Sankatmochan gleefully loaded his plate with eatables, came out of the kitchen and through the open door saw Prithvi wiping down his bike, polishing every bit until the vehicle gleamed in the sunlight. He waddled outside and settled down on the topmost step with his plate.

“If only you would lavish a woman with that very same kind of affection, brother” Sankatmochan sighed. “Your bike, splendid as it is, will not keep you warm on cold and wintry -,”

“Have you ever tried talking about anything except this filth,” Prithvi asked irritably.

“But what else in this world is worth talking about,” the fat man enquired solemnly. “Though I know I am wasting my life discussing such delicious topics with you. You have never shown interest in developing enjoyable intimacies with God’s most attractive creation – women. And that fanatical guardian of yours was proud of you for the discipline!! I can hardly believe it. How could he be proud to see your indifference to such a delightful species? So many women have tried to drown you in their attractions ever since you entered your teenage years. But with absolute heartlessness, you paid no heed to their desirability, leaving a trail of broken hearts. And I am confident that you must have shattered numerous sweet and hopeful dreams even in that foreign land where you went for your studies. If only that cruel and boring man had let me accompany you, I would have been able to soothe the pain of those girls through my charming words and company,” he concluded dejectedly.

“Your charming words and company have sent countless women screaming for help,” Prithvi said dryly. “And let me remind you again that if you try of your depraved stunts while you’re here, you won’t live to see the next day’s sunrise.”

“I hear you loud and clear, dear brother. But I fail to understand your insensitivity to the naive beauty next door,” he said sadly. “I understand that you both go to the same institution. And I have learnt through mysterious sources that the poor girl has to catch a bus and walk in the hot sun to reach the college. I know you only have to go on a few days in the week, but why don’t you offer a ride to Nandini on the days that you both have to attend college?”

Catching the last part of the conversation, Nandini, who had almost stepped on the threshold of the house on her way outside, immediately stopped and stood against the door, aghast at the question. What was Sankatmochan thinking to even consider asking such a question?

Shamli was a small town, and although its culture was slowly changing with the new times, its people were still quite traditional and conservative. No one would pay any heed to seeing her with Prithvi in public, walking and chattering, because she behaved similarly with most people in the locality and they had seen her innate liveliness since infancy.

But if she were seen roaming around on a bike with him in broad daylight….she winced at the thought and closed her eyes, dreading the answer to the tactless question.

“Are you really so stupid?” Prithvi asked angrily. “Do you have any idea what kind of gossip that will cause here? I don’t want any disgusting talk to spread in this hidebound place.”

Leaning against the door, Nandini grinned to herself, relieved and pleased.

“Disgusting talk about who exactly may you be referring to, brother?” Sankatmochan asked slyly. “Because I know for a fact that you couldn’t care less what anyone says or thinks about you.”

“Keep talking if one thrashing this morning wasn’t enough for you,” Prithvi snapped and he tossed the cloth aside and stormed into the house, leaving behind a chuckling Sankatmochan and a blushing and thankful young girl. 

***********************

Suvek stood outside the principal’s office, impatiently awaiting permission to enter. He had excellent news for the greedy man. His father had informed him that he would be donating a huge amount for some new facilities for the college. And the news would significantly increase his standing in the eyes of the principal and the professors, he thought and smirked.

“Ah Suvek!”

He turned to see Professor Mishra and an unknown boy, who seemed to be around his own age, walking down the corridor.

 “Prithvi, this is Suvek….one of our most excellent students,” Mishra beamed once he had reached him.  “Prithvi has only recently joined our college and we are very happy that he chose this institution for his specialized study and research. He is the youngest Phd student we’ve had in our history and we know that he will make our college proud and increase our ranking in the country.”

Suvek shook Prithvi’s hand with a broad smile even though his insides were abruptly feeling appallingly cold.

So this was Prithvi…

He felt bitterly aware that if he had to give a sketch of the type of man he would not want anywhere near the girl he loved, he only had to describe Prithvi….Though he did feel slightly puzzled at the inexplicable iciness in the boy’s eyes as they regarded him.

“So how has your experience in our college been until now, Prithvi?” he asked.

“It’s been alright,” Prithvi shrugged, and Suvek maliciously noticed the rather injured expression on the face of the professor.

“You are yet to know about the extracurricular activities offered by our institute, Prithvi,” Mishra beamed. “I am convinced that once you become part of the mainstream group here, you’ll truly enjoy the experience. Our college has several teams in sports and intellectual games. I am confident that you’ll be a valuable addition to many of them.”

“I’m not particularly keen on joining any extracurricular activities,” Prithvi said uninterestedly.

“But Professor Jalan has informed me that you are brilliant in several kinds of sports, including polo, chess, archery and sword fighting,” Mishra said inquisitively.

Although the synthetic smile remained fixed on his face, Suvek’s eyes held plain aggression and sarcasm as he looked from the professor to Prithvi. The boy genius had not been satisfied at being known for his superficial academic achievements, and so had invented some sports feats to add to his brand value.

“He evidently has some wrong notion about me,” Prithvi said bluntly. “Those games were merely part of the study program at the institute. That doesn’t automatically mean I’m brilliant at any of them.”

Suvek managed not to sneer with huge difficulty. A fake show of humility….just to make an impact on the professor….he had to admit that the guy was as good as him in impressing others. And also, he had studied in one of the best schools in India, but it had not had any such kind of activities at all. Which strange institute had Prithvi attended that had these games as part of the curriculum?

“Now you are being very modest, Prithvi,” the professor smiled and turned to Suvek. “Diwakar has told me that he used to represent his school in global tournaments. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if he joined our college teams too, Suvek?”

“That would be great,” Suvek lied, with the bitterness inside him increasing with every passing second. He was finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the wide smile on his face, and only his years of experience in being the role-model for others were helping him keep up the pretense of civility.

“I am honoured,” Prithvi said sardonically. “But I’m afraid I have to pass up the kind offer. I stopped entering tournaments a long time ago.”

Smirking inside, Suvek tried to look sympathetic. The guy had probably been very second-rate and must have lost in every competition he participated before deciding to give up….

As a student approached the professor with some query and diverted his attention, Suvek patronizingly said, “You mustn’t let failure get to you, Prithvi. A lot of people tend to quit when they don’t succeed in their first attempts, and thus, miss out on achieving great things in life.”

“That was a very profound thing you just said. I’ll write it down once I get home so that I never forget it,” Prithvi said gravely.

Suvek frowned and looked at him guardedly. Prithvi’s tone had been serious, and yet, something gave Suvek the uneasy impression that he was being made the target of some major joke.

“But that was not the exact reason I gave up on tournaments,” Prithvi continued.

“Then what was the reason?” 

“Winning all the time became monotonous,” Prithvi shrugged.

Suvek gaped at him, embarrassed and furious. There had not been any arrogance or pride in the matter-of-fact statement ….it had rung with truth, plain and simple.

As the student went on his way, the professor turned to the two boys again. “Alright, we’ll continue on our way, Prithvi.”

“See you around, Prithvi,” Suvek said with an affected smile, shaking hands again.

“Hopefully…..not,” Prithvi muttered, with the last word barely audible.

Before Suvek could wrathfully decide if he had misheard him, the professor and Prithvi had turned their backs on him and were walking away, conversing again.

And he abruptly felt a wave of dejection blight his mood. This guy was living in the house next to Nandini’s….he had the advantage of being near her on all 365 days of the year. And for a boy at this age, the presence of a young and exquisite girl like Nandini in the vicinity would be like manna from heaven.

But then he thought of Nandini….smiling, cheerful and captivatingly simple. And he looked at the forbidding aura around the unbelievably conceited guy striding along the corridor. Such dissimilar and contradictory personalities…..

No, nothing could possibly develop between them….

In fact, maybe if he played his cards right, he could develop a friendship with Prithvi. And through that route, he might finally make some progress in his relationship with Nandini. It might not work out, but there was no harm in trying…..

***********************

“I think this book will be very helpful for the exams,” Nandini whispered in the library, turning the pages of the textbook. She was nonchalantly using her right hand for the purpose, regardless of the burnt fingers. She wasn’t sure what was in the medicine that Prithvi had applied, but the pain and ache had almost vanished within an hour. And the soreness of the bruise on the left hand had also reduced considerably and the vicious purple shade had become a harmless pink.

She, Vrinda, Nishi and Rishabh were sitting in one corner of the gigantic library. They were sitting in the literature section and Rishabh had dragged his engineering books from the other end of the room so he could sit with them.

“This one is good too. We’ll take both these books,” Vrinda said.

“Alright,” Nandini agreed. Feeling a peculiar tingling on her skin, she absentmindedly rubbed her neck.

“What’s wrong? Is your neck aching?” Nishi asked.

“No, I just felt something prickle just now.”

“Nandini, isn’t that Prithvi who’s just walked in?” Vrinda asked enthusiastically, looking over her shoulder.

Nandini twisted around in her seat delightedly, and saw that it was indeed him.

“Prithvi? That guy who's your neighbour? I’ve not met him till now,” Rishabh said, only seeing the back of the boy who was taking a book out of the topmost shelf. And then he turned around, flipping through the pages of an enormous book.

“That’s the guy who helped me that day!” Rishabh yelled excitedly.

Many students and the librarian looked up and frowned at the small group. 

“Shhh Rishabh! Don’t shout,” Nandini scolded. “And what do mean? Have you met him before?”

“You know, that day when those jerks tried to beat me up again, and I had the bandage on my face the next day. I told you, didn’t I? About the stranger who helped me! That’s him!”

“It was Prithvi who helped you that day?” Nandini asked, astounded.

“Wow!” Vrinda exclaimed.

“This guy is just extraordinary!” Nishi said, impressed.

Fervently thanking Prithvi with all her heart, Nandini didn’t say anything. A second later, she smiled. “I’ll introduce you to him, Rishabh. Come with me.”

Both rose from their seat, but as Nishi began to rise, Vrinda tugged at the corner of her dress, and she sat down again.

“Aren’t you both coming?” Nandini asked, puzzled.

“We’ve met him already, and the librarian may not like too many of us moving around,” Nishi explained, understanding the signal. “So we’ll wait here.”

“Okay,” Nandini smiled and began walking along with Rishabh towards Prithvi.

Once they were alone at the table, Vrinda whispered, “Am I imagining it or did her face just turn almost red when she saw Prithvi?”

“You didn’t imagine it…her face actually lit up….and she looked so happy. Actually, I’ve been noticing it for some days now,” Nishi said thoughtfully, “And I have an idea she's not been telling us many important developments in her life.”

 “Like what?”

“Like how is it that the girl who was intimidated by Prithvi now happily hurries towards him with her friend in tow,” Nishi said astutely. “She blushes when he is mentioned; her face just lights up when she sees him, and do you remember how she had jumped to his defense some days ago, and the other time when she told he had pulled her clip out of her hair and broken them. We had not been able to ask for details but I remember she had blushed so much then too. And the expression on her face when Rishabh said Prithvi was the one who saved him….all of it is making me feel she is….Do you also think….” Nishi stopped midway, reluctant to continue.

Vrinda remained quiet for a minute and then nodded. “When you put it like that, it does seem like…..but do you think she knows…..”

“I don’t know….but I don’t think she does…do you think we should ask her?”

Vrinda didn’t reply and both sat in bemused and uneasy silence.

Nandini and Rishabh treaded up to Prithvi, who had sat down on one of the chairs and seemed absorbed in his book.

“Hi, Prithvi. Are you busy,” Nandini asked cheerfully, sitting down opposite him.

“No, this is where I come to gossip and party,” Prithvi said tonelessly, his eyes fixed on the book.

Annoyed, Nandini promptly reached over the table and tugged the book out of his hands.

“What do you think you are doing? Give it back!” he demanded irately, his eyes snapping up.

“This is Rishabh, one of my best friends,” she grinned. “And he's been waiting to meet you for many days now.”

Rishabh enthusiastically shook his hand. "Hi! It’s great to finally meet you. And that day, if you hadn’t helped….I wanted to thank you, but you'd already left."

"I didn’t do anything worth a thanks," Prithvi responded offhandedly. Nandini fondly smiled at him.

"But you taught those jerks a good lesson, and they haven’t picked on me after that. If you need any help or information about this place, I'll be glad to help you out," Rishabh said eagerly.

“For starters, you could tell me if there is some place in the library where I could escape your friend,” Prithvi said with a nasty look at her, and reached out with startling speed to snatch his book back.

“Hey!” Nandini said heatedly.

“He's right, Nandini. You should have let him study in peace,” Rishabh admonished her.

“Just who’s friend are you, Brutus?” she snapped, and stood up and stomped back to her girlfriends.

Rishabh shook his head and looked at Prithvi understandingly. “We're sorry for disturbing you, Prithvi. And I hope we'll catch up again soon.”

“Sure,” Prithvi nodded, and then amusedly looked at the stiff outline of the beautiful girl moving between the widely spaced tables.

Rishabh followed his gaze and chuckled. “That temper is just for show. She’ll have cooled down by the time she reaches her chair. She is one of a kind.”

“She sure is,” Prithvi murmured with a grin.

******************

“You did very well, Rishabh! We are so proud of you,” Nandini smiled and clapped along with Nishi and Vrinda, as a beaming spectacled boy walked down the steps of the stage and joined them. He had just mumbled the lines, but at least he had recalled them this time, and all three girls were thrilled for him.

“I thought I’d mess up this time too, but then I somehow remembered all the lines,” Rishabh said ecstatically. “What do you girls think? Will I get the role?”

“I’m sure you will,” Nandini grinned and handed over his bag.

“Yeah, definitely,” Vrinda laughed.

“Okay I have to run for class now. Catch up with you three later,” he grinned and ran out of the huge room, dodging the littered chairs and the other aspirants.

The girls followed leisurely, looking inquisitively at the strange but pretty dresses kept on some of the chairs.

“This dress is pretty. And look at this little crown! It’s so cute,” Nandini said interestedly, bending over the chair and examining the light blue outfit and the silvery tiara with her hands behind her back.

”No one is looking at us. Let’s try it on,” Vrinda whispered animatedly.

“No don’t, Vrinda. Don’t touch them without permission,” Nandini said hurriedly.

“It’s ok. We’ll just try them on for a minute,” Vrinda said gleefully.

“Okay, but be quick,” Nishi said nervously, while Nandini looked around worriedly.

Vrinda kept the tiara on her head with a flourish and then held the dress on herself, and beamed. “So how do I look?”

“You look like a real princess,” Nandini giggled.

”Let me try it on now,” Nishi said, lifting the tiara from Vrinda’s head and keeping it on her own.

“You look like a princess too,” Nandini laughed.

“Now you try it,” Nishi grinned, advancing towards her.

“I don’t want to,” Nandini said quickly, but before she could stop them, Vrinda had thrust the dress upon her and Nishi had kept the crown on her head.

“Let me follow the tradition and ask – How do I look?” Nandini said mischievously.

“You look like the princess of the story,” a stunned female voice said.

Nandini turned in astonishment and saw Daya looking at her with a triumphant expression.

“We’ve found our princess, Vijay,” the stout springy-haired girl told the boy standing next to her. “Inform all the other contenders and cancel the auditions for the heroine.”

“Daya! What are you - I’m not here for the auditions! I only came here to see Rishabh’s trial,” Nandini said in dismay, as Nishi and Vrinda looked at each other joyously.

“Rishabh! He was terrible!” Daya shuddered, and Nandini felt her heart sink.

“Daya…please give him some role in the show,” she said earnestly. “Please. It will break his confidence if he finds out he’s not been selected again.”

“But he’s just awful! You, on the other hand, will be perfect for the heroine! At least give it a try.”

“She’ll do it!” Vrinda interrupted loudly before Nandini could answer.

“Yeah, just give us some time. We’ll get her ready,” Nishi said.

“But I don’t want to – I’m really sorry, but I can’t take part in this,” she said firmly.

Daya sighed. “Look, let’s strike a deal. Rishabh is pathetic but I’ll give him a role if you'll just try giving the audition.”

Nandini stopped protesting and looked at her in absolute shock. “You’ll give him a role if I agree to give a trial? Are you serious about this?” she asked weakly after some anxious moments.

“I promise. But you have to swear to do your best,” Daya warned. “You can think about it today and be here at 11 tomorrow morning if you are ready.”

************************

Nandini stood at the beginning of the path leading to the old temple, debating whether to enter the woods or not. She had arrived from college an hour ago, and after freshening up, had left the house after telling her mother that she was going for a short walk.

She needed to think about Daya’s offer and the prospect of peace and quiet had drawn her to this area. Grandpa disliked her visiting the secluded temple alone, but surely it would do no harm if she just went inside and sat there for a few minutes. Anyways, she would have to return home soon. There were some small tasks she needed to finish for her mother in the kitchen and she also had to tidy up Prakashs’ room a little, and finish a project for tomorrow’s class.

She determinedly proceeded on the leaf strewn road. But when she finally reached the open area inside, someone was already there.

Prithvi was sitting on one of the large rocks in the middle of the grass, staring unseeingly at the temple’s doors, his hands fiddling with something shiny.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, taken aback.

Prithvi spared her a glance and then looked away again as she carefully made her way towards him, keeping a cautious lookout for reptiles in the grass.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he said shortly, his right hand forming a fist around the sparkling object, hiding it from her view.

“I came here because I’m confused about something and don’t know what to do and wanted to think in peace,” she sighed and sat down on the other side of the rock, which rose around 3 feet above the ground.

“When do you ever know what to do?”

“If you’re going to make fun of me, then I’m not going to tell you anything,” Nandini said crossly, inattentively plucking a blade of grass and twirling it around her fingers.

 “There she goes again with overreacting,” he said under his breath, and then catching her flashing eyes, swiftly added in a mollifying tone, “I’ll try to take you seriously. That’s the best I can promise.”

“How nice of you,” she said resentfully. “Now listen to my problem. It’s about one of the dramas that is going to -”

“The one with those revolting lines?” he demanded coldly.

“Not that one,” Nandini said quickly, and he relaxed slightly. “Not the one with those dialogues. It’s – it’s the other one, which is just something based on a silly fairytale.”

“What about it?” he asked.

“You met Rishabh today, didn’t you? He’s always been an introvert, but now he really wants take part in one of the dramas. But he wasn’t selected for the other one. And he tried again to get something in this production. But he didn’t do very well today also. And then the drama’s director and coordinator, Daya, said if I agree to give an audition to become the lead, she’ll give him a part. But I’m terrified of the stage, and now I don’t know what to do,” she said miserably.

”Well, firstly I can’t understand how and why Daya wants you to play any role in her show, leave alone that of the lead,” Prithvi said thoughtfully.

“Is that your idea of being helpful?” she asked angrily.

“No, I was just wondering why anyone would want to ruin their work with own hands,” he grinned.

“I’m sorry I thought you could help,” she snapped, rising to her feet. “I’ll go home and leave you here with your meanness and find someone else to help me.”

“But I don’t see why you need any advice at all,” he shrugged.

Nandini looked at him suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

“Rishabh is a good friend of yours, isn’t he?”

When she nodded, he asked, “And you genuinely want to see him become part of the show?”

“I really do, because this is the first time he’s ever tried to participate in something like this, and I know it will seriously increase his confidence if he is selected,” she said earnestly, and sat down again unconsciously.

“Then I don’t see any reason for uncertainty,” Prithvi said calmly, “Just be a friend and do everything you can to help him.”

Nandini stared at him as he spoke, suddenly feeling a wonderful lightness fill her heart….

Be a friend…and do what you can….

It had been so simple….it was her responsibility as a friend to do everything in her power for Rishabh, and she would do it….

But how….

“But I’m too scared to even go on stage. And I know she won’t like my act at all, but what if she does like it? What if she forces me to take the role,” she asked desperately, “The last time I’ve been in a show before is when I was 6 years old and I had been given the role of a tree. All I had to do was stand in a corner and even then I had been terrified,” she added glumly.

Absorbed in the old memory and twisting the blade of grass absentmindedly between her fingers, she didn’t see the mingled amusement and tenderness in his eyes as they rested on her forlorn features.

“How will I do it?” she continued gloomily, “I’ve never ever done anything even remotely like this before.”

Some indistinct emotion flickered in Prithvi’s gaze at the last statement.

“So the real question is…. if you’ve not experienced something before….a new phase or…. a new emotion ….will you still have the courage to go ahead?” he asked quietly.

Surprised at the unanticipated grimness in his tenor, she turned to see him studying her with an enigmatic but compelling challenge in his eyes

And all of a sudden…as she mutely absorbed the disturbing intensity of his look….vague implications of the simple yet perilous question swarmed her unsuspecting mind….and Nandini felt a little unsettled....a little afraid….

Unable to meet his penetrating gaze, she wrenched her eyes away and looked at the temple walls in helpless uncertainty.

“I – I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it,” she whispered.

“Coward,” he murmured mockingly, and mercifully looked away.

Nandini cringed, feeling wretched and guilty in face of the accusation. After a highly awkward space in time, determined to bring back the conversation to normal, with forced cheerfulness she asked, “So what are you doing here? Have you been coming here alone frequently?”

“Hmm…”

“I used to love coming here, but then grandpa told me to stop sitting here on my own because it’s not safe,” she sighed.

“He’s right, its not,”

“But this place is close to the main square,” she said exasperatedly. “So how can it be dangerous?”

“It’s too deserted,” he said briefly.

“But you’ll always find people within calling distance. So it’s not that bad,” she insisted.

“Yes it is. The woods are quite thick and no one on the outside will know anything that happens here. Don’t come here by yourself again,” he added curtly.

“Alright, Alright, I won’t,” she said pacifyingly, secretly happy at his concern. “So tell me, why were you sitting here all alone?” she asked with a smile.

He didn’t respond for a while. Then casually said, “It’s my mother’s birth anniversary today.”

Nandini looked at him speechlessly, startled by the unexpected admission. Rajesh uncle had said that his mother had passed away when he had been around 6 years old. That was all she knew about Prithvi’s mother, Nandini realized with a pang. And he himself had never said a word about her prior to this moment.

“I…..didn’t - You’ve never spoken about her before,” she said hesitantly, unsure of what to say.

When he didn’t say anything but continued to gaze into the distance with troubled eyes, she delicately asked, “What was her name?”

His subdued answer was almost a sigh. “Priyamvada,” 

“Priyamvada….that’s a beautiful name,” Nandini smiled.

“Not as beautiful as she was,” he said softly.

“Do you have a picture of her?” Nandini asked gently.

“No, not a single one. This is all I have left,” he said inaudibly and finally opened his clenched right fist.

A thin gold chain glittered in his palm. And a faint memory reared in Nandini’s mind.  That night, when the intruders had broken into Ayodhya, she had been horrified at his brutal questioning of one of the men. And he had been asking about a chain….it must have been this one, considering the untamed fury she had sensed in him when he had believed it stolen.

“Your mother hasn’t gone anywhere, she is still with you,” Nandini said caringly. “Just like my father is still with me. Those whom we love, and who love us, never truly leave our side.”

“It doesn’t matter….nothing matters anymore,” he said tiredly.

Instinctively sensing the pain behind the mild statement, unbearable compassion rose inside Nandini, and she slowly placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, a painful lump forming in her throat.

It was only when her fingers touched the warmth of the broad shoulder that it occurred to her that he might not appreciate her sympathy. But though he didn’t meet her tearful gaze, he also didn’t make any motion to shrug off the hand.

How long had he been sitting here….alone with his grief. Was she intruding on the time he wanted for himself? Perhaps, she should leave, but how could she leave him in this frame of mind. And yet, the niggling doubt in her mind that he wanted to be left by himself with his memories wouldn’t go away.

Forcing herself to move, Nandini withdrew her hand and rose to her feet. 

Prithvi looked up with startled black eyes. “You’re leaving?”

She gave a puzzled nod, trying to gauge if it was disappointment that she heard in his voice. “I thought…maybe….you want to be alone,” she said hesitantly.

“I do,” he said succinctly, looking away towards the lush surroundings.

Depressed but understanding his state, she began to turn away. But in a swift movement, he reached out and caught hold of her hand. Slightly confused, she looked from his grasp to his flushed face.

“But if you have nothing else to do, you can sit here if you wish,” he muttered indifferently.

So he wanted her to stay, she realized in delighted astonishment. Though he wouldn’t ask her to. He was too arrogant for that, she thought amusedly. His clasp was very light and she understood that he was giving her the freedom to pull away and leave if she so desired.

She remembered the errands she had to complete for her mother, Prakash’s room that had to be tidied up, the college project she had to complete by tonight….

“No, I don’t have anything to do. Can I sit here for some time?” she asked softly, an indulgent smile on her lips.

“If you want to,” he said unconcernedly. But although he didn’t look at her, some heaviness seemed to have vanished from his tone.

He didn’t release her hand as she settled down again, so that she was forced to sit very close to him. The moment she took a seat, his strong fingers smoothly wove between her delicate ones, and Nandini felt her heart come to a stop as he casually interlocked their hands and wordlessly rested it against the small rocky slope between them.

Flustered, she looked at him searchingly. However, he remained silent and distant, and she tore her eyes away and studied the area frantically with a hammering heart, trying to overlook the painful awareness of the warm pressure of his palm against hers, and the fact that their shoulders were brushing against each other.

But, as the minutes passed by, some of the sudden peacefulness in his striking features seemed to seep into her own skin. And she began to feel more at ease and slowly relaxed in the picturesque and isolated spot, and idly wondered why she was finding an unusual and fresh loveliness in the familiar area.

Spring was coming….no, it was already here, she realized with growing amazement. When had the cold days of January passed by? They were already nearing the middle of February, and soon summer would be here….

They sat in an oddly poignant and enchanting silence for a very long while amid the flourishing green surroundings, with the occasional sounds of birds and small creatures sweetly interrupting the stillness and the blooming flora generously imparting fragrances to the sighing breeze.

From nowhere, Nandini’s ears caught very faint sounds of numerous bells tolling. The evening pooja was going on at the temple…..

With a start, Nandini became conscious of the fact that the sun was very close to setting and the skies were slowly turning crimson with its dying light. It was surely passed 5:30, which means she had left the house more than an hour ago. And she had always returned home before this time. Her family must already be worried, she realized with a pang. However, the thought of leaving felt absurdly distressing….and her hand was still imprisoned within his….

Prithvi glanced at her, and as if sensing the drift of her feelings, he unlocked his fingers from in-between hers, and pensively began fiddling with the gold chain with both hands again, his eyes on the ground.

“It’s getting late, you should go home,” he said calmly.

Relieved but feeling the need to explain, she mumbled, “Ma will be worried otherwise. Aren’t you coming?”

“In a minute.”

Nandini rose and began to walk away, wondering what explanation she could give her mother for the delay in reaching home.

“Nandini,”

She halted and spun around, and saw Prithvi getting to his feet smoothly, looking very ill at ease.

“Could you do me a favour?” he muttered.

“Sure, what is it?” she said, mystified.

He opened his fist, gazed at the sparkling chain resting in its palm for a moment, and then held it out to her.

“Keep this with you for some time, until I throw out Mochi,” he murmured. “It’s not safe in the house as long as he is around.”

Unimaginably stunned, Nandini stared at him in silence. Then she walked up to him and held out her right hand. He dropped it into the centre of her palm, and instantly stepped around her and strode away without another word.

But Nandini remained standing for a few seconds, staring in wonder at the infinitely precious possession handed over to her care and protection. As her fingers closed around it tightly, the whole wooded area unexpectedly acquired a sacred glow.

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                                                                       End of Volume I