I stretched my arms, as sun rays hit my eyes...I felt joy to see... But what...
Swath... I screamed as I saw she is not beside me...
I came out of the room. Inquired the receptionist...
Dam it... Swath how can you leave me like that... I searched for her... She left at 7 am.
I came back into the room like a ghost! I saw her earrings... So it was all real, not a dream!

I was frustrated."How can she do this to me?" I uttered looking outside at the landscape in front of the palace. I came back to the palace with Suchitra that noon.
" Waoo, she is a real Queen... See she took her revenge! " Suchi giggled while applying her nail polish sitting on a round table on the balcony.
"Shut up Suchi... I'm empty again... I have to find her. Ask your teacher about her. " I was irritated.
No way... helping you until you promise me... She teased and stood beside me.
What the hell...is now this promise?
Promise me you will not hurt her again. She looked like an elder sister to me.
I smiled... Ok. I promise, but ask her also this same!
So you will be in India right... She giggled.
I have to if I have to find Swath...
Bhai Sa... You have to first make it clear, because I don't think she wishes to settle abroad!
Yes... Mr Meon... I had no idea how is he now! I said in deep thinking!

I tried to contact her...still kept me on the block list...
I called her from another number...no response to it!
Ok now it's high time, I'm visiting her that's it!

One hour before leaving from JanakiRam, Suchi came running to inform me"BhaiSa... Swath Jiji is in Kerala... You have to fly there!"

I reached her location. Glad to Mrs. Nair who helped me.
The wedding function of Swath's maternal sister was there...
I reached two days before the wedding. I booked a hotel nearby to stay. I just wished to see her and talk...but how... My brain had no answer.
Mrs. Nair already arranged two people for my introduction to Swath's family... I was standing outside the temple knowing that Swath and her family members will be going to visit this Shiva temple today evening! Those two people also were with me. One of them was her relative.
I was in thoughts... I msged Suchi about me else she will kill me with her questions. MaSa thought I left home back to UK.

I heard a male voice and a touch on my shoulder.
"Sagen... What are you doing here Man... " I turned and saw... It's Mohan...my batchmate from IIT Vellore, Chennai.
Hey Moha... You... I hugged him...as finding a known face gives a relief.
Yeah... My sister is getting married... We all are waiting for her Temple visit.
My face blushed like 10000 suns together rise up... What Sneha is your sister...
Yes, bro... My real sister. How do you know her? He asked me. Men beside him were looking at me as if I'm an alien.
I hugged him in joy... I laughed... I pressed his hand in joy... My expression had no boundaries.

Later I took him to a side and told every thing that why I'm there.
He was so happy...
Okay...so you are the reason that she denied her wedding... We thought she want to study something more!! Or may be not wish now...
" Hahaha, My Swath... Yeah... She cannot be understood easily." I felt to laugh loudly but controlled myself.
Mohan introduced me to all members of his family. He started about my marks, my education, and my dedication to studies as we were batchmates.
All asked about me...from where I'm...They all were educated and knew a bit of Hindi so I could adjust to English and Hindi and a little Malayalam taught by my Swath.

As the Bride came for her prayers,
I saw my Swath...
Wao... She is in off white saree with golden borders, with her golden Jumki, bangles, necklace... I looked at her as if she is a Goddess... Her long curly hair clip a jasmine flower, which is tied in between her hair clip.
BEAUTIFUL... I uttered. The younger brother of Sneha heard it and he giggled.

Mohan touched my shoulder and said... So it was my cousin with whom you used to talk so much and never told me ha! Why you both broke out? I remember you being a mess...
Hmmm yeah... It happen bad time... She was having her issues, I had mine...I was not committing to time, she had her thoughts. You know distances kill relations sometimes!" I tried to explain even though it was not clear why we had broken up!

I smiled...as I saw her walking...my eyes could only see her... I felt to kiss her and flew away with her!
She didn't notice me. As busy around the bride. And the crowd was not less.

I looked at the Shiva shrine ... Perhaps... We both prayed for each other... I felt divine...
I looked at Swath...still had tears in her eyes...
I stepped to talk to her... But Mohan held me...

That night I went to Mohan's home. Already, I mingled with all.
We planned to arrange a meeting of mine with Swath.
Mohan signed me as she was alone in the room upstairs.
As it was night and old people all went to sleep, the younger ones were still talking and playing in front of Varanda...
I signed hi to Sneha... Her face switched like a bulb...
You are The Sagen...she whispered.
Yes... I'm the Sagen...
She is inside... Perhaps planning to sleep... I'm going down... If my mother comes up, plz hide below the bed. Ok... She stepped down and smiled.
She is younger to Swath.
I giggled to myself and said in my mind," wahoo Swath... Everybody is ready to help us!".

"Good night Sneha... Plz, switch off the light." Swath thought the doors got closed by Sneha.
I put off the light and went near to her... My shadow was visible as the window had a beam of light...

I know Swath will scream so, I put covered her mouth with my hand...
She jumped up... I whispered to her...
"It's Me Sagen...you can't run away from me Swath... "
She touched my face and was shocked...
"What the hell are you doing here... Get out of here Sagen..."
"I can't until I talk to you..."
"Shut up..." She panicked...
"Ok... I will go for now and relax...but you have to do two things, first,unblock my number..."
"Which number" she asked in low panicked voice... ."Swath... You remember only one number so I never changed it... Unblock me...".
"Ok, will do that... Now you go plz...," her panic attack gave me a sudden kiss on my cheek...
In that darkness, and a beam of light I kissed her back holding her face.... I tightly hugged her.
"Go... Sagen... " she said.
"Yes... I'm going for now... But promise me..."
"What..... Take all my promises and go..." She screamed in panic and pinched my arm...
"You won't be running away from me!" I said holding her waist tightly.
"Ok... " she said. "Promise me Swath "
"Stupid go ...yeah it's a promise... "
"Ok... Love you a lot..." I said.
I kissed her again... until he pushed me a little... To stop and go.

I came out of the room...without closing the door...as Swath can do later...as I stepped down... I saw Menon standing in front of me!

Hell... I felt heat ... I had a hair string of Swath on my white shirt visible...
"You...are..".Mr.Menon said.
I said..." I'm Sagen".

"Mama, he is my friend, he is an... Mohan scratched his head as I had no contact with him and he had no idea where I'm working at present!

"Hello... I said to Mr. Menon with a smile...I'm Sagen... I know Swathantra..."
Mohan looked at me... As I will be dead now...
I looked into the eyes of Mr.Menon...
Swa... He called out... The whole village must had heard her name...
"You know her... You are not a Malayalee...". Me. Menon looked as if I did a crime!
"No, I'm a Rajput from Rajasthan. I know Swath more than 5 years..." I said straight forward.
"Ok, wahoo you know my sister also... Mama, he was my batchmate... " Mohan felt his home will turn into a war place now...
Before Mohan could finish...
One of the old men .... must be an uncle of Swath and Mohan said, " You came for a wedding or to see Swath".
Before I could say, I heard Swath's footsteps. I know I can handle the whole world but not my furious girl.

" Sagen... Why are you here? "
I looked at her.
" For you. " I said as it came from my heart.
Mohan almost fainted... His sister felt the heat rushing through her blood. She rushed inside the room in terror.
"What did you proclaim?" Mr. Menon looked deep into my eyes almost in puzzle and raising heat...

I erased my air... I looked in eyes of Mr. Menon and said,"I want to marry Swathantra Menon!"


The silence felt like a dead house!

I heard hissing sound of oldies, ladies, from the background.

All I looked was in the eyes of Mr. Menon.
Swath ran inside the room perhaps in fear or unexpected thing!

"After the marriage of Sneha... I will discuss this matter".
Mr. Menon walked towards his room.
Mohan held my hand to take me out of his house safely as he had no idea what will happen next with me.
I saw Swath on the window...
I smiled ... I saw her anger, tear and lot of love.
I dropped a msg...
"Swath... No running away... Good night... Love you!"
© Saranya Anish Nair