“And now she is your friend?” Meera smiled as Pratap went about cleaning his room, talking to her. “She is a royal and...”
“So? Who laid down a rule that two humans
cannot connect if they want to?” Meera frowned. “Anyone can be friends, what is
the harm?”
“Badimaasa.” He shrugged, “Your rules don’t
apply in this world.”
“You are the wrong Ladesar, my rules are
universal, just like love is. They have been so for ages; it is this society
that keeps changing its rules.” She smiled.
“I don’t know. I feel she has been lonely
all her life, and she just needs people to open up to.” He shrugged. “She has a
heart of gold.” His hand stopped at work as he looked at nothing in particular
“She is trying so hard and not wanting anyone to see it too. She wants
everything she never had... family, friendship... love...”
“You seem to know her quite well in these
few days.” Meera spoke plainly, making him go back to dusting, “She talks a lot
with you?”
“No.” His voice was protesting, and Meera eyed him
with a smile.
“So when is she leaving?” Meera’s words
suddenly made his heart skip a beat. It had totally skipped his mind. “I don’t
know, I requested her to meet her parents once.”
“Did she agree?” Meera asked, eagerly.
“I guess so.” Pratap shrugged. His phone
rang and he picked it up to see her name on the screen. He eyed Meera once and
went across to the other room in a hurry.
“Hello.”
“Meet me at the Mandakini Kund for sunset.”
Her voice seemed restless.
“What? Why?” He frowned.
“Because I want to see the sunset.” She
disconnected before he could say anything else.
The Mandakini Kund was empty as usual when
Pratap parked his bike and frowned at no other vehicle in sight. He thought he
had arrived on time and checked his watch. Then, in a moment, he took off
his watch and put it in his pocket and made his way to the Kund. Ajabdeh sat
there, in a pair of denim teamed with a sweatshirt, her hands in her pockets,
tapping her sneakers on the broken steps. The sound of him approaching made her turn, as he looked surprised.
“You walked all the way here?” He frowned.
“Jogged.” She shrugged matter-of-factly.
“Sit down.”
He sat down on the step below her, his
hands on his knees and checked that the sun was far from setting. She frowned a
little and went down to sit on the same stair beside him, as he moved a little away
awkwardly.
“I am thinking of leaving.” Her words were
said firmly, and he noticed her staring at the water. Her face looked pale.
“What?” He frowned “Why?”
“I don’t think I have anything to do here than complicate things.” She shook her head, “And the moment they arrive and see me
here, there will be melodrama.”
“They can also be happy?” Pratap said
suggestively. "Right?"
“The last time they were happy with me
was...” She sighed. “Never! Ajabdeh, why do you wear such clothes, why do you
hang out in these places, why are you doing this... why that... it has always
been like that!”
“But... this is your place too.” He said in
sudden urgency. “You have the right to...”
“You don’t want me to leave?” Her words
were almost said in an impulse, as she looked at him in disbelief. Pratap was
taken aback at this unusual question and stared at her for a brief moment, and
back at the water.
“I didn’t mean that.” He said awkwardly, “I
meant everything you want in your life is worth a battle. Even if it is with
your own.” Ajabdeh stared at him like she had seen a ghost. Then she smiled.
“Did I say something to smile about?” He
asked, narrowing his eyes a bit.
“Oh, you have no idea what you just said.”
Ajabdeh shook her head and took a deep breath “But yes, you are right. Why leave
things at what if and regret them later? And when I am back to Udaipur, I want
no baggage with me; I want to leave the Princess of Surajgarh behind once and
for all.”
“You can’t.” He shook his head, “It is who
you are. We are all born for something, Badimaasa says. A Purpose. Yours is to
serve your people.”
“And what about me? What I want? What I
need?” She asked, frowning at him.
“What do you need?” he asked as she stared
at him and looked away.
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “For now, I
want to see this sunset.”
“You know, years later, we will remember
these sunsets and conversations, and smile.” He said in a melancholy mood. “And
we will remember each other.”
She frowned at his words, “We will remember
each other? You won’t be there for me when I need you?”
He shook his head, “You will be the Ranisa
of the estate then, you will have a lot more efficient people around you to
help you, and you will have your own people, a family...”
“And where will you go?” She asked, “You can be my Manager!”
“I won’t be staying here once I can
convince Badimaasa to leave.” He said plainly. "I don't have any attachments here."
“She won’t leave,” Ajabdeh spoke in a
reflex.
“I can try still.” He shrugged.
“And what will you do after that?” She
frowned.
“I don’t know, I don’t plan much ahead. I
believe in living in the moment.” Pratap shrugged. “We won’t be here forever.”
“Are you living in the moment now?” Ajabdeh
asked, smiling.
“Yes. With you.” Pratap said the words in a
reflex, and their eyes met, making his heart skip a beat.”I meant...”
“Hush!” Ajabdeh looked away at the sun and
smiled, “Don’t ruin beautiful things with words.”
Pratap stared at her and back at nature. He did not know what she meant and why he said what he said, but all he
knew was he would perhaps never in his life, forget this very moment, that he
shared here, silently, with this girl, who he was scared to admit, had made a
place in his heart like no one else ever did. He cherished whatever little
memories he could make out of these moments.
