Love...to infinity and beyond

Chapter 10

He kept honking outside my hostel as I ran to get my purse. I ran outside, glaring at him angrily. He was there, with a mischievous grin, sitting on his Yamaha motorcycle, waiting for me. No, making me crazily annoyed by his honking.

"Where are we going?", I asked smiling. His grin was contagious. "Surprise", was the only word I got in response. Knowing him, I was quite sure that he wouldn't reveal the place we are going to even if I threaten to commit suicide. I gave him one of my many angry stares and climbed on to the bike. I held on to his shoulders and closed my eyes enjoying the pleasant morning breeze.

"You are not sleeping back there, are you?",I heard him say and then giggle. I pressed my long finger nails against his shoulders to show him that I am very well awake.

"Ew! Why are you giving me love bites?!" He shrieked in pain."Haha! Those were my nails, idiot!", I replied by smacking him on his head.

"Here we are, at our destination, passenger. Please opt for the same vehicle service next time. Have a nice day", he tried imitating the tone of a pilot but failed miserably. I got off the bike and looked at our destination. There was a temple in front of my eyes. Knowing him, I looked away from the temple and started to look for our destination.

"Come", he said as he held my hand to lead me into the temple. I didn't try to hide my shock which arise due to his action.

"Did some sage curse you that you couldn't enter temples forever and ever?", he paused to give me one of his thousand stupid looks."Or worst, are you some evil devil and the power of the temple would turn you into ash when you come in contact with it's surface?"

"Have I mentioned before that you are weird?" I asked after staring at him for him for a few seconds."Yes, you have, many times", he replied with a stupid grin. "Hav...,"I started but was cut off rudely by Abijeet. "Yes! Yes, you have called me delirious and grotesque, but I don't even know what those words mean!",he whined and made me smile.

We stood before the statue of our divine deity. I organized a mental one sided communication with my god. After I prayed, we made our way to the mandap to sit there for a while.

"What did you ask the god for?", he asked curiosity evident in his eyes."Wishes don't come true when said out loud, idiot.", I replied. Since his name was similar to mine, I resorted to calling him names and he didn't seem to mind.

I looked at our intertwined hands. "Maybe he thought that I was shocked that he took my hands in his at the entrance", I said to myself. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I decided to give him the reason.

"You don't seem like a, you know, temple going person. I didn't think you are atheist though, I thought you are agnostic or something and hence the shock when you brought me here", I said in a voice which doubted would be heard even by bat.

I felt his intense gaze on me. He spoke after testing my patience for quite some time, "Out of all people I know, you are judgemental, really? Would you believe that I believe in god only of I have many sacred threads tied around my hand and some divine powder on my forehead? Or should I visit the temple every evening?", he questioned me.

"Sorry! My bad. I am really sorry", I replied with genuine guilt.

"Well young lady, you deserve punishment for questioning my faith in god", he said in his so called stern voice.

I gave a questioning look in response."You have to treat me to lunch today!" he said in a sing song voice.

In a matter of few minutes, we were at the most expensive restaurant of the city."Here?", I asked checking my purse. I definitely didn't want to join as a waitress in this restaurant, to compensate for my inability to pay the bill for what this glutton is going to eat.