Arohi POV

Tirupati is considered one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites because of the Tirumala temple. Tirumala temple is one of the world's richest and famous Vaishnavite temple. The temple is visited by 30 to 40 million people annually on average and is one of the most-visited holy places in the world.

We reached the temple city in the evening and settled down in our accommodations. We were here with few of our relatives and Yudhi and family were supposed to join us little bit later in the evening.

I was sitting in my room along with Abhi and watching some television program, when suddenly the door burst open and Yudhi's mom, dad and sister along with my parents burst in. Archi and Nimi hugged and congratulated me, at the same asking lot of questions about the groom. Finally when the noise settled down, Abhi asked about Yudhi.

"Oh poor Yudhi! He has a very bad headache, so he went to his room to take rest." Archie replied to Abhi. Abhi and Yudhi's sister Nimi immediately got up and went to his room to check up on him. I too wanted to go, but decided to visit later when no one is around. I knew he was upset with me, maybe I was his headache. I still wasn't sure how he was going to react to me or how to handle him. Now that we are travelling in opposite directions, only time could heal our hearts and hopefully we can be friends in future.

We ordered dinner from outside and all were eating in the living room, when suddenly Yudhi came out of his room. I turned my eyes down, so that I could avoid a direct confrontation. He passed me without saying anything and sat down with my mom and Archi and started talking to them. Once in a while he would glance at me and I would turn away and then look again at him, while he was busy talking.

It has been more than a week and I was dying to see him up close, look into his eyes and feel his warm hands around my waist. If only he knew, how I felt about him. Suddenly I remembered, that I was no longer single and shouldn't entertain such dirty thoughts. But then society can only control my physical actions, not what goes on in my mind.

The cold war continued between us rest of the night. He was the only one who didn't congratulate me. I was happy to see him, but not in a mood to talk to him as it would mean digging up old wounds and making each other miserable. So far, both of us were doing a good job avoiding each other.

I was miserable the entire night. Just the feeling that Yudhi was few feet away, in the next room was bothering me. I wish I could freely go into his room and sit on his bed and talk to him for hours. I wondered what must be going through his mind? Is he thinking about me? Does he want to see me as badly as I want to see him? At some point I drifted into sleep thinking about him.

Next day morning was a busy one. Every one was busy getting ready to go to the temple for darshan. I was told that it would take 6-8 hours for general darshan, which was free to everyone, but Sid arranged VIP darshan for all of us using his political clout and money. Using our VIP status we could finish our darshan within two hours. Everyone in the family were thanking me for Sid's help, but I had no clue about it.

Almost all the family left to go the temple, we were the last ones. Mom asked me to dress traditionally, so I was wearing a saree and was almost ready to step out, when I almost clashed into Yudhi. He used his right hand to steady me, and then left without saying anything. Then my dad called him.

"Yudhi wait for us, we are almost ready."

"No Uncle, I am going to the general darshan, so you go ahead as it is in a different direction."

"Why Yudhi? We have VIP tickets for everyone." My dad said. I knew he was not interested because Sid got the tickets.

"No uncle, I want to go for general darshan only, so you please continue ahead"

"What's up Yudhi ? Why you won't go with us?"

"Nothing, it's just a personal decision." He was sticking to his guns. Well I am glad I don't have to run into him for another 8 hours. Meanwhile Archi called him and he ran back inside.

"Leave him uncle, he always goes to the general darshan" Yudhi's sister Nimi chipped in supporting her brother. So it was nothing to do with Sid afterall, I thought.

"There must be something, Yudhi never does anything without a reason." My dad was on a treasure hunt here.

"Well, he thinks, you cannot buy your way to God, so he likes to go through the 8 hours adventure, battling the heavy crowds." She then left with Abhi to join others at the temple.

"Wow! I think that is the right way. If we can travel to here all the way from US, a few more hours shouldn't be anything. I am going to go with Yudhi." He declared. I didn't like the direction this was taking.

Meanwhile Yudhi's dad and mom joined us. Hearing my father's decision, Yudhi's father also wanted to join him. Then my mom and Archi also wanted to go with their husbands. I was the only one left in between.

Yudhi locked all the doors and came to hand over the keys.

"Yudhi we all are coming with you for the general darshan" My father announced.

"What! No way. You guys cannot handle the crowds and then SHE !!!" he looked at me narrowing his eyes,"I don't think she can handle it. Please, specially the ladies, go to the VIP queue." He almost shouted. I felt insulted.

"Okay, this is matter between an individual and God, so each one has to make their own decision, as all are adults here." Yudhi's dad declared.

"Also I don't think her fiancée would agree, as he went to lot of trouble to get those VIP tickets. He may feel bad if she doesn't use those tickets." He was almost glaring at me while talking. How dare he decides what I should do. I am the one who is angry at him and he is going all out to avoid me.

"I am way stronger than you think Yudhi, I am still a free bird and can make my own decisions. I am going for the general darshan." I declared, as he left me no choice by challenging me. With my agreeing, mom and Archi too declared yes, so Yudhi had no choice, but to herd us all towards the general darshan queue. Rest of the family and my sister went to the VIP queue.

Now that the decision was made, we were all sitting in these huge waiting halls, waiting for our turn to join the darshan queues, which snake around the temple for almost a quarter mile and then enter the temple. I heard stories that people step on each other and get pulled and prodded before they get a few milliseconds to see the deity. Almost fifty thousand people go through these queues every day, so one can imagine the pushing and jostling that goes on. Yudhi was right to be cautious, but I was hoping, I made the right decision.

Finally after three hours we were allowed to enter the queues. Dad and Uncle were in the front and Yudhi was covering us from behind. As we started moving, I realized that I cannot move faster in a saree, so everyone had to keep on stopping for me to catch up. Meanwhile lot of people were pushing ahead of us.

"I think we should pair up in case we separate. We will take care of our wives and Yudhi you take care of Arohi." My dad suggested.

"I know, I told you guys these queues are tough." Yudhi got angry. God! He hates me so much, that he can't stand my presence.

"Yudhi, it's late to think of reasons now, before we get fully separated better take care of her." My mom almost ordered him and then they paired up, leaving me in front of Yudhi. In less than five minutes we got separated as I was moving very slowly, holding my saree with one hand. Yudhi was slowly following me two feet behind. I turned around and looked at his face, even though he was visibly angry, he was looking so cute.

"Yudhi, you don't have to wait for me. Go ahead and I will come slowly. I can manage." I waited for him to get close and told him to go ahead.

He glared at me so hard that I thought I was going to burn and vanish. "Just move" he ordered.

I was so mad at him, that for the next five minutes, I didn't even turn back to check if he was following or not. But then the crowd started building up around us. Suddenly we were surrounded by a bunch of college students and some guys moved in front of me. I got scared and looked behind to make sure Yudhi was there. He was like two feet behind still wearing that angry look. Some of the guys were trying to move in between us, so I stopped suddenly, until Yudhi was close.

"Stay close to me...and ..shhh ..not a word." I scowled at him. He looked at me for two seconds and then looked around, mumbled something and then closed the gap.

The queue stopped moving and the crowd started building up around us. The guy in front of me was being pushed back and I had to keep my hand in front of me from stopping him crashing on me. I moved back till I hit Yudhi's strong chest and leaned on him to support myself. I didn't want to look at him as I was trying to control my emotions. All the feelings I kept bottled up till now started boiling up again. My heart beat was racing and his familiar scent invaded my senses and I felt like I was being sucked into him.

I was trying to hold onto any thing from spiraling and melting into Yudhi, but I knew my defenses didn't help me before and failed me again. I was hoping my new status as Sid's fiancée would stop me from getting my feelings for Yudhi out of control, but even that didn't work.

Finally the queue started moving again and we too moved with the queue, but I took Yudhi's hand in mine to make sure to keep him close to me. I was earlier praying to God to figure out a solution for my problems and for some reason I felt what was happening was HIS way of showing me the direction. I wish I could hold Yudhi's hand for the rest of my life.

After going forward for about an hour the queues stopped again and the path became very narrow. I felt like people were closing in on me, so I moved into Yudhi as much as possible. The guy in front of me was again falling on me, so Yudhi put his hand to stop him and give me some room. Yudhi was trying hard to protect me from folks around me, without actually touching me.

Instead I moved his hand across my chest and other hand across my waist and snuggled into him.He tried to remove his hands, but I put my hands over his and stopped him. I was secure in his hands and covered on all sides. I felt so safe and happy, that I wished the queue could continue forever. I could feel his hot breath on my neck and his nose and lips touching my head enjoying the scent of my hair. I wish the time stop and I remain forever like this in his arms.

"I don't think this is a good idea?" He whispered into my ear.

"I would rather be in your lap than touched by anyone else."

"Even Sid?"

I pinched him so hard, that he winced in pain." I am not going to answer that question and don't go in that direction."

"You played with me and you are doing it again. I don't want to hurt you or get hurt."

"But you did .. you hit me right in my heart" I pressed his hand deeper into my chest as if to show him my wound.

"Me? You got to be kidding me, you are the one who is getting engaged." He got so angry that he tried to remove his hands.

"Yudhi, please let us not discuss now. I want us to be like this. We can discuss this later today. Please" I tightened his hands around me and lifted myself on my toes and whispered in his ear. I brushed my cheek against his face and would have kissed him, but for the hundred people around, watching us intently. Some of them also passed crude comments, thinking we were on our honeymoon and should have been in a hotel instead of temple.

"I don't know what you want Arohi, you confuse me all the time." I know he was warming up as I could feel his hands pulling me closer into him and cupping my breast.

We continued with the queue like that attached to each other, both of us not willing to give up our intimacy. We were heading into the temple now and as we got close to the main temple the crowds increased and there was not enough room to even stand.

I was almost standing on Yudhi's feet and he was carrying my entire weight. At one point I turned into him and closed my eyes and buried into his chest. I was tired physically and emotionally from all the events happening in the last few days and burying into his chest helped me to forget myself and charge my entire body.

We were still an hour away from the deity and though we didn't talk much with each other we were just happy holding each other.

"I love you Arohi!" Yudhi whispered into my ear pulling me even closer. His lips brushed my neck. I felt like earth quaked under me. My hearbeat peaked, I couldn't believe he said the words now, after all that has happened in the last week. My body was on fire and a sweet sensation was spreading all through my body. I was dying to hear those words and now that he said them, I didn't know how to react.

"Sorry Yudhi, it's too late for us. I can't rewind all that happened and there are still unresolved issues between us. Lot of people are going to get hurt, if we change plans, but my heart is with you." I whispered back and looked into his eyes. I could feel his pain, and my eyes started welling up. "Lets enjoy what we have today and not worry about future, please." I begged him.

He turned me around as the queue was moving, but hugged me tightly as were moving.

"Remember one thing, I am not going to give you up at any cost." He said.

I looked up at him and his confidence amazed and frightened me, as I was afraid of the consequences.

Something changed in him and his hands which were rigid earlier, were warmer now and held me with new ease. His hands were finding places on my body to touch and arouse me. He would casually slip his hand around my left breast and squeeze it lightly or touch places on my waist that would send shocks up and down my body. Of course I was not in a mood or state to stop him in anyway, in fact my body was encouraging it without my active intervention.

As the queue came to standstill once again, I tried to calm my nerves, but Yudhi's hands got more bold and active.

"Please stop the romance." I whispered.

"I am not doing anything" he said pressing his hand into my chest again. Every time he did that, I had this tingling feeling all over my body and felt mini fireworks erupting all over the place.

I lifted my head and looked into his mischievous eyes. His cheerful face was back and could see he was smiling like a kid with candy.

"You are bad influence." I whispered back.

"I am not." He said as I tried to push him back with my butt.

"Holy cow Yudhi! We are in a temple" I could feel him actually.

"Common, you are not innocent" he rubbed his hand lightly on my chest igniting fire and pain into my swollen erect nipples, to prove his point.

"Ok, both of us are bad. We should stop this as we are in a temple."

"God does not judge Arohi. He blesses all kinds of love, and the one between us is pure and as natural as nature and was invented by him, so don't worry about offending him. It's the people who make all kind of rules, I feel sorry for."

"You always have a good reason to convince everyone to suit your needs." I pushed back once again to feel him and he continued to torture my body parts. We forgot about the thousands of crowds, sounds , looks and people passing comments around us, as we were on our own island.

As we reached the core of the temple, we were able to get a good view of the deity and I prayed to God to give me strength and power to do the right thing and asked him to take care of my heart. I also thanked him for providing this wonderful opportunity to enjoy the time I spent with Yudhi in the queue. Yudhi made sure I was within his arms all the time and kept me safe from the crowd.

As we came out, my parents and Yudhi's parents were waiting for us. We took our prashad and were on our way back to the cottage.