TEMPORAL TEMPTATION

Cycle Ride

"No, it's not," a voice interrupted from behind us. I turned to see Rajveer, breathless and with a piercing gaze fixed on me. His hair was damp with sweat, sticking to his forehead. "It's not bad luck," he repeated firmly.

"Ah, the golden boy of our village arrives," Kavi remarked in amusement.

"Shut it, Kavi," He snapped before turning back to me. "What nonsense have you been feeding Karan?" he asked, his tone tinged with concern.

Kavi chuckled before responding, "Of course, the golden boy assumes I'm causing trouble for the outsider. Because, naturally, you wouldn't have any faith in my sanity, much like the rest of the villagers."

"That's not true, and you know it. I've never spoken ill of you," He defended himself.

"Because you never bothered to," Kavi stated with a shrug. "You've always just ignored me, like I don't even exist. Being ignored is worse than being hated, you know."

"I didn't intentionally ignore you; we just never had much interaction or memorable moments together," Rajveer explained. "I don't hold any hate towards you. Your thoughts are your own, and everyone has the right to express themselves freely. It's not a crime to have different perspectives, and even if you're a bit eccentric, you're still an integral part of our village."

"Meh, it's all the same to me," Kavi replied casually. "I'm used to you being the golden boy, preaching righteousness and all. I knew you wouldn't openly admit to hating me because, well, the golden boy has a heart of gold. Give me something surprising for once, golden boy. Say something that might actually impress me."

"Alright, let's pause here, folks," I interjected, stepping between them. "What's with this argument about who hates who or who ignores who? Are we acting like 10-year-olds here?"

"No, we're all mature adults here, at least in age," he stated with a hint of sarcasm.

"You know, golden boy," Kavi interjected, "There's just one flaw I've noticed in you. Fix that, and you'll be a solid 100 in everyone's eyes, just as you've always wanted. You can be a bit short-tempered and resistant to hearing others' opinions. Someone calls you out, and you're ready to explode. So, try shutting up and actually listening for once. You'll be surprised by the positive impact this simple advice can have on your life."

"Well—" He began, but I cut him off by placing a finger on his lips.

"Let it go, Raj," I said, calming the situation.

He stepped back, looking a bit embarrassed. "What's gotten into you? Calling me Raj and all," he protested.

"Rajveer is a mouthful, and I'm feeling lazy," I shrugged.

"Someone's cranky," Kavi chimed in. "Kids these days."

"You're seriously pushing it, Kavi," I reprimanded.

"What did I do? I'm just commenting on what's happening in front of me. Am I not allowed to do that?" He defended himself.

"This isn't some kind of show, it's just Rajveer being a bit dramatic," I clarified.

Rajveer spoke up, "You caught me off guard there. I mean, what man touches another man without consent?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Alright, since you seem so eager to hear it from a lawyer, let me enlighten you. There are numerous cases of men touching other men without consent, and I could cite you a hundred examples without hesitation. Besides, I didn't touch you; I simply asked you to be quiet, something you clearly struggle with."

"Looks like even the rich boy agrees with me. Two voices telling you to learn to listen and be quiet—got it, golden boy?" Kavi teased with a playful smile.