“Really?” her eyes brightened up on hearing that.

“Really!”

“Wow! That’s… that’s so cool.”

“Come. Let me take you out for a dinner. If you have time…”

She smiled and blushed, “I always have much more free time than you do. Please don’t embarrass me.”

“Come then,” he got up and extended a hand to her. She took it. He picked up the two books lying on the table on their way out.

—

“Where do you stay?” he asked after they came out of the restaurant and sat in his car, “I will drop you home.”

She looked at him curiously.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I have wondered… all too often… And felt guilty… About us…”

“Guilty? About what? Nothing happened between us…”

“Yes. Does that make me more honest, or less so?” she smiled sadly, “Why did I take all that money from you? Do you want me? Did you ever want me?”

He turned serious. “Yes,” he said unhesitatingly, “I want you, Karishma. I want you a lot. I have found you lovely and desirable from the first time I had laid my eyes on you.”

“Then? Why not?”

“The first time I… I felt you were inexperienced.”

“I was not inexperienced.”

“You had other… clients?”

“Not clients.”

“With you ex-for-two-years boyfriend, then? In college?”

“Yes.” And after that too, she thought to herself as she recalled that evening in Akash’ apartment, but did not say anything about that.

“That isn’t the same thing. You were into this unwillingly.”

“But I knew what I was doing. I still know what I am doing.”

“You don’t have to do it. Not for money, not for gratitude.”

“What if… I want to do it.”

He fell silent and she looked away. Had she spoiled it all? She turned back, when she felt his hands on her shoulders.

“In that case…” he mumbled as he leaned towards her and met her lips. She responded passionately.

“But you know what,” he said after they broke the kiss, “If I take you to bed with me now, Karishma, I’d officially make you a prostitute. I don’t want to do that. I won’t do that.” She looked at him in astonishment. “Besides,” he continued, “You will meet people of your age. Someone will be the one – suitable to be your life-partner. This must not come in your way then.”

He grabbed his book from the back seat, took out a pen from his pocket, scribbled something on the book before signing it and gave it to her.

“Never look back,” it read. Tears threatened to betray her and she had to blink them back.

“My turn now,” he gave her book and his pen to her.

She looked at the book blankly for a while. What was she to write for him? Finally she did and gave it back.

“To you?” he was puzzled on reading it.

“If I started writing what all you have been to me – an inspiration, a mentor, a protector, a lover, a guardian and what else not – it would become too long and would still be incomplete. And if I started writing what I feel for you – respect, love, gratitude and what else not – that would be another long list. So, I guess you aren’t one thing for me. You are just… you.”

He chuckled to conceal how overwhelmed he felt. “Keep writing,” he said, “And now, tell me where you stay. It’s getting late. I must drop you.”

—

“Will we meet again?” she asked after the car stopped in front of her house.

“No,” he replied, “It will do you no good.”

“Can I write to you?”

“I’d look forward to your letters and your stories or next novel.”

She smiled, even as sadness washed over her face.

He leaned towards her once again, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her on forehead. “Good night, Karishma.”

“Good night, Mr. Sen,” she replied and got out of the car. She looked back once, when she reached the gate of her apartment. He lifted his hand in acknowledgement and drove off.

—

“Mr. Akash, isn’t it?”

“Yes Sir. Akash Malhotra,” Akash shook hands with Siddhartha. But he was puzzled. He hadn’t met Siddhartha Sen yet. How did he know his name? This was the first time Akash was attending a party his company had thrown for courting current and future customers.

“Siddhartha Sen. Good to see you here. So, you work for WS&G?”

“Yes. Mr. Sen.”

“I can see that you are puzzled. Yes. We have met. But in slightly unusual circumstances. Can we go someplace little more private? There! Nobody is there in the balcony.”

Akash followed him looking puzzled.

“I was with Karishma that night in the hotel…”

Akash looked like all blood had been drained out of his body.

“I know you were hurt. But please hear me out…”

“Why are we talking about that here, Mr. Sen? I don’t care and as far as I am concerned, I don’t know her.”

“Pardon me for sounding patronizing, young man. But I have seen a bit more of the world than you. You can say that you don’t care. But the hurt is evident in your eyes. I’m not trying to reunite you, or anything. But I think you have a shot at feeling better if you would just listen to me.”

Akash neither objected, nor agreed with him. Seeing him silent, Siddhartha continued and explained Karishma’s situation to him. “But what you would really want to know is that she hadn’t seen anyone other than me. And we didn’t sleep together. Never.”

If Akash had any questions, he was too tongue-tied to voice them.

“I don’t think she ever realized how badly it would have affected you. She just had too much on her mind. And not that you asked her either.”

“She could have told me before jumping into…”

“I don’t know why she didn’t. But I wouldn’t rush to judge a person.”

—

Dear Karishma,

I haven’t heard from you for quite some time. Suhas tells me that you have joined his company. Congratulations.

I hope everything is going well.

Siddhartha

—

Karishma let the phone ring. It must be a pocket dial. Why would he want to talk to her? But she was forced to pick up when the phone rang a second time.

“Hello,” she spoke uncertainly.

“Hello Karishma…” Akash’ voice was as uncertain and an awkward silence prevailed for a while. He broke it, “I was wondering… if we could meet once.”

“Meet? I don’t…”

“Please Karishma. Just once.”

“Fine. When?”

—

To be continued