Nandini sat down next to her little brother who was struggling with a glass of milk. She quickly ate a few spoons of steaming upma and gulped down some water. Rising to her feet, she kept Prakash's empty plate atop her own and entered the kitchen.

Inside, at the little table, Bhoothnath was busily scribbling something on a notepad, while her mother stood by his side, looking down at the paper with an anxious expression.

"Why are you both so serious?" Nandini asked, while walking to the sink with the vessels.

Sarojini looked at her worriedly. "Yesterday when Aarti's uncle had come here, he told your grandfather that the boy's uncle met with an accident yesterday."

"At that time they weren't sure if it was a major thing and wanted me to keep the news to myself, so I didn't tell your mother or you. But they called again in the morning and said his condition is quite bad," her grandfather said sadly, forestalling Nandini's shocked question.

"How horrible for them!" she whispered, dismayed.

"For both the families. They boy's family have informed them that the wedding date may have to be postponed. Yesterday, Aarti's uncle wanted me to find out if there are more auspicious dates in the coming month just to be on the safe side. But now they are becoming increasingly sure that the marriage may not take place on the fixed date," Bhoothnath said apprehensively, pouring over his charts again.

"Let this news remain within our family," Sarojini said, "They don't want anyone to know about this for now. If the uncle shows at least some improvement by tomorrow, then no one will need to know about it…but if things get bad…."

Nandini nodded in understanding, being fully aware of the irrational and snide rumours that would spread through society at this news. Her spirits sank a little at the thought of the sudden gloom and tension that both the families would be experiencing.

"We'll tell Sumer Singh and Prithvi if the situation deteriorates and it is confirmed that the wedding is postponed," Bhoothnath said.

Astounded, Nandini looked at her grandfather. "Prithvi and Sumer uncle have been invited for the wedding?"

Sarojini smiled. "I was also very surprised because they've kept to themselves so far. But Aarti's mother told me that when those riots had broken out, Prithvi had helped her husband in the hospital."

"Prithvi helped - but I was there too and I didn't see uncle, and Prithvi didn't tell me anything about it," she said, mystified. Though he had disappeared for a few hours in between….was that when he….

Curbing a strong spurt of love and delight at that thought, Nandini quietly turned back to the sink, and smiled softly.

"She couldn't tell me more about it because she was very busy, and said she'll narrate the whole incident later. But their whole family is very grateful to him, and they are very keen that Prithvi should attend the wedding, whenever it be held."

"I don't think he will," Bhoothnath said vaguely, squinting down at the paper. "Sumer Singh told me yesterday that the boy does not like such functions."

"We cannot blame him for that. Boys of his age never like to attend these ceremonies. But I am sure he would have done something really good that day. He is so noble hearted," she said affectionately, while Bhoothnath devotedly scribbled planetary diagrams on the sheet.

Keeping the plates aside, Nandini wiped her hands dry on the small towel hung near the sink for the purpose. Then, assured that she had finally gained enough composure, she turned to look at her mother. "He isn't all that great, just acts like he is," she declared coolly.

"Nandini, you mustn't say such things about anyone," Sarojini said sternly.

But Nandini just smiled cheekily, and left the kitchen with judicious disinterest.

"She has never been so tough on anyone before. I simply cannot understand what she has against that poor boy!" Sarojini said exasperatedly, while Bhoothnath tried to make astrological calculations on his fingers with his tongue sticking out in concentration.

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

Sumer Singh held out the huge bag to the grocer, who took it from his hands and began putting in several vegetables.

"I have to come to the market twice a day because of Sankat, My lord," Sumer Singh complained. "He consumes enough food for 12 people. You have to tell him to do something about his appetite or I will throw him out one day."

Prithvi moved across him and took the stuffed bag from the grocer, and held out the money. "The problem is that you cook too well. Bring down the quality of your cooking and I'm sure he'll be out the next day," he replied thoughtfully, swinging the bag over his shoulder as they strolled back to the house.

Sumer Singh straightened a little with pride. "Cooking is an art, and I will not desecrate it even to get rid of that idiot."

"But then there is no way out," Prithvi sighed with supposed resignation as they began walking back to the house. "As long as Mochi keeps praising about your cooking skills, you're stuck with him."

"He praises the food? Well…I suppose his stay in the house isn't all that bad," Sumer Singh said grudgingly, and Prithvi looked away with a grin. "Bhoothnathji was also quite appreciative of the help that Sankat has been extending," he admitted. "Though I'm afraid if he gives in to his philandering ways -"

"He won't," Prithvi said calmly.
 
Sumer Singh correctly assumed that a very effective conversation had taken place between the two old friends before Sankat had been allowed to even venture out of the house.

"There is nothing to worry about then," he said, satisfied. "Bhoothnathji is very thrilled with you too. It was a very good thing that you went to see him when he was unwell. He was almost like a happy little boy when he was telling me that he finally learnt to play cards after years of being forbidden from it. And from what he said, I gathered that you hadn't riled him as much as you usually do. Now if you stop being impolite to him permanently, it would be really -

"Out of the question. I only did all that because I need him to be fine and cheerful so I can rag him peacefully in the future," Prithvi confessed.

Sumer Singh chortled, but wisely did not voice his doubts at that irreverent statement. For all of the outward disregard, he had seen the sharp concern in Prithvi's eyes when Sankat had informed them of Bhoothanth's ill health. And he hadn't been surprised either by Prithvi's quiet visit to the neighbouring house, or the fact that Bhoothnath had bounced back to health with renewed vigour and grit within hours.

If he had seen it once, he had seen it a million times. This ability of the boy to infuse life and spirit where there was none, with seemingly no effort. For years, people had been coming to him with heartwarming stories about his nephew. Prithvi had always been able to bring souls back from the brink….

"My lord…about the request I had made," Sumer Singh mumbled nervously.

"I'll meet him," Prithvi said gloomily.

Quietly elated, Sumer Singh smiled and kept a loving arm on his young ward's shoulder. "Thank you, my lord. I am truly grateful for the decision. Would it be possible to leave today itself?" he enquired diffidently.

"Alright," Prithvi conceded reluctantly. "So where is this thug right now?"

Sumer Singh's lips twitched. "At his palace in Jainagar."

"Why isn't he at a hospital if he's as ill as you say?" Prithvi asked sharply.

"He hates hospitals, and says he'd prefer to die on the streets than get admitted to one. He has also been refusing treatment at home."

"The old pervert is obviously insane," Prithvi said impatiently, and Sumer Singh winced. "But why are people even bothering about his wishes, unless they're eager to send him off to hell. Now that approach I can appreciate," he grinned.

Sumer Singh chuckled. "Your obstinacy is partly inherited, my lord. He doesn't have any family, and the serving staff is devoted but too afraid to force him into anything. They did try to take him to the hospital once, but though he is ill, he's also very tall and well built, and when he loses his temper, even the strongest attendants find it difficult to subdue him. They even attempted to take him when he was unconscious, but when he came to his senses, he created such a huge uproar in the private clinic that they were forced to discharge him immediately."

"Looks like there must be some good in him after all," Prithvi said interestedly, and Sumer Singh laughed again.

At the sound of some commotion on the nearby playground, they both turned to see a cricket match in progress. One of the small fielders had evidently just missed a crucial catch, and his team mates were coming to reward him for it. The first to reach him was an older boy who bore a remarkable appearance to the dishonoured fielder, and he started screaming at his younger brother. But the other players quickly reached the duo and pulled them apart before they started tearing each other's throats out.

Just another happy little family, Prithvi thought dryly.

He hesitated, and then casually asked, "Any news from Indrajit?"

"He's recovered, apart from the head injury," Sumer Singh said gently. 

"That's still not better?" he asked brusquely.

"It's almost healed, but he has to be very careful for some more days. If you wish, I can find out -"

"Don't bother. It's not like I care or anything" Prithvi said swiftly. "I was just thinking that now he'll have some excuse for the psychotic behaviour."

Sumer Singh smiled at the quick dismissal of any sentimental reasons, but there was an ocean of bitterness in his lined face at the terrible ruins that were all that remained of Adityaraj's family.

*********************
In the glorious but sparingly adorned room, the gorgeously carved desk was the most beautiful piece. The chamber had a high ceiling, walls of pure white, and very large windows, though these were almost entirely covered with velvet cobalt blue curtains. The few pieces of furniture were made of dark wood, and the chairs around the desk were encased in the same shade of velvet as the long curtains.

There were five people in the room. Two were standing on either side of the desk, two were sitting in the chairs in front of the table. All four men were looking deferentially at the still figure of the man sitting behind the desk.

Indrajit signed the papers on the desk with a cursory glance through the writing. The instant his pen lifted, Kundan Singh took the file and handed it to the suited men sitting across his master. They rapidly looked at the sheets and then closed the file with a small nod at each other.

"Is there anything else?" Indrajit coldly asked the two men.
 
"No, your highness," one of them answered nervously.

"Then why are you still sitting here. If work is so scarce, perhaps I don't need to keep paying either of you."

After the men had jumped to their feet, bowed and fled, Indrajit picked up another report from the beautiful tray on his desk and began rifling through it with marked disinterest.

Kundan Singh nodded at the other attendant with some instruction in his small eyes, but the other man shook his head in negation, refusing to invite trouble of any kind by raising unwelcome topics.

Furious malice glimmered in Kundan Singh's gaze; he'd have to enter the ring himself.
.
"Your Highness..."

"What?"

"As you know your uncle has apparently been requesting Prithvi to meet him once, and Prithvi has agreed. That won't be in our best interests, so shouldn't we be doing something to – to prevent this encounter?"

With a wince at the irksome pain in his head, Indrajit looked up at the man with uninterested eyes. "How is that meeting any concern of mine?"

More emboldened, Kundan Singh went on to express the disturbing train of his thoughts. "It is possible that he means to give his inheritance to Prithvi, and I've heard that his assets run into billions of rupees!"

"That wastrel has squandered away most of his wealth on alcohol and women," Indrajit said sneeringly. "And even if he has something left and he does name Prithvi as his successor, it means nothing to me."

"But his mother's family is also going to make him their heir. With all that money, his assets could exceed your own -"

"I don't want to hear that vile family mentioned again," Indrajit said, and the deadly chill in his tone sent a shiver down the spine of both the elderly men.

"I – I – I'm sorry, your highness!" Kundan Singh stammered fearfully.

"Money and land hold no fascination for me. I have enough to throw away for next 100 years. All I want is that sword, which is mine by right. But I have given my word to Prithvi that I will look for the sword by other means and not through him. And so it shall be."

"Promises are meant to be broken, your highness," Kundan Singh said slyly, and regretted saying it immediately as Indrajit looked at him with a viciously calculative expression.

 "With that ideology, you wouldn't think twice before betraying me too, Kundan Singh," he murmured.

A terrorised gasp escaped Kundan Singh. "Never, your highness! Never!"

"Then I don't want to hear another word about this," Indrajit said frigidly. "Once again, you are coming very close to forgetting your place, which is not anywhere in between my brother and me."

When the servants had been thrown out of the room, Indrajit got out of the chair with great care to avoid jerking his head, and strolled to the multitude of shelves on one wall that held several hundred books. He took out the most weathered one, returned to the desk with it, and opened it to the middle section, which held the drawing of a magnificent sword. There were many photographs too in the albums, but he preferred this sketch for some reason.

That sword had been the pride of his family….the most precious of the heirlooms. For centuries, it was passed on from one generation to the next, always to the most worthy descendent. But when it was to come into his possession, it had disappeared without a trace. Now he was determined to track it down at any cost. Even to the very depths of hell if need be….

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

Suvek smiled and nodded at whatever the girls were saying, hoping vaguely that it was the appropriate response. If any of them knew his actual mood, they wouldn't have dared come near him. But presenting a good facade to the world had been an acquired trait, and one of his most prized ones.

No one could tell that even as he laughed at something a gushing girl had said, he was burning alive with anger in memory of the scene at the drama club when he had been informed very casually that Nandini was no longer the lead. In her place, Daya had introduced another girl. The girl was very pretty and apparently very accomplished, but he would have reacted just as angrily even if Daya had secured a movie actress. The one reason…the only reason, he had used all his good influences and friendship to become the hero of this play was that he had learnt of Nandini's participation and had eagerly leapt at the chance to spend more time with her. That reason had been eliminated, and he hadn't even known about it. As the understudy, she would be there all the time, but it was not the same as having her near him all the time as the heroine.

As if springing from his thoughts, he heard her gentle voice somewhere in the crowd and his handsome form whirled to see her talking vivaciously with some nerdy students. The kind he wouldn't want to seen with anywhere, forget this crowded locale. Though not to forget, one of her best friends was a geek of the first order. But to be honest, her intrinsic ability to reach out to people regardless of their standing had been a major reason for his undying attraction. Otherwise, there were a few equally gorgeous but superficial choices in the college for him.

He waited until Nandini had moved away from the group and then very politely excused himself from present company, and hastened towards her.

Nandini stopped abruptly as Suvek blocked her way. She looked at him with surprised eyes, but this time he didn't wait for any preamble to get to the topic.

"Nandini, is it true that you're no longer the main lead in the play?" he asked urgently.

She took a moment to gain her bearings. She had expected this conversation, but there was still something unnerving in the way he had jumped straight to the point.

When she replied, her voice was just as light as his was fervent. "Yes, I felt it would be for the best. And I heard you've become the lead. Congratulations," she smiled.

He smiled hastily. "Thanks. But why did you step back and become the understudy?"

"I don't know anything about acting, and the girl who's been selected has done several plays in school and junior college. She's a hundred times better than me in every way," she responded calmly, and then gently added, "Suvek, I need to get to class. See you later."

"But Nandini, she's not as beaut – I mean…as perfect as you for the part," he continued persistently, not taking the hint to give her way.

"You're just being nice, Suvek, and I really appreciate that. But I've already made my decision," she answered equably, not letting her uneasiness to the surface.

This was one of the days when Prithvi came to college, and if he saw her now with Suvek, especially after the altercation they had about the drama, it would be very safe to say that she'd find herself in abundant amount of trouble. For a brief second, she wondered if it would help if she told him off in a sharper tone, but something held her back. Apart from the increasingly strange behaviour he had been displaying for a while, Suvek had always been a genuinely nice person from whatever she had seen and heard so far. For reasons that were beyond her comprehension, he had some interest in her. It would simply wear away with time when she didn't respond to the overtures. There were truly beautiful girls in the campus, and his attention would transfer to them soon enough. Until then, being impolite would only serve the purpose of hurting his feelings.

"Suvek, I'll really get late for my class," she said mildly.

He looked like he was going to say something more, then he swallowed hard and moved to a side.

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

Standing at the large window, Nandini looked upon the buzzing college grounds in front of her with interest. She had been asked by one of the professors to help with some notes before her next class, and she was waiting to be summoned inside. Frequently, some friends called out to her while passing, causing her to turn and smile with a cheerful word or two. The door to the staff-room opened once, but when she turned, it was two other professors, and she smiled and greeted them. When they had walked away, she returned her gaze to the captivating world outside.

It was a particularly beautiful day, but Nandini was sheepishly aware that perhaps it seemed so lovely because she was extremely happy. Partly because they'd received the welcome news in the morning that their exams had been postponed and were now more than 2 and a half months away.

But mainly because she knew Prithvi would return from his trip very soon, though she had no idea when he was planning to leave. It was typical that he hadn't said a word about where he was going....and who exactly he was going to meet. She hadn't asked him anything, knowing his aversion to answering questions about his family. But would he be willing to tell her the name of his destination at least.....

She sighed slightly as she mulled over how little she knew about his past and his family. It was like she had been allotted a specific slot in his life. There was tremendous light and joy in the immediate area around her. But in the land beyond, there was only pitch darkness and shadows.

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

Prithvi slowed down a little as he entered the literature division, and he gazed around impatiently at the students moving around the place, indifferent to the several mesmerized female glances and sighs coming his way. Then a small group shifted from the side of the wall, and he saw her.

She was standing against the frame of a window, a big bag slung over one petite shoulder. Her glossy black hair was left half-open, which he recognised amusedly as a truce between his wishes and her comfort. She was staring outside, and appeared engrossed in some contemplation, the tiny frown line on her forehead and the cute little pout on her lips giving testimony to the gravity of her thoughts.

All in all, she was just asking to be startled out of her wits.

With a slow, wicked smile, he started moving towards her. He still had some way to go when she moved slightly to bask in the warm light cascading through the window. He came to a standstill with an abruptness that suggested he had walked into a wall of stone.

In the gentle rays of the sun, her face was glowing with a bewitching light. There was a tantalizing pink tint on the translucent skin that he knew was as soft as velvet, and the pale skin of her throat.

She looked so beautiful….so fragile…..

But in that extraordinary moment, as he stood immobile, trying to think coherently, he wasn't fully aware that the vulnerability that he saw in her was mirrored intensely on his own young features. As the surroundings faded into oblivion, the trail of his thoughts also suddenly dissolved into nothingness, and he could only stare in silence as something dangerously powerful bolted through his dazed mind. He drew back a couple of steps numbly, gazing at her.

Immersed in her musings, Nandini didn't register the prickling of her skin initially. Then the associated implication suddenly flashed in her mind, and she spun around with joyful eagerness, only to see Prithvi striding away from her very swiftly. Mystified, she began to rush towards him, but in that instant, the door to the staffroom opened again. The sari-clad plump professor beckoned her inside with an apologetic smile for the delay. Wrenching her gaze away, Nandini forced an answering smile on her lips, and followed her inside, wondering what on earth had just happened….

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

Prithvi walked slowly into the canteen, unsettled but determined to quash the nameless frustration. He reached an empty table, threw his bag down on one chair and sat down heavily in the other.

As had been happening for many days now, the instant they saw him, a small swarm of engineering students – a mix of students from all the years, and even some masters students - descended on the table

He started to tersely ask them to leave him alone this time, but restrained the words on second thoughts. Even a bloody attempt on his life would be very welcome right now.

Anything ....anything to forget the sickening twinge of vulnerability he had experienced a few minutes ago....

***********************
Rishabh was walking alone through the packed pathways of the engineering division when he witnessed a slight buzz in front of one of the classrooms that he knew was used by the aerospace division. A few girls belonging to other streams were hovering furtively outside the doors, whispering among each other. Curious, he inched towards the section and distantly peeked into the room where a group of boys were standing around a drawing board. Then he saw the arresting figure in the centre of the group who was making sharp, quick marks on the paper on the board, while simultaneously murmuring something that was evoking ripples of laughter.

Prithvi was younger than most in the group, but they were listening to him with single-minded attention. Rishabh saw affection, respect and even some bit of envy in the eyes of older and younger students alike as they conversed with him. What was it like to have that kind of awe-inspiring power and intensity, the scrawny boy wondered whimsically.

Then evidently having finished explaining the matter, Prithvi slowly started to move away from the board with three other boys, talking and grinning about something, while the rest of the group stood pouring over his handiwork with admiring whispers. The girls instantly scattered with muffled gasps.

When all four had come out of the room, the three boys turned to Prithvi, and after some more conversation, Prithvi nodded goodbye to them and broke away to stride towards the exit.

Rishabh began to call out to him, but before he could speak, one of the girls who had been leering into the classroom a while ago called out, "Prithvi!"

Rishabh stared at the dazzling, sexy girl with a half open mouth as she strolled over to Prithvi with an emotion close to rapture on her face. A complete Siren with clothes and heels to match.....

The girl stared up at Prithvi with enthralled eyes, even more thrilled because she knew her stupid friends, who were watching her every move, were burning up with jealousy. He had become the object of their fantasies from the first time they had seen him, and they surely weren't at fault. They hadn't known that physical beauty, natural arrogance and compelling power could come together in a single male like this. Lamentably, he was utterly indifferent to all their attempts to catch his attention, but his single-minded focus on studies was only fuelling their attraction instead of dampening it.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you in days now," she griped demurely, and took the opportunity to keep a manicured hand on his upper arm. She barely managed to rein in a gasp as her fingers came in contact with the steel-hard muscles under the soft material of the shirt.

She would have slid it a little caressingly if a sudden chill in the air hadn't caused her to look at him and her painted fingers stopped mid-track at the icy derision and scorn in his riveting black eyes. She hastily withdrew her hand and smiled at him very awkwardly.

"So you're not among the freaks who've been stalking me for a month?" Prithvi asked with innocent surprise.

"Yeah - NO! I mean NO! Stalking you? What a funny idea," the Siren laughed feverishly,

"Good to know that self respect takes up some bit of the vacant space in your head," he mocked.

She vaguely knew that she had just been insulted, but it didn't matter. The sarcasm only made him hotter, if that was even possible.

Some distance away, Rishabh couldn't believe what was happening. If a girl who looked like that had even glanced at him, he would not have dared to blink or swallow in nervousness, forget talk to her like that.

"Those girls are so silly! I hope you won't judge me by them!"

"But they're smart in a way that you're definitely not," Prithvi said candidly.

"What do you mean?" the Siren asked, confounded.

"They keep their distance, and so don't repulse me as much as you are doing right now," he said brutally.

And as Rishabh watched in amazement, Prithvi looked away with palpable disgust and strode away like a storm cloud, leaving the Siren garbling some words in defence and apology.

Nudged out of his stupor, Rishabh quickly walked to catch up with Prithvi. When he called out, Prithvi turned and grinned.

"I can't believe you talked to her like that!" Rishabh said with mingled admiration and bafflement.

"Actually, that was me at my best behaviour," Prithvi grinned.

Rishabh laughed. "But I do hope you don't talk to Nandini in that manner."

Prithvi smiled offhandedly, "I would never do that. I honestly go to the trouble of saving the best insults for her."

"You shouldn't!" Rishabh said seriously. "What if she gets really angry some day!"

"Can't say I'm going to lose sleep over it," Prithvi shrugged dismissively. "Her anger is just as scary as her grandfather's bizarre ghost stories."

"No, no! That's only irritation! And like I told you once, most of it disappears even before it starts," Rishabh said, "But when she gets genuinely angry….I have seen it just once, and I hope I never see it again," he said soberly, and then timidly asked, "Has she ever told you about the day we became friends?"

"No, but what does that have to do with anything?" Prithvi asked, bemused.

"I should have known she wouldn't have said anything about it," Rishabh said with affectionate regard, "Considering what it says of my courage," he added bitterly.

He wavered, but Prithvi remained silent, giving him the option of discontinuing the story if he so wished.

Then Rishabh mumbled, "It happened a few days after I had joined college. It was late evening....almost 7:30 I think. There was a fresher's party. I didn't go because I wasn't feeling well. I had gone to the canteen to eat something, and there I ran into a gang of drunk graduates who had come for a reunion before beginning their work lives."

"There were many of them…..and they began ragging me," his voice shook slightly. "Making me dance, sing, and do…all kinds of humiliating stuff ….and continuously taunting me with – with some things. Many people - both seniors and freshers -saw what was happening….but no one came to help. I – I was in very bad shape already because of fever and I couldn't handle it….I was about – about to break down, when Nandini, Nishi and Vrinda came across us," he paused again.

"And?" Prithvi demanded roughly, with a dangerous edge to his voice.

Rishabh, who was absorbed in recalling the day's events, didn't notice. Then he spoke again. "Nandini….she took them on," he said simply. "All of those big, drunk seniors. She had completely lost her temper at my state. She began yelling at them, threatened to escalate matters to the trustees."

"She did what?" Prithvi asked in wary astonishment.

Rishabh nodded emphatically. "I know….you'd never think she could do something like that. But she did! Nishi and Vrinda…they were as scared of the seniors as I was, but they stood by Nandini's side all throughout. The seniors were frightened by her fury. Those boys hadn't received their marksheets till then and she sounded so forceful that even I thought she had some high connections with the authorities. More and more students joined her side, until they were a big crowd, and the seniors quickly left the canteen. After making sure that I was fine, Nandini requested some of the other freshers to take me back to the hostel. That was the day I became friends with the three girls, and we've been very good friends since."

Prithvi listened to the implausible account with utter cynicism, and shook his head in amusement. So this was one of the dangerous stages described by Prakash….but he found it as improbable now as he had back then.

"We are definitely not talking about the same person," he said dryly. "The braveheart I know will not even walk into her own backyard after dark. I guess I'll have to see it to believe it," he mused.

"For your sake, I hope you never do," Rishabh wished sincerely.

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

Nandini scanned the road again with increasing impatience. The lectures were over but drama rehearsals were to begin in some time. She didn't know if Prithvi was still in the college or if he had left, but that tiny incident outside the staff room had disturbed her slightly. Why had he gone away like that....

She had convinced Nishi and two of her other friends to study at the open tables in the lawns until then, in the slim hope that she'd be able to meet him and know for certain that everything was okay.

"There are hardly any first years in the play. It would have been so cool if you were playing the lead, Nandini," one of the girls said dejectedly. 

Pulling her gaze away from the road, Nandini turned to her friends with an impish grin. "You should be grateful to me, because I'm sure I would have embarrassed the whole batch!" 

"I don't think so! You would have done an awesome job!" the other girl said defensively. "But at least you're the understudy. We'll come and watch the rehearsals whenever possible!" she said excitedly.

"Oh yeah, Vrinda and I will be there every day with you, Nandini," Nishi said gleefully. "She's so bugged that she's going to miss today's rehearsal because of fever, and I told her we would tell her everything that happened."

"I'll call her as soon as I reach home and give her an in-depth report," Nandini chuckled. "You know, it's not just the drama, I'm really excited about all the programs in the festival."

"Yeah, everyone is working very hard. I heard the organizing committee is giving everything a professional touch."

All the girls lapsed into animated discussion about the little bits of information and rumours that were flying around the college. It was during an exciting talk about the dance shows, that Nandini spared a glance at the road again, and her heart jumped.

Luckily, the other girls were sitting with their backs to the path. But Nishi cast her a mischievous glance, plainly having seen the object of her sudden attention. Nandini turned pink, but begged with her friend with her eyes to keep the attention of the other girls away from her. Nishi compressed her mouth, and nodded faintly, and Nandini grinned at her with relief and gratitude.

"Hey! Do you guys want to know something interesting about the cute choreographer for the western dance?" Nishi asked the two girls very secretively.

Amid squeals, Nandini excused herself with a mumble and walked hurriedly towards the road.

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

Clutching her bag to her side, Nandini waited by the side of the path, watching Prithvi come nearer with warm eyes. Her heart had begun pounding at the very sight of him, and her stomach had also cramped up funnily as usual. Every time they parted, she told herself firmly that these mortifying, ridiculous reactions would stop very soon and she'd be able to see him with the same cool composure that he met her. But here she was again, seeing him with a gap of mere hours, and her body was already making a mockery of her, she thought defeatedly.

But the closer he came, the more confident she felt that her instincts had been right. Something was disturbing him…she could see it in his unhurried pace and his eyes that were fixed on the ground ahead. He was looking so lost and troubled…..

Then he finally looked up, and she saw the startled surprise in his gaze at her presence. But in a second, the surprise was gone, and in its place, Nandini found herself trapped by the scorching intensity in his eyes as he gazed at her silently.  Confused colour painted her cheeks, and her breath got stuck in her throat as she grappled with the abruptly dark undertone in the sunny atmosphere.

"Haven't you seen me before?" she teased cautiously, trying to diffuse the unbearable friction pulsating in the air.

She was successful and the enchantment broke. Nandini tried to convince herself that she was relieved….not disappointed. Definitely not…..

"I wish I hadn't," Prithvi murmured very faintly, looking away.

"What did you say?" she asked, puzzled.

He shook his head slightly, and started walking again, and she seamlessly fell into step with him when he came up to her.

"Why did you go away without meeting me in the morning?" she asked mildly.

"I….remembered something I had to do," he muttered, and then uncomfortably added, "I'll be leaving for my - the sick man's house immediately after I get back home."

"You're leaving today….now?" she asked in dismay.

"It was decided in the morning," he said indifferently.

Subdued at the thought that she wouldn't be seeing him for some days, she softly asked, "When will you return?" 

"Don't know," he said briefly.

"Oh….will it be alright if I call you sometimes?" she asked tentatively.

"No. My ears need the rest."

Nandini stared at him in irate bewilderment. The unexpected hostility was startling, and hurtful. What had happened between yesterday night and this afternoon to put him in this mood….had he seen her with Suvek? But then she would surely have witnessed a whole new level of anger….

"Are you upset with me about something?" she asked, perplexed.

"I'm not. I'm just – I need to get home soon to leave in time," he murmured, still not looking at her.

Mild irritation sparked again inside her, but she squished it resolutely, and with great hesitation asked, "Where does your relative stay?" 

That certainly couldn't be a strain to answer. Evidently, however, she was wrong.

"Far enough," he said briskly.

It was the last straw.

"He lives in 'Far enough'? I've always wanted to go there!" Nandini said brightly, stopping mid-step instantly, and then tartly adjoined, "But right now I'll be satisfied with going far enough from you."

"How does it matter?" he demanded irately, yanking her arm around to face him again when she began walking away.

Emotionally frustrated at his hard determination to confine her to a tiny enclosure in his life, she gazed up at him with defiance crafted on her flawlessly beautiful features.

"You know everything about my family. I know almost nothing about yours! It's not fair!" she said vehemently.

"You don't need to know anything more," he countered grimly, releasing her hand. "And it would be better for both of us if you learn to keep that annoying curiosity under check," he added nastily with an insolence that only fuelled her temper.

Outraged at the rebuke, she looked daggers at him, and then frostily said, "Fine. From now on, I will not ask anything about your family or your past, until YOU decide to tell me yourself."

"Like that's going to happen," he smiled derisively, and to her consternation, simply turned on his heel and began walking away alone.

"I won't phone you either," she announced heatedly to his back.

He halted, but didn't turn, and quietly said, "Do as you wish."

And without a backward glance, he strode away towards the gate, leaving her in a flux of shock and anger. Just who did he think he was to keep treating her in whichever way suited his mood, she fumed silently. She wasn't his slave to endure his unbelievable arrogance. She spun around slowly to return to her friends, hoping that her temper would have cooled by the time she reached them, or Nishi would know in an instant that something was wrong.

But perhaps, it was best that they had fought before he left. She had been dreading the thought of his absence, but this anger would keep the pain at bay. She just had to hold  on to it, and tell herself continuously that it was perfectly okay that she wouldn't be seeing him….or talking to him….for an indefinite number of days….perhaps even weeks…..

Nandini stopped at the edge of the path where the lawns began, trapped in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

Prithvi wouldn't be there to hold her tenderly, to smile in that heart-stopping way that made her insides melt every single time, to say irreverent, sarcastic things that made her laugh even when she ought to be angry….

She closed her eyes for a moment in sudden anguish. He was going away for God knows how many days, and she had given him a very nice farewell indeed with her stupid recriminations. He was clearly troubled about something, and didn't want to share it with her. Why couldn't she have just understood and accepted that instead of losing her temper and…..

She quickly swung around but he had already gone out of sight. Despair caused her eyes to dampen, but she adamantly refused to cave into the helplessness. Come what may, she wouldn't let him leave for the journey with any resentment or bitterness in his heart.  They had walked past the parking spot also, so it meant he had not brought his bike today and she would still be able to catch up with him.

Disregarding the inquisitive looks she was attracting, Nandini hastened her steps, determined to make up with him at any cost before he left Shamli

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