What a tiring day! Day-1 of finding a way out went unfruitful and they call it a day. George has been like a shadow to June from yesterday. The guy is totally flirting with her. He was cute and caring but June met him just yesterday. Alice was quiet and it was real hard to read her mind. She is been nice to June. She shared food with June when his elder brother Ralph was totally against helping June in this dense forest.
Isn't it sound like a fiction? June laughed while recalling last two days. These people, Alice, George and Ralph were total stranger to me when I first saw them in church. They were with an old lady. Mom told me that their parents died a week ago in riot. A lot of people died in riot back in city. Being a Minister's daughter, I usually get judged by people who don't like my father's style of working. My dad isn't a bad man but he can't save all.
This small village is new home for me and Mom, for Alice, George and Ralph too. There are a lot of new families and some of rescued people from infamous riot back in city.
"Alice offered a piece of bread to June. "Thanks" June could manage to say while coming back to ugly present. Ralph was arranging wood for fire.
Last night, I couldn't even get warm in my quilt when we heard the noises and screams. Mom made me run from the back door. It was an attack by rioters. They burnt houses, killed few villagers and destroyed the place completely. Mom kept looking at me till the moment I entered the bushes and trees.
George sat next to her. "Feeling cold", he asked." June smiled and nodded in yes. He wrapped his jacket around her. He was really nice to her. "Don't worry! Your mother will be just fine." He solaced. "I wish so", June answered.
Somehow my eyes always travel to Ralph to check what his reaction is. He doesn't seem to like me much. That day in Church, he looked at me so roughly. He is so young yet so mature. In these few encounters, I didn't find a single motion of juvenility. He is always so ragged and silent.
"I don't know how'd we get out of this dense forest?" June worried.
"Your dad will get you out of here" Ralph taunted rapidly.
June looked at him sharply.
"It's we who need to worry" He added.
"Why you always sound so rude?" June complained.
"I am not!" He said while peeping into her eyes.
"I don't want my family to get hurt because of you." He said.
June decided to stay mum.
"After all, it all started because of your father. People died there like chicken." He said sarcastically.
June looked at him for telling to stop it.
"One poor decision and an army there of homicides, and who is dying? Innocent!" He said in raised voice.
Alice gaped at Ralph. He was venting out on poor girl.
"Oh! Shut up Ralph! She has nothing to do with it." George confronted Ralph.
"And you better take your love story out of my sight" Ralph told.
"Enough Boys" Alice insisted.
"I don't know what my father's acts did to you but I am sorry he didn't do it intentionally." June clarified and walked away in tears.
She didn't stop until her feet gave up.
Oh lord! Why I am here? Why I need to listen to him? Why? He doesn't know anything. He is one hurt person, a bitter person who lost his parents.
She sat down and collected her breath. She looked around and stood up scarily. Where is she?
Where am I? From which direction I walked down here. What was I thinking?
She ran in one direction but couldn't see anything in this darkness. Voices of animals and far away cries of vixens, she was scared.
She started walking to find everyone but couldn't find a way out of this maze. She kept walking and saw a little light in the bushes. She started walking quickly. Eliminating bushes with arm, she could see the light brightening.
Next moment, a hand came from back and covered her mouth. Before she could understand anything, she felt a strong grip over her body which was carrying her somewhere.
"Ra...ummm! She tried speaking. She was pinned to the tree and wasn't allowed to move.
"shhh! What do you think where were you going?" Ralph asked her.
"Leave me" She rejected.
He was centimeters away from her.
In this cold weather, his touch seemed like warm quilt. It felt good when he touched me. I don't know but it felt like he cares. And that assumption increased my heart beats.
They heard sounds of crushing dry leaves. Someone was walking nearby. Their actions must have alerted those people.
"Just don't move!" he told June.
June didn't want to but she acted as if she has a huge problem with his closeness.
"Why are we hiding?" She asked.
"You were about to surrender yourself to the ones who wrecked village last night" He told her.
He had this lore in eyes. His eyes were gleaming dark and dangerous, daring June to say something.
"Why it concerns you?" She asked daringly.
"It doesn't. It's just I don't want you to die because of me. You walked here because of me." He answered while pushing himself away from her.
And it hurt. Why it hurts when he says such things? He hates me. Am I that rotten?
He crushed a leave while stepping back and again impinged into her.
"Oh Lord! Where are we stuck?" He murmured.
His heated body was bliss in distress for June. His blue eyes, pink lips which were a little rough and needed care, his broad chest, he wasn't that mature after all. He was just at the beginning of a beautiful youth. He is perfectly adolescent. June realized.
"You can stand a bit far from me" She asked while rolling her eyes.
He looked at her angrily.
It feels good when he looks at me this way. There's something in me which feels satisfied.
He clutched her arms tightly and said, "What do you think I love standing near to you? Or do I love touching you? Hummm?"
June couldn't say a word. All she wanted was prolonging this time when he was touching her.
"Jesus! Forgive me! I shouldn't be craving for such things. I shouldn't think about him in such way. He is one rude man who hates me."
Minutes passed and they were standing like this. June tried groping his fabric several times. He didn't spare a glance on her once.
It started raining slowly. He stayed attentive all these hours like a hawk. When leaves became a little wet, he grabbed her hand and ran away from this trap. They kept running for meters.
"I can't run anymore" She insisted.
"We need to get away from this place" Ralph told her.
He forcibly made her run for few minutes.
Ahha! It feels good when he is being authoritative. What is happening to me? June reckoned.
Slight rain made them wet enough to catch cold. He saw a small cave.
"I think we should stay here until dawn breaks. " Ralph left her hand immediately.
It offended. Why it felt like that's it? June was unable to control her anxiety.
Absence of his firm grip was making her restless. She wanted to make it evident that she is offended. She wanted to offend him viciously.
She threw the coat which George gave him. Ralph was looking at her. She looked annoyed.
He collected few dry woods and light the fire.
Ralph looked at her. Her skin looked golden in the light. Her sea green eyes, perfect lips and wet hair, he did notice her.
Fine lines of annoyance on her forehead were looking cute. He brushed his flat wet hairs to make them part.
"Yes! I did like him when first I saw him. It was him who interested me. His rough, rude and irking attitude was one thing which I wanted to feel. " June accepted to herself.
June was landing in reality.
Ralph fell asleep in few minutes. June had no other option but try to sleep. Warm fire made her sway in sleep soon enough.
He did check on her two- three times when she was trying to sleep.
And when he was sure that she is asleep, he opened his eyes to look at her.
Her scattered hair needed care. He reached her and tucked them behind her ear. Her eyes look like almond when they are closed. Her lips stay little open when she sleeps. Yes! He did notice her before.
When he saw her in church with her mom, when she was praying, when she fell asleep this afternoon, when he was standing inches away from her few hours ago, He did notice her. Her scent was teasing his nostrils when he stood close to her. He did grope her waist when he impinged into her. He did touch her a little less than enough to make it go unnoticed.
He hated her when he came to know about his father, he did vent out on her to stamp his hatred but he can't deny the fact that she is beautiful and he likes her.
When he tucked each of bristle behind her ear, he admitted numerous times that he wanted to do it so desperately.
He moved his fingers to brush his thumb over her lips but then stopped because he would love to do it when she can apprehend this touch. June opened her eyes. Her eyes were telling from how long she wanted to see his face.
Ralph looked embarrassed. She flickered a glance at his mouth which was half open as if inviting her to explore it. He was perplexed as if he was caught red handed.
All June needed to do was tilting her chin and reach her tongue out to his lips but she swallowed the thought and pushed herself away. It was not her move to do.
From here there was no respite. Ralph couldn't continue this act of cold. He grabbed her in arms and kissed her.
And when they broke the kiss, a smile swayed on her lips. Ralph again clutched her lips to prevent them from smiling.
"How much I hated your smile when George used to flirt with you?" He said after prolonged kiss. How much I hated your subtle smiles when he used to show care towards you! For how long I envied my own brother for being close to you!
I wish I could tell.
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Please wish Manu aka Magical_mania here: HBD Manu
Ganesh Kartikeya
