Exile

15. A TRUCE!!

After Harika had her fill of Halwa, sisters snuggled into each other, and wanted to sleep it off, but their mother would preferably kill them, because they are yet to have dinner! After a moment of peaceful silence, Harika apologized to her sister "I am sorry." It came out as a whisper but Pratyaksha heard it.

Pratyaksha knew she had to compromise her values, for this time but she decided to go with it. Her father wanted her to understand Harika and she should start doing that. There can't be a better start than calling a TRUCE. Just like always, she trusted Agastya to handle the situation. If her parents decided to leave it on Agastya, then there is nothing she could do. It is better for her to do the same as well. "It's ok!" She replied but her response without any lecture took Harika by surprise.

Harika pulled back and looked at her sister "Aap teek ho?"

Pratyaksha rolled her eyes and whacked the girl "You forgave me and I am returning the favour. It's a one time thing. Doesn't mean I approve what you did!!" It is now Harika's turn to roll the eyes but she didn't argue with her sister. She is smarter than that!

"I will try not to repeat." She mumbled, as she snuggled back into her sister and Pratyaksha chose to ignore that because she didn't trust herself to not slap her sister again. She is already tolerating a lot, by letting that incident go and she won't be able to listen her sister trying to justify what she did and why she did!! It is beyond her and she chose to draw a line there.

Harika didn't probe further as well but she is suddenly struck with an idea. She pulled back and looked at her sister "Aap college mein baat karoge mereliye?"

The request took Pratyaksha by surprise. She looked at her sister "Agastya is supposed to do that, Isn't he?!" She asked directly. Harika shook her head sadly "He is not willing to agree."

"And why is he not willing to agree?" Pratyaksha asked but Harika didn't want to talk about it "Aap vo sab chodo. Aap batao. Kya aap baat karoge mere liye college aake?"

Pratyaksha sighed. It didn't feel like the right thing to do. She was calling a truce, just so that Agastya could handle it. As much as she hated to agree, the man got her sister to apologize! She didn't know how he did that with "Oh-so-soft heart" and a "serene smile", but he pulled it off. If she agrees to this, she would be encroaching Agastya's territory but the hopeful look on her sister's face tugged her. It has been so long, Harika asked something from her. She is not jealous of Agastya, but she missed her sister in the past few months. For once, she wanted to get selfish and be the reason for her sister's smile.

Moreover, her sister looked genuinely sorry. At least, the girl now knows that it is the wrong thing to do.

She agreed making Harika, the happiest!

Agastya on the other side is a mess in simple terms. He bolted the door before asking a servant to inform Anjali that he is tired and is sleeping. He laid back on the bed and tried to relax himself. When it didn't work, he sat down and started with breathing exercises which usually helped him. It took more time than the usual but he did relax eventually.

Not finding Harika triggered a lot of memories, scary ones precisely. For a second, he couldn't think of anything but Harika being in danger and he won't be able to reach her on time. When he saw Harika fine, all his bottled up emotions and fear came out as anger!! The thought of loosing his loved ones is too much for anyone but considering how he lost everything, it had him terrified! The girl might not realise it yet, but she made a special place for herself in his life. She reminded him his Akshat, almost every time. And that made her special for him, without even trying.