Part 9
The constant tempo of the thud, thud she was listening since so long...what was that? Kalpi tried hard to ignore it but it was loud to her ears and she was uncomfortable. She opened her eyes and suddenly felt disoriented.
Where was she? And pain! So much pain! She didn't dare to move because beside the pain, she also realized the warmth she was leaning in. Raghav!
He was still deeply asleep. Kalpi shifted ever so slightly so that she had a good look at him. She smiled at the man she saw. He was at peace, no frown, no tension lines on his face. She couldn't help but let her fingers trail on his face. She traced his cheek bones, felt the stubble prick lightly her finger tips and she almost giggled loudly. She immediately jerked her hand away when she felt him shift.
She stopped breathing for a second but then he settled back to sleep on. Kalpi sighed and hesitated to continue her exploration but it lasted for only seconds as her hands shot up again on its own volition to continue its work. His aquiline nose, his upper lip, his chin, his lower lip, his temple, his eyes...her fingers trailed everywhere on his face and when she couldn't get enough, she pushed herself up and kissed his cheek so lightly.
"Stop it Kalpi!" She heard a voice telling her off in her head but she couldn't help herself. It was something that was happening to her, a pull, a strange pull that was dictating her to do and it felt so right. What's more, he's asleep and he will never know. She's doing no harm.
She trailed light butterfly kisses from his temples down his cheeks, showering him with feather light kisses and placed her hand on his chest to feel his breathing; a steady rhyme that was increasing its tempo.
-Oh no! He's coming around! thought Kalpi, in panic. She settled back in her previous position and tried to calm her erratic breathings as she didn't want to be the first to explain and face each other.
Torture! That's what it was. A sweet torture! Raghav smiled as he gave time to Kalpi to settle back on his chest and gave her some more time to let her calm herself. He had sensed her waking up earlier but knowing that she will feel awkward, he decided to pretend to be asleep so as to let her move away from him but no.
She surprised him by her light touch. Her fingers trailing on his face gave him the shock of his life but what almost made him die and go to heaven was the feel of her lips on his cheek! He couldn't believe it! And then the rain of kisses that fell on his face. Plain torture! So sweet and yet so innocent was his Kalpi. He tried all he could not to move, not to twitch an eyelid or make any brusque movement to make her realize that he is wide awake. He wanted it to stop as it was unbearable to feel her touch and kisses and not to respond as she will be scared and will feel awkward and wished that this moment to never end. But his heart, how to control it? When he felt his heartbeats going hectic, he knew that it's going to betray him soon so he decided to end his own sweet hell and pretend to wake up.
He looked down and smiled more widely as he saw a struggling Kalpi, trying hard to pretend to be asleep. He shook his head and shifted her aside and stood up.
Kalpi felt him move away and the warmth too went away. She didn't know why but she felt like crying all of a sudden. She decided to end up the hide and seek game and to face him now as it will not do to pretend more now.
She sat up and winced with lacing pain. Raghav was by her side in a split of a second.
"Don't move" he ordered her and picked her up in his arms.
"I can perfectly walk sir. Put me down, please." Kalpi said as he started to walk towards the slope she fell down last night.
"I know you can walk very fine but I can't let you. Who knows where you'll end up again and what will become of me for the second time. So keep it shut and let me find a way out of here as we can't go together up that slope." Raghav dismissed all her pleas to let her down as he paved a way in the jungle until they reached his car.
He made her sit on his car's bonnet and went round to fetch a bottle of water and made her gulp down all the content. It tasted weird but she didn't dare to complain as his mood was unpredictable.
"I'm going to find you a doctor as soon as we reach Goa. Those injuries of yours need to be tended soon..." his voice trailed off as Kalpi wasn't able to concentrate on what he was talking about. She was fascinated by his roughened up look. He looked absolutely gorgeous and handsome was all she could grasp at that moment.
She felt warm. Very warm and light after some times. Raghav was trying to get in contact with Sammy and the latter informed him that he is reaching them in minutes.
When Raghav came round to talk to her and inform her about Sammy's reaching them, he found a smiling Kalpi looking at him.
Something's wrong, thought Raghav. He frowned at Kalpi as she was smiling at him!
"You know what? I love jungle so much! I've read the Jungle Book so many times in my childhood. You remember that na? Of course you do!" Kalpi said to a stunned Raghav.
"Are you alright? What are you talking about?" asked a puzzled Raghav.
"Actually, when you said it was a fox, I got scared. There is no fox in the Jungle book, but there is bagheera and bhaloo! I love bhaloo! He's cute. In fact, Sher khan too..." Kalpi kept talking to a confused Raghav.
"Shut up Kalpi! Just shut up! What nonsense! Wait a minute. Haven't you got a concussion to your head? Let me check!" Raghav patted her head and she giggled like a little girl.
No bump on her head, no cuts, nothing. Maybe its internal, thought Raghav. Then, his eyes fell on the bottle he gave her. Fudge!!!
That was no water she drank but mixed distilled vodka! Raghav threw the bottle away raked his hair. What a mess! That was what was left. A drunk and injured Kalpi on his hands.
He eyed Kalpi who was smiling at him from ear to ear. He smiled back at her as she was cute even in this state. She was injured, bloody, disheveled, sleep ruffled and drunk but she was also looking stunning. She never looked as beautiful to him as she was now. Bhaloo really? He shook his head at her and went to pick her up and got her in the car as she needed rest. She was very pliable and settled deep in the seat and mumbled something incomprehensible to him and then fell in a deep slumber.
Raghav went round to his seat and placed his head on the steering wheel, staring at a sound sleeping Kalpi and wondered what's more in store for them, praying hard that Sammy arrive soon.
