A/N

The photo of Bhairavi's lehenga is given above👆

Next morning, Bhairavi and Namma set out on their shopping expedition. Their goal, to find the perfect outfit for the engagement as well as a suitable gift for the lucky couple. On the way Namma kept asking questions to narrow down their options, "So Mayuri is not a Bengali, right? That means you can wear almost any Indian outfit you feel like. Any preferences?"

Bhairavi wrote in her notebook, 'Definitely not a saree. Maybe a lehenga?' Since she had lost a lot of weight after the accident, her tummy was in, which was a first as she used to be a loyal food lover.

"Ah yes. Since you have become so thin and don't eat anymore." Namma scowled at that while Bhairavi squirmed in her seat with guilt, "We can put that to good use".

Nodding at that, Bhairavi looked out of the window. She had been cooped up in their locality for so long that she had almost forgotten how beautiful Kolkata was, especially during autumn, with only a month to go for Maa Durga's arrival. Namma's voice broke her train of thoughts, "Do you have any color in your mind?"

'What?' Bhairavi signed absentmindedly.

Namma sighed and repeated, "Do you have any color in mind for your lehenga? Reds or peaches, or maybe yellows?" Bhairavi shook her head, she had not gotten that far. Truth be told, her mind was busy anticipating a session with Samanya.

Nervousness sprouted in her belly, how would she even ask him out for the party? They were just friends and Samanya had never made a move towards her, for which she was grateful in a way, but on the other hand she did enjoy his company and liked seeing his dimpled smile with slightly protruding fangs, his red eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Bhairavi? We have reached. Come on, stop daydreaming now. We have lots to do."

Getting down from the Uber, Bhairavi immediately got jostled by two fat ladies while three shopkeepers immediately started to call out to her and show her their displays of bags, high-end makeup dupes, and selfie sticks, all at the same time.

Grinning, she held Namma's hand and breathed in the vibrancy of the place. She might hate crowds and not belong, but this place, a treasure trove of everything ranging from exquisite precious jewelry to oxidized-silver roadside ones, from professional salon items to homely, affordable ones, was visited by the rich and poor alike. For this, was S. S. Hogg Market, or more popularly known, as New Market.

Three hours, five bags, and two mango shakes later, they gave up. They had found the perfect Air Fryer to gift Mayuri and Rakesh, as the couple loved eating fried food. But, they had not had much luck with Bhairavi's lehenga. Either it was not to their taste, or it was ridiculously expensive, or the material was chaffing her skin red.

Since one can never go to New Market and leave only with what they had intended to buy, be it man or woman, they had bought loads of junk jewelry, some cloth materials, some baking utensils and tools for the cafe, and two bottles of wine. Yeah, diverse as hell.

Since they were hungry, and Bhairavi was craving for Italian, they decided to get off the Uber near their cafe 'Fudge You'.

Namma told her to go and take a sit at the Italian restaurant nearby while she kept the shopping bags inside. Bhairavi was about to enter when her eyes fell on the display of Madhavi's Creations and she stopped. Namma found her gawking, and after taking one look at the displayed lehenga, pulled her along to enter the boutique.

It was a beautiful soft peach lehenga, the choli top had an asymmetrical neckline which was neither inappropriate nor boring, and when Bhairavi tried it on, Namma stood awestruck. Her Bhairavi, her baccha had grown up into such a beautiful woman.

"We are buying it."

Bhairavi protested a little, since the lehenga was a bit on the pricier end but Namma shushed her, "I am buying this. It is my gift to you and you know one should never refuse a gift, it is disrespectful."

That shut her up, and though she felt a little guilty that Namma was splurging on her, she had fallen in love with the dress and could not thank Namma enough for it. "Enough of thanking me. Come, let's eat, I am starving. I hope they don't take too long for my lasagna. "

At four, Bhairavi decided to leave for her session with Samanya. She could not help feeling excited and nervous at the same time, she would be exploring her powers, but she might also end up hurting him. Lying to Namma took some work, but she managed to make it convincing by saying that she had to study a lot for another upcoming test.

On reaching the bookstore, she found him waiting outside for her. Amazed, she asked him mentally, 'How did you know I was coming 10 minutes early?'

Samanya grinned, "I had a hunch. Plus, Rakshasa magic, you know." Not buying it, she stared at him for a while before he admitted, "Okay, I was fifteen minutes early myself. It was a coincidence."

Shaking her head at his antics, she asked him to lead the way. At the crossing where she usually turned left, they turned right and after crossing a couple of houses reached his gate. While entering she wondered if he felt lonely at the house. Most houses in her areas had four bedrooms, plus the usual living room, dining room, kitchen and two toilets. Her house felt too large for only Namma and herself, she could not imagine how it was for him.

Sensing the direction of her thoughts, he said, "The house is a bit too large for me but I only come here to sleep and eat and shower. The rest of the time, I spend it at the bookstore, surrounded by books and people. Hey, you know, now we have a business tie-up with Amazon as well!"

And he distracted her while she took off her shoes and sat on the sofa.

After a tiring day, filled with walking and haggling with the shopkeepers, Bhairavi did not have much energy and she admitted it.

"That's alright. We will go easy today. From what you told me, you get headaches while using her powers, and even felt dizzy initially. Your mind is not used to so much power and often overworks itself. Thus, we need to increase its tenacity by meditation."

On seeing her scowl, he added, "Think of it as a warm up thing. You need to broaden your mental horizons before trying anything. We don't need you popping a vein or something by overexerting your brain."

Sighing, Bhairavi agreed and sat in Padma Asana, with each ankle pulled over the opposite thigh, shut her eyes and waited for further instructions.

"Your mind has powers mainly because it has tapped into parts of your brain which normal humans cannot. You need to concentrate on that and try pushing your limits.

Say 'Om' with your entire breath, mentally in your case, then take another one, and repeat. 'Om' is the mighty alphabet, as Coleridge rightly said, for it is not only the root of creation but it is also the divine sound which opens up our mind and connects it with the Parmatma, the main source of life and energy, the Divine Soul. "

With closed eyes, Bhairavi said mentally, 'You know, you sound a bit like the Sanskar Channel on TV, sprouting spirituality like a fountain.'

Samanya laughed, "Ah Bhairavi, try what I am saying for once, we will see if it is all nonsensical or not. Continue for as long as you please but do meditate for at least five minutes?"

Nodding her head, amused, she began. Taking a deep breathe, she mentally uttered Om and felt the sound radiate from her navel, deep and unending. After saying that consciously a few times, she continued, but this time focused on her mind.

Concentrating, with no distractions, she waded into the Sea of Consciousness, and was filled with warm tingles all over her body. Feeling unshackled like never before, she concentrated further and vanished beneath its surface.

When she opened her eyes, Samanya was sitting up on the sofa, looking down at her with concern.

'What is the matter?'

"Nothing...nothing. So how was it?" Samanya asked.

'It felt fantastic. I...I have never felt anything satisfy my...my soul like this. It felt so liberating. How long was I meditating? Ten minutes?' Bhairavi asked, stretching to stand.

"Bhairavi...you were out for forty minutes," Samanya said.

'What!? It didn't feel even close to that,' Bhairavi exclaimed.

"Time travels differently in different dimensions, the same happens for the different levels of consciousness," he explained. Bhairavi stared at him, stunned.

"Let's begin practice?"

'Yes.'

"Okay. We shall do it in semi combat style. You will try to attack me with your mental powers, in any way you wish. I will defend myself and manipulate Maya, creating illusions. It will take time for your mind to get accustomed to see through illusions and attack at the same time, which is our current goal. Begin."

Bhairavi stood for a moment contemplating her mode of attack. She did not know if she could conjure anything with her mind, or even create weapons. But she intended to find out. Without closing her eyes, she concentrated on the form of a knife, steel shiny blade with a black, wooden handle, and imagined throwing it with force at Samanya.

Immediately a knife conjured itself into air, but moved feebly before falling to the ground. Gritting her teeth she tried again, and this time concentrated on the direction she wanted it to go as well. The knife followed obediently and sped towards where he stood. Concerned and alarmed she cried out to warn him but the knife passed through him, with his image shimmering like a mirage.

"I am right beside you."

Bhairavi turned to see him standing next to her, while another one of him waved his hand from across the room. Realizing that he was capable of taking care of himself, Bhairavi let her concern go and tried again.

This time, she conjured an image of a knife with a blade of fire, which took so much concentration and energy that she felt dizzy. But, at the same time, she tried to grope for his presence, his essence in the air of the room. The essence of Samanya felt strong on her left so she threw it with all her mental strength at him but he vanished and reappeared.

"Good attempt, but you were too slow. Try again."

Annoyed at her failure, Bhairavi let her emotions flow and mingle with her concentration without being distracted. She imagined an invisible yet strong rope, and she tried sensing for his essence. At the place where his essence was the strongest she threw a lasso and immediately conjured a small flaming metallic dart. The lasso missed but the dart struck him and he plucked it off, grimacing in pain and wincing at the heat.

"Okay, I think that's enough for today," he said. '

Why? Scared I will beat your ass?' Bhairavi cockily said, high on adrenaline and her first victory.

Samanya patiently said, "No, but worried about your well being. Also..” he stepped closer and reached out to touch her face. Bhairavi stood frozen in place, her heart beating fast, what was he going to do. Samanya brushed away something above her lips, and held it out for a breathless Bhairavi to see.

Glancing at his thumb, she saw blood. It was then she realized that she had gotten a nosebleed. As her body and mind calmed down, Bhairavi felt a blooming headache which seemed to beat like it had a heart of its own, along with a bleeding nose.

Nodding at her wincing, Samanya handed her a tissue, "That is why. One cannot win the race in a day. You need to rest and practice."

Bhairavi nodded in assent, 'Sorry. You are right. Are you hurt? And what is the time?'

Samanya smiled, "It will take a lot more than a small metallic dart of fire to defeat me. And it is seven, why?"

Bhairavi jumped up before swaying a little due to the pain, 'I need to go home. it's really late. Namma will be back soon and she thinks I am studying.' Refusing his offer to drop her home, she hurried to leave.

Understanding her thoughts, he said, "Don't be disheartened. It's just the first day. You will defeat me in no time."

And she did. On the third day of practice. A jubilant Bhairavi hugged Samanya and declared she would treat him to phuchkas. Impressed at her rapid improvement, Samanya kept on discussing attack techniques and complimented her on increasing her mental strength to the extent to which she did not get headaches anymore.

Bhairavi smiled widely, for she had not told him that for the last couple of days all her free time at home was spent practicing and meditating. As they ate tangy and spicy phuchkas and Samanya laughed and joked at her inability to eat the spicy ones without gasping and hiccupping and getting all teary-eyed, Bhairavi decided to pop the question, since the party was tomorrow.

Munching nonchalantly, so that others did not find anything out of ordinary, she mentally spoke, 'Samanya. Are you free tomorrow?'.

He nodded, but with a questioning look.

'Actually, tomorrow is the engagement party of a friend of mine, and I am allowed to take a plus one. Would you...like to come? As a friend of course.'

Samanya internally winced hearing the last part. But he would not miss out on the opportunity of spending time with her, so he nodded in agreement.

On their way back to Bhairavi's house, he asked, "Is there a dress code? And at what time should I pick you up?"

'Pick me up at six? Also, the dress code is Indian. You have any kurtas?'

Samanya smiled, “You’ll see. What are you wearing?"

Bhairavi smiled in reply, 'You'll see.'

A/N

Do comment your views, vote for the chapter, and stay tuned for the next update, which is tomorrow!

Love,

Kaushiki.