“Is that why you are sitting here, waiting for him?” Her eyes fluttered open and he suppressed his chuckle. She was now angry. She realised that he was constantly teasing her.

But strange! She never got angry on anyone before. Why now? Why this annoying boy? What is he doing to her? Why is she feeling different today? She was disturbed in her mind; for the first time in her life, but it felt good.

She got up to leave, when he grabbed her wrist. “Why so angry with me? Can’t we be friends?”

“Nope!”

“Why?”

“1. Because you are making me blabber rubbish, which I never did to anyone. 2. Because you are making me angry with your irritating questions. 3. You are holding my hand. 4. I don’t know you.”

“Those are actually the reasons why we need to be friends. Since I am making you feel that which you never felt before, why not have fun, experiencing a new life with me? I bet it will be much interesting than what you are searching for.” He wriggled his eyebrows, which amused her for some reason. She stared at him for a while before snapping out of the daze and jerking his hand away.

“Come on, my Absent-minded Queen!” He laughed.

She glared at him, but he only laughed more. “That is what the whole village calls you. Let me accompany you home.”

“No thanks! Mr. Notorious. I can take care of myself.” She turned around.

“How can you? When you gave off your mind to that dark boy?”

“None of your business.”

“It is my business. You are my responsibility.”

“When did that happen?”

“When I grabbed your hand.” He grinned and again a flutter in her abdomen.

“I am tired. What is your problem now? What do you want from me?” She felt like no energy was left in her, to argue. He just pulled her behind him and she followed.

“We shall talk later.” He whispered to her as he left her in front of her house. She was too tired for anything, thus went off directly to bed. Her mother found her sleeping peacefully with a smile on her face.
 
“Radha! How long will you sleep? How many times have I told you to wake early and help me in household chores? Now just get up and clean the house. Quick!”
There goes her daily alarm, her mother.

She woke lazily, though she did not feel like doing anything. She slowly moved out of her room but bumped into her mother accidentally. The earthen pot of water that her mother was carrying, fell to the ground, shattering into pieces and spilling water all over the floor.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you so absent-minded all the time? Why can’t you for once be aware of yourself and the surroundings? I am fed up with you. At this rate, how will you be able to manage at your in-law’s place? Leave that alone, who will even come forward to marry you? Now see what have you done … go bring a rag and clean the mess up.” Her mother stormed out of the room.

Radha was left there, standing stunned. Though this kind of wake-up call is common to her, today she actually realised that it hurt her. She always knew that her parents were concerned about her. {Well it is not right to blame them. What can they do when they have a daughter who is insane? They are worried about my future.} She consoled herself and got to the cleaning work.

But she was feeling weird. A single word started haunting her mind. ‘ABSENT-MINDED’ {Why does this sound so familiar?} She kept asking herself. {Because you have been hearing it every day!} Her mind answered in a ‘duh’ tone. {No. There is something else …} Her insides screamed and she took her clothes and left to the river.

She had a secret spot for herself, by the river banks, where people don’t go. It is well hidden by the trees and bushes. It is an isolated spot of land with an old abandoned temple. No one goes to the vicinity of it. But she somehow felt a strange connection with the place. She had found the place accidentally once, during her childhood. And from then, it became her favourite spot. A place where she can go, to escape from the world. To escape into ‘her world’. It was the same place where she was sitting the previous day night. No one knows about her ‘spot’ … except for him.

“Wait … HIM! Yes! He knows. Oh god what do I do now?” She panicked. “He knows about this place and he might be here anytime. Which means I cannot peacefully take bath here anymore … Why god? Why are you doing this to me? There was only one place for me to be alone. But now even that is gone.” She shivered, not because of the cold waters bathing her milky white body, but because of the fear.

“Thinking about me?”

She shrieked in terror. That voice was very familiar. And finally, the owner of that voice appeared before her eyes.

“AAAHHH” She screamed, immersing herself completely in the waters.

“Hey! Don’t drown yourself. I cannot bear to lose you. I will be near the peepal tree. Just get yourself dressed in the temple and come there. We need to talk.” He shouted.

After making sure that he was gone, she slowly swam towards the temple where she left her clothes and got dressed. Still shivering, she approached him slowly.

***************************

Here we go. Second chapter done. What do you feel?

Be happy always.