Romance With A Stranger

Episode 19

She woke up due to someone’s laughter. Blinking her eyes she saw Aditya laughing looking at her.

“What happened? Why are you laughing?” She asked.

He gave her a his phone to look. She gasped looking at the drawn moustache on her face.

“Aditya!” She whined glaring at him.

“You look so cute,”he playfully pinched her cheeks.

She couldn’t fight her smile that was threatening to come on her face. She burst out with laughter joining him.

“There!” He exclaimed. “That’s the smile and laughter I have been looking for.”

“Thank you Aditya.”

“Hey I don’t mind.”

“How about we go out for a drive? To make it up to you. And maybe go by the great temples of Goddess Durga. You know the ones up the hills.”

“Ready when you are ready,”he smiled at her.

?????

“Stop! Stop! Stop right here!”

“But why?”

“Popsicles! I love popsicle!”

“Sanyukta,you do realize that it’s raining and eating a popsicle at this time. You will get sick.”

“Pretty please Aditya. I crave a popsicle right now. I have been craving it for the longest time. Please let me have it,”she gave him puppy eyes.

“I can’t refuse you when you give me that look. D–n you woman.”

“Thank you,thank you so much!”

They pulled over to have the popsicle then went on their way.

They stopped by every stall they saw on their long drive. They had the samosas,the spicy teas,the snacks and sweets. And every moment they made sure to take pictures and videos.

“Remind me to never go on a long ride with you ever again,”he said as they climbed the stairs to the Goddess Durga’s temples. “You kept eating everything you saw in the stalls.”

“And here I was thinking that all men love women who loves food and eating.”

“Healthy eating and not a pig.”

“Wait, what! Did you just call me a pig!”

“What? No!” Nervously chuckled. “I don’t know what you are talking about!”

“Adi run!” She charged at him and he bolted away.

“Once I get my hands on you I will kill you!”

He laughed looking over his shoulder. “Once you catch me and good luck on doing that! Haaa!”

They chased each other up the stairs til they reached the top. She panted as she glared at the man who didn’t seemed winded at all!

She did what she knew best. Acting.

She faked springing her ankle. “Ow!” She cried in pain.

Aditya jolted over to her to help her up and prevent her over falling over and toppling over the stairs.

“What happened? Does it hurt?” He gave her a worried look.

She couldn’t help herself but to laugh. “Look at your face. You look like someone just stole your lollipop. Hey,I was just joking. I was getting back at you for calling me a pig.”

“What is this Sanyukta? I was genuinely worried for you and you were fooling around. Don’t ever come at me like that. You get me worried and worked up,”he complained and went inside the temple.

“Hey come on yah. I was only joking. Adi,”she chortled at his childish behavior coming after him.

He looked at her and stuck out his tongue to her.

“You make such a cute couple,”the sage said to them.”,May you always be happy like this children.”

“Umm….sage we are here with this offering to the Goddess,”Aditya said giving the platter to him and together they took their prayers.

Once they were done the sage gave them offerings and they fed it to each other as a way of having fun with each other but the sage took it otherwise.

“It’s not wise to leave your wife so bare child,”he said to Aditya. “You surely love each other but a vermilion and a nuptial necklace are our culture and custom and it’s wise for a husband to adorn his wife with them. Here,this is my gift from my side to the both of you. Come dear,as goddess Durga your witness anoint her with the vermilion.”

“Sage you have misunderstood…….”

“See you might not value this but it’s important. Come on adorn her forehead with the sacred vermilion of goddess Durga.”

“Sage you have……”

“Child let him do it,”he told Sanyukta who then turned and looked at Aditya who also was in a dilemma.

They were trying so hard to tell the sage that they were not married but he wasn’t ready to listen.

With eyes filled with emotions and feelings,they gazed into each other’s eyes.

“Go on dear.”

He opened the vermilion box which was decorated with goddess Durga images and took a pinch of the vermilion.

Everything was like a movie flashing before their eyes. He was going to mark her as a married woman. As his wife right in front of the goddess. It was so wrong because they were not married.

She felt her face get hot as tears started clouding in her eyes.

“Adit…..”she gasped as she felt the red power fall on her forehead and shut her eyes and her tears fell free from her eyes.

He hesitantly picked the nuptial necklace and tied it around her neck.

“Now the Goddess Durga’s blessings are with you forever. You were destined to find your way here. You’re each other’s destiny. Always cherish each other,love each other and make each other happy,”he smiled and walked away.

Leaving the two staring at each other.