You and I - a pranushka tale

chapter seventeen

The sun was slowly disappearing behind the clouds, making way for the dark streams of the night sky. The warm air was slowly becoming a cool, caressing breeze as the villa glowed in the dimming light. The younger members were sat in front of the veranda, a table in the middle of them as serious glances were passed around.

But the beautiful temperature did nothing to Mithrah's narrowing eyes.

"Prabhas if you are lying..." She threatened, clenching her hand into a fist as she raised it into the air towards him. She took pride in her talent when it came to card games but the current situation was not in her favour. Soori took ahold of her fist and bought it down slowly as Prabhas shook his head adamantly.

"I'm not lying." He protested but Mithrah looked unconvinced. They were playing poker meaning trust and faith was not a concept that was to even be considered. Mithrah was on edge, scrutinising Prabhas' every move. Everyone else had already folded but him and her. With a frustrated glare, she threw in another few chips, raising the bet.

Nithya rolled her eyes and leaned towards Thara with a sigh. "I wouldn't trust either of these two to play this game fairly." She mumbled.

Mithrah glanced at the number of chips she had already put into this one round and with a grimace, she realised Prabhas looked extremely confident as he put in his own chips. He had a smug expression as if he had the exact cards to win the round.

Reluctantly she threw her stack in, making Prabhas the winner. "I fold." She mumbled dejectedly.

"Oh thank god," Rana muttered as equal expressions of relief went around the faces of others.

Prabhas went to pick up the chips he won with an excited grin but Mithrah stopped him. "Show your cards first." She ordered, looking at him suspiciously.

He froze on spot before giving her a mischievous smile, making it instantly obvious that he was lying about the cards he had. Mithrah sat up straighter on her seat as he placed his cards upwards for them to see. Everyone's eyes widened as she looked at Prabhas expressionlessly.

"Seriously?"

He smiled at her sheepishly. His cards had no relation with what was in the middle and was only confidently lying, waiting for everyone to fold and quit the round.

"I had a full house." Mithrah repeated in the same monotonous tone.

"Oh, really?" Prabhas asked, trying to hold his laugh in but was failing to do so as the other four watched them entertained.

"I'm going to kill you." She threatened. "The tears the fortune teller was talking about? It's going to be Rana's when I bury you in the back garden."

Everyone started laughing at Mithrah's heated words as Prabhas gave her a teasing smile, none of her words fazing him. "It's okay bangaram. I will let you win next time."

Mithrah raised her eyebrow. "You will let me win?" She asked, trying not to react to the endearment he used before. 

Sensing another argument, Nithya immediately interrupted the two with a huge smile. "Speaking of the fortune teller," She began, watching everyone's attention turn to her. "There's going to be a union of love. Who do you think that's going to be?" She asked.

"Soori of course," Mithrah said with a smirk as the man sighed deeply and pointed towards the sky.

"It's all in God's hands." He replied wistfully, looking upwards.

Prabhas leaned closer towards him and gave him a knowing look. "I heard something about a girl who lives nearby..." He trailed off watching Soori's eyes widen.