with her reddened eyes, Aparna stared into the river which is having little light in it, but the sounds that are reaching them clearly. She couldn't process what he meant by, but one thing that came to her mind was that he touched her not just once or twice, but many times. She was really taken aback when she recalled all the events happened between them. she, without uttering any word just recalled their time together.
on the other hand Malli, who has no idea of whatsoever happening right there, did nothing but look at her and tried to call her, "aparnaa,?" in a small voice. When he realized that she is not getting his voice, he tried to pat her shoulder as a way to call her, "aparna., Aparna ". As soon as she felt his hand on her, she flinched and got really angry as she just got up from her place,
"don't you dare to touch me, Mallikarjuna"
with a tone that clearly expressed her anger and disappointment against his action.
Mallikarjuna, almost fell into tears as she said that. "I'm sorry, Aparna...." Aparna just stood calmly as she tried to calm her breathing. hearing him say sorry, Aparna thought "looking back, I know I'm the one who made the situation that is now. Who am I to blame now?" she let out a sigh. Malli was still sitting with his head low a little and looking at him from her point of view, Aparna couldn't help but sit back beside him. His eyes literally beamed.
Aparna thought to herself "with me being like this it's only natural that he'll get handsy. How did I say such words to him when I'm actually being lenient enough to make him behave that way."
Malli, fidgeting with his hands, "Aparna, please forgive me.....
...
... I don't have any words for my behavior....
....
..."
he kept mumbling some sentences.
Aparna sighed and got up from her place without any word, "okay then, I'll leave for now....." she took off without looking back at him.
His heart pained a little from her cold behavior, buy his legs followed her silently and unknowingly.
He thought, ."may be this is what Aparna felt when she followed me all through the village... without other thought.. just following the foot steps of the person infront. I'm glad that she isn't saying anything about me following her.."
Aparna too knows that he's following silently behind her without any disturbance caused. she thought of days when she mindlessly followed him in earlier days without a thought...
as Aparna reached her destination, "Aparna....? what are you doing here at this time?" asked Surappa who has just came out of his home to go to village tree. Hearing Surappa's voice, Malli confused as to why he's hearing his voice.... on a closer examination, "woah, did I just come to my home following her...?"
Aparna after greeting Surappa with namaskar, " greetings grandpa, I came to deliver some good news, but I got caught up with something in the middle, so it kind of gotten a little late." she chuckled as she answered him. "Malli, did you come together?" he asked. "no no we just met at the turning and walked till here...." she answered without any hesitation.
Malli was shocked as to why she lied but kept quiet..
"any way come inside, it's too dark to see anything now." Surappa lead the way into the house. after greeting grandma and Prabhavathi Aunt, Aparna started, "grandpa grandma and prabhavathi aunt, I came to tell you that mother sent me here to share the good news of Krishna and Karunakar getting married...."
Surappa and grandma showed no signs of shock or bewilderment. "good things for those two kids." she blessed him. "that boy whom I saw running naked around me is becoming a father in law, time sure passes on...." Surappa expressed his happiness for Obulesu and blessed the to be bride and groom.
Mallikarjuna felt quite happy for them.
prabahvathi expressed her happiness too and brought sweet form the kitchen to celebrate..
Aparna was happy till then.
.... a short time passed....
.....
Aparna "I'll take my leave then, it's really getting so dark." to grandma.
grandma replied, "why don't you just sleep here? I'll have Malli inform your parents about that Aparna..?" she asked expectantly. Aparna felt a little burdened and said "grandma, if he's going to my house to inform my parents, isn't it better for me to just tag along with him...?" asked with a small smile... grandma couldn't refute that. Surappa interrupting them "don't worry Aparna, inform your father that I'll visit him in the afternoon and..." looking at Malli, "Malli make sure she's reached her home safely..." As an order. malli nodded and greeted them. Aparna took every one's leave and started walking towards their house.
Malli and Aparna didn't talk for a while and after a short time, "Aparnaa...? can I ask you something?" he asked in a low voice as if lacking confidence..
she "hmmed"
"earlier, at my house, why did you lie to grandpa?"... he asked as if he's trying to probe her for something.
"what do mean....?" she asked....
"As I asked. nothing more or less...?" pause a little and continued, "I didn't know that you can lie..." she stopped walking as he said those.
"why did I lie to him? it's not like this is the first time we went to his home together? That was not a situation requiringme to lie. Then why did I ...?" as she filled her head with these thoughts,
malli asked, "Aparna, I really meant when I asked you how would you feel if you were to imagine to share your life with me." he said those words as if they carried his life, that reached her inner most part and pierced through it.
Some distant dog barking brought her back to reality and started to walk again. as they neared their house, Mallikarjuna felt like he'll never see Aparna whom he knew till now... his heart throbbed at the thought of that, and Aparna without any sign of other disturbances, calmly walked her way through.....
when they reached her home, Aparna still kept walking, "Aparna we've reached your home..." as he held her hand from her moving further. when she stopped he withdrew his hand reflexively remembering her warning from earlier....
"Aparna, forgive me, it's not like I purposefully held your hand for other things, I just wanted to tell you that we're at you home..... forgive me...." he quickly apologized.... looking and observing every minute change in her facial expression...
Aparna felt really uneasy looking at him. like that, "thank you for accompanying me here... would you like to come inside...?" she asked suppressing her every thought and emotion...
he hesitantly "no no its late. please get in fast. your parents must be worried..", paused a little,
took a few steps back as he looked at her and "please forgive me for my previous actions too, then I'll take my leave..."
.... he left with heavy heart..
Aparna couldn't really digest what he said...."am I really..?