Episode 10 - The Paradise has a Heart

 ‘I travel a lot. My writing grows with each travel and it gets enhanced from all the experience that I gather,’ said Pradyuman coolly.

‘Well, then you might have to start looking for another job soon. Something which may not require you to travel. Otherwise your girlfriend will have other plans for future,’ he said with a snigger.

Agnivesh took a jibe at Roja and it did not go down well with her. He was trying to portray as if she was not a very understanding girlfriend. Pradyuman was smart enough to understand his motive he was not going to gift silence to his adversary.

‘Oh you can be rest assured that it will not be required because she is extremely supportive of my career. And I have huge admiration for her work. Although we may be in different places, we are mature enough to handle long-distance relationship. Most of all, we trust each other completely,’ he said looking straight into Agnivesh’s eyes.

‘And the best thing about us is we don’t dictate decisions to each other,’ said Roja with a smile.

Agnivesh cringed at her words. She had given him a taste of his own medicine.

‘I think we should start preparing dinner. I might be hungry very soon,’ said Nakul patting his stomach.

Karna was grateful to Nakul for changing the topic and soon everyone began preparing dishes for dinner. But Agnivesh chose to stay in the room. He could not tolerate seeing Roja and Pradyuman for long. Karna observed the couple in the kitchen and they seemed quite comfortable and playful with each other. Pradyuman helped Roja in preparing dinner without any apprehension. As a matter of fact, he bonded well with the group in a couple of hours. When the clock struck 12, everyone exchanged New Year wishes and ate a sumptuous dinner. Before retiring to their rooms, it was decided that they would keep travel light for the next day and only go for shopping in Srinagar. Agnivesh watched as Roja and Pradyuman climbed the stairs, hand in hand. They were lost in their own world unmindful of his presence.

'Let’s go to sleep. I am exhausted,’ said Karna yawning.

‘Where is he going to stay? In the other empty room?’ asked Agnivesh.

Karna could not help laughing at his words.

‘Roja’s room has a double bed and he is her boyfriend. I think that explains. Are you so dumb or simply plain drunk?’

‘Bitch!’ mumbled Agnivesh and stormed away to the fireplace room. Karna wished his friend had not used that word for Roja. He felt that she had every right to live her life on her terms. But Karna could not bring himself to speak his mind with Agnivesh. 

Roja switched on the electric blanket and the room heater as soon as she stepped into the room. Pradyuman placed the flask with not water on the bed-side table. She was checking the WhatsApp messages on her phone when his hands wrapped around her from behind. She leaned her back onto his hard chest and dropped her phone on the bed.

‘I missed this so much,’ he said in a gruff voice.

The the naked want in his voice pooled desire in her abdomen.

‘Why do you go away from me for so many days? It is so hard to stay away from you,’ she whispered.

The next moment, he unzipped her sweatshirt and threw it on the floor. Once again, he embraced her from behind and kissed her neck.

‘You dominate my thoughts when you are away. I wanted you to accompany me on this trip and finally my wish has come true,’ she said with a smile.

His hands deftly slipped into her T-shirt while he was passionately smooching her neck. Roja was melting in his arms and she could barely stand on her feet.

‘Pranu… you are driving me crazy-’

‘Shhh. stop talking!’ he said and bit her neck softly.

She let out a soft cry heard only by him. He turned her around and lifted her off her feet.

‘It is so cold,’ she said smiling at him as he carried her to the bed.

He gently dropped her on the bed and took off his sweater. Pulling the blanket over both of them he

moved on top of her, careful to not drop his weight on her.

‘Better now?’ he asked huskily with their faces just inches away.

‘Yeah, but it is still cold,’ she said rubbing her nose against his.

‘I’ll make sure that you will be sweating in no time,’ he said with lust burning in bis light brown eyes.

He seized her lips into an eternal kiss and soon she could feel his hands on every inch of her skin. They were meeting each other after three long months and their bodies were as thirsty as their hearts in this feast of love. As Srinagar embraced the freezing cold outside, Roja and Pradyuman made love to each other, burning the room with their passion. For the night, it was indeed a battle of fire and ice.

On the New Year day, when Roja opened her eyes, the room was bright with sunlight. Next to her, the bed was empty and she slowly put her head out of the blanket. Pradyuman was standing at the window staring outside. As she moved aside the heavy blanket and sat up, he turned around. She noticed that he was dressed only in his ganji top and track pants.

‘Hey beautiful,’ he said with a smile.

‘Hey…’ she said and smiled bashfully as the images of their last night romance flashed before her eyes.

He gazed at her sleepy face and ruffled hair. There was an adorable innocence to her just-awoke face which tugged at his heart. He went to her and planted a kiss on her soft lips.

‘How can you be dressed in only your ganji!’ she asked shaking her head.

He laughed at her expression.

‘I did push-ups and plank for some time. I started feeling very hot, so I removed my sweater and T-shist.’

‘Well, you are pretty not,’ she said with a wicked smile.

‘Are we being naughty again?’ he asked kissing her check.

‘No way!’ she said and pushed him away.

Meanwhile, Agnivesh was sitting on the porch when Karna came looking for him.

‘When did you wake up?’ asked Karna sitting next to him.

‘I could barely sleep,’ he said shaking his head.

‘What is it, Agni? You look very troubled.’

‘Roja is killing me. I can barely tolerate seeing her with that fellow. And… to imagine that he laid his hands on her, set me on fire. We were so much in love. She is mine, Karna. She belongs to me!’

‘You need to stop obsessing about her, Agni. It doesn't look like you mean anything to her now. And can’t you see it? She is indeed happy with him,’ reasoned Karna.

‘Then what about all those moments that we have shared together? Do they mean nothing?’

Karna let out a sigh in defeat and squeezed his shoulder.

‘Agni, I can understand your pain. But your relationship with Roja was in the past. Pradyuman is her present and she has no intention of getting back with you. The sooner you accept this truth, the better for you.’

Agnivesh simply shook his head and chose not to reply.

Roja was drying her hair with towel when Pradyuman walked out of the bathroom after a hot bath. He quietly watched as the tiny water droplets fell from her hair. The curtains had been drawn apart and the morning sun shone on her with a golden glow. She gently moved her fingers to untangle her hair. Preoccupied, she turned and found him gazing at her. Instantly she gave him a smile matching the sunshine.

‘Roja…will you marry me?’ he asked in a heartbeat.

To be continued...