A well built boy about Swarnima's age stood smirking at her.

"How did you know I was here?" Swarnima questioned the boy with surprise.

"Sources! He called me. Never since I was born. But, since you and him are here, he called. Finally!!" The boy answered.

"So, he still doesn't trust, I can take care of us." Swarnima spoke looking down.

"He just sent me with food for his 'girl'. He told me outside food doesn't suit 'hukum'." The boy gave a box to her.

Swarnima sniffed and shouted in glee, "Amma cooked?"
The boy nodded in approval.
"Wow!! I thought it will be dream to eat her hand cooked food. Guess, I surely need to thank my stars." Swarnima sniffed the box again and smiled.

"I should go... he has seen me... be prepared for his questions. Bye! Princess!" The boy smiled and waved her goodbye.
Swarnima smiled and waved him back.

"Who was he? He just ran away when he saw me coming.
Do you know him?
What's this in your hand?
Did you finish your paper soon to meet him?
Why did you not tell me you have acquaintances here?"
Abhedya fired questions at her.

Swarnima giggled. "Are we playing '5questions' game again?"

Abhedya held her arms and ordered, "answer me damn it!"

"Why are you angry? Can I not have acquaintances? I finished my paper because I knew the answers. I revised the paper too and nothing more was left. I didn't know he was coming here." Swarnima smiled taking his name.

"Wow! Look at that smile. Who was he?" Abhedya sounded angry and felt possessive.

Swarnima took a deep breath and disclosed, "He was here to get me home-cooked food. He is from our state and when the throne will be claimed he will join or may become the head of the security. He was just concerned. He is also responsible for protecting the heir."

"Who told him you are here? That's supposed to be a secret." Abhedya took Swarnima behind the tree, pulled her close, looked into her eyes and asked, "what am I here for? Am I not enough for protecting you? If you wanted home cooked food you should have just told me. I would have cooked food for you."

The picturesque view, the Cool breeze, Abhedya close to her, behind a tree, no one watching. 'Nim, just kiss him. Please...' Swarnima's heart begged her.

"What?? Stop staring!"

Swarnima looked down and bit her lips that were about to curve into a smile. "You are sufficient in every regard. But! You are also here for the competition. You need to concentrate, study, may be. So, Eklavya sent his grandson who lives here with his family with food, not just for me but for you too Mr. Singh. Just smell the box."

Swarnima brought the box near Abhedya's nose and his nostrils hit the amazing aroma of, "Rajma?!!" Abhedya shouted and opened the box and smelled it again.
"The smell is driving me crazy!! Let's dig in." He sat on the grass and pulled Swarnima down.

"The bus will leave us. Let's go to the hostel and eat. Mayur and Vayu can share too. We are a team." Swarnima suggested.

Abhedya ignored her and started eating with his hands.
"Do you hear me?"

Abhedya ignored her and continued eating and moaning at every bite.

"Get up! Fine!  I am going. Eat the whole of it. ALONE!!"

Abhedya was ignoring and eating the scrumptious rajma-chawal.
Swarnima went ten steps ahead and turned back. Abhedya was least bothered about anything except for food. She went back, sat next to him and said, "use a spoon atleast." Swarnima took a spoonful of rice and ate.

"Mmmmmmmmhh.. this is heavenly. Amma is a fab cook. Mmmmmmhh"

Abhedya now looked at Swarnima. She was a temptress for sure. Why does she have to moan that way.

"Eat!" Swarnima told him, oblivious to the feelings Abhedya had hearing her moans.
He threw her spoon, scooped his hand in the rice and stuffed her mouth.
"That's the way you eat. Spoon does not give you the taste your hand gives you." Abhedya had a bite.

"I didn't wash my hands after the exam." Swarnima had a lump in her throat. She could not speak properly.
"As if! I'l make you eat. My hands are clean. Open your mouth." Abhedya ordered and Swarnima complied.

Resting their backs on the tree, a bowl of delicious rajma-rice, Abhedya feeding her with his hands at the foothills of mountains, pleasant breeze, food fight, laughter, giggles and peaceful silence. The two souls who were on an unplanned date ate the whole meal. Gulping down love and laughter with food.

Abhedya and Swarnima walked down till the hostel.

"Abhedya?" Abhedya turned to the source of the voice.

"Kristina??" Abhedya was shocked to see his old classmate.

"Oh my god! After years! Ufff!! You look even more handsome than you looked as fifteen year old. Puberty hit you like 'wow'." Kristina winked at Abhedya.

"Look at yourself. You were a bomb then but you are a nuclear weapon now. How come here?" Abhedya broke the hug and asked her.
Swarnima decided to leave and Abhedya did not even notice her. He was busy.

Swarnima messaged him "I am in my room."
Waiting for a reply was useless she knew. But, she waited. Tossing and turning in her bed she was remembering the time they spent under the tree. It was so beautiful, so magical.
Abhedya considered her as his friend 'only' then why could she not stop thinking and wanting more from their relation. She was not putting efforts to strengthen their bond. If, anything, she was doing everything to break it.

She got up and saw herself in the mirror. She removed her spectacles and her lenses. She opened her hair and let them flow freely.
Did looks really matter? Did heart to heart connections have no meaning?
Swarnima always believed if someone really liked you, they will like you for the person you are not how you look.
She wore her lenses again, tied her hair and slept on her bed. It was six in the evening when she got up and changed into a crisp white patiala suit.

Abhedya had still not read her message. Was he still with that girl? Was he safe? She called him and he answered...
"hey!"
Thank god he picked up the phone.
"Hi! Umm... Where are you? Results will be out by 6:30."
"I am busy. Kristina, a very special and old friend of mine is here. You three go and get the results. Let me know too. I will have dinner with her. Bye!" Abhedya hung the phone not realising the pain Swarnima's heart felt. She never thought she could also feel jealous.

Mayur, Vayu and Swarnima collected their results. All four of them qualified for the next round with Swarnima scoring the maximum points amongst all the students. She received congratulations from everyone.

The boy from morning came and Swarnima left with him.

It was at ten in the night just before the gates of the hostel closed, Swarnima entered. Abhedya ran to her and took her to a deserted area. "Where were you?"

"I went with SURVANG. Remember... the boy you saw in the morning." Swarnima answered him.

"Why did you go? You should have told me before going. What's that exchange of gifts between you two?" Abhedya was a little loud.

"I went because I wanted to. We are all free to do what we want." Swarnima was cut in the middle by Abhedya's clapping.

"Free? Seriously!! Princess Swarnima is free to do what she wants? That's the biggest joke."

Swarnima lowered her head and said, "I wanted to meet Amma, Eklavya's wife who he left years before to protect the state. I was not partying around and catching up with old friends... because I don't have any."

Swarnima was slightly angry too but she pulled out a box from her bag and gave it to Abhedya. "Amma, sent this for you, with love. 19 days to your twenty-first."

Swarnima gave a small box to Abhedya which read 'Hukum!'
He unwrapped it and found a wooden frame with his face carved on it. It was beautiful, unique and thoughtful.
That lady surely had not seen him, yet she carved every detail of his nearly perfect face on the frame.
"Wow!" Abhedya remarked and saw Swarnima almost reached the door of the hostel.
'Abhey! If you don't want to sleep in the smelly room with Vayu, run before Nim locks her room.' Abhedya ran thinking of the boys room.
Swarnima's room was so much better. It smelled fresh fruits just like her.

Finding the corridor empty, he barged into Swarnima's room before she could.
"You are sleeping here again today?" Swarnima asked him rubbing her temples.

"Don't have a choice. Besides, I love sleeping next to you." Abhedya came closer to her but
Swarnima took her change and went to the bathroom for changing, ignoring his comment.

'Work harder Abhey! Your regular charms don't work on her. Huh! She is not regular. She is special.' Abhedya opened his shirt to change and just then Swarnima stepped out.

"What's wrong with you? Why aren't you wearing anything." Swarnima whisper shouted and covered her eyes. Abhedya laughed loudly on Swarnima's reaction. Swarnima closed his mouth and said, "shhhh! You can be heard. Wear your clothes else you are not sleeping in my room."

"Why? Are you scared? You can't resist my charms?" Abhedya asked in deep husky tone.

"You know what, you are seriously shameless. I am really annoyed with you." Swarnima took out a sleeping bag, put it on the floor and slept on it.

"Nim! You are impossible. Come and sleep on the bed. What's this?" Abhedya was amused with her idea.

"I am fine here. You take the bed." Swarnima zipped her sleeping bag and snuggled inside.

"Why do you want to fight? I wore shirt. Now come else I will go and sleep in the room next door." Abhedya told her with finality.

Swarnima came out of her cocoon and retorted, "I fight? You always talk to me so angrily. I was so happy after meeting Eklavya's family. But, you shout at me, always. You know shouting bothers me. Still you do.
You yourself don't answer about your whereabouts but want me to answer. Did you bother telling when you will return. This team was your responsibility but you vanish without informing. What if something happened to any of us? You wouldn't know... because you... just forget it. Now, let me sleep!"

Abhedya was quietly listening to Swarnima. 'Wow Abhey! She just scolded you and you kept quiet. No arguments. No defence. No offence. This girl was surely special but the best part, she vent out what was inside her. That's a first, I guess.' Abhedya looked around for her snack bag and started munching. Food is even tastier after a cute scolding from your 'special one!'

He removed the bedding and put it on floor. He was firm on his decision to sleep next to her. He didn't make any promises today so, he shifted close to Swarnima and opened her sleeping bag's zip.
Swarnima woke up and in her sleepy baby like voice asked him, "Whatare you doing?"

"Just come out of that bag and sleep here. Look I shifted on floor for you." Abhedya tried to convince her in the cutest way possible.

All the anger that was inside Swarnima flew away. She came out and slept on the bed...the one which was on the floor, now.

"Don't bother me more now ABY! I am drained out, let me sleep." Swarnima was surely sleepy coz she just called Abhedya with his 'love name'. He was still not over her calling his name... whenever she did, which was a rare occurrence and today, she addressed him 'Aby?" The day couldn't have ended on a better note.

Abhedya slept looking at Swarnima.
The following morning Swarnima got up and found the packets of snacks left open and wrappers all over the room. She ignored the litter around and went to do her morning business.

Abhedya was still not awake. 'Why was he still not awake. How will he leave the room? The students will be all over the corridor now.'

Swarnima was thinking while combing her hair. She then bent down and shook him, "Get up! We are very late." Abhedya was sleeping like a log.
Swarnima jerked him a little but received no response. So, Swarnima very softly said "Abhey, please get up. It's very late. You can sleep after the competition. Now hurry up."

Abhedya could definitely not resist that sugary voice and his name which sounded like Jaggery from her mouth. But his heart was up to mischief. So he took Swarnima's palm and slept with his face under it. Abhedya thought he will play with her, but, her hand was so soft and fragile that his doubted his stubble might give her rashes.

So, he removed her hand and could not resist but kiss the inside of her palm. "Sorry! For shouting and scolding at you time and again. I will try to not repeat and inform you about my whereabouts. Happy?!!"

Swarnima just sat there and looked at him thinking, 'Was he on some drug? Or was she hallucinating?
Did he just kiss her palm? Hug, sleeping together and kissing now? Dehradun was truly the 'CITY OF LOVE'.

Abhedya buttoned up his shirt and peeped out of the door. All clear. He turned around and remarked, "Nim, good you don't own a blusher. You don't require one 'chicken!'"

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Dear Readers
Word meaning:
Rajma chawal: kidney beans cooked in Indian spices with boiled rice.
Hukum: a way addressing men in Rajasthan who are your masters or elder to you.

How will be the day 3 of the competition.
Stay hooked!
Lots of love