The trance between Maha and Rudra broke because of a loud crashing sound,it was sudden and sharp, like something heavy had fallen.
Both of them immediately jerked away from each other, almost as if they had been caught doing something wrong. Maha quickly stepped back, adjusting her dupatta nervously. Rudra straightened himself and cleared his throat.
For a second, neither looked at the other the sound came again from outside.They both turned toward the direction of the noise at the same time.
"It's coming from the garden," Maha said softly,without wasting time, both of them walked toward the garden. Evening light was fading slowly. The air felt calm, but something about the atmosphere felt disturbed.As soon as they stepped into the garden, they saw flower pots broken on the ground. Fresh flowers were scattered everywhere. Soil was spilled around one of the plants and in the middle of all that stood Seetha.
Her eyes were tightly closed.
Her hands were covering both her ears.
She was standing still as if frozen in fear.
Rudra immediately rushed forward.
"Maa, what happened?"
Seetha slowly opened her eyes after hearing his voice. She looked at Rudra first, then at Maha.
Maha stepped closer. "Em ayindhi Seetha?"
(What happened, Seetha?)
Seetha lifted her trembling hand and pointed toward one of the plants near the corner.
"Snake… there is snake near that plant," she said while pointing.
Immediately, both Rudra and Maha turned their heads toward that plant there it was a snake.Its body slightly curved, moving slowly near the base of the plant.For a brief second, Maha's breath stopped then suddenly maha shouted loudly.
"Snake! Snake!"
Both Seetha and Rudra flinched at her sudden scream,the snake reacted to the loud noise and quickly slithered away into the bushes, disappearing from sight but Maha was still standing there with her eyes tightly shut.
She hadn't realized that the snake was gone.Rudra walked toward her and lightly tapped her shoulder.Maha flinched violently and screamed again.
"Maha!" Rudra called in a louder voice.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked around carefully her eyes moved everywhere — the plant, the ground, the bushes.After confirming that the snake was not there anymore, she slowly relaxed and looked at Seetha and then at Rudra.
Rudra folded his arms casually."Don't worry. By listening to your scream, that snake also got scared and went away."
Seetha tried hard to suppress her laugh,maha pouted immediately.Rudra continued teasing.
"Maa, if you see snake anytime, you don't have to shut your eyes. Instead, you should call Maha. By listening to her scream, even snake will get scared and go away."Maha's eyebrows lifted in disbelief.
"Anyone will scream if they see snake! Not only m—"Before she could complete her sentence, Rudra turned and walked away from there.
Her unfinished words remained hanging in the air she stood there looking at his disappearing figure,her eyes slowly filled with tears.It wasn't because of the snake.It was because of his teasing.Seetha noticed her expression and immediately walked closer to her.
"Maha… nee telisindhe kadha vadi matalu patinchukuntava?"
(Maha, you know about him, right? Why are you taking his words seriously?)
Maha wiped the corner of her eyes quickly.
"Nenu emi anukoledhu le Seetha… nenu veltha."
(I am not thinking anything, Seetha. I'll go.)
She didn't wait for any more conversation.She quietly walked back inside and went straight to her room.
Maha's Room
As soon as she entered her room, she closed the door softly and walked to her bed and fell onto it face down, hugged her pillow tightly.
"He always makes fun of me," she muttered.Her voice was soft but hurt.
"Arre, anyone in that situation will scream. Even Seetha also shouted. But he will make fun of me."She turned to her side and stared at the wall.
"At least he should say, 'Don't panic Maha, it won't do anything to you,'" she said softly, imitating in a sweet voice.
"But no. He is the great Rudra. Why will he say that?"She frowned.
"Jerk. Buffalo."She paused suddenly.
"No no… buffalo is black. But my bava is golden color."
Her subconscious mind mocked her."Now also you are supporting your bava."
"No, I am not supporting him!"
"Yeah yeah… we all know."She pulled the pillow over her head slowly, her anger mixed with tiredness without realizing, she dozed off into sleep.
7:00 PM
Maha's phone rang loudly.She moved slightly and picked up the phone without even opening her eyes.
"Hello… who is it?" she asked in a sleepy tone.
"Maha, did Lucky call you?" Seetha's voice sounded panicked.
Maha immediately opened her eyes and sat up."No Seetha, she didn't call me. Why are you asking? Didn't Lucky come home?"
"No Maha. She didn't come. Her phone is switched off. I am getting tensed."Maha's sleep completely vanished.
"Don't worry Seetha. I will call her friends and ask them. Okay? Don't worry."She quickly called Lucky's friends one by one.
Each of them said the same thing."She already left."
"At this time she should have reached home."
Maha's heart started beating faster.She and Seetha informed Shiva about Lucky.Soon, Maha came to Seetha's house the atmosphere was tense.seetha was pacing near the entrance,shiva was repeatedly trying Lucky's number.Just as Shiva was about to call Rudra—
Lucky entered the house,all of them rushed toward her at once.
"Maa, nothing. Cab tire punctured and phone is switched off. That's it. No need to worry. I am safe. See?"
Shiva's anger burst out.
"DON'T YOU KNOW TO CALL FROM ANOTHER PHONE? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE TENSED?"
Lucky replied , "I said I am fine right.".without saying anything more, she walked to her room.
Seetha felt relieved that Lucky returned safely and went to the kitchen but Maha and Shiva followed Lucky to her room.Shiva sat beside Lucky and gently caressed her head.
"What happened Lucky?" he asked softly.
"I said nothing happened na," she replied.Maha looked at her carefully.
"You may lie to Seetha. Not to us. What happened Lucky?"Suddenly, Lucky broke into tears,she hugged Shiva tightly and started crying loudly.Both Maha and Shiva panicked and hugged her tightly.
"Maha… what happened? Why are you crying?" Maha asked.Lucky laid her head in Maha's lap.
After a few seconds, she started speaking.
"While I was coming from get together party, that cab driver stopped the car at side of the road and said tire punctured."She took a long pause.
"I got down to see if any car is coming or not. But that cab driver pushed me into car."Maha's eyes filled with tears,lucky continued crying.
"He started misbehave with… me. But… someone came and punched that cab driver and dropped me here."Shiva's anger reached its peak.
He clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white.lucky's voice trembled again.
"If that person didn't come at right time, then I would have not been here in front of you."Shiva gently held her face.
"Nothing will happen to you Lucky," he said and kissed her forehead."Sleep. Don't think about that matter."He stood up.
"Maha, I have small work. I will leave."Maha nodded silently.
Neither of them noticed that a pair of eyes and ears were watching and listening.