CHAPTER 2 :THE POT OF ELIXIR

I saw Him coming out of the bedroom . He took a pause in front of the door and held his back and stretched.

The stretching made his shirt to move up and exposed his abs. My eyes took a jump at those abs . But my brain pulled my eyes up for the sake of modesty.

I smiled a little. He must be tired. The rain was not helping either.... making everyone lazy.

I asked " What about a cup of tea at my place ....????"

He looked at me shyly and said " Oh..I don't want to bother you , you already had done so much to me. "

"No...no...you are not bothering me...take it as an invitation from a close neighbour. " said I smiling.

He looked at me with a sparkle in his eyes.

I was sure that I saw a sparkle. A sparkle as if someone was desiring something and it was granted to him immediately.

I smiled a little .

He said " If you insist...I must not say a no to the first invitation from my close neighbour....."

I nodded my head appreciatively and said " I must say that the pleasure will be all mine."

He grinned ear to ear shyly at me.

Oh..he is so adorable !!!!

I looked at him and said " You must change at least because I can see your shirt is wet.."

"Oh ..yah...I hope it won't be a problem to wait a little ....?" asked he.

I said " Not at all...take your time..."

He smiled at me and said " You can sit on the couch ..it will take just five minutes." and he went to the bedroom .

After sometime he came out wearing a dry cotton shirt .

I looked at him . My eyes relished on the picture in front. The cotton shirt was highlighting the bulge of muscles on his arms and the curves of his abs. He was a treat to eyes. Handsome and beautiful at the same time.

"First you , Sir..." said I gesturing at the way to him .

He chuckled and said " Thank you ..."

And started to walk in front of me.

I followed him .

How I wanted to follow him more !!!

"Are you coming ??" asked He.

"Yah...I am.." said I deliberately pulling myself out of my dreamy thoughts.

______________________________________

Both of us were sitting face-to-face under the artificial shade in my garden . The day took a sudden turn which I did not see coming when I was sitting here a few hours ago taking a sip of my favourite Darjeeling tea in the morning.

"Mmmm...." He savoured the tea with a moan.

"Tea and pakodas (Indian deep fries) are my favourites....that too on a beautiful rainy day like this." said He.

I was a little surprised on his phrase " The beautiful rainy day .."

I smiled at him and asked " You seem to be among those people who love monsoon..."

"Why ....you don't like it...??" asked He with an expression as if it was impossible for someone to hate monsoon.

"No...I am among those who love monsoon as well...But I know many people who don't...." said I .

"It's impossible for anyone to hate monsoon..." said He in child like aggression.

I looked at him and then pointed at the gate. There was a half -aged woman who was holding her saree at the knee length and was constantly cursing at the rain for ruining her day.

He looked at the woman and then looked at me.

"Now you see , people exists who don't like monsoon.But that aged and experienced lady did not realise that it was not the rain to be blamed , rather it was her choice of saree and sandals to be blamed. It was raining since morning. She just came out of her house ...she should have worn something that would have gone well with the weather. Then she could enjoy the weather, yet go to her work. It is our way of thinking , our decisions which decide whether we would be happy or we would be sad in a particular situation." said I in a thoughtful way.

He looked at me and said " You have a keen observation on life ...don't you ...??"

I smiled at him and said " Well , I would take that as a compliment...

and so a Thank You ...and yes I love to see things a little deeply . You can call me an overthinker ...I won't mind."

He chuckled a little.

"So ...Mr....." said I looking suggestively at him . It was a whole lot of conversation with him and I did not know his name yet.

"Oh..how bad of me...yah...my name is Amrit...Amrit Khanna... I am a journalist and have been recruited in a news channel in Delhi...and so came here to stay and be your neighbour. I rented that house. " said He.

Amrit ...Amrit is the name...

In Indian Mythology , Amrit is the elixir of immortality . One drop of Amrit can make any species -The Devatas ( Heavenly Beings) , Asuras ( The Demons ) and even the humans immortal .

I was wondering if he could be the elixir of my life. Whether one drop of his love could prove Amrit for me....I don't know.

'And you are...??" asked Amrit.

Amrit's sweet voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yes...yes...I am ...I am...Kalash Ray...." said I .

"Oh ...wow...I am Amrit and you are Kalash...that's a nice match ..." said Amrit.

In Indian mythology , the story goes like this. Once the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, disappeared and the whole earth was rendered without prosperity. Then , the saints told the Devatas and Asuras to come together and start churning the great ocean so that wealth that disappeared could reappear from the bed of the ocean.

The Devetas and Asuras churned the ocean and a medicinal expert named Dhanwantari came out from the ocean with the Amrit Kalash in his hands. Kalash means an auspicious pot. The Amrit Kalash became the cause of major conflicts between the devatas and asuras.

"Yes...it's like the mythical Amrit Kalash..." said I smiling at him.

How I wished that like our names , our destinities did match too. How I wished that like the Kalash ( Pot) protected the Amrit (Elixir of Immortality) , I too wanted to be protect him .....care him.

What is happening to me...???

I am clearly falling for him .

I looked at his face . The sunlight was making his features shine brighter.I could not stop myself from admiring his aquiline nose , his bow-like brows which were highlighting his fish-like eyes. The most important feature of his face was the pink plum lips . It was shining like a dew drop on rose petals.

I was so engrossed in admiring his beauty .

He took a bite at one of the pakodas and said ....

'Thanks a lot for these tasty pakodas ...I was starving. "

"As the kitchen of your house is not ready ...you can have lunch and dinner at my place too...." said I .

He looked at me and said ...

"Would not that be a problem to you...what about your family ...they might feel uncomfortable in the presence of an outsider..." said Amrit hesitating.

I said " Actually ...I don't have a family...I am unmarried...so I would be glad to get someone's company while I eat..."

He smiled at me and said " Oh..sorry..I did not know that..."

"No ...you don't have to be sorry ...rather you should come for the lunch and the dinner. I will make food for two..." said I smiling.

He smiled ...

"Is this again an invititaion....??" asked Amrit amuzingly.

"Mmm..however you want to take it...you are free to do that ...but this time too the pleasure would be all mine..." said I savouring the sweetness of the conversation.

He looked at me . I tried to read his mind through his eyes , there was admiration for me...but I wanted to see .....Love and only Love for me in those eyes....

Let's see how far did it go.

************************************************************************************************************************************************