Episode 9- The Paradise has a Heart

 Roja stared down at her palms unable to meet his eyes.

‘I was shocked when I saw Agnivesh and his friends here. In fact, I did contemplate looking for another place for accommodation. But Karna convinced me against it. Also since I was travelling alone and this place was highly recommended by my colleague, I did not want to shift. Moreover Mr. Wahib and his wife are also staying here, so I felt there was nothing to worry about. Agnivesh is only one of the inmates of this house, thats all,’ she said and waited for his response.

She did not lift her eyes and look up at him. When she did not hear anything for a few moments, she looked up. He was still standing with his arms across his chest, but there was a smile playing around his lips. Roja was looking at him like a child who had stolen chocolates. He was really enjoying the fear in her eyes. He walked up to her and held her hand.

‘All I want is for you to not hide anything from me, sweetheart. And you know that you don't have to fear about sharing anything with me. We both got into this relationship after knowing and accepting our pasts. You must believe me when I say that I trust you completely. You fearing, about my reaction for your stay here, is an insult to my trust."

Roja let out a long-drawn breath in relief. She kissed his hand. 

‘I need more of that but let me first clean up,’ he said and removed his jacket.

She laid out his sweatshirt in front of the heater. Once he freshened up, she went to have a quick wash. The bathroom was hot and steamy since Pradyuman had also bathed in hot water. Roja felt her muscles relax when she poured the hot water over her limbs. She stepped out of the bathroom wearing her thermal wear and T-shirt, while he was drinking water from the flask. She was about to walk past him to fetch her track pants, when he pulled her towards him. She was on the verge of shivering due to cold. One of his hands gently caressed her lips, while the other wrapped around her waist. With all the pent-up lust building up to that moment of anticipation, their lips found each other with an urgency that was hard to explain. She gasped when chilled air suddenly enveloped her waist. But soon enough the hot skin of his hand blocked all sensation of cold. They kissed until their thirst for intimacy was satiated. What they did not realise was that it was an unquenchable thirst. 

Meanwhile, Agnivesh and his friends were yet to come to terms with Roja and Pradyuman’s relationship. Agnivesh was smoking on the parch with Preetham and Karna while the others were huddled in the fireplace room. 

‘How could she do this? I cannot believe that she got into a relationship so soon. Poor Agnivesh is still pining for her,’ said Sushma sympathizing.

‘Girls these days are quite fast,’ commented Vasu.

‘Did you look at Pradyuman? He looks like some model. I am sure that she hooked up with him just for his looks. For him, she is probably just one of the many flings,’ said Jennifer quite easily passing judgements about two people she barely knew.

‘Guys will you please stop talking like this? We know nothing about their relationship to be commenting on it. Moreover it has been four years since she broke up with Agni. Also are you sure that Agni had no relationships in Canada? Who knows what he was doing there? It is not as if Roja cheated on him while she was in a relationship with Agni. Let’s not commit a character assassination so easily,’ said Nakul.

There was a reason why Nakul supported Roja. He had been observing her ever since she had come into Mr. Wahib's house. She was a very kind person and quite confident when she spoke about her career. There was a mystical charm about her and he simply could not stop himself from admiring her. In fact he kept wondering how Agnivesh could break up with a woman like her. When he met Pradyuman, he felt that probably Pradyuman suited Roja more than Agnivesh. Although almost all of Agnivesh’s friends expected Roja and Agnivesh to patch up during this trip, only Nakul was not very hopeful about it. He could clearly see that Roja simply considered Agnivesh as any other inmate of the house. 

‘Agni are you okay?’ asked Karna putting out his cigarette stub.

‘Of course not! I cannot believe that she got into a relationship with another man. I might have sort of made peace with it if she had got into an arranged marriage. But how can she love another man so soon? Didn’t my love hold any value for her? How can she simply throw me out of her life and run into the arms of another man?’ he asked banging his fist against the pillar in front of him.

Karna could understand the rage of his friend. No man can tolerate seeing his woman with another man. But the catch here was that Roja no longer belonged to Agnivesh. After a few minutes, they entered the fireplace room. Soon the group began discussing about the menu for the night. They had planned on an elaborate dinner to welcome the new year. Just then Pradyuman and Roja walked into the room holding hands. Karna noted the happy smile on Roja's face. He had seen that happiness on her face for the first time ever since she had come to Srinagar. They both sat down next to Vasu and Nakul handed them a blanket to share.

‘I am curious to know how both of you met. Come on, tell us your story,’ insisted Nakul.

‘Well, Roja and I were classmates at school. We have known each since class 1. Although we lost touch after class 10. Then again I met her after almost 12 years at a play which I had written and also enacted a small part.’

‘Oh, are you an actor?’ asked Sushma raising her eyebrows.

Pradyuman smiled shaking his head.

‘No. I am a writer and content developer. I write plays, screenplay for films and OTT platforms. Although, I am not surprised that you assumed I was as actor. Actually I believe in staying fit and I work out regularly. This is something that I started when I was in college because back in school, I was a very chubby boy,’ he said winking at Roja.

‘When I saw him on stage, I had no clue that it was indeed Pradyuman. But the play was so good, I went backstage to meet the writer and that is where I was shocked to see his transformation,’ added Roja.

‘I was equally stocked too. She was no longer the firebrand Roja that I had known in school. Roja was the star of our class, We all expected that someday she would become an exceptional woman. But the person who stood in front of me that day, was a hollow woman. There was hardly any life in her eyes. Later we started meeting regularly. And then slowly, she told me about her breakup and how it had left her devastated. Yet now when I come to think of it, maybe it was all for good. Otherwise Roja might not have come back into my life,’ he said and kissed her forehead.

Agnivesh secretly wished he could break Pradyuman’s neck right at that moment. The proximity between Roja and his new enemy was burning his eyes.

‘Do you travel for work?’ asked Agnivesh out of the blue.

Roja gave her ex-boyfriend a stern look. Under the blanket, Pradyuman squeezed her hand gently.

To be continued...