Me Before You

8

8

Until the galloping horse took her round the vast greenery, her genuine smile wasn't back. Holding the reins of horse and adored by the laughter that is uniquely hers, she looked like the princess he always knew she was.

Her happiness was so much worthier than the extra few hundred rupees Ashwin has to slip to the horse man to earn his silence about seeing him and Shivangi together.

"Neenga horse la polaya?" she asked as he helped her get down.

(Don't you want to ride the horse?)

"Naan neraya poiruken. Horse riding kathuruken."

(I have rode many times. In fact I have learnt horse riding.)

She looked up at him surprised. "Apdiya? Sollirunda namba onna horse la poirukalam. Padathula ellam vara madiri. Enakum fast ah poganum nu asai."

(Really! We could have gone together like in the movies. I would have loved to ride in speed.)

Talk about another one of teenage Ashwin's fantasies. "Kandipa innoru naal polam."

(Some other day for sure.)

***

Shivangi was scanning the ice cream menu. Ashwin has strictly told her not to get one. What with her being singer and all. He thinks she should have lifetime ban on eating anything that could even remotely harm her voice.

"Voice mukkiyam Shivangi ma." He said in Bigil style before he went away to attend a call.

(Your voice is important)

Shivangi however has least self control over her ice cream cravings, especially in such a good weather. She decided to buy a choco bar for herself. She can convince Ashwin. By now even she has come to learn that he cannot resist her puppy face and she will have no problem using it against him.

"Naan ippo enna sollitu ponen?" he asked as soon as he came to stand by her.

(What did I tell you?)

She was relishing the ice cream with at most adoration. "Ashwineey!" she whined and batted her eyelids.

He sighed deeply. "Seri." He gave up. "Onne onnu dan."

(Okay. Only one.)

Shivangi flashed him a brilliant smile making him chuckle.

"Unga amma kooda dana phone la pesineenga?" she asked

(Were you talking to your mother?)

He nodded.

"Enga irukirada poi sonnenga?"

(Did you lie about your whereabouts?)

"Poi ellam sollala. Friend kooda iruken nu unmaya dan sonnen."

(I didn't. I told her I was with a friend.)

"En kooda iruken nu sonnengala?" she asked shocked

(Did you say that friend is me?)

"Peru ellam sollala friend nu mattum sonnen."

(I didn't take names. Just told her it's a friend.)

Shivangi shook her head. "KD fellow neenga."

(You are sly.)

"Eppovum poi solla maaten. Inniku summa, oru chinna white lie."

(I don't lie often. It's just a white lie.)

"Ama, unga amma enna pathi enna sonanga?"

(What does your mother think about me?)