The next morning Anna got into Raj's car and the two left. They planned to make some stops on the way to eat and sight see but most of the day was spent driving to the holiday home. It was located near a sandy deserted beach and a huge lake rippled nearby connecting to the ocean. It was such a beautiful place and Anna felt so excited to be going there with Raj. She missed Jai, and also felt bad for being happy that she was there a lone with Raj – but she made her self feel better by thinking about all the time she had with Jai and how little she had left with Raj – this left her feeling terrible all the same.
Anna hadn't told her parents, it would just be Raj and her a lone – She knew her parents didn't want her to be involved with him, solely due to his illness. Since they found out about they encouraged her to spend more time with Jai, but she couldn't do it. She was angry they wanted her to neglect Raj, but knew they didn't want her to get hurt. She would get hurt regardless, what's done was done and she already loved Raj.
A car followed them almost the entire way to the holiday home and turned into a different street in the last moment. Anna and Raj didn't notice, they merrily chatted away and didn't care much about their surroundings. They finally reached their destination and both stood motionless staring out into the serene Beach in front of them. All of a sudden Anna felt nervous; She was here with Raj all a lone and they would be staying together for a week. Her heart started beating faster and she didn't hear what he was saying.
"Anna? Hello?"
"What? Sorry"
"Lets go inside and get things unpacked, I'm so hungry" Raj said patting his stomach.
"You guys! All you think about is food!"
He laughed, but truthfully he needed to have food in his stomach to take his medicines.
They opened the door and went inside. A local woman from a nearby town was hired to keep the place nice and clean and she had done a good job. A deck opened out to overlook the beautiful beach and they even had a fireplace, the weather could get quite cold in that area. Anna forgot her nerves as she saw everything inside and was once again excited. There were two bedrooms – Raj had slept in one and his parents in the other (before the divorce). Raj looked into one of the bedrooms without saying a word.
"What's wrong?" Anna also peered in and saw a photo of his mother and father on the bed side table. "Oh"
"It's okay, I'm fine"
"No, Raj – Don't blame yourself for what happened, it's not your fault"
"Hmmm"
"Okay, I'm sleeping in this room and you get to sleep in Little Raj's room" She said smiling. She walked into his parents room, it was decorated with a big rug and a queen sized bed. One entire wall was a glass door and it opened to a small balcony overlooking their favourite Lake.
"Okay I'm getting changed, shoo" She said and closed the door behind her. She didn't want him to stare into the room anymore, too many memories. It was hurting him and she didn't want him to hurt even one little bit on this trip.
Raj walked toward his room and peered in, it was the same as before. He even saw a poster he hung up back when he was seventeen. He had hung it up right next to his bed, and his parents rarely saw – he was good at hiding things he didn't want to tell anyone. He quickly moved to take it down, if Anna saw he would be in big trouble. Too late.
"I saw it already you know"
"Erm, you know I was young and stupid – I thought you were changing!"
"Yes you were stupid and no I wanted to check on you!"
"I'm taking it down"
"Mhhmmm"
"Sorryyy"
"Stop looking at it and take it down already" she snapped feeling hot and angry.
Raj quickly took the poster down, it was a poster of a semi nude girl, wear a very revealing bikini. He and Jai had found it when they were sixteen or so and had shared it – often fighting over it. Raj felt bad Anna had seen it.
"I was smaller, you know – a curious boy"
"Yeh whatever" She said and left the room to go change. Men!
She decided to text Jai and see how he was. She missed him at that moment; she often did when she was upset. Raj felt her anger, she had always been a territorial and jealous girl, he smiled to himself and promised to make it up to her.
They met fifteen minutes later, changed and unpacked. Anna was still annoyed and she saw Raj in his shorts and shirt – her heart started to flutter, he was so good looking. She moved to the kitchen and started unpacking the food they had brought. She wanted to make him a meal, but she felt so annoyed that she put it out of her mind.
Raj slowly came into the kitchen behind her and slid his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. She pushed forward and tried to wrench his arms apart.
"I'm sorry" He whispered, not letting her push him off.
"Just go away, I don't want to talk to you"
"I was young, and it was a long time ago Anna – Try to understand"
"What else have you seen eh? You did live in America, I wouldn't be shocked if you...."
Raj moved away feeling heated. "If I what? Go on say it!"
"Well if you were capable of looking at things like that at such a young age – you probably have slept with a dozen women already! I was fooling myself thinking you would be clean!" She felt shocked at her own words. Why was she so angry for one small thing?
"Is that what you think of me? Well, You did live in Australia – what did you get up to then?"
"I never looked at vulgar things like that – nor did I do anything to tarnish my good character" She stuck her head up and walked out of the kitchen.
"Anna, C'mon let's not fight!"
"Right" She walked toward the front door. She looked back at him and walked out. He was angry at her, but he didn't want her to wander about a lone. He followed her. She went and sat down on the sand and stared out into the ocean. He came and sat beside her.
"Anna....If it makes you feel any better – I haven't been with another woman"
"Another woman?"
"Any woman!" He said shaking his head smiling "You're so picky"
"Oh, sorry – I didn't mean to accuse you like that, I don't know what's wrong with me"
"It's okay – I get it"
"I saw that picture and I just, I don't know – I can't tell you these things" Anna didn't want Raj to see any other women so bare. She felt unhappy knowing he had seen another woman like that – it was insane and she knew it but she couldn't help it.
"Look at me, none of it makes a difference – No other woman makes me feel the way you do"
"I'm sorry Raj, My head is all messed up with so many things"
He put one arm around her neck and pulled her close to him. She leaned her head onto his shoulder.
That night she sneaked into the kitchen, took it out of the bin and tore the poster into tiny little pieces.
YOU ARE READING
Dancing with destiny
Romance"No Anna will be my wife" Jai argued. They were playing a game they often played - houses and families. "How? I am the oldest and I get Anna" Raj pulled at her arm. Jai joined in and pulled from the other end. It was like tug-a-war and she was trapp...
