The Love Game: Episode 4

 

"Prantik I am not seeking you anymore. Your den now. I'm tired."

He came rushing from the squash court.

"How is it my den again? You didn't even seek me. Lazy bum."

It was a Sunday afternoon. Sun gleaming on their destinies. Weather blooming in January with a promise of an awesome forever.

Prantik and Jahnvi were lost in their world playing hide n seek in his compound.

"No your den. I want to hide."

"I already gave my den four times since we started playing. You go look for me. Iam not giving my den."

"But Prantik where will you hide this time?"

"In your soul."

"What?" "freako you're scaring me."

"Nevermind Jaan. Okay ill give my den. Go hide behind dad's car. I won't catch you."

"Okay on your mark get set go!"

She'd never know how cute he found her. He wanted to correct her saying, “It’s 123 ready or not I’m coming to get you.” But he didn’t. Just smiled and played along. At first, at the airport, he was a little scared of their chemistry. They hadn't spoken easily. But now, after 1 year of dating her, he could say he was madly in love with his doll.

"Okay I'm coming for you. Baby just don't be obvious enough to hide behind the car. Hahaha!"

After ten minutes of talking with the neighbour who was laughing at him and Jaan for playing like kids, he just said, "Gotta go man I have to be in the squash court rightnow."

His neighbour, a retired army man said, "bless you both" and left.

All smiling, he sauntered his way to the court. He pretended to be shocked she was hiding there, busy munching a cookie.

He leaped on her from behind. Hugged her tight and shouted, "Gotcha."

She laughed, kissed him on his cheek and they both settled down in the court.

"So I caught you five times baby. What's my prize?"

"I caught you once, what's mine?"

"Okay let's do this." He said with mischief in his eyes. She blushed already knowing what it would be. He came closer to her. Wrapped his hands on her waist and said boyishly, "First I kiss you and then you kiss me and then we make out right here. Okay?"

"Okay."

They made out and by the time they left the squash court it was getting dark. He said, still holding her hand, "Babe, I don't know, you know, I play here every morning. Now I'll imagine you in the court all the time."

"Good let me haunt your dreams too."

They both walked to the compound gate and then she turned abruptly and circled her arms around his neck and said shyly, "I wuv you boo."

He just smiled that boyish smile of his and put her in a cab.

"Mum the landline's ringing.." She said as she burst into her home where dad was busy watching evening news and mum in the kitchen preparing dinner.

She picked up the phone. It was her nosy relative. She was about to pass the phone to her mother when aunty said," beta it’s amazing how you have so much love in your life. Nazar na lage."

She yelled at her mum to get the phone and dispirited went to her room. Relatives were so jealous. She had to be careful after breaking her engagement with Sahil. Her parents had warned her about friends and relatives talking about her WhatsApp love game and breaking her engagement.

She was about to take a shower, still taken aback by her relative's sneaky remark, when her phone buzzed. It was Prantik.

"Hello, is it me you're looking for? I can tell from your eyes..."

She laughed despite her bad mood and said, "Wowie! You called. I am so happy to hear your voice right now." Then she told him what her relative had said to her. He said, "You know you're in a good position if you're being broken down. Baby relax. Fuck her. Sing me a song."

Relieved, she toyed around, "main tere jhanse mein na aaungi arey deewane Jaa. Aisi waisi banake baate mujhe na yun uljha re.."

He laughed, kissed her through the phone and said," sleep tight baby. I'll call you in the morning first thing. Surprise for you."

Jahnvi smiled and showered, put on her favorite pj's and drifted into wonderland.

The next morning was tough. Her editor called and said he wanted a second series on ‘How, why, where in Europe’. She said she'd figure a story idea and get back to him in an hour.

She was about to sit at her writing desk when boo called. She flew her way to the bed and grabbed the phone. He said, "Brunch at Picadilly. Get ready in ten."

"No in 15, I really don't know what to wear."

"Baby you'll make me wait?" He said with the purest cuddle level cuteness and she played along. "Okay, okay only 20 and I'll be there."

They had an awesome lunch at the Lebanese restaurant then painted the town a little redder and he dropped her home to finish work.

Jahnvi reached home happy and called her editor. "How about - Living together on travel can teach couples to adjust." "Ya okay and don’t forget to add scenic description of any place in Europe you choose this time. Send it to me in an hour."

She busied herself the rest of the day. At 7pm she was about to annoy her mother in the living room when Sahil called her. Should she answer it? She did. For old time sake, she'd never ignored his calls.

“ I have started seeing girls for marriage again." He said sounding a little exhausted. He continued, "I am just getting tired of the chase you know."

"I am sorry Sahil."

"Hey, I don't blame you okay. I think I like someone. Let me be sure in a couple of days and tell you. Miss you."

Jahnvi's heart sank. She got ready to hit the dance class. Prantik would be coming to pick her up any minute. Since a year now, Jahnvi had gotten back into shape and boo called her his barbie again. She was happy in her world.

"... You know the most important adjustment is to fully accept the flaws of your significant other and work with that. Just as you accept him, he accepts you too and together you perfect each other's imperfections. May it be today that Jack was making a complete mess in the kitchen of their rented Airbnb in Amsterdam or Fiona breaking her arms picking all the wood from the backyard for the fire in the evening. Exchanging gender roles was even fun at times and acceptance of each other came easily." She ended her piece with that and mailed it to her editor.

She got ready in her shorts and T-shirt to hang with Prantik on the terrace. 5pm. Not too chilly.

Resting against a wall on the terrace, Jahnvi on Prantik's lap. So lost in their paradise, they were tied together for a lifetime. He said, cupping her face again, "What will you do without me?"

She didn't expect to cry but she did suddenly at the thought of being away from him and said, "I'll be lifeless."

"I don't want you to depend on me so much Jaan. I want you to be emotionally independent from everyone. With or without me in future, I expect you to carry yourself with dignity and pride because you're the love of my life."

Uncertain, she got up and just looked at him long before deciding that her boo was a firang that way. This universal independence and all scared the fuck out of her. She was a simple woman. Happy being a step behind her man but Prantik was really evolved. She had to accept that. She said with all the guts she had, "I won't let you down. With or without you, I am gonna rock  this world."

He thanked god that minute. He always wanted his would be wife to be strong. He wanted her to be able to face the world without him too. Barbie was ready to accelerate her heightened energy sphere now.

They chilled together, wrapped in each other's arms for the rest of the evening. He dropped her home later at night and they kissed. For the last time.