Heat Waves - Incomplete

Chapter 6

Pulling her red dupatta tight around her neck she stood in front of him. "Forgive me." Rupali said.

Like in the morning she was in a white dress but had a red cotton dupatta across her shoulder and head. Her eyes looked down, embarrassed and regretful.

Laxmi who was right behind Yash, stood frozen at her place due to the sudden appearance of a girl in front of them. Rupali's eyes meet hers and widen as she registers Laxmi's face. Colour from Rupali's face drained as her throat went dry.

"Miss I forgive you. It should have been –"Yash addressed her but he saw her frozen at her place, tensed. She started to move her head in no. He got confused.

"Please." Rupali said. She was looking at Laxmi.

"What's happening?" Laxmi asked and came forward standing right next to Yash.

Yash wanted to ask that but aunty did.

"Aunt she is the one I was talking about earlier. The one who mocked the army for Amir." Yash said.

"I felt sorry to insult a soldier, please forgive me." She joined her hands.

"You are forgiven." Yash said but he was sure she didn't hear him. She was lost in her own thoughts.

"You are very kind. Thank you. I did gave mangoes to people in need."

"That's a good thing. Thank you for that. You too wanted mangoes. I hope you had some."

"I don't think I have an appetite for them anymore." Rupali looked once at Laxmi before looking again at Yash "I must leave now." With that she walked away and disappeared in front of his eyes in seconds.

"Such a weird girl." Yash remarked.

"Why?" lax asked

"She is from a good family. Still she steals from the garden and roams around streets as a poor girl."

"How do you know she isn't a peasant girl?" Laxmi asked.

"She wears a ring around her neck tied to a thread." He raised his hand and showed a ring with a bright red stone framed in gold sitting on his left hand finger. He wasn't wearing this earlier today. Yash remembered her noticing his shoes. She might have noticed this too if he had worn it.

"Those rings are given by the king to the noble families only, for their good deeds. I saw it under her see-through dupatta in the garden. She might have noticed that's why she changed her dupatta."

"You brushed over the whole thing quickly. Tell me in detail what you said to her."

"He looked confused but then told everything in detail."

"You haven't seen her before?"

"No never."

Laxmi looked at the corner where Rupali disappeared. Thank god, Yash didn't know who Rupali actually was. Otherwise he could have surely reported her. 

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