12-11-2025, 12:45 AM
## Update 104: The Confession by the Temple (Avi and Mala)
The wedding was just two days away. Like every day, I left for Mona's house in the afternoon, hoping for another glimpse of Mala. On the main road, I met Mona, her parents, her brother, Mala, Riya, and some of Mona's older relatives. They were all going to the ancient village temple, nestled in the jungle, to perform a crucial pre-wedding ritual. The temple was about five kilometers away from the village. I immediately joined them without hesitation.
Mona's brother walked with me, talking constantly, filling my ears with nervous wedding details. His words, however, slightly annoyed me, distracting me from my real purpose. Meanwhile, Mala and Riya walked and talked quietly with Mona. Everyone got tired from the walk; we had only walked three kilometers and still had two more kilometers to go up the rising path. We rested briefly in a field, everyone catching their breath before continuing. We reached the temple shortly after.
The temple was quite old and rustic. Everyone began to prepare for the worship ceremony. Mona sat down with Riya and Mala on a stone bench. The worship began and was scheduled to last for nearly two hours. After about forty minutes, I saw Mala quietly get up and walk away from the group, heading behind the temple structure. I saw my opportunity and quickly followed her, trying to blend in with the shadows. Everyone was deeply busy with the chanting and rituals. Mala was clearly going behind the temple to use the bathroom area.
Mala reached the quiet back side of the temple. Before she could do anything, I called her name softly, my voice just loud enough for her to hear. Hearing my voice, she froze and slowly turned to look at me.
"How are you, Mala?" I asked, my heart thumping hard in my chest.
Mala looked surprised but maintained her composure. "I'm fine. What are you doing following me here?" she asked, her eyes darting nervously toward the temple corner.
"I need to talk to you right now," I said, taking a step closer.
"Here? Right here?" she questioned, indicating the religious space with a flick of her hand.
"Yes, I think this is the right place," I insisted, my gaze holding hers. "I haven't had a proper chance to talk to you since yesterday. That's why I think this is the perfect place, in God's own house, to be honest."
Mala sighed, resigned. "Tell me what you need to say, quickly," she urged, folding her arms.
I took a deep breath. "Sorry," I said simply.
She frowned. "Sorry for what, Avi?" she asked, feigning ignorance, tilting her head.
"For that day, the day you came to my house," I clarified, my voice dropping.
"What day are you talking about?" she insisted on playing dumb.
"For what I did to you at my house," I repeated, my voice tight.
"What about your house? Did you break something?" she asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
"I'm sorry for what I did to you when you came to my house," I said, finally naming it directly.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Avi," she said, shaking her head.
"I kissed you, Mala. I'm sorry for that aggressive kiss," I said, my confession hanging in the quiet air.
"For that? Oh, that," Mala said, letting out a nervous laugh. "I have long forgotten about it. It was nothing."
"You got angry and scared, though," I reminded her.
"When did I get angry? I was just surprised," she countered.
"You ran away immediately. I thought you felt very bad about it," I said, my brow furrowed with concern.
"If you do that, suddenly and without warning, to any girl, any girl will run away in surprise and embarrassment," Mala said, finally confirming the reason.
"Sorry, truly sorry," I said, dropping my head slightly.
"You're saying sorry only now, after so many days, Avi," she observed, a hint of accusation in her tone.
"It's not like that, Mala. I was going to say sorry to you at schoool, but you stopped coming. Then your exams started, and then it was my exams. After that, when I went to your house, I found out you had gone to your mama's house. Today, I finally got a chance to talk to you alone, and I didn't want to lose this chance or carry this guilt," I explained, laying out the timeline.
"I forgave you for the kiss that very day," Mala admitted softly.
"If you had genuinely forgiven me, then why didn't you come back the next day to my house, even though you knew I was still in the storehouse?" I asked, pushing for the truth.
"If I had come the next day, you would have definitely started again with me, and who knows where it would have ended," Mala said, looking away, her eyes scanning the ground. "That's why I didn't come back."
"I wasn't going to do anything more than talk that day," I insisted, trying to lie.
"Looking at you, Avi, it seemed you wanted to do a lot more than just talk," she said, her eyes meeting mine, full of knowing.
"It's not like that," I insisted one last time, shifting my feet.
"Then why did you kiss me so suddenly?" she asked, her voice challenging.
"I started to genuinely like you, Mala. Maybe I even fell in love with you at first sight," I admitted, the full confession escaping me. "And as for doing something sexual, I would have done it to you in the storehouse that day, forcing you. You couldn't have stopped me there."
"I know that, Avi," Mala said, her voice unexpectedly gentle. "That's why I came willingly to your house in the first place. A girl only goes to a boy's house when she trusts him. And I also like you a lot, too," she confessed, her eyes wide and honest.
"If you liked me, then why didn't you come the next day?" I asked, still unable to reconcile the actions.
"You're right that I like you, I do. But if I had come to your house again, who knows what you would have done to me, forcing me to cross a line I wasn't ready for," she explained, her voice tinged with fear. "That's why I didn't come to your house. But I sent food for you, through Monu, to repay the help you gave me for my exams."
"You used to send the food all that time?" I asked, the realization hitting me again, my voice catching in my throat.
"Yes, didn't you know who was sending it?" she said, looking genuinely surprised.
"Your mama's son, Monu, only told me today that you used to give him the food. But I thought my Bua used to give it to him to deliver," I said.
"Your Bua?" she said and laughed, a beautiful, genuine sound that echoed softly.
I looked directly into her eyes, deciding this was the moment of truth. "Mala, do you love me, truly?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"What?" she asked, taken aback by the sudden, intense question.
"Do you love me?" I asked again, firmer this time.
She looked down, then up again, a profound sadness in her eyes. "Yes, Avi, I like you very much. I love you, but..." she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence, wringing her hands slightly.
"But what, Mala? What is the problem?" I urged, taking her hand.
"Is it because I'm older than you, that I'm three years ahead of you?" she asked, concern etched on her face.
"No, that's not it at all," I dismissed the age difference completely, shaking my head.
"Then what is the real reason?" I asked, ready for any challenge.
Mala shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "Look, Avi, I'm the only daughter of my parents. I know they want to get me married and settled as soon as possible, to fulfill their duty."
"So what? I will marry you, I promise," I declared, my conviction absolute.
"But your Chachi will rightfully make you study first, get your degree. Then you'll get a good, respectable government job. After all that, when you are 26 or 27 years old, you will finally get married. By then, I will be 27 or 28 myself. I simply can't wait that long for you to catch up," she said, her voice shaking with resignation. "I like you, Avi, and I love you, but I can't marry you. You should forget about me too. You'll find a much better, younger girl than me."
"But, Mala..." I protested, feeling a hollow ache in my chest.
"Besides, I'm leaving this village for good very soon," she revealed, the final blow. "We will leave right after Mona's wedding is finished."
"Leaving the village... Why are you leaving?" I asked, feeling desperate, my voice strained.
"My mother has already arranged my marriage with my Mammi's brother's son. I will get married in a year, and then I will leave the village to live with him," she explained, the decision irreversible. "He has a respectable government job, which is all my parents care about."
"You're getting married to someone else?" I asked, the world spinning slightly.
"Yes. It's too late for us, Avi. You should forget about me and move on with your life," she said, gently pulling her hand away.
"I can't forget you, Mala," I whispered, the words true and painful.
"You have to forget me," she insisted, her resolve hardening. "Look, it's very late now. I have to go back to the temple before my mother notices I'm gone for too long."
Mala left for the temple, saying only that I should forget her. *How could I forget her? The first girl I had ever truly liked, the only one who didn't want sex but instead protected me, and she told me to forget her.* I stood there, lost in my sudden, profound grief. *Why is Mala doing this? Is it only because of the age gap and the timing? Am I truly in love with Mala? What should I do now to stop this? I know one person who might help.* I immediately thought of Meena Chachi. *I'll talk to Meena Chachi about Mala tonight. Meena Chachi might find a solution to this impossible situation.* The thought of Meena Chachi gave me a small measure of comfort, a lifeline. I composed myself, smoothed down my clothes, forced a neutral expression, and slowly went and sat down in the temple, watching the ceremony resume.
---
The wedding was just two days away. Like every day, I left for Mona's house in the afternoon, hoping for another glimpse of Mala. On the main road, I met Mona, her parents, her brother, Mala, Riya, and some of Mona's older relatives. They were all going to the ancient village temple, nestled in the jungle, to perform a crucial pre-wedding ritual. The temple was about five kilometers away from the village. I immediately joined them without hesitation.
Mona's brother walked with me, talking constantly, filling my ears with nervous wedding details. His words, however, slightly annoyed me, distracting me from my real purpose. Meanwhile, Mala and Riya walked and talked quietly with Mona. Everyone got tired from the walk; we had only walked three kilometers and still had two more kilometers to go up the rising path. We rested briefly in a field, everyone catching their breath before continuing. We reached the temple shortly after.
The temple was quite old and rustic. Everyone began to prepare for the worship ceremony. Mona sat down with Riya and Mala on a stone bench. The worship began and was scheduled to last for nearly two hours. After about forty minutes, I saw Mala quietly get up and walk away from the group, heading behind the temple structure. I saw my opportunity and quickly followed her, trying to blend in with the shadows. Everyone was deeply busy with the chanting and rituals. Mala was clearly going behind the temple to use the bathroom area.
Mala reached the quiet back side of the temple. Before she could do anything, I called her name softly, my voice just loud enough for her to hear. Hearing my voice, she froze and slowly turned to look at me.
"How are you, Mala?" I asked, my heart thumping hard in my chest.
Mala looked surprised but maintained her composure. "I'm fine. What are you doing following me here?" she asked, her eyes darting nervously toward the temple corner.
"I need to talk to you right now," I said, taking a step closer.
"Here? Right here?" she questioned, indicating the religious space with a flick of her hand.
"Yes, I think this is the right place," I insisted, my gaze holding hers. "I haven't had a proper chance to talk to you since yesterday. That's why I think this is the perfect place, in God's own house, to be honest."
Mala sighed, resigned. "Tell me what you need to say, quickly," she urged, folding her arms.
I took a deep breath. "Sorry," I said simply.
She frowned. "Sorry for what, Avi?" she asked, feigning ignorance, tilting her head.
"For that day, the day you came to my house," I clarified, my voice dropping.
"What day are you talking about?" she insisted on playing dumb.
"For what I did to you at my house," I repeated, my voice tight.
"What about your house? Did you break something?" she asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
"I'm sorry for what I did to you when you came to my house," I said, finally naming it directly.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Avi," she said, shaking her head.
"I kissed you, Mala. I'm sorry for that aggressive kiss," I said, my confession hanging in the quiet air.
"For that? Oh, that," Mala said, letting out a nervous laugh. "I have long forgotten about it. It was nothing."
"You got angry and scared, though," I reminded her.
"When did I get angry? I was just surprised," she countered.
"You ran away immediately. I thought you felt very bad about it," I said, my brow furrowed with concern.
"If you do that, suddenly and without warning, to any girl, any girl will run away in surprise and embarrassment," Mala said, finally confirming the reason.
"Sorry, truly sorry," I said, dropping my head slightly.
"You're saying sorry only now, after so many days, Avi," she observed, a hint of accusation in her tone.
"It's not like that, Mala. I was going to say sorry to you at schoool, but you stopped coming. Then your exams started, and then it was my exams. After that, when I went to your house, I found out you had gone to your mama's house. Today, I finally got a chance to talk to you alone, and I didn't want to lose this chance or carry this guilt," I explained, laying out the timeline.
"I forgave you for the kiss that very day," Mala admitted softly.
"If you had genuinely forgiven me, then why didn't you come back the next day to my house, even though you knew I was still in the storehouse?" I asked, pushing for the truth.
"If I had come the next day, you would have definitely started again with me, and who knows where it would have ended," Mala said, looking away, her eyes scanning the ground. "That's why I didn't come back."
"I wasn't going to do anything more than talk that day," I insisted, trying to lie.
"Looking at you, Avi, it seemed you wanted to do a lot more than just talk," she said, her eyes meeting mine, full of knowing.
"It's not like that," I insisted one last time, shifting my feet.
"Then why did you kiss me so suddenly?" she asked, her voice challenging.
"I started to genuinely like you, Mala. Maybe I even fell in love with you at first sight," I admitted, the full confession escaping me. "And as for doing something sexual, I would have done it to you in the storehouse that day, forcing you. You couldn't have stopped me there."
"I know that, Avi," Mala said, her voice unexpectedly gentle. "That's why I came willingly to your house in the first place. A girl only goes to a boy's house when she trusts him. And I also like you a lot, too," she confessed, her eyes wide and honest.
"If you liked me, then why didn't you come the next day?" I asked, still unable to reconcile the actions.
"You're right that I like you, I do. But if I had come to your house again, who knows what you would have done to me, forcing me to cross a line I wasn't ready for," she explained, her voice tinged with fear. "That's why I didn't come to your house. But I sent food for you, through Monu, to repay the help you gave me for my exams."
"You used to send the food all that time?" I asked, the realization hitting me again, my voice catching in my throat.
"Yes, didn't you know who was sending it?" she said, looking genuinely surprised.
"Your mama's son, Monu, only told me today that you used to give him the food. But I thought my Bua used to give it to him to deliver," I said.
"Your Bua?" she said and laughed, a beautiful, genuine sound that echoed softly.
I looked directly into her eyes, deciding this was the moment of truth. "Mala, do you love me, truly?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"What?" she asked, taken aback by the sudden, intense question.
"Do you love me?" I asked again, firmer this time.
She looked down, then up again, a profound sadness in her eyes. "Yes, Avi, I like you very much. I love you, but..." she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence, wringing her hands slightly.
"But what, Mala? What is the problem?" I urged, taking her hand.
"Is it because I'm older than you, that I'm three years ahead of you?" she asked, concern etched on her face.
"No, that's not it at all," I dismissed the age difference completely, shaking my head.
"Then what is the real reason?" I asked, ready for any challenge.
Mala shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "Look, Avi, I'm the only daughter of my parents. I know they want to get me married and settled as soon as possible, to fulfill their duty."
"So what? I will marry you, I promise," I declared, my conviction absolute.
"But your Chachi will rightfully make you study first, get your degree. Then you'll get a good, respectable government job. After all that, when you are 26 or 27 years old, you will finally get married. By then, I will be 27 or 28 myself. I simply can't wait that long for you to catch up," she said, her voice shaking with resignation. "I like you, Avi, and I love you, but I can't marry you. You should forget about me too. You'll find a much better, younger girl than me."
"But, Mala..." I protested, feeling a hollow ache in my chest.
"Besides, I'm leaving this village for good very soon," she revealed, the final blow. "We will leave right after Mona's wedding is finished."
"Leaving the village... Why are you leaving?" I asked, feeling desperate, my voice strained.
"My mother has already arranged my marriage with my Mammi's brother's son. I will get married in a year, and then I will leave the village to live with him," she explained, the decision irreversible. "He has a respectable government job, which is all my parents care about."
"You're getting married to someone else?" I asked, the world spinning slightly.
"Yes. It's too late for us, Avi. You should forget about me and move on with your life," she said, gently pulling her hand away.
"I can't forget you, Mala," I whispered, the words true and painful.
"You have to forget me," she insisted, her resolve hardening. "Look, it's very late now. I have to go back to the temple before my mother notices I'm gone for too long."
Mala left for the temple, saying only that I should forget her. *How could I forget her? The first girl I had ever truly liked, the only one who didn't want sex but instead protected me, and she told me to forget her.* I stood there, lost in my sudden, profound grief. *Why is Mala doing this? Is it only because of the age gap and the timing? Am I truly in love with Mala? What should I do now to stop this? I know one person who might help.* I immediately thought of Meena Chachi. *I'll talk to Meena Chachi about Mala tonight. Meena Chachi might find a solution to this impossible situation.* The thought of Meena Chachi gave me a small measure of comfort, a lifeline. I composed myself, smoothed down my clothes, forced a neutral expression, and slowly went and sat down in the temple, watching the ceremony resume.
---
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