Chapter 58

Next Morning Sameera woke up when her mother snatched her blue blanket away on 4:30 am.

"Sameera! Get up!"

"Ammaa. Please maa. Half an hour."

Sameera whined trying to pull the blanket to herself but her mother folded it.

"No. Today is roop chaturdashi and you have to wash your head, bath with ubtan and that too before sunrise.

"Mumma! Please."

"No please. My sweet baby obeys mumma, right? Then go brush your teeth. Then after bathing I'll give you a nice breakfast. Okay?"

Her mother asked lovingly and Sameera being her fool self, nodded.

After her mother has successfully pushed Sameera in her bathroom, she left.

Now as she was already in bathroom, Sameera thought to brush. So after brushing her teeth when she came out and saw her boyfriend, soundly sleeping she smiled wickedly.

"No my dear old man. You too are bathing as my mother said."

And she did the same thing as her mother did. And Shrithik also did the same thing as she did.

"Please sweetheart. Five more minutes."

"No please. Now get up."

She pulled him up and pushed him in the bathroom and locked it.

He stomped his feet and angrily opened the tap. She's very bad.

Sameera made her way down the stairs to find her sister brooming and scolding her brother because he was not doing anything.

And when her father told her to mop the floor, Sameera's brother stood up.

"No need for her to do that. Do you want to just run around and do the same thing again?"

His brother asked and Sameera pouted.

"I don't do things that bad."

"Yes you do. Now sit on the sofa and don't move."

He said and went somewhere.

Sameera sat on the sofa and rubbed her hands.

"It's cold mumma."

She said out aloud and suddenly she felt two arms wrap around her waist.

"Want me to warm you up?"

He asked leaning towards her and shrieked a little.

"How did you get here? I locked you."

She said and he chuckled.

"I was sitting here from the time you were talking to your brother and for your information, you are sitting on me. Is my lap so familiar that you forgot the difference between it and a sofa?"

He asked and she quickly scrambled off of him.

"Shut up."

She said and her mother came and handed her two bowls, one filled with olive oil and other with chickpea flour mixed with curd.

"Go upstairs and massage yourself with this oil and then apply this ubtan and bath. It cleans our body better than any soaps. Now go."

She said and Sameera blinked her eyes, twinkling them.

"But bhaiya said to not move."

"Hey, I didn't say anything-"

"Yes you did. Bade bhaiya (big brother)."

"Okkkaaayyy. I will go then and disobey you and then you will say that I don't listen to you. And then you will complain to mummy all the time. And she will scold me. Everytime she scolds this poor little girl because half of the time you are crying her name. But you should not because I don't do anything. I don't know why you start feeling ticklish the moment you see my fingers......"

Sameera dramatically ranted and made way to her room, leaving her brother and mother laughing.

She was such a drama queen.

After bathing herself Sameera made Shrithik bath. And then her mother made her wear the new clothes they bought.

The day passed by happily and then, the next day came Diwali. Lights, deepaks, rangoli and sweets.

There was laughter in their house, everyone was happy. The neighborhood was decorated, kids were playing around, women of the houses were busy drawing rangoli and the gents were busy washing their vehicles and worshipping their source of income.

It was a bright day. Then came the night. All the lights and deepaks were looking more beautiful along with Sameera.

Shrithik was sitting on the sofa of Sameera's house and reading newspaper when she came out of the room with her mother.

Matching dresses and her hair were let loose. She was complaining to her mother that she should just braid them and she wanted to change. But her mother and sister glared at her causing her to shut up.

She couldn't come near him as they all sat near god to do the special pooja of Lordess Lakshmi and ask her to provide them with prosperity.

It took one hour whole. He was dying to talk to her, but couldn't. She was sitting with everyone.

He couldn't even go near her, there was no space!

Their eyes met time to time and she smiled lovingly at him, making his heart flutter.

At last, after the aarti did she get to talk to him.

"Can I kiss you?"

He asked taking her hand and leading her to her room, as soon as she came near him.

"Right now? Everyone i-"

But she couldn't speak as his lips descended down on hers. His hands held her wrist, preventing any movement. He was craving for her. It was feeling like an eternity. It was feeling like someone was sucking his blood out.

Slowly he pushed her towards the wall. Slowly, taking her in. Sameera was feeling as if she was flying. Her whole body was feeling as light as feather.

What was in him, she is still confused. And from where did he get his kissing skills was a big mystery.

It was as if he was trying to show her that how much she meant to him. It was as if he was trying to make her feel like a queen. And indeed he was trying to do that and succeeding.

"You are tasting like gulabjamuns."

He said and she looked away. He smirked, mischief filling his eyes.

"How many did you eat?"

He asked leaning down and she giggled like a small girl. Then holding her three fingers up, she whispered

"Three. You want some? I will not tell my mum."

He chuckled and tightened his hands around her waist.

"No. I-"

He started but somebody's voice cut him off.

"Oi Sameera. Don't you miss me............"

A new girl came, shouting and then trailed off. Sameera grinned.

"Never. I never miss you."

Shrithik was feeling as the new girl.......she could see him. He was feeling as if she was gazing right into his eyes.

The girl turned to Sameera and smiled and then said

"It's important. Tomorrow meet me at the 'Proton' cafe. Both of you. I've to leave for now. Bye Sameera."

The girl spoke and then looked at Shrithik and smiled beautifully and left, leaving both of them shocked.

Sameera with her mouth agape turned towards Shrithik to find him already looking at her.

"Who was she?"

"My friend. One of my best friends actually. But she can see you. That means-"

"That there might be more people who can see me. And as she looked, she might know who exactly has cursed me. And probably provide me with a cure."

"That's right!"

Sameera exclaimed and he smiled brightly.

Then she was called by her mother.

Shrithik went up to her room, deep in thought.

After an hour or two Sameera came back to her room with her clothes changed. He was sitting on her study table, looking at the wall in some deep thought.

"Hey."

She said softly and he turned towards her startled. Then smiling he stood up and opened up his arms.

"I was waiting for you."

He said and she laughed and hugged him.

"Do you really think that your friend meant the same as we are thinking that she meant?"

He asked keeping his chin on her shoulder and she hummed.

"Probably. And she always seemed like she knew everything,you know. Like when something happened she always had that all knowing smile. I won't be surprised if I got to know that she is a magician herself."

She said rubbing his back slightly. He was quiet for a moment then suddenly he laughed.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing. Just imagining a fifteenth year old Sameera being mean to that friend of yours..."

"Shivani."

"....being mean to her and scolding her because you didn't like that smile on her face when your friends did something disgusting on the project. It's funny."

He said and she giggled.

"I did exactly that. And my friends weren't also less, one time they used yellow project sheet and wrote on it with green marker. And Shivani was standing there smiling like that and I nudged her hard saying 'wipe that smile off your face. Standing here doing nothing. Couldn't you have stopped them?'"

He laughed turning her around so that her back now touched his chest.

"My dear old man, aren't you sleepy?"

She asked when he yawned and he shook his head in no.

"I'm not. I have a lot of time to do romance with you. And stand like this."

He said and she struggled to keep her smile off. But she freed herself and went towards the bed. Leaving him pouting in the middle of the room.

"Don't you love me sweetheart?"

He asked and she grinned.

"No I don't."

He pouted again and slided towards the bed and pushing her to the bed he spoke

"Meanie."

She laughed from beneath him and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"You making fun of me, huh? Take this."

And he buried his face in her neck and started tickling her. She laughed loudly and for a long time, finally getting exhausted over the limit.

"So....Do you love me?"

He asked and she grinned again and tiredly spoke

"No."

"No? Okay then. Get ready for the second round of the intense tickling."

He said and dived towards her when she laughed and quickly spoke

"I do. I do. I love you. But not again. Please."

She said and now he grinned. That extreme amount of mischief in his eyes, turning into adoration.

Pecking her nose, he moved off of her and covered her with the blanket. Switching off the lights and getting in himself he kissed her forehead.

"Good night sweetheart."

"Good night, old man. Dream good."

She said and he smiled and turned the other way round. Making her face his back. He immediately felt a leg wrap around him and a hand touch his beard.

"Won't you ask me to marry you?"

She asked and he smiled and buried his head in pillow.

"No. I want us to stay together for at least an year. To get you confirmed that it is only me that you can stay with."

And suddenly becoming serious he turned towards her.

"But I'm telling you sweetheart that if I ever find you talking or being too touchy or friendly with a guy who likes you then understand that there will be no one bad then me. First of all I'll beat the shit out of that guy and then tickle you till you are seconds away from death. Understand?"

He asked and she couldn't control her laugh. How can he be so sweet, even when threatening.

"Okay Mr.I'm-telling-you-sweetheart, I'll never be toooo friendly to a person who likes me. Okay?"

She asked and he nodded. Looking away he puffed his cheeks out and she kissed him.

Making him melt.

"Don't do like that. It spoils my mood."

He grumbled.

"Do you mean that it spoils your anger?"

She asked and he again looked away, grumbling something. She laughed and buried herself in his chest.

Mumbling a

"Sweet dreams, Sweetheart"

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Pooja:

Puja or pooja is a worship ritual performed by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains to offer devotional homage and prayer to one or more deities, to host and honour a guest, or to spiritually celebrate an event. It may honour or celebrate the presence of special guests, or their memories after they die.

Aarti:

Arti is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a part of puja, in which light is offered to one or more deities. Arti also refers to the songs sung in praise of the deity, when the light is being offered.