The Royal Explorer (Completed)

Chapter 34

"And what is this for?" he asked

We spent the rest of the late evening and all the night, exploring my Q tab. Initially Neel was afraid of it. Of the bright lights, of the floating screen.

But he would never fail to flash a big smile, every time he would see my wallpaper.

"How did you go in here?" he asked like a cute kid that he was.

I had burst out in laughter.

 I am sorry, but this was funny.

"What are you laughing at!" he felt self conscious.

"I am sorry, nothing." I said, trying hard to stop myself.

"Here have a look at this." I switched the camera on floating screen ahead of me.

"It's a mirror." He said, attempting to touch his fingers to the screen, matching his 'reflection'.

It made me laugh again, but I controlled.

"No" I said, trying to be as soft as possible. "This is a camera"

"Camera?"

Now I don't know what you call camera in hindi.

"Okay so here's what it does." I set the angle of the screen, and adjusted ourselves, and set the timer to 3 seconds.

"You have to smile okay?" I said as the timer started ticking.

"For what?" he looked at me confused, while I posed for the picture.

And here it was, our first ever picture.

A pretentious me, smiling at the camera, and a confused him, looking at me.

It so perfectly described, my initial few weeks here. Me being pretentious to survive here and him being confused about me.

I laughed at the picture until he took a note of that. He narrowed his eyes and leaned ahead towards the screen as if Neel from the other end would explain to him what just happened.

I chuckled to myself. Had I know his reactions would be so innocent and pure, I would have come out clean long time ago.

 Maybe.

"I told you to smile." I told him, pulling him away from the screen.

"This...." He was lost for words.

"Okay let's try this again." I said, and set the timer once again.

"Look at me and see what I am doing and copy okay?" I said as the countdown started.

I smiled at the camera, and he too, gave a very fake and weird smile.

"What is this?" I squeaked

"It's so weird. Looking at yourself and smiling." He cribbed.

"You don't smile at yourself in the mirror?" I retorted.

"I don't get time to see the mirror." He gave a dry response. "If I am free, I am either with you, or with the ministers."

"That means you're never really free!" I rolled my eyes and sulked.

He smiled to himself, as he turned away from me to look back again to the floating screen and then looked at me through the screen, still smiling, which ended me with a frustrated laugh.

"We'll try again." I said, as I set the timer for the third time.

He looked at me directly turning in my direction ,while I stuck my tongue out, teasing him through the camera which made him chortle, and finally the camera was able to picture that beautiful instant.