I'll be your mirror (wlw, teacherxstudent)

chapter 8

6 years ago:

"Close your eyes." She says. Her blue kurta flows with the winds and the sunrays hit my eyes as I look up at her stand.

"Ka? Why should I listen to you?" I ask Reema and see her smile.

"Because I'm your best friend, yaar. Aik na."

I close them swaying my legs over the large rocks and hear the ocean waves more clearly now with my eyes closed.

I feel her put something over one of my finger and give it a kiss. "Open."

It's a ring with a blue gem and a golden band. Definitely not cheap, it looks way too much like real gold . "It's beautiful, Reema. But where'd you get it from?"

"You don't have to worry about that." She gives me a mischievous smile and sits besides me looking at the sea in front of us. "Like it?"

"Khup mastay." I look towards her tanned skin glowing in the sunlight as the temple bells ring in the distance. "Now tell me where you got it from or I wouldn't be able to sleep."

"Used my savings."

"And?"

She turns her head towards me saying, "and... we have to go now. Baba isn't going to wait forever for us, Chutki." She calls me the nickname which I've always been known for because I'm the youngest girl here.

I get up and follow her running towards the temple. I pant holding the carved pillar for support, "wait for me!"

"Maya beti, would you bring the prasaad to me?" Pandit ji asks fixing his dhoti. Reema goes to join her papa to prepare for the aarti.

I go towards the aunties asking them for it. "Kaki, Pandit ji is asking for the prasaad."

Padma kaki wipes her hands on her saree and comes up to me. She removes her little black bindi, placing it on my bare forehead instead. "Sundar." She says making me smile up at her and she pinches my cheeks.

"Chutki, you're looking prettier everyday. Your husband is going to be one lucky guy." Reema's aai comments looking at me and they all start giggling.

I cringe but laugh it off as she passes me the bowl. "Thank you."

I give Pandit ji the bowl with both my hands, "here you go, baba."

He puts his hand on my head blessing me and I ask him if I could have one of the ladoo. "We serve the needy and bappa first, you know this baccha."

I pout. "But they love me and bappa wouldn't mind, would you?" I ask looking towards the clay idol of Lord Ganpati.

He laughs. "You sound just like Draupadi devi."

"Who's she?"

"She was Krushna ji's best friend. They'd always be this playful towards each other. She was very beautiful but also very strong, just like you... All she wanted was to find love. But niyati had something else in mind."

"Why? What happened?"

"Ah it's a long story, I'll tell you some other time. But don't worry, your niyati has something else planned for you. Something full of love."

"Can't you just tell me now?"

"I could but I won't. They want you to find out yourself."

I huff going to sit down near Reema, crossing my legs. I glance back at Pandit ji and he gives me a wide smile which I return.

"Reema sing for us. It's been so long since I last heard you sing." Reema's aai says as she sits besides me.