TEMPEST LOVE

Chapter Two

Chaaya's fingers played with the sand distractedly, but her eyes were stormy and gazing faraway towards the ocean. Vikram's visit to her studio made her restless. She had slowly got over the traumatic phase of her life and settled down in Galle. But it was shattered in a single blow by his entry. She hoped that she would not meet him again. She knew she was overwrought, but she could not help it. She and Rohan had come down to the beach and she sat pondering over the events of the last couple of days, Rohan's proposal, the match and Vikram's visit.

She thought over Rohan's proposal. Rohan was the Head of the Department of Maths in the school where she taught art during weekends. It had been six months since they had known each other. Rohan had proposed marriage to her last week. It was quite romantic, considering that he was otherwise a rather sombre person, devoted to his subject. Sometimes, when they were together, he would go on and on about how fascinating Maths was. She had never expressed her boredom with his monologue about Maths. He was very sensitive and it would hurt him if he knew of her impatience with his long discourses. Chaaya liked and respected him a lot. He was handsome, practical and down to earth. He did not believe in romance or in god. His worship was reserved for Nature in which he saw god. He did not go beyond that. His proposal to her came out of the blue when they attended a gathering at his friend's house. Being a private person, she was embarrassed when he expressed his wish to get married to her in front of his friend's family.

Now, as she waited for Rohan to come back from his swim, she was mulling over it. The beach was quiet and it was sparsely populated. Two or three school kids were frolicking around at a distance.

Suddenly, a pair of muscular legs came into her view. She raised her eyes up slowly taking in the view, from the hairy legs to the folded baggy trouser, the bare chest lightly matted with dark hair and finally to the handsome face. She knew who he was, even before she met his eyes. Her appraisal had disturbed him. She could guess that from the look in his eyes. She could always disrupt his composure when they used to be together. But she did not think that she was capable of doing it even now. The knowledge gave her a sinful glow of pleasure.

“All alone? No i***t to make fool of?” he asked spitefully and she turned her face away. He stood staring at her rigid sitting posture. She kept watching the ocean without acknowledging him.

His hands ruffled his wet hair and he shook them deliberately. Droplets of water fell on her and she looked up at him indignantly. He gave a slow wicked grin. Chaaya stood up angrily, but she did not realize that by standing up she ended up getting closer to Vikram. Her face was just inches away from his. She stepped back hurriedly and stumbled upon her bag. But Vikram caught her forearm before she fell like an i***t on his feet.

“Careful or you will not be able to get up without my support.” The double edged innuendo aggrieved her.

“Why are you irritating me? Why don't you leave? After all, you asked me to stay away from you yesterday. Now you are the one following me,” her words tumbled out furiously.

“Oh Please. I have better things to do than follow you. I just took pity on the lonely figure you cut here on the beach. After all we are old friends,” he said, deliberately repeating her parting shot at their last meeting and smiled maliciously.

Chaaya could never remember Vikram being so sarcastic and harsh. He was always a soft spoken, well-mannered, sophisticated man. How did he become this rude and insolent person?

“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you regretting our break-up?” he continued taunting.

She sighed and said, “You know Vikram, I am glad that I broke up with you because our relationship would not have lasted longer than a week. I would never have tolerated such a resentful and petulant man like you. Or did our break-up have such an impact on you?” Chaaya could be as hurtful as Vikram and her words hit him hard. She knew it from the way his eyes turned cold and aloof.

Vikram was about to reply when her name was called out loudly. Both of them turned around and Chaaya saw Rohan coming out of the water. He walked towards her and slid his arm around her waist. He looked at Vikram enquiringly.

“Hi!” he offered his hand to Vikram in a friendly manner. Vikram had no other option but to politely take the offered hand.

“I am Rohan. Are you not Vikram Singh the cricket player?” Rohan asked after introducing himself.

Vikram nodded in reply, “Yup.Chaaya and I are old friends.”

“Really?” Rohan glanced at Chaaya, “You never told me Chaaya.”

Chaaya shrugged her shoulders, and looking at Vikram replied, “It was not that important.”

Vikram's eyes flared up with red hot anger at her deliberate insult, but he masked them with his inbred self-control. Rohan's eyes widened at Chaaya's words. He was surprised at her rudeness. As far as he knew, she was always polite and soft mannered. He looked at both of them curiously.

“Shall we go?” Chaaya asked Rohan

“Are you her friend?” Vikram threw the question at Rohan.

“Yes and hopefully her fiancé too,” he replied with a smile at Chaaya.

Chaaya smiled tightly and watched Vikram's face for reaction, but his royal upbringing prevented him from reacting in public.

He smiled and shook Rohan's hands, “Congratulations are in order then. Take care and my best wishes,” he said as if Rohan really needed it. Chaaya knew he was being sarcastic. She looked at him sharply, but very smoothly he took his leave and walked away. He did not congratulate her.

Rohan stared after him and said, “Strange guy, but he played amazingly well in the match.” Rohan rambled on about the match until they got into the car and drove away.

Chaaya was annoyed that Rohan mentioned the marriage proposal to Vikram. After all, she had not given any answer yet. Then why did he assume anything. She was quiet all the way and when Rohan dropped her at her flat, he asked, “Why are you so quiet Chaaya?”

“Why did you have to tell him about your proposal?” she asked him.

“You said you were old friends, so I thought I would mention it. I did not realize that it was a crime to tell him about it,” he said peevishly.

“Rohan, I did not say it was a crime, but you could have waited till I gave a reply, before informing others.” She explained with a patience that was fast wearing out.

“Sorry then. Next time, I will wait for your answer before blurting out my feelings,” he said sulkily and took off in his car angrily as soon as she got out.

She shook her head and muttered 'MEN'. The security guard looked at her strangely and smiled hesitatingly.

Her phone was ringing when she entered her flat and she rushed to answer it, “Hello”

“Hello, Chaaya beta.” Her grandfather spoke and she remembered that it was the w****y day of his call. Without fail, her grandfather called her every week to talk to her and inquire about her well-being. Her grandmother too updated her about the events at home. After the call ended, she felt a pang as she realized how much she missed being with them at her home and her city. Her grandparents must have come back home from the Ganga Aarti, she thought wistfully. Attending the evening aarti was a daily ritual for them. The whole place would lighten up with the sound of bells and diyas. Such a magnificent sight! How she wished she was in Varanasi, soaking in the moment on the steps of the ghat with friends and gossiping about Bollywood stars and television shows. Such good old and carefree days! Where did they go? Suddenly she felt a sharp stab of loneliness as she struggled to hold back her tears. A cup of hot tea steadied her emotional turmoil.

She did not allow her mind to wander into dangerous territories. Since that moment she learnt about the final match of Tri Series being held in Galle, she had been on tenterhooks. She hated herself for going to the stadium to watch the match.

She vividly remembered that moment. She had been in her studio painting with concentration when her publisher, who was a fellow Indian, came into the studio. He was worried and mumbled about India going to lose the match. After he left, she checked her phone for the current position of the match and fretted about it for some time. When Vikram came in to bat and other batsmen were getting out, she could not stop herself from going to the stadium.

Because, long ago, he had told her that her presence always brought luck for him…

So she went like a fool. But the moment she realized that he spotted her, she left the venue in a rush. She was not even aware that he knew that she lived in Galle. Who would have thought that he kept tabs on her, just like he mentioned the previous day. It had been three years since she saw him or heard about him. She knew he was doing well in his sport, but she refused to watch his matches or read about his success. They hurt each other too much to ever think of meeting again. Moreover, he was committed to someone else.

Within a year of their breakup, he had married the most glamorous and popular model Urvashi Raina.

Life was indeed strange. She should have felt happy that he found love once again; after all, she was the one to walk out on him. She also knew she hurt him very badly. But the fact was that she hurt herself badly for destroying his trust and love. When he married, she went into a depression for months. She did not know whether it was guilt or heart-break. But she was thankful that she had her mother, who stood by her and encouraged her to concentrate on her career.

Well, it was better that she did not visit that phase of her life now or she would start hating herself all over again.

Rohan was her concern now. Did she care for him enough to spend a life time with him? She respected him and liked him, but marriage? When he had proposed to her, she was taken aback, but she promised him that she would think over it.

Now after seeing Vikram again, she could not imagine herself with anybody else. But then, that kind of passion and love was felt only once in a life time. The feelings she had for Vikram were a kind of weakness. It made her blood race and her emotions topsy turvy. Was it love? She did not know.

She fell into a disturbed sleep that night.

The Colombo airport was bustling with tourists. At this time of the year, the city attracted a lot of international tourists. Kartik, along with the team, strolled around the duty-free shops to buy souvenirs for the families. As he was looking through the stuff in the rack, he got a call.

“Hello.”

“Hi Kartik, This is Red…”

“Hi, you found anything?”

“Yes. She is in Galle, Sri Lanka. ”

“What?” Kartik exclaimed.

“Yes, she has been staying there for a year now…”

Kartik was shocked. She was right here in this country. Oh god!

“'Thanks Red. Will get back to you,” he ended the call hurriedly.

He rushed to the coach of the team and explained that he would not be able to go along with them, giving some excuse about his family. He hurried to the ticketing desk and cancelled his departure.

His stride spoke of tension and excitement.

He called up his private detective Red again and asked him to find her address. He took a cab and drove down to Galle from Colombo. In Galle, he checked himself into another international hotel, making sure not to stay where Vikram was put up.

Now, he understood Vikram's desire to stay back in Galle. He had found her before he did.

Kartik was perturbed and ill at ease. The past was coming back to haunt him. And this time he would not let her go.

Even if he had to kill, or die!