Bairi Sanam: The hate of a lover

Chapter XXI: Nazdeekiyan

Tejasvin

I was walking towards the Kumudini river at night to get some fresh air. I had put a shawl over my shoulders due to the cold breeze that was blowing. The streets were covered in darkness as the power just went out. My feet stopped on its tracks when I heard sounds of laughter coming from Bhanu kaka's house. I peeped through the window into the house and found several villagers sitting on the mat laughing while Ketaki was standing in front of them. She was talking about someone, and I frowned trying to decipher what is going on. She walked around the room holding a weird posture while everyone was laughing looking at her.

"I said what I said," she spoke in a heavy voice and crossed her arms at the front. Everyone again laughed at her act, and I still wasn't able to figure out who she was talking about. I heard a baby crying and my eyes moved from her to Akarshan who was sitting in Tulsi's lap. She went towards him and picking him up in her arms, she began swaying him.

"Awelele Akarshan, don't cry. I know you are upset because we are talking about him, right? Why wouldn't you be, he said your name is not nice. If he had said that to me, I would've thrown a punch on his face," she said putting him against her chest and rubbing his back.

I sighed heavily at the realization that she was talking about no one else but me when I heard that.

"Promise me you'll take your revenge when you grow up," she spoke again, and he cooed as if he was agreeing with her statement. I shook my head and instead of getting angry, a smile came across my face as she continued imitating me. Handing him back to Tulsi, she placed both her hands on either side of her waist and spoke in a heavy voice again.

"I'm your sarpanch from now," she adjoined her hands, making me a fan of her acting skills.

That's how I really sound?

"Sarpanch? Does he even know what it means to be a sarpanch? I could be a better sarpanch than him." I crossed my arms against my chest just observing her through the window while everyone was closely listening to her. The warm light coming from the lantern was falling on her face, making her glow more than ever. She kept blabbering as I got lost in just looking at her face and wasn't able to make out any of her words anymore. Sometimes she frowned, sometimes she pouted, and sometimes she just made an angry face.

"Do akshar sheher se padhke kya aa gaya, use lagta hai ki vo sab jaanta hai," she said loudly making me come back to my senses.

(He thinks he knows everything after studying for some time in the city.)

"That's enough now Ketaki, how much more will you abuse him?" A woman spoke.

"I have just started Subhadra. I have so much more to say," she replied, and I chuckled.

How much does she hate me?

Ketaki

A kid came running inside through the door yelling my name and halted near me. 

"Ketaki didi. Ketaki didi."

"What happened Nandu?" I asked kneeling down to his height.

"Didi Hari kaka is calling you. Your dadi has returned," he informed me, and I nodded. Getting up, I walked out of the house, but I stopped on my track when I heard someone cough. I turned around only to find him standing outside Tulsi's house.

"What are you doing here at this time sahib?" I asked nearing him.

"Just getting some fresh air," he replied. My eyes moved to the shawl that he was wearing, and its ends were hanging at the front. I took one end of it in my hand and put it over his opposite shoulder to cover him completely at the front.

"Cover yourself properly sahib or you'll get sick. Raghavaiah's cold wind doesn't spare anyone, especially the ones who aren't used to it," I said, and he held the wrist of my hand that was on his shoulder and pulled me towards him.

"I can get used to a lot of things here," he said slowly coming closer to my face and I turned my face to a side not being able to look into his sharp eyes.

"Ketaki"

I turned my face back to look at him when he called out my name and his face was very close to mine.

"Kahiye," I uttered, and he kept scanning my face for some time without saying a word. I felt a rush of warmth coming to my cheeks.

(Say)

A gush of wind blew my hair and few strands landed on my face. He brought his other hand near it and slowly removed the strands off my face using the back of his fingers. My eyes closed as the back of his hand touched my cheek.

"Ketaki"

He said my name again and I opened my eyes to look at him who was looking at me with much delicacy. I had never seen this emotion in his eyes before. His grey eyes held affection rather than anger. His grey eyes held warmth rather than wrath. His grey eyes held reverence rather than rage.

"Kahiye," I managed to say in my shaky voice due to the proximity.

"Why do you always fight with me?" He asked and my heart began to race.

"Because you annoy me so much," I said, and his eyes travelled to my lips and began nearing my face more.

"Do you really hate me that much?" He questioned nearing my lips and my eyelids fell finding him this close to me.

"Yes, I do hate you very much," I said with my eyes closed feeling his warm breath lingering over my lips.

"So do I," he said nudging his nose on my cheek.

Tejasvin

As soon as she came out of the house, I coughed to get her attention. Spotting me there, she walked towards me and snugly covered me in my shawl. Holding her hand that was near my shoulder, I pulled her towards me. I was finding her more captivating than ever today. I don't know what it was about her that pulled me towards her.

The hair strands that fell on her face due to the wind added depths to her beauty in more ways I could describe. For once, I did not find any annoyance in her eyes when I neared her face. The moon was enough to enlighten the night and its cold light hitting her face made her shine. My eyes fell on her rosy lips that were quivering due to our closeness. I began nearing them and she shut her eyes to conceal her emotions in them. I moved my nose gently over her check and she let out a soft whimper.

"I'm sorry for sending you to the field that day. I didn't know it would catch fire," I said as my lips brushed over her cheek.

"Ketaki," I called her name pulling my head back and looking at her, who still had her eyes closed. Listening to her name, she lifted her eyelids up to reveal her brown orbs filled with emotions that were unknown to her.

"What made you so afraid of fire?" I asked feathering the back of my finger against her soft cheek.

Suddenly, the power came back, and all the streetlamps lit up making us aware of our surroundings. She freed her hand from my grip instantaneously and lowered her gaze. She turned around and began taking steps in the direction of her house when I called her from behind.

"I agree with you. I think you'd make a better sarpanch than me."