This story is dedicated to my friend ultimatefictionlover for being the best friend she is!

Alex:

I stared at the flimsy carry bag for the umpteenth time. I found it when I was surveying the Office front. And I had a clear idea who it belonged to.

Anvesha.

I had seen the exact copy of the bag hanging from her shoulder earlier...no wait, she was always holding it.

I wondered what she kept in it. I had an urge to check what's inside it, but it belonged to a woman. Mother almost taught me not to go through a woman's stuff.

Frustrated, I fell back on the bed. Jordan and Matt were downstairs, eating dinner at the mess. I had already done it. I hadn't told them about this purse. I really had no idea why, but I didn't wish to tell them in the future.

But then how would I return this to her?

I could just give it to Matt, who in return give it to her. But I didn't want to. I felt like it should be me who returned this to her.

I got up from the bed and threw the bag in my almirah, making sure both of my friends didn't see it. I covered the bag with few of my shirts. Tomorrow I would think of what to do with it.

I readied myself for the night and retired to bed.

Sleep was supposed to be the first thing that I should have done but instead I found myself thinking about the events that happened earlier today.

The image of her intimidating stature flashed in front of my eyes. I had never seen an Indian woman, hell, not even any woman, show this much courage to go against the power they were under. She has something in her; the fire that the people of India need at this time.

I had heard that her people went against her, from the guards. It was a pity. I almost found myself feeling sorry for her, but I refrained from it.

I couldn't forget that she slapped me. I shuddered involuntarily at the thought. I couldn't believe that it had been almost a month now after that incident. A month of our stay in India.

I thought about the bag. It was a great excuse to...to...to what exactly?

I shook my head. I had no idea, but it excited me to return that flimsy bag to her. Then I would be able to meet and mock her about her failure today.

You don't want to do that, said something within me, probably the kind angel in me.

I scoffed. It was exactly what I wanted to do and no "kind angel" existed within me.

Before I knew, my eyes had become heavy. So I pulled my covers on top of me and drifted off to sleep.

***

Someone was shaking me and all I wanted to do was punch them.

"...wake up!" He shouted.

My eyes snapped open. I squinted but then adjusted to the amount of light in the room. I looked up to the person who was intent on pulling me from my dream.

Jordan was standing beside my bed, with a smirk directed towards Matthew, who sat in the chair in the corner of the room.

"Please explain to me, what the hell is going on?" I said to both of them, not at all pleased that I was woken up at six in the morning.

Jordan turned towards me and said, "We are going for a friendly match of cricket with some fellow friends, would you like to join?"

That is when I noticed the crisp white shirt and trousers they both were wearing. Matthew was even sporting a deep maroon half sleeve sweater.

I was about to answer when I remembered the way Jordan was smirking when I woke up. Instead of answering, I inquired him on that. "First answer me, why were you smiling to Matthew like an idiotic person when I woke up?"

Jordan's hands dropped from his hips and he frowned at me. "I'm far from an idiotic person! And I was smirking because I had a bet that I won."

"A bet?"

He nodded, with a victory smile. "Yes, Matthew made a bet with me of about some dollars. All I had to so was wake you up from your death-like sleep."

My mouth dropped open. They both made a bet on their best friend?

Some friends they are. I shook my head and got out of the bed.

"I won't be able to join you today." I answered his previous question.

Matthew's eyebrows shot up. "Why not?"

God, why didn't I think of a possible reason before answering them? I searched my head for some possible excuse.

Then reality hit me. Why did I need to lie? I could just straightforward tell him that I had to meet with an Indian woman to return her purse.

Uh...that didn't sound so good.

"I have a mild headache. I might go for a walk." I told them, sounding as sincere as I can.

Jordan shot me a skeptical look but didn't question me. Matthew just nodded. Then they both grabbed their gear and left the room. Matthew even gave me some pills to eat.

After they both left, I felt guilt spread through me for lying to them. But I just couldn't say the truth.

I pushed the thoughts away from my mind and took my clothes out. Then I went for a bath.

Once I was ready for the day, I took Anvesha's bag and stuffed it inside my case. Taking it, I left the room, making sure I closed the door behind me.

It was six forty-five and I knew I won't find her anywhere this early.

So I just went for a walk in the streets of Calcutta. The Indian side of Calcutta...because there was a chance I would find her there.

It was shocking to see that the streets were filled with carriages, bullock carts and occasionally, motor cars, at this early in the morning.

I felt a little out of place in between the herds of Indians. Workers seemed to be deep in what they were doing. The smell of spices filled the chilly air.

I was busy looking around when I saw a little child, selling what looked like sugar biscuits...like they were completely made with sugar. I knew this because father had made us eat them some days ago. To say they were tasty would be an understatement. They were absolutely delicious!

I couldn't resist the sight of them, so I decided that I had to have those sweets.

I walked slowly to the little boy in tattered clothes. He seemed to be busy making announcements about his dish (I'm not so sure; he was speaking in his local language) that he didn't notice me.

So I stood there awkwardly, waiting for him to see that I was standing there. When he didn't realize, I cleared my throat, audibly loud.

The boy's face snapped towards me. He stared at me, then his eyes went wide and he took in a sharp intake of breath. Tears sprung up in the child's eyes and he suddenly bowed towards me. He joined his hands in front of me and started crying.

All this time, I stood there like a statue, confused and shocked to the core. I didn't know what was going on. I had no idea what the child was saying but he seemed to pleading or begging.

I looked around to see a group of people standing around us in a circle, staring at the commotion. A feeling of horror settled in me when I found out that they were looking at me with intense hatred.

I gulped and looked at the child. I had no idea what to do. Suddenly, a man wearing dirty clothes grabbed the boy in front of me. He hugged him, and then he himself started pleading to me.

What offense had I done? I was only here to buy some sweets for myself.

I opened my mouth to something, anything...but no words formed in my mouth. These people won't understand me for I only know English and they didn't.

Suddenly, from somewhere behind me, I heard an icy, feminine voice, "What in the world are you doing?"

The owner of that voice...how couldn't I know who she is. I spun around to see her standing right behind me with a fierce look on her face. Her eyes held something indistinguishable, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was.

I knew it was not time for some snide remark, so I decided to be honest with her. "I didn't do anything! Both these people just started to cry in front of me...just like that". I emphasized on the last three words.

She stared at me. "I'm sure that you must have done something; trouble seems to follow you." She spoke in a cold, hard voice.

It irked me how quick she was to judge. I felt anger rise in me, but I didn't want to do anything crazy, so I calmly, yet menacingly replied to her, "One single time I decide to be honest, you decided to judge." Her eyes went wide, she opened her mouth, but I cut her off, "I was here to buy that sugary thing he was selling. I didn't know his language, so I decided to clear my throat, the universal sign for catching someone's attention--"

"That mu--"

"--but he decided to cry in front of me and created this whole scene I obviously didn't ask for."

That shut her up. She looked at me, her face showing no emotion whatsoever. I couldn't help but notice the way she bit her lower lip, indicating she was nervous.

The next thing she did surprised me. She turned around, gestured towards me and said something in the local language to the Indians surrounding us,"O tomader ke kicchu korbe na. O onno "ingrejdar" moto noe. O tomader ja tomra bikri korchho ta bikri korar theke atkabe na. Sotti bolte ki o ekhane egulo kinte esechhe. Doya more bhoy pabena.

They stared at her with uncertainity, then like a miracle, everyone retreated and go back to their respective works.

I also noticed that the boy and his father had stopped crying and beggind and now just stared at me with astonished looks and...admiration? Well that was foreign.

Anvesha didn't say a word to me and went to the duo. She began explaining something. Then she took out some money from a vegetable bag which I didn't notice before she was holding.

The boy and his father looked happy and packed some of those sugary sweets in a newspaper. The boy handed it to Anvesha and in return, she gave him the money.

I watched the exchange with my mouth pressed into a thin line.

I didn't know why, but when she turned around and looked at me with her piercing gaze, my heart started to thump in my chest with an impossible intensity.

I stared back into those raven eyes. She walked towards me and held out the bag to me. "Next time, bring someone with you, a chaperone, who understands both English and Hindi."

Chaperone? I felt offended.

I glared at her. "Why are you giving these to me?" I said, gesturing towards the hand with the sweet, which she held out to me.

"Well, I bought these for you." She said silently, looking away.

She...she bought those for me?

Her soft voice, which said those words, stirred something within me. I didn't know what it was, but I felt content.

I also found myself at loss of words.

So I did what I'm best at, "I don't want this. I don't take items bought with a woman's money."

And I regret saying that immediately. Her head snapped towards me and hurt flashed in those dark eyes. She tried to compose herself, but...wait, were those tears in her eyes?

Was she really crying because of my comment?

Guilt and discomfort enveloped me. Guilt for saying those words, which I didn't mean at all and discomfort, because I was making a woman cry.

But, she never cried. I've never seem her do that. I insulted her, I did everything to degrade her...but she never cried. I had this really odd hunch that she wasn't crying just because of my remark.

As if noticing my scrutinising gaze and discomfort, the emotion vanished from her eyes. She composed herself to become that cold person like before. "Do you even have money at all, that too, Indian currency?" She spat.

Another pang of guilt pierced through me and a question shot up in my mind. How did she know?

"I-uh...um..." I trailed off with no words left in my mouth. I took the packet from her hand, and searched my pocket for some money, but I came out with nothing.

She let out a humourless laugh, turned around and walked away.

I felt so...Jesus! I was so stupid...such an imbicile, gullible man. I had managed to scare some Indians, make a woman cry and made a fool of myself in front of the same person, all in a single hour!

Staring at her retreating figure, I felt like I was forgetting something; something important.

And then I realized.

I forgot to return her bag!

The thought brought me back in reality. Before I knew, I was running, literally.

"Anv-Miss, wait!

...

And thank you so so so so sooooooooooooo much for 1K reads! I don't know the correct way to thank you. Just know that you people are wonderful!

Update- The dialogue Anvesha tells the people is that Alexander is not like the other British and he is not here to stop the people from selling things. In fact, he's here to buy them. She tells the people not to be afraid of him.