Chapter 15

We were standing in front of Alexa now. I had bought my laptop for charging today morning so, I knew she'd be here in the evening today. I took my laptop and put it in the front drawer.

Duryodhan was marvelling at the car, like he really did not believe that it existed before. I was already asked the question, "How does it even works without horses?" and I told him she had 400 horse power. A lame joke, I know, but it was fun to see him confused about something. I also told him that she had sun god's blessings thus she doesn't need horses, rather than she just worked on solar energy, the former just made me look in the good light.

Then, I opened the door for him like a perfect gentleman, and then sat in the driver's seat. He looked like a child, who got the latest car model and was fascinated by everything in it. He looked harmless then, but my subconscious always knew that he wasn't.

Alexa asked me, "Where do you wish to go?"

That startled Duryodhan, like it did me the first time, "It talks?"

It was funny, I giggled and told him, "Yes, she does or how do you think she'll know where to go? Also, her name is Alexa."

"So, you aren't the one controlling it?"

"No, I am not controlling her. But I can suggest." I told him.

"Is it even safe?" he asked concerned.

At that I smiled widely said, "When am I not doing something safe?" then I patted his bicep and said, "Don't worry she nearly killed me only once."

There was a shocked looked on his face at which I laughed and then turned my attention towards Alexa and asked, "You went out in the city, right? So, take me to the place you like the most." I just wanted to see where she'd take me.

"So, is this what you do when you are done with the practices?" he asked me, coming out of shock.

"No, actually this is my first time going out." I told him. I already had a plan to go out today, I had bought my very weird picnic bag with me. I don't know why I asked Duryodhan to accompany me, but it didn't feel right to come here alone at that moment.

"Better." Huh?

"Why better?" I asked him.

He checked if I really asked that question, was the answer that obvious? He saw the confusion on my face, so answered like he was talking to a kid, "Because you are not safe, travelling alone in the kingdom, that too in the night."

"Ohh come on, not you too." I said to him exasperated. "You know I'm learning weapons right. Nothing will happen to me, I'll protect myself."

"Yeah, I know that, if I remember correctly, I'm the one teaching you." He replied sarcastically. "But, don't you dare travel alone by yourself." He later told getting serious.

"You don't get to say what I can and can't do. I'll do as I please." I told him. Afterall, I waited my whole life to be an adult and when my parents didn't have a problem why do you?

A mocking voice said to me in my head, you know where that lead you, going alone by yourself. I shut that voice down straight after that, that voice had already taken 2 years from my life, I will not let it take one more second of my life.

"Why don't you just take your safety seriously?" he asked me frustrated.

"Safety sometimes takes away freedom and I worry about my freedom taken from me a lot more than mere safety." I told him seriously looking out of the window.

"Why are you so different?" he whispered the question, thinking I didn't hear, but I did and I just didn't know what to reply. So, I let silence take over and I staired outside window, as the we went towards the forest leaving the city behind.

After a few minutes, I couldn't take the silence so I started looking around in the car, Duryodhan staired at me then shamelessly, I didn't know what to tell him to stop staring, maybe I didn't want him to stop. That thought bought a smile to my face which made me look at the roof. (I don't know why.) the roof was a little bit strange three sides in the front had a black lining across it, it almost felt like it could slide open.

I asked Alexa, "Can you open the roof, Alexa?"

She replied saying, "Yes, I can."

"So, open it na. Why didn't you tell me about it earlier?" I asked her, sad that I missed out on it.

She told me while opening the roof, "You never asked."

What can I even say to that? As the roof opened cool air started coming in. I felt so happy, I have an open roof car. I want to show her to all my friends which made me realize I don't have anyone to talk to about cars here, that made me sad. But as I didn't want to be sad, I got up on my seat, Duryodhan caught my feet, his hands were so big on me.

He shouted, "You'll fall. Get down right now." But I didn't want to get down.

I smiled at him and shouted, "Trust me I won't fall, you too stand up, it feels great here." And it did feel great. Alexa is a very fast car. I could feel the wind blowing the air behind me. It wasn't very soft, but neither did it hurt. It was comparatively darker here. Due to no proper road, there was a lot of turbulence here. I was still holding on to the front mirror. The air was so fresh, no pollution. Even Duryodhan stood up. I was so happy that I wanted to shout fuck you to the world, so I did exactly that.

He asked "What did you just say?" I had spoken those words in English, so he didn't understand them.

I told him laughing that, "We say fuck you when we are happy." And then he too shouted the same. I wasn't lying though, was I? after all cursing is an emotion.

And then I closed my eyes and left my hand and did the famous titanic pose. I felt the air around me, the happiness in it. The beauty around me which I was privileged enough to see. I felt it and I could also hear the person beside me shouting, "You will fall if you don't behave."

It was as if nature listened to him at that moment. I think Alexa went on a stone and the car shook. I was about to fall when he caught me. At that time, I told him, "No, I won't fall because you'll catch me."

He looked me in my eyes and said as if a promise, "Always."

Not even a second after that Alexa says, "You have reached the destination." I don't know why she becomes so formal sometimes and why did she have to break that moment?

"Come on let's explore the place." Saying that I jumped out of the car without opening the gate. I always wanted to do that and then ran and opened the door for Duryodhan, I wanted to do this too all while he was ordering me to calm the fuck down.

I ran to the cars boot. I had packed my trekking bag in that. I put the laptop in it from front. Then Duryodan asked me if he could hold the bag, I gave the bag to him and ran up the hill.

He was shouting for me to slow down, then I shouted back, "Catch me." And then I ran.

I was surrounded by trees, there was a glow of moon coming directly here, spreading a silver blanket over everything. It was so silent here; I could hear the crunch of my boot as well as his as we ran. I felt like this place wasn't explored before and that gave me the rush to be the first one to enjoy it.

He was catching up to me quicker than I thought, with that heavy bag, but even then, I ran and laughed and ran again, him chasing me. There was a big old tree at the top of the mountain. I planned to go there.

Just five steps before the tree Duryodan caught my waist from behind and lifted me in air. I laughed and told him to put me down. He took his time to do that. I then pointed my finger towards him and asked him to give the bag to me.

Handing over the bag to me he asked, "Will you be able to hold it?"

Yes, was the only word I said, after all, I had bought the bag from my room. I won't deny that it's not heavy which was his next question, "What is in that bag?"

I smiled and told him, "Everything."

And then we went on the top. I placed the bag near the trunk of the tree and then removed a mat from it.

I looked at him and asked, "Help me put it." Ok so not asked and just ordered. He looked around as if to search for anyone else around and then he pointed at himself and I nodded.

"You are asking me to do this mundane work?" he looked bevelled.

"Aren't I doing it? Come on help me." And surprisingly he didn't say anything after that and helped me put it.

As soon as it was on the floor, I plopped down on it and started removing the contents of the bag. Duryodhan stared at me and asked, "Do you expect me to sit on this thin mat?"

I looked at him smiled and said, "Okay, so don't sit." He was still shocked by my audacity. I really don't know when he'll be accustomed to it.

I removed the lamp first, it was not that big lamp, just the size of one litre bottle. It glowed yellow light. I hate that yellow light, but it looked really nice today. It almost gave a golden glow to the picnic, or whatever you want to call it. It felt like there were lightings on the tree. I guess bringing lamp was worth it.

Then I removed, some kachori's, and moong dal. I really couldn't believe that they too made it. The flavours were a lot different of kachori but still great (I don't think it is even called kachori here, but it looked the same) and moong dal remains the same always. Then I took out my laptop and the bottle of bourbon, and yes, I bought bourbon here, because I had a shitty dream today and it was my way of eating sorrow, you might think that it is unhealthy. But I don't drink a lot and I am not an addict so I'm fine with it.

Duryodhan forgot to comment about the lamp as soon as the bourbon came out. He was still standing when he asked, "Is that alcohol?"

"Yep," I told him popping the p, and seeing him hovering over me, I said, "Have a seat Mr. Prince."

"As you wish Princess." Saying that he actually sat on the thin mat he was just cursing a second before, and snatched my bottle of bourbon from my hand.

"Heyyy" I shouted after him. Understanding his real motive behind sitting, "Give me my bottle."

"You know alcohol is not good for you right." He told me. Look at the guts of this guy, taking my bottle, from me and telling its not good for me. Wow!

"Don't you drink?" I asked him narrowing my eyes and placing my hand on my hip.

"Yes, I do. But it's different cause you are-" I cut him at that point and said, "A girl I know and now you will say that it doesn't affect you as much as it does to me and blablabla."

"You shouldn't cut when someone is speaking." He told me pointedly.

I replied, "Yes, I know that, but do I follow it? Well, that's altogether a different matter."

He again looked at me shocked that I replied in such manner. I narrowed my eyes challenging him to do what I don't know.

After a few seconds, I said, "If you want alcohol so much, you just had to ask. I would have given you a bit." Showing him by my two fingers how much I'll give him. It wasn't much but he should be happy that I'm giving him something, after all I had a limited amount of bourbon with me here.

"Whatever you say, I am not going to give you the bottle." He spoke.

"Ohh, come on, give me my bottle." I said bringing my hand forward.

Getting to know that I'll be persistent he said, "Who gave you the bottle? Answer me this and take the bottle."

"Does it even look like it is from Aryavrat?" I asked him and when he shook his head, I told him, "Cause it's not from here, I bought it from my home and there I purchased it myself with my money."

"What!! they let you buy alcohol there? Don't those people have any manners and where the hell did your parents send you when you were born?" at that I got angry too. Why can't this guy let me enjoy an evening happily?

"Don't you dare go on my parents they are great and I was an adult when I bought this, so it was completely my decision and now I have answered your question, so give me my bottle." I asked deal was a deal.

He them smirked and placed my bourbon in the middle and when I snatched the bottle from there he said, "The deal was to give you the bottle and that I did, now if you even open it, I snatch the bottle from you and drink everything in it. After all the deal was to return the bottle, empty or full was not in the equation."

I stared at him as if challenging him.

This time he accepted the challenge and smirked as if telling me to just try to open the bottle.

I huffed and placed the bottle beside me.

He than sat beside me, his back touching the trunk as mine, I think he just came here so that its easy for him to snatch the bottle. I bent forward to take my laptop, when he asked me, "So, when did you start to drink?"

I sat back on my place and the placed the laptop on my lap and then opening my laptop, I replied, "It was when I was 20. I went out with my father and had my first drink with him."

"Why did your father let you drink? But wait a second, how was your father with you? I never heard of him leaving Aryavrat." He asked me.

"The man who bought me up since I was a baby is my father. I love him unconditionally." I told him, it hurt to say that he was not my actual parent even when he was.

"Wasn't it his responsibility to not let you go astray? But he was the one who lead you there." He pointed out.

At that I turned to him and said angrily, "Don't you dare go and judge people you never knew and never spew shit about my father. He is a great man and if drinking led you to hell, then all men will be there including you."

"I'd be there with you then; hell won't be as boring." I ignored him and typed the password for my laptop.

I waited for the inevitable question, of what laptop is, but surprisingly I was asked a different question by him, "Who the hell is he?"

It was a picture of Harry Styles on my wallpaper. It was a genuinely good picture of my favourite singer, my childhood crush. He was wearing a white rolling stones t-shirt, his curly hair falling slightly on his face, and a pure smile on his face which formed wrinkles around his deep green eyes. Whenever, I saw this picture I was reminded of my younger self for whom one direction was life.

"I am talking to you. Are you even listening?" that bought me back to world.

Without facing him, I replied, "That is Harry Styles."

"What a weird name and what is his painting doing with you?" he asked.

"That's not a painting, it's a picture." I told him smiling.

"Who is he to you?" he asked not letting it go, he looked even angry now.

"Jealousy, looks good on you." I laughingly joked him.

"Who is he?" he asked getting madder each second. Why is he getting mad? Does he really like me? I don't think so. Maybe I'm delusional.

So, I tested him, "He is my lover. We meet each other in the dark and whisper sweet nothings to." Well, that was a dream of every crazy fan, can't deny that I wasn't the same at one point in my life.

Duryodhan literally looked red with anger, and I actually got a little frightened. "Where is he right now?"

I am very sure if Harry was here right now, he'd be six feet underground, "Don't worry I was just joking. I liked him when I was young. He doesn't even know that I exist."

That brought confusion to his face which at least decreased the anger by some extent. "How can you like someone? And how come someone doesn't know you?"

"He doesn't know me because I am not as famous as him." I told him shrugging my shoulder. Everything was about popularity nowadays, which made me even think of being an influencer at some point.

"Who is he? Is he a king or a king to be?" he asked aggressively again. What is the relation between men and anger, cant they just sit and talk it out.

"He is a singer." That almost popped his eyes out of his brain.

"What you wanted to marry a singer? And how could he not know you? But really a singer." He said almost bevelled by the thought.

I laughed at that, "I never said I wanted to marry him and he is a great singer."

"But you said that you liked him right now."

"Liking someone and marrying them is totally different things. Are you really that desperate to get me married off to him?" I asked.

"No, never," he spoke sharply with so much intensity that I became nervous. Literally, he made me nervous.

So I turned the topic on him, "Who do you want to marry?"

He thought about it then, "I want to marry someone who listens to me and follows my orders."

I knew one thing for sure that, that person won't be me, why this thought hurt I don't know. But I was curious about one thing, "Won't you get bored of her then?"

He shrugged and answered, "If I get bored, I'll find another."

Wow! He was a big walking red flag, "I for one don't want a husband who has another wife ever."

He genuinely asked then, "And if he marries another, after marriage?"

"Then I'll leave him," I told him. Even though people find it as a norm here to have multiple wives, I will never be with a man who believes in polygamy.

"How can you leave him?" he was acting as if I was talking about him.

"I can and I will," I told him determined.

"Can you bare the thought of your wife sleeping with other man?" I asked him.

"No." was his instant reply.

"In the same way, I wouldn't want my husband to sleep with any other." I told him.

"Possessive huh," he said with a small smile, which didn't have the right of being so fricking cute.

"Very," I said smiling.

Right at that moment, I looked up at the sky and say a shooting star. I stood up and shouted, "A shooting star." I felt him stand behind me.

I closed my eyes, "Where I come from, we believe that if we ask anything to the shooting star, our wish comes true, so ask whatever you want." I said this to him and asked my wish.

When I turned, he was staring at me, so intensely that my breath almost stopped. I looked in his eyes then, his pupils widened and looked almost looked dark. I fell into them like I did on the very first day, and every day after that. I denied that I was attracted to him countless time before. It was a lie, I knew it then, but accepted it now.

He came closer to me, pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear he said, with his deep voice, "I am asking you my first wish now, my shooting star."

I whispered, my eyes still looking deep into his, "What do you want?" I asked as if I'd give him anything he asks, anything he wants I'd happily give it and never regret about it later.

"Don't say a word," he said and I didn't, I didn't speak as he came hear me so near that I felt heat radiating off him. I didn't say anything when cupped my face with his huge hands. I didn't say anything, when his lips were so close to mine that it almost hurt not to touch them, would they be soft or cold, I didn't know. And I didn't say a word when they fell on mine a second later.

He kissed me like I was his last breath, and I kissed him back. His lips soft on mine and yet so demanding as if asking me for my very being and I gave it to him, everything that I could give, I gave it to him.

Word count: 3710

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