Prithvi... [Vol 3]

Chapter 79

Tiny pink and purple flowers were growing valiantly amid thick clusters of weeds along the base of the temple’s walls. Nandini wistfully viewed their carefree and dainty movements as they danced in the light breeze.

She believed that to be born as a human being was a great blessing, but the idea of a life without tensions and complications was extremely tempting at times.

“Don't stop,” a male voice said intolerantly.

“Sorry, sorry,” she said quickly, looking down at the man resting his head on her lap.

She smiled at the impatience writ on Prithvi’s features and restarted the stroking of his lush black hair. Satisfied, he resumed his pensive inspection of the sky while fiddling intermittently with the fingers of her other hand.

 “Should I tell grandpa and ma after going home?” Nandini asked hesitantly.

“No, let your father’s friend do the honours in the evening,” he replied.

“Okay,” she agreed gladly.

Silence fell again. Nandini let it carry on for a while, and then impulsively enquired, “What are you thinking about?”

Prithvi looked at her contemplatively. “This red crap makes your hands look diseased,” he stated. “And smell weird,” he added disgustedly, sniffing her palm with distaste to bring home his point.

“It does not!” she said indignantly, snatching her hand out of his grasp.

Convinced of the beauty of the mehendi on her hands, she gazed at the intricate design fondly. He was probably the only person in the universe who could associate disease with the beautiful red lines that twisted and turned and swirled into patterns that swathed her fingers and palm and spilled over to her wrist… like a flaring infection that was ravaging her skin…

She blinked in dismay.

“You see it, don’t you?”

 “Yes, it looks like – No! No!” she rectified hastily, attempting to expunge the ghastly image from her mind. “I don’t - ” she stopped in defeat and looked at him exasperatedly.

He was grinning smugly at the ease with which he could manipulate her thoughts.

“You have a sick imagination,” she snapped as he reclaimed her hand again.

“If only you knew,” he muttered.

Her fingers stopped in tandem with her heart on seeing the wicked glimmer in his gaze.  She was sure he was to going pull her down to kiss her…

His fingers grazed the bangles on her wrist.