" I don't believe this. I was supposed to be in my flight to Paris now. But look at me. I just boarded an economy class back to Bhopal with a stranger beside me who forces me to do something I had no plans to whatsoever, and I'm doing that even. "

Adway uttered in a single breath, untying his seatbelt after the take off.

Avanthika payed no much attention to his blabber, just threw a casual smile while adjusting her tee.

It was five in the morning, and Avanthika had taken every initiative to book two tickets back to Bhopal with the earliest flight possible.

Adway yawned big and adjusted his seat to a comfortable position.
" These seats. " , he frowned.

" Yeah.... Kings. " , Avanthika taunted.
Adway stared at her, taking sometime to gather her intention.

" I tell you one thing. I am Adway Mathur, residing in the twenty first century. I am unlucky that I have a bad burden of past to bear, but that doesn't mean for a second that I  connect to my past. I hate living in the past, be it yesterday, or a five hundred years back. "

He shrugged and looked outside the window making it clear he was disturbed.

" So... Aren't you meeting Amarendra? "
Avanthika asked, her voice showed no perturbation.

" I am. Only to get rid of a burden. Forever. "

*****

Devasena sat at the stairs of a huge balcony, to the sides of the gardens. The rain had stopped only in the morning, and the mud still smelled wet.

Devasena kept staring, blankly. Neither did she feel anything, nor was she sure if she was thinking something.

She stirred with the sound of footsteps, and Amarendra came and sat beside her, with two cups of coffee. He held out one to Devasena.

She followed his hand to his face, which looked worked up. She didn't take the coffee, rather examined him. He smiled.

" You couldn't sleep. Because of me. " , Devasena uttered, coldly.

Devasena got up in the morning to find herself on Amarendra's lap, and both of them on the sofa, Amarendra seemed to have recently dozed off while sitting, while she didn't know how long she had occupied his lap.

Her head didn't feel heavy much, and she got down, Amarendra shoved but didn't wake up. She found her way out to the balcony and had been sitting there since.

" Not at all. I slept much. Coffee? "
Amarendra offered again.

Devasena looked away. She felt so numb.

Without a tinge of emotion in her voice, she uttered, " What do you have for me Amarendra? Sympathy? "

Amarendra's expressions showed confusion.

" I think I'm not getting you. " , he uttered after a long pause.

Devasena made a sarcastic noise, and smirked.

" Did you just believe that a guardianless girl is falling at your feet asking for your grace?"
Devasena could feel her cheeks redden up. She desperately wished to control the pressure building up inside her eyes.

Amarendra stared silently. Calm.

" Easy, Devasena. Calm down. "

" I wish. " , Devasena didn't let a single drop out of her eyes.

" You know what Amarendra? I have fallen from heights. But never in my eyes. I did exactly that. Last night. I failed myself. "

Devasena knew she was shivering from within, and she ran fingers through her hair trying to keep herself together.

Amarendra slowly placed a hand on her shoulder. And the very move , threw her metres apart from him, startling him completely.

" I am no one you can touch. " , Devasena glared, as if trying to pacify her devasted soul.

" Rebirth! Last life! My foot!!! "
Amarendra could see Devasena wriggle in pain unexplainable.

And then she wailed.. " I lost the only thing I perhaps could hold dear for so long.... Self respect!!! "

Devasena banged the floor with her fist, hurting herself as much as she could.

And Amarendra couldn't just move.

Devasena suddenly got up and stood right before him. Her nose was now cherry red, her beautiful face all messed up.

" you are a man I had never seen in my life. You are my.... No... One.
Yet I get drunk.... And... And force you to kiss me.....

Jesus!!!
Crap!!! "

Devasena broke down beside him, and Amarendra sat still, as a spectator to a breathtaking emotional turmoil of a woman.

The woman.

" Sympathy.... Sympathy right? You are sympathising with me. "
Devasena was now blabbering like an out of mind. Suddenly she got up and held Amarendra by his collar, " Why did you kiss me? You knew I was out of my mind. You knew I am not the Devasena you want!!!  Then why? Why??? "

She began shouting frantically and shaking him at the same time, while Amarendra closed his eyes, waiting for things to pass sooner.

Tired once, she stood, supporting her helpless body on the railing of the stairs, crying like a baby.

And Amarendra yet took another some time, to finally talk.

" I kissed you, because you are beautiful, I'm handsome, and it was a beautiful night. So... If someone has to really fall in your eyes, that be me. Not you.
Remember, no one can force me to kiss. I have royalty flowing in my veins.

So do you. "

" Ohh stop with this bullshit. I hate everything about this now! You be a king, congratulations. But I'm a simple ordinary woman. And I was happy with my life okay? I was sane, independent, relaxed. I ran after nothing. No one. I had peace of mind, do you get that? "

Devasena bent over Amarendra again, making a desperate eye contact with him. Amarendra too was calm no more.

" I don't want to remember my past anymore. I don't want to walk reverse to myself, I don't wish to check out a man who looks for someone else in me, I don't want to fall weak for someone who can only sympathise with my incapability. Go back to your country. Nothing remains for you here. Don't make me dangle between my heart and brain, my desires and liabilities. Don't make me fall weak, because you think I am. I ain't. Go. Get lost from my life damn you! "

Devasena stepped back and walked out of the balcony, down the hall, out of the door....without looking back a single time.

While a lone tear escaped Amarendra's eye. And he couldn't stop her. Once again.

++++++

Humans have turmoils. So before judging this chapter, you might want to remember that.