(Book 4) Hayden Mackay and The Fest of Vrindahina

24.2 Gate 8-The Burning Question

Nazira's happiness had no limits.

Every minute I spent with her later the most crucial conversation, I felt the positive radiations flowing out of her. The laughter in her eyes, just wouldn't go away. Seeing her immensely elated, empowered my optimism. It was really a right decision to lend her my secret. Only if I had known she was going to take it positively, maybe I would have pulled up some courage to mention it back in the academy.

However, I have always been wondering if she possessed a few of Leena's qualities, that had helped in developing a great friendship between both of them. And I was so darn right in thinking so.

Nazira Khan....she just wouldn't stop talking.

"So this happened in forth grade. And then, that happened in fifth grade. And then..."

She took the liberty of making fun of me, pulled my legs for pretending to understand her sign language for all these days. And the worst part was, she repeatedly kept asking me the same question and even after answering her a zillions times she was determined to not to accept it.

"Why didn't you tell Pruthvi?" she asked, with a slight mocking quality in her voice.

We were sitting at the threshold of the hut. It was indeed getting hotter inside and we both agreed it was best to spend most of the time in the fresh air until my next challenge began and move on from this horrible realm. I honestly craved for a chilled bottle of Uilani de Blanc but compromised myself with the hot chocolate, its sweet flavour was only able to keep my mind steady.

I held my cup near to my mouth, and then on hearing her question, I abruptly stopped drinking.

"I told you he was preoccupied with his own problems."

Answering her for a zillion and oneth time, I tried to drink, but she stopped me again.

"Was he preoccupied for complete five months, twenty-four hours a day?"

"I think so, yes," I said, holding my cup, trying to drink only if she would let me to. "It's all because of your country. It's just so weird."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe you're the weird one here?"

"Not until today, but thank you for the enlightenment."

"You are welcome. Anyway, we used to spend a lot of time by the lake and my brother was always free. You could have told him then."

"No, he was busy," I said hurriedly and took a sip.

"Or maybe you were busy."

I broke down coughing, noticing a hard edge in her voice. I put my cup aside on the ground and covered my mouth before it all spilled out. She giggled, noticing my face getting flushed. It took me no time to understand that she was reminding me of the moment when she first caught me staring at her blankly.

"Y...yeah. Maybe," I stuttered, "Now can we please maintain some peace and quiet? I really want to finish this cup before midnight."

"Of course," she shrugged, "Have it. When did I stop?"

"Thank you." I pulled my cup over to my mouth.

"But the way..." She shouted really loud, almost breaking a nerve in my brain. I controlled myself from spewing my drink out of my before she fell laughing on my shoulder and making my heart flutter.

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As per Meena's reminder, my challenge was supposed to start on this very day. I have been waiting to meet the Constellia named Mesha for quite a few hours now, roaming in this dead meadow all alone under the hot shimmering bright sun. Nazira got herself involved in the painting, and I noticed it was the only way for her to deal with the tension that automatically surmounted whenever I walked out of the door to get on with my challenge. Never ever I might have waited for the Constellia for this extended time, and it was certainly making me slightly impatient.