Page 70 of A King's Oath

“Stop, Ava,” he thundered up to his feet. His deep, commanding, Kunwar of Nawanagar voice jolted her. But this time it did nothing to deter her. She stood toe to toe with him. The mad, emotional fool.What was he doing with his life?!!!

“I am sorry, please, I am very sorry. My Papa has given up his entire life for Nawanagar and me. He has lived out his best years taking care of us. And even today he is a great king to Nawanagar but he is not happy. You taught me to see my father as a man, a person who had a life before me. I see it now, I can’t sit on the side letting him live out his life like that. I will finish school and start college, go away to London or wherever, and he will always be stuck here. Alone…”

“So you decided to be stuck alone instead? That’scrazy! What happened to a long time? I thought you meant a long time like along time!” Her throat closed up, the realisation of what he had done finally sinking in. It would mean…

Her eyes teared up. How could she cry? She was not a crier. Not even in Lion King or Fault in Our Stars.

“I did.”

“And now what? Dating me but then not anything more. So I waste my years with you and then one day when you say no, no marrying Ava, I go looking for another Samarth whocanmarry?”

She didn’t know half of what she was saying. She couldn’thearhalf of what she was saying because that’s how she was crying in words. Half-stuttering words.

“No,” he said.

Hope resurfaced. “Then what?”

“We stop dating right now.”

“You’re breaking up with me?”

“You can break up with me and make me the bad guy.”

“Fuck you!”

His eyes lowered.

“Fuck you!” She knocked his chest with both her hands. “Fuck, fuck, fuck you! Go to hell! Crazy, crazy,” she began to cry with tears and all, “Cra… fuck you, Samarth! You can’t do this! You are destroying your life and mine…”

He pressed her face into his chest. She cried there. She circled her arms around his waist and cried harder. He squeezed her in.

“Don’t do this please…” she sobbed. “Please, Samarth. Please.”

“If not right now then in some months or a year we will have to, Ava. This is better.”

“I can’t sit in the same class as you and not talk to you.”

“I’ll transfer to another class for our last year.”

“No!” She pulled back, opening her eyes and seeing nothing but blur. Her watery eyes wouldn’t clear up, try as she might rubbing them. Samarth did not make an effort to help her either.

“Last few months for this term. Next year I will request a transfer to another division.”

He was so matter-of-fact. So unaffected. Like a changed guy. Did he still love horses? Did he still listen to Krishna songs? Was he still her Samarth?

His unflinching eyes did not relent. He did not say another word. Done. He was truly and genuinely done.

Avantika jerked out of his arms.

“As you wish,” she spat, eyes still blurry. She reached down, fisted her bag’s strap, threw it over her shoulder, and walked away from him. For now, she had no thought. Except, a long time was not going to be spent together. Life was long and this might just be a passing fling at school. Or not. She wasn’t sure if she would forget this, or the life that could be with Samarth. She wasn’t sure what was waiting for her ahead. College, masters, career…

Her mind churned with the possibilities of spending her life with so many other things. Avantika scrubbed the back of her hand down her cheek, down her lips, stuttering to a stop. His debt. 2 principal, 2 interest.

She turned. He was gone.

College, masters, career… she tried to repeat to herself, turning and striding down the slope, shoving the feeling of his kisses away from her mouth. There were endless possibilities of spending her life with so many other things… except, anotherperson. She couldn’t think about another guy. Because anything worthwhile with anybody other than the boy she was leaving behind seemed worthless.

That much she was sure about at 15.

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