Destined Hearts Ch. 06

"And you decided to come back at this time?" Antonio furiously walked to him, staring into his face. "It is dark out there and you are coming back at this time? You don't even know this city that well."

"I am fine, besides nothing happened to me and..."

"I try to be nice for once and let you go out and you decided to..."

"I told you I am fine, Antonio." Praveen said, slightly raising his voice. "What would have happened to me at the temple? Besides, I was with someone that knows this town very well."

"I wasn't worried about you..." Antonio chuckled bitterly, pointing angrily at him. "...I was worried that you'd get me into trouble if something ever happened to you. You are granny's favorite now because you are trying to get everything away from..."

Before Antonio could even finish his sentence, Praveen's phone started ringing and he quickly took the phone from his pocket without even looking at the screen. He quickly answered, walking away from Antonio.

"Hello..."

"Hey!" A happy voice sounded on the other end of the line. "It's me Adrian!"

"Oh!" A bright smile appeared on Praveen's face. "What's up, Adrian!"

"Sorry," Adrian apologized. "I just called to find out if you have safely reached your hotel."

"Yes!" Praveen smiled, nodding softly. "Don't worry about me. I am absolutely fine, okay?"

"Alright then, goodnight."

"Good night!"

Praveen lost the smile on his face as he slipped the phone back in his pocket. However, when he turned to face Atonio, he simply froze. Then suddenly, his heart started pounding deeper in his chest... His body felt cold... his eyes widened as his breaths came out harshly... a shiver ran down his spine and he wished for the ground to just open up and swallow him whole.

Antonio was holding Praveen's golden wedding chain that he had gotten at the temple. He was looking at it, trying to figure out what it was but Praveen was really scared. He freaking had no intention of showing that to Antonio. How the hell did it even get out of his pocket, he thought as he took a deep breath?

"What's this?" Antonio asked, looking at the necklace. "Why do you have it?" He had seen such a necklace with his mother long ago.

"Err..." Praveen gasped, figuring a way out to tell him. "...well, I got that from the temple. The priest gave it to me and..."

"I didn't ask for the history of this thing. I am asking what it's for."

Praveen felt his heart pound deeper in his chest, making him really scared. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "It's... it's a wedding chain." He said which he regretted later. "The priest gave it to me and he said you have to put it around me and..."

"What?" Antonio gave a mocking laugh, throwing the chain on the bed. "Are you fucking kidding me? Why the hell would I put a wedding chain around your neck when our marriage is not real at all, when I don't even love you?"

Praveen felt cold at Antonio's words. "I didn't mean to..."

"You didn't mean to what?" He yelled, getting closer to the poor boy. "Why the fuck do you like provoking me?"

"I am sorry but I didn't mean to and I had no intentions of getting that but..."

"And you still did."

"It's just a wedding chain and besides..."

"Well! I ain't putting that thing around your neck." He warned. "You better get that into your thick skull and this better be the last time you do anything like this." Antonio was so mad that he wanted to hit something. He was breathing like a beast. "I am not your husband so better find a husband that will put that around your neck."

With an angry groan, Antonio furiously passed the boy and started heading towards the door with the intention of going to Bruce's room to stay with him until he cooled down. Meanwhile Praveen was left standing there, speechless and definitely surprised as how the chain had left his pocket. He was still lost deep in his thoughts when suddenly...

"Fuck! Ouch!" He heard Antonio scream loudly.

Praveen quickly moved his eyes towards Antonio and found him jumping like a little child while holding his finger tightly. It was somehow funny and he wanted to laugh but he found himself quickly rushing to him. He reached him and wondered what was wrong with him.

"Are you... okay?" He asked softly, still staring into his face.

Antonio moved his eyes furiously towards the boy and simply got mad at him. "What do you think?" he groaned. "Something has just pricked my finger and it hurts like hell."

"What?" Praveen couldn't mask the surprise in his voice. He quickly moved towards Antonio, thrusting his hand forward. "Let me see!"

"No!" Antonio furiously moved his hand away, getting a little further from the boy. "Why do you care? Leave me alone. I am sure you are happy right now because you like seeing me hurt, right?"

"What?" Praveen gasped, shaking his head. "Why would I feel happy when..."

"I don't know." Antonio shouted, getting even angrier. "Just leave me alone because your presence hurts more than the pain I am experiencing right now."

"I am just trying to help." Praveen was somehow concerned. "Let me just..."

"No!" Antonio thundered, thumping his foot on the floor.

"May I just see so that I can attend to it and..."

"Didn't you hear what I said?" He yelled, scaring the boy a little.

"Fine!" Praveen raised his hands as if he was surrendering, simply giving up. "I will leave you alone but you should get whatever it is out so that you can attend to it otherwise it might get worse."

With those words, he turned and started heading to the couch. Meanwhile, Antonio stood there and watched as the boy went away. He didn't like him, not to talk about his being or anything but the pain he was experiencing was something worse and...

"Wait!" He hollered, moving his eyes away as if he didn't want to look at the boy. "You can come and check."

Praveen stopped and looked back when he heard that. He quickly turned and looked at the man that didn't seem to care. Something about what he said brought some form of peace to him and he couldn't help but smile, not realizing that he was actually doing it.

"What?"

Antonio breathed heavily, trying to sustain his pain. "You can come and check."

Praveen smiled and moved closer to him, slowly extending his hands. "Bring your finger."

Antonio breathed deeply, giving him his finger. Praveen looked at the finger and saw little blood. Something had surely pierced him but it was no longer there. Antonio was just acting like a little child.

He slowly and carefully held his finger, slowly moving his index finger towards Antonio's, whatever it was.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Antonio furiously snapped. "That hurts."

"It's nothing serious." Praveen said sincerely. "It was probably a splinter or something small."

"Something small?" Antonio furiously withdrew his hand. "Can't you see that I am bleeding?"

"It's just little..."

"Little?" Antonio chuckled bitterly, shaking his head. "I am the one that's feeling pain here, okay? I knew you wouldn't do anything rather than tell me foolish things. You might not value your blood but I am a celebrity and I care a lot about my body."

"Fine!" Praveen raised his hands. "I saw a first aid box in the bathroom. Let me go and get it so that I can attend to you."

Praveen quickly rushed to the bathroom and found the first aid box. He came back and found Antonio seated on the couch, holding his finger and staring at his little blood. He shook his head and rushed to him. He knelt down, opened the box and started by cleaning Antonio's finger.

Antonio had expected his finger to hurt but there was something about the way Praveen was cleaning his finger that felt really good. Something the little pain he had been feeling disappeared, replaced by a feeling he couldn't even explain.

Praveen slowly and carefully cleaned the finger and blew on it to ease the pain Antonio had said he was feeling. He didn't want to hurt him and get some insults from him. Antonio was awfully quiet, staring at the boy's head, his beautiful black hair. For the first time, he felt Praveen did something good for him and he appreciated him for that.

Praveen took a small bandage, carefully wrapping it around Antonio's finger. After he was done, he packed everything back in the box, stared at Antonio for a few seconds and got up with the box in his hands. He started heading to the bathroom before...

"Wait!" Antonio hollered. "Just a minute."

When Praveen heard Antonio's voice, he stopped in his tracks but stood still without even turning to see what Antonio needed to tell him. He somehow knew that Antonio was gonna complain about the way he had put the bandage or something related to that. In other words, he took a deep breath, ready to receive more insults.

But he got surprised when Antonio didn't say anything or even come in front of him. This made him wonder why Antonio had called him. He took a deep breath, ready to continue walking but surprised when he felt Antonio's hands on his neck.

Feeling Antonio's hands, Praveen felt a cold shiver run down his spine, making his breaths to come out harshly. He quickly closed his eyes as his heart pounded deep in his chest, fear taking control of him. He felt cold and he froze where he stood, not knowing what was happening.

He thought Antonio had made a mistake or was just joking with him but he got even more surprised when Antonio's hands reached his chest and something in him, something that he couldn't even describe made hi m feel like a statue. His breaths seized and when he felt Antonio breath on his neck, he trembled in fear of what was gonna happen next.

He couldn't think of anything... He was blank, trying to figure out what was going on. What was just a few seconds felt as if it had been ages? He wanted to run away but he couldn't. He prayed in his heart for Antonio to leave him alone. He wanted to open his mouth but he couldn't even move it. It was as if he was paralyzed or something like it. It was really strange...

After what felt like eternity, he felt Antonio withdraw his hands and it was as if life had just returned to him. He opened his eyes, still unable to speak or even turn to face Antonio.

"What had just happened?" He thought, trying to bring himself under control.

"It's done." Antonio said in a voice that Praveen hadn't heard before.

"W... what?" he gasped, his mouth trembling in fear.

"The wedding chain." Antonio had no idea what had come over him. He couldn't believe he had just put the wedding chain around Praveen's neck. What was with him? "I... I have put it around you."

"What?" Praveen quickly turned, his mouth gaping. "I thought..."

"Look, don't get any ideas okay?" Antonio said harshly. "I had only put that around you because you probably told granny and mom that you had..."

"But... I..."

"I only did this for them."

With those words, Antonio passed by Praveen and went to the balcony to the window and opened the curtains to just look outside and forget he had even put that chain around Praveen. If Bruce ever found out, he knew that it meant trouble.

"What the fuck have I just done?" He cursed, gripping his hair.

Meanwhile, Praveen went to the bathroom and went straight to the huge mirror there. When he saw the wedding chain around his neck, he thought he was dreaming. He slowly moved his hand, rubbing on it beautifully. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever worn in his life before. He still couldn't believe Antonio had put that around him. It was really surprising.

"What happened to him?" He thought as a smile shot up his face. His heart started beating softly and he felt calm. He was wearing the same chain Antonio had said he wasn't gonna put around him. It was really strange and he hadn't expected that at all.

But whatever had made Antonio change his mind, Praveen thanked it a lot. He was happy and he couldn't mask it. For the first time since his marriage to Antonio, he smiled and felt really happy. But he knew it wasn't gonna last but he also couldn't stop smiling. It was really wonderful and he wished he had been that happy always.

***

Praveen was slowly combing his hair, looking into a huge mirror. He had just come from taking a shower after a long day that he had just had. It was late and though he was busy combing his hair, his eyes were on that beautiful wedding chain around his neck. He couldn't believe Antonio had agreed to put it around him.

He was still combing his hair when all of a sudden...

"Would you like to go down to get some food?" Antonio asked.

Praveen froze, looking at Antonio's reflection through the mirror. He didn't know what to say or how to respond but...

"Err..." He stuttered, slowly moving his hands from his hair. "...I don't know, I..."

"Are you not hungry?" Antonio asked, putting his hands in his pocket.

"But... Can't we just order..."

"Nah!" Antonio shook his head, taking a deep breath. "I wanna eat something else, maybe a nearby place where no one would get to recognize me."

Praveen didn't know if he was ready to go with Antonio because Bruce was definitely gonna be mad at him or even insult.

"Err..." He cleared his throat. "Sure!"

"Okay." Antonio sighed. "Let me just go and get my car keys."

Antonio left and Praveen remained seated there, wondering what had just happened. Looks like his visit to the temple wasn't in vain after all. He looked up to the heavens, asking the almighty what had just happened to Antonio.

He took a deep breath, tied his hair and then fixed himself up before Antonio came back to the room and they left. They used the elevator and soon found themselves down the stairs. Praveen was slowly walking beside Antonio, trying his best not to look at him. There was a lot in his mind that he needed to think about and process.

As they walked together, Praveen could see people gasping, admiring them. He couldn't help but blush a bit. He knew that many of them wished that they could be in Praveen's shoes but if they knew exactly what was on his mind, they wouldn't have even been admiring him.

It wasn't long before they found themselves outside the hotel and heading to the beautiful, red SUV that was just too huge. Antonio pressed the little remote control and the car unlocked. They found themselves in the car. Praveen felt really nervous as he sat on the passenger's seat in front. He tried his best to breathe fine and it worked for him. Deep inside his heart, he was wondering what had happened to Antonio. He felt really happy that he even forgot that Antonio had a troublesome boyfriend that annoyed him.

Antonio on the other hand started the car and they left the hotel premises. He had no idea why he felt as... He couldn't even explain what he felt. Maybe he needed to appreciate Praveen even for a moment for helping him back at the room.

They drove in silence for almost 20 minutes, without even uttering a word to each other. Antonio was focused on his driving and he didn't want anything to disturb him. They were just gonna go to the restaurant, eat something and then come back.

Everything was going perfectly fine until suddenly... The car started jerking uncontrollably.

"What the...?" Antonio almost cursed, gripping the driving wheel harder.

After a moment, the car came back into control and he felt a little better. But his happiness was short lived as the car started jerking again uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Praveen felt his heart pound deeper in his chest as the car jerked the second time. He quickly looked at Antonio who was busy trying his best to drive the car...

"What... what's going on?" He asked, his voice sounding with fear.

"I..." Antonio paused, trying to see what was wrong. But everything seemed fine. "...I don't know."

"But..." Praveen gasped, holding his trembling hands together. "...please, stop the car and check out what's wrong."

"What?" Antonio got a little annoyed. "I can handle it."

"Please!" Praveen was getting scared, really scared. "Just stop the car and check out what's wrong."

Antonio knew that Praveen was right but he didn't want to listen to him because he knew nothing about cars. But in a situation like that, Antonio had no choice. He slowly moved to the side of the road and parked the car.

He took a deep breath and then got out of the car. Praveen too got out of the car and was welcomed by a really cold air that made him fold his arms around himself. They were near some sort of village or something because he could see some shops and light.

Antonio on the other hand started inspecting what was wrong and when he found the problem, he stood still with his hands on his hips, looking at the problem.

"Great!" He groaned, furiously dropping his hands. "As if I don't have many problems."

"What is it?" Praveen asked as he moved closer to Antonio. "Have you found what the problem is?"

"Yes!" Antonio sighed, taking a deep breath. "It's like a puncture or something and do you know what?" Antonio quickly turned, almost bumping into the boy behind him. "I think this is your entire fault. You caused this."

To say Praveen was surprised would be an understatement. He had no idea why Antonio had said that to him and it left him speechless.

"What?" He gasped, his eyes widening. "Me? But what have I done? I wasn't the one that was driving and besides..."

"So now it's my fault?" Antonio chuckled, pointing at himself. "I am to blame for this?"

"I didn't say that you were to blame. I just..."

"Shut up!" Antonio snapped, making the boy go down a bit. "I decide to take you with me and this happens. This has never happened since I have been driving. You caused this and maybe I made a big mistake by bringing you here with me."

"But I didn't even..."

"You are just bad luck to me and thanks to you... this beautiful car also has to suffer your bad luck as well."

Praveen felt a little hurt but he stood there, staring at Antonio who was giving him an angry look. Then suddenly he turned and kicked in the tire angrily, groaning as if he was a predator. It seemed to Praveen as if Antonio's bad mood had returned.

He took a deep breath, moving closer to Antonio. "Look, I am really sorry for this but arguing won't help us in this situation. I can see a nearby village and maybe we can go there and ask for a mechanic who can..."

"What the fuck?" Antonio cursed, furiously turning. "Are you by any chance trying to insult me?"

"What? No!" Praveen nodded. "I was just suggesting that...'

"Well, I don't need your suggestion so just shut up." He demanded, angrily pointing at Praveen. "I am not gonna have some stupid mechanic touch my car. Whatever goes wrong, I fix it myself okay?"

Praveen tried to open his mouth but figured it was probably for the best if he kept quiet. He remained silent and watched as his husband went away and then came back with the tools. He first unbuttoned his shirt and then started jerking the car.

Praveen watched as his husband started his work. There was something really wonderful about the way Antonio worked that impressed Praveen that he couldn't help but smile. Antonio might have been worse at times but at that moment, Praveen felt he looked cute.

Antonio on the other hand was mad deep inside, anger that he had no idea came from. He was focused on what he was doing, changing the tire. He was sweaty, hot and a little dirty from the dust. But he was gonna change that tire just like his father had showed him.

Time was passing and Praveen was feeling really cold. He didn't bring in his sweater because it had been hot in the hotel. He had his arms wrapped around himself, slowly moving away from Antonio and the car. He was moving closer to the little village or rather the shops that were on the outskirts.

It didn't take him long before he reached one of the small shops and found the owner was a tea and snacks seller. The scene he found there sort of reminded him of the time his mother had been alive years back. She used to take him out for street tea and snacks. It was a time when they used to be happy, fulfilled and wished for nothing more.