was hurt WHAT was really the matter with him? Could it be that he was in a situation that he had not dreamed possible just a few days ago? Was she coming to mean more to him than anyone had ever had earlier?

Sighing at the possibilities crowding his mind, he turned to look to the back of the camper. The curtain was fluttering in the breeze of the A/C, giving him glimpses of the slight form that was causing him so much grief. Walking into the washroom, he leaned over the sink, splashing cold water over and over again on his face, till his hair and shirt were soaked through. Tumhara kya hoga, Sid babu? <Whats going to become of you, Sid?>, he questioned the image that stared back at him in the mirror despondently.

Stalking back in, he pulled off his shirt, ignoring the buttons that popped and flew every which way Ouch, Sid, why are you throwing things around?, an irate Prats head popped around the curtain. Oh! Sorry Piyu! I didnt realize His voice trailed off as he saw Prats staring rapt-eyed at him. Is something wrong, Piyu? Ignoring the question, Prats walked up to him slowly, putting out a finger to run it slowly down his chiseled arm. As he froze in shock, every nerve on alert, she placed a palm flat on his bicep, looking up at him emotionally. As he bent slightly toward her upturned face, she whispered, Sid, we forgot Yeah, Piyu? We forgot? We forgot that your arm is injured too! Poor baby, its turned all black and blue! How could I have forgotten!!

Slapping himself mentally, Sid went through the mental (and physical) torture of her soft hands probing at the dollar-sized blue-black bruise on his forearm. As she blew gently at it, fetching some ice to rub over it gently, his fists curled into tight balls, Control, Sid, control. Dont scare her away As the exquisite torture ended, he let out a sigh of relief, falling back into the chair. Are you faint, Sid? Poor baby, you lost so much blood We havent even got any dinner here! As she started flying around helter skelter, he grabbed her arm, Wait, Piyu! Were just in front of a dhaba. Well eat there tonight.

Pulling a T-shirt over his head, he slipped a chain on Sultan and led the way outside. Pulling up two charpoys in front of each other, he yelled, Arre kaka <uncle>, do kaali daal <2 plates of black pulses>, ek bhurji <1 plate of scrambled eggs>, aur ek shahi paneer <and 1 plate of cottage cheese> la dijiye <bring it here>. Lying down on one charpoy, arms akimbo, he gazed up at the early night sky, enjoying the stillness. Prats was engaged in some idle chatter with the workers, disturbing him only when the food arrived. Sitting cross-legged on their respective charpoys, they enjoyed their meal in companionable silence.

Arre sahib, hookah pasand karenge kya? <do you wish to enjoy a hookah?> As Sid sat up in excitement, Prats gurgled, You and a village hookah? Im sure you are used to the city variety " flavored, mild. This one here is the real McCoy " strong tobacco! And these villagers often add various herbs. God knows whats in them Sid grinned, Ive smoked earlier, so I know I can take it. Kaka, ek idhar de dijiye, magar usme kuch aur nahi milayiga! <Kaka, give me one, but dont put anything else in it.>

Sipping on a couple of Cokes, Prats watched while Sid and kaka chatted into the night. At around 10 pm, kaka said, Im going to bed now, beta. Ill fill up the hookah once more, and you can just leave it under the charpoy when you go. As the lights of the dhaba dimmed, Sid puffed silently away at the hookah. Prats mumbled, Sid, what is so fascinating about that hookah that you just cant give it up?! Proffering the stem to her, Sid raised an eyebrow, Why dont you try it and see? Me?? No I couldnt! Seeing the anticipation in her eyes, Sid leaned forward and put the nozzle just next to her mouth.

Eyes sparkling at the new adventure in front of her, Prats took the bait, inhaling deeply. As soon as she did that, she burst into a bout of coughing. Discarding the hookah, Sid moved to her charpoy, thumping her on the back rapidly. Careful, careful forget it, Piyu! As soon as the tears stopped streaming from her eyes, NO! I want to try. Grabbing the hookah, she got a more gentle puff, feeling the smoke wind its ways down her, warming her insides. Mmm, this is good stuff, Sid! Smiling at each other shyly, they relaxed on the charpoy, taking alternate puffs.

As her eyes drooped, she said, I am sure Kakas mixed something in this, Sid. Am feeling so sleepy. Taking the last puff, he watched in amusement as she pulled the nozzle to her, trying to get the last bit of goodness in her. No, Piyu, there is nothing there now. You are only getting coal ash now. As he tried to get the nozzle from her, she grappled for it, losing her balance and almost falling off her perch. Grabbing hold of her, they found themselves face to face, only a whisper of smoke-laden air separating them. As they stared at each other wide-eyed, the hookah discarded, his grip on her arms tightened, not wanting to let her go.

Closing her eyes, Prats stretched that final inch upwards, pressing her soft lips on his firm ones. As he inhaled deeply, his arms criss-crossed over her back, drawing her on to his lap. His mobile lips moved gently over her soft ones, seeking a response now. As her fingers clutched at his T-shirt, she gasped at the unfamiliar feelings sweeping through her. The slight parting of lips was all he needed to slip his tongue past her defenses. Seeking the sweet honey within, he probed gently, then waited for her response. As she got the message, she returned the favor with a gentle flutter of her own tongue.

Unable to control himself now, Sid groaned, clutching her ever tighter until it seemed as if they were extensions of each other. As they discovered what pleased each other, she moaned, Sid, Sid! What are you doing to me?! Not knowing what she was begging for, a continuous litany of please, please broke from her lips. Reaching the point of oxygen deprivation, he broke the kiss, nibbling at the soft petals of her lips, kissing up and down her neck and shoulders, moaning softly with the sheer pleasure.

As her fingers twined in his hair, forcing his head downwards, he suddenly sat up, still holding on to her tight and pressing soft, open-mouthed kisses on her forehead, Sweetheart, lets take this one step at a time. I dont want to do anything that youll regret later.