"Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you." 

― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

Chapter 39: Some Hot Stuff

   Riya frantically dug her shelf to find something to wear for the Dandia Night they were going to. It was being conducted at a Temple Hall. Sheila had told them about it a week ago, and Riya was super excited. She was stepping out of the house only tonight after the whole park outing. She was never one to plan out her dress and accessories the day before, which was why she was stuck without a dress at the moment.

   She had a gorgeous red Ghagra Choli, but she didn't want to wear it since she needed someone to pin the back of her blouse. There was no way she was going to ask Madhan. She would have asked Sheila but things were still awkward, and she didn't want to hurt Sheila more than she had to. Riya knew the pain of loving someone but not being able to be with them.

   When Riya thought about it, she realized she had stopped thinking about Aakash. She hardly emailed him, and she didn't mention him even once in her diary. It didn't mean she stopped loving him, it was just that she was too busy to feel heart broken. Madhan was doing a good job of taking her mind away from him.

   He might just happen to succeed in charming her if he continued this way, despite all the silly things he would do to impress her but end up failing miserably. More than annoying her, she thought his gestures were extremely sweet and cute. As long as it was all his effort only.

   Riya peeped out the door to see if Madhan was there. His back was facing her and she couldn't see what he was doing. She quietly closed the door and leaned behind it.

   What was she going to do? Her heart sank when she knew she had no other choice.

   Riya opened the door again to find him in a different position. He was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper and was looking at his watch every two minutes.

   Madhan had sensed her presence and looked up from his paper. She's not ready yet? An hour had already passed after he got ready. If they didn't leave in half an hour, they might miss the introduction dance where they walk in as a couple. He really didn't want to miss that.

   An inaudible gasp escaped Riya's lips when she saw him. Madhan looked undeniably handsome. He had his hair styled, and was wearing a Kurta Pyjama, His face was almost clear, thanks to her mother's magic paste. She could see the hardened chest underneath the cloth, and his arms were slightly bulky.

   "Do you need any help?" Madhan asked.

   Riya turned a beet red. Madhan misunderstood her silence and started stammering. "I uh didn't mean it in uh that way," he said, before he could stop himself.

   Riya turned an even darker shade as she understood what he said he didn't imply. He indirectly asked if she needed help in getting dressed. Literally.

   "Um no," Riya composed herself. "I was going to tell you to carry on. I'm not coming."

   Madhan narrowed his eyes at her. The super excited Riya for one week says she's not coming on the actual day of Dandia night. Something was wrong. And if she wasn't going to tell him, he was going to make her tell him. "Yeah? Okay. I'll get going then."

   Riya watched in dismay as she saw Madhan get up and straighten his kurta. That's it? No 'why aren't you coming?' or if you're not going then neither am I? Sheesh. She took back what she meant about him being sweet. He wasn't.

   Riya scowled and closed the door again. She sat down and cried out in frustration. She heard Madhan yell through the door that he was leaving, and the door lock.

   She unlocked her door and peeped out. Once she was sure the door was locked, she kept her door wide open, and started trying out her dresses again. She muttered to herself quite angrily, yelling at the mirror like it was Madhan. She yelled that just because she said she wasn't coming didn't mean she didn't want to go.

   Finally deciding on wearing the gagra choli itself, she was determined to pin it up by herself. She would cover herself with a shawl at the back if she couldn't do it, and find Sheila at the place to pin it up for her somewhere in private.

   At times she wished she were in India. Riya spotted her neighbors a couple of times when she went out, and they only exchanged pleasantries. She wasn't friends enough with her women neighbors that she could barge in and demand that they pin it up.

   Feeling hot and sticky from trying out all the dresses, she decided to take a quick shower again. Midway through the shower, Riya cursed inwardly why she couldn't have bought a new shampoo. She couldn't resume the shower without it. She wrapped herself up with a towel and planned to sneak into Madhan's to borrow his.

   Riya crept out of her room, clutching her towel nervously and looking around cautiously if Madhan had come back. Once she confirmed he hadn't, she opened Madhan's bathroom door.

   "Boo."

   Riya screamed, dropping her towel, revealing everything underneath. She screamed some more when she saw Madhan standing there dumbfounded.

   "What the hell? LOOK AWAY YOU BUFFALO," Riya shouted, quickly scrambling her hands to grab the towel from the floor to wrap it around herself.

   Madhan was still staring when she finished.

   "Arrrgghhhhhh!" Riya shouted, flustered. Only God knew how embarrassed she was. There were only two options. Either she walked back to her room without the shampoo or with the shampoo.

   Riya muttered a string of profanity, asking Madhan to move, rudely. He mutely obliged, not once removing his eyes from her.

   She snatched the shampoo, and walked away without further ado.

   While Riya went back to shower, Madhan had to take a cold shower himself. He had no idea where his ill manners came from. He mentally scolded himself for acting so vulgarly. But the picture remained his head. How he wanted to do her right then.

   Her hair was wet, her skin was so smooth, her lips were so luscious. He stayed in the shower for fifteen minutes before changing back into his clothes.

   His plan was to find out why she didn't want to go. He grinned cheekily when he acknowledged that it had to be the best plan he had ever come up with. He was supposed to act like he left, but he was hidden inside the house. Riya would give some sort of clue as to why she didn't want to go.

   Also, he knew that Riya would shout at him. He had absolutely no idea that she would enter his room. He thought he would pleasantly surprise her, since she was so angry he had left. But nothing could have prepared him for what had happened.

   He now knew the reason why she refused to go.

   He smirked. That reason wasn't valid anymore.

   They had crossed that point a few minutes ago.

   He took the shawl wrapped around his neck and blindfolded himself.

   It was time to make it up to her.

   Riya stayed in the shower for a long time. Her nerves were frazzled, some out of frustration, but mostly out of embarrassment. She couldn't forget the expression Madhan had on his face. He appeared so dazzled.

   What annoyed her the most was that he didn't look away! What kind of gentlemanly manners were those?

   Riya paced to and fro about her room. She didn't know if she could be the same around him. All she'll be able to think is about him having seen her completely naked. She sent a silent thank you to the lord, for having shaved everything before going to shower.

   It would have been so horrifying if she hadn't.

   Riya was panicking. It was a huge deal to her. Riya was very conscious of her body. She made it a point to always cover herself completely.

   You would always see her in traditional attire complete with a shawl at a temple, or college. At home, she was in pajamas, and she hardly stepped out of her house. Riya even wore her saris in such a way her navel was hardly shown.

   Why is it that she was 0.0000001% glad it happened then, she asked herself. Deep underneath all those conservative feelings, a tiny, very tiny part of her lit up. She had no idea if it was because something triggered her when she saw Madhan all dressed up.

   They had become closer the past two weeks. Riya applied the paste for him every morning. Madhan would wake her up with a cup of milk at five in the morning, so they could study. Sometimes they went to the park for a walk. Madhan would jog, while Riya walked enjoying the scenery.

   During these times she could observe the bulkiness of his arms. He would jog in a sleeveless banyan, with a towel wrapped around his neck. She admired his determination.

   "Hey, you don't have to do this anymore," Riya said to him, one day, while they were driving back home.

   "Do what?"

   "I don't know, diet, or work out?"

   Madhan touched her hand lightly. "Thank you. That means a lot, but I'm doing it for myself. It feels good to slowly get back in shape. I love feeling the workout pain, and the fresh air I get when I work out in the mornings."

   "That's good to hear. Just wanted you to know that I really admire your determination." Riya smiled.

   "Couldn't have done it without you," he squeezed her hand.

   "You would have if you could have waited a little longer." Riya bit her lip. Would he have understood her inner meaning she had meant to imply? Time was all she needed to move on.

   "Yeah, sure. When I'm old and eighty, I would have lost fat due to my growing old age," he joked.

   Probably not, she thought. To anyone else in this world, Madhan would have appeared far from Mr. Universe quality. But what people did not know was how beautiful his charisma was. Slowly, Riya was able to see his inner beauty reflect in his appearance.

   She had started to observe his cute quirks. It didn't mean she was falling for him. It meant that she was slowly getting to know him better and accept him.

   At least, it was a start.

   That's what she thought, then. Now, she wasn't so sure. She struggled to put a name to her feelings but gave up. Maybe it's not time yet. She would let her feelings run it's course.

   Riya heard a sharp cry outside her room. Should she go? She was dressed only in her blouse and in-skirt, revealing her navel. Grabbing a non matching shawl from the top of the pile of clothes, she wrapped it around her, and stepped out.

   Madhan was feeling his way around the house. He had stubbed his toe against the dining table, and cried out in pain. He was walking towards the sofa.

   Why was he wearing a shawl around his eyes?

   If Riya didn't do anything to stop him, he would most likely topple the sofa over and break the coffee glass table in the living hall. She wrapped her arms around his torso from the back to stop him from moving.

   Madhan stopped moving, bewildered at the touch. Was Riya hugging him? "Does this mean I'm forgiven?" he asked a bit too soon.

   Riya removed her arms from his torso and turned him around so that he faced her.

   "I really want to slap you," she fumed.

   Madhan raised his hands to chest in surrender. "I'm so sorry, I really didn-"

   "I don't want to hear another word. I'm going to my room, you can fend for yourself."

   Madhan, out of desperation tried to hold her shoulders to stop her, but he ended up caressing her boobs. Why was it so soft, he asked himself. A minute later, he felt a sharp pain on his arm and let go instantly. Riya had pinched him hard.

   Oh, that's why, he blushed. "I know why you didn't want to go. That's why I blindfolded my eyes. Let me pin it up for you, please? I know how excited you were. Don't let this stop us from going. If you had told me earlier, I would have called Sheila."

   "And then what? Break her heart into million pieces again?"

   Madhan winced. "Please?"

   "Nope. You can go, I'm not." Riya was steely.

   Madhan opened his mouth to protest but Riya beat him to it. "How can I trust that you aren't peeping?"

   "Because I hurt myself a couple of minutes ago." Madhan really wished he hadn't blindfolded himself. He really wanted to see her. Not naked. Just see her.

   "Well, I still need to test you."

   Madhan shrugged. "Okay."

   Riya punched him in the stomach. She gave a satisfied smirk as she watched him clutch his stomach. If he was lying, he would have protected himself.

   "Ooof," Madhan bowled over in slight pain.

   "Okay, you pass the test."

   Madhan grunted. The pain was worth it if he could take her to the Dandia Night. They already missed the introduction dance, but at least they had a few hours of the night left.

   Riya turned her back towards him, removing the shawl hesitatingly. She felt extremely shy despite knowing that he couldn't see anything. It was probably the only reason why she confidently stood there.

    Madhan felt the shawl at his feet and was confused but let it go. He moved his hands in front of him, trying to find the back of blouse, but instead grabbed her butt.

   "Madhan," Riya said, gritting her teeth. He was really testing her patience. Was he doing it on purpose? She scowled.

   He traced his hands upwards, coming into contact with her bare skin at the back.

   Riya shivered at the touch.

   Madhan fumbled a bit with the hooks on her blouse, grazing her skin constantly with his temples. Once he was sure he was done, he brought his hands to the blindfold to untie it. He just had to see her. He had never seen Riya this vulnerable, and he wanted to caress her. Desperately.

   Riya turned around to thank him, but at the same time, Madhan's blindfold loosened and fell to the floor. She didn't have time to wrap herself with a shawl. Her blouse exposed a bit of cleavage, and not to mention her bare navel.

   She was too pissed off to be shy. This was the second time he kind of took advantage of her. She grabbed a fist of Madhan's Kurta and forcefully pulled him down, so his face was leveled with hers.

   A huge wave of emotions washed over her, and Riya found herself swallowing nervously. She wanted to yell at him and tell him that this incident was never to be mentioned again but no sound escaped her lips. She continued to gaze in his eyes, getting lost in them. What was happening to her? She felt extremely exposed for the second time that day, and unlike last time, she didn't care. At the spur of the moment, she wanted to kiss him.

   Madhan noticed Riya's anger faltering as she swallowed. He gazed at her lips as she parted it a little. When Madhan looked back in her eyes, he could see the lust in them.

  Aaah, so she was getting attracted to him. Madhan did a mental dance, probably a little too long as he could see traces of impatience in her. Was she waiting for him to make the first move?

   Riya loosened her grip on his shirt as he moved forward. He placed his hands on both sides of her waist, smirking as he saw her widen her eyes. She leaned her head forward unconsciously, and closed her eyes. She wondered why he was taking too long to kiss her.

   She felt a shawl being wrapped around her shoulders as Madhan let go of her waist.

   As she opened her eyes, she saw Madhan bring his lips to below her right ear, his breath tickling her neck. "You should get ready. We are getting late," he whispered, and walked back towards the sofa.

Author's Note:

Hope you enjoyed the chapter :) Please comment and vote <3 :D

Appendix:

Ghagra Choli :A blouse clubbed with a long skirt and shawl (check media)

Dandia Night: Dandiya Rass is the traditional folk dance form of Gujarat, India, and is associated with scenes of Holi, and lila of Krishna and Radha at Vrindavan. Along with Garba, it is the featured dance of Navratri evenings in Western India.  Dandiya Night is when you perform Dandiya Rass on a specific date.