Eklavya

Chapter XLIX

Pleased with herself at rendering him speechless, Anamika fished out a big chocolate from the bag and took a bite. Oh! how sweet the chocolate was! She thought as the chocolate melted instantly in her mouth.

Whereas Eklavya looked at her with a gaze full of unbridled mirth as his lips curled up on their own in a side smile. Guess he was rubbing off on her way too much!

"Just don't let your mother hear these wonderful words and you'll live a long life," he mouthed smartly and grinned at her.

"Don't worry. These colorful words are reserved only for you," she grinned back as she took a big bite of the chocolate bar.

"Well, what to say? Thanks for the privilege, I guess," he said amused,

"Eklavya," Anamika called gaining his attention then looking him deep in the eye for a long moment, as a genuine smile etched on her face said, "Thank you!"

Eklavya knitted his brows together, wondering where did this sudden gratification came from. "For what?" as his hand raised on its own, only to caress her smooth face with its back.

"For this trip." She replied looking back in his eyes, "Ira di told me everything."

"She can't keep anything to herself, can she?" Eklavya mumbled irately to himself.

"Oh! Don't be cross with her, I egged her nonstop to tell me because I already had my doubts," Anamika said with a cheerful smile and leaning forward placed a chaste kiss on his cheeks.

Ears red in embarrassed discomfiture, Eklavya averted his eyes and tried to look anywhere but at her. 'Look how the tables have turned now!' Chuckled Anamika at the endearing sight.

Wasting no time, Anamika entangled her small fingers with his long ones making him look at her in mild curiosity. She loved it whenever his ears turned red, it made him look all the more adorable.

Eklavya, she had long back deduced, was a big baby. 'My baby!' she mused to herself.

"You're the most wonderful person I've ever met Eklavya. You're thoughtful and caring and fulfill my every wish and whim, albeit in your own twisted way." She teased with a Cheshire grin, "But you do care and that's what matters to me. For me, you're the sweetest person and I'm always left in awe at how-

"At how you got so lucky?" he suggested with a grin and she broke out in giggles.

Then in between her chuckles, she said, "You can also say that. But I was going to say how I got stuck with you!" she improvised at the end, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of predicting what she was going to say right.

"Nah! You got lucky whereas it's me who's stuck with an annoyingly enthusiastic and ludicrously optimistic girl like you," Eklavya shook his head in self-pity and Anamika hit him lightly on his arm at the misleading act.

"See how you take liberties with me. Hitting me whenever you please. It's insane that I still bear with you," Eklavya gruffed in mock annoyance then glared sharply when she pulled on his cheek with her other hand.

Anamika couldn't curb herself from pulling on his cheek. And could you blame her when he was looking like a cute little teddy bear in those heavy clothes and scarf around his neck add to it the subtle red hue on his ears and cheeks was too inviting.

So, putting the chocolate bar down Anamika simply helped herself.

"Well, there's no way out for you now. You're stuck with this girl for the rest of your life," she announced haughtily.

"God knows what black magic you did on me on that hill," Eklavya muttered under his breath but she was close enough to hear it.

"Oh! Trust me Eklavya it was all you. I didn't even need to say a word and you're already announcing to the whole world that we're committed," she reminded him and continued eating her chocolate bar and offered him too but he clicked his tongue, turning down the delectable offer.