CHAPTER 5- (This is in no way contributes to the story,may be it does. but it may cause you to roll your eyes at its snail pace. don't read further if you don't wish for a dimaag ka dahi.đ read further for it has Arnav's first words to her.)
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Arnav had been attuned to her presence from the moment he stepped inside her tea house. As he walked in easy strides towards his usual seat,he summoned all his will power to not to look at her and strained his ears to whatever Lavanya was rambling about. He had been well aware of her gaze at him all the while he listened to his sister,with his back towards her.
He had'nt least expected help coming somewhere at a place like this. And hence when this tawny,young boy who must be in his late teens or early twenties picked up a talk with him and mentioned about the new tea estate, he zoned out everything else and concentrated on figuring out a plausible way which would ease out the hurdles set in path of continuation of tealeaves picking.
And now his work brought him in close vicinity of the same woman whom he had been religiously trying to avoid. His senses picked up every step she took towards him, every moment when she raised her hand, brushed away and fixed her locks of hair, behind her ear, which infact were already there, the lavender surrounding him as if someone drawing an easy pattern, using the fragrance, around him.
She came and stood beside him and he recognised every faint rustle her pink dupatta made,surprised at himself. And finally he looked at her when it was unavoidable. White Kashmiri pashmeena,embroided in miniscule pink florals and green leaflets all over, she looked back at him and for a fleeting moment he wanted to freeze the moment for a reason he did'nt want to acknowledge.
Everything decided,he now sat in his living room,waiting for her, reflecting on how easily and just why he consented on accompanying her when there could have more probable different ways of reaching Kalimpong.
**
Lavanya was not a Raizada just like that. She had instantly recognized that look which the tea woman had in her eyes and which the tea man was trying not to let in his eyes but was failing miserably. Nevertheless she had got her answer to the question she had put up to his brother last night. And now she just had to recognize just how much serious is the matter,though subtly so that it did'nt let his brother put on his guards in front of her again.
**
Whatever Arnav had thought of the ride, it was'nt remotely close to what he was staring at. She was waiting for him, outside his home,on a scooty. With a blank expression but wheels turning in his head, he looked at her, only for her to look back at him with grin on her face.
Cheeku got down from behind her and came to him.
"Mr. Raizada, here. Khushi di would take you now. It's an almost one and a half hour ride. But I hardly think that it's a problem on a two wheeler. Plus Di drives very well."
When Arnav did'nt speak for a few moments, Khushi thought she too needs to say something to partake in the conversation. Afterall it was her who would drive.
"Kya hua Raizada ji? Kabhi bina gear vali scooter par nahi chale kya aap? Dekhiye, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. I guess you are being apprehensive because of the rains. But I can assure you it would'nt shower until late evening and we would well be back hours before that. As for the wet roads, I know them more than anyone else here. Like the back of my hand. I just know how to ride sensibly on them."
If he could tell her.
Ignoring her again, he said, looking at Cheeku, "I guess it would be better if I drive this."
"The thing is you would have to swap places again when you both reach Kalimpong. Khushi di knows the way to Tamang Uncle s' unit..soâŚ"
Not wanting to delay it any further and thinking that it would be better if he just sat behind her and because that way it avoid a possible exchange between them when they reached there. He convieniently forgot exactly how foolish his plans to not interact with her on this lone ride sounds.
He kept his left palm on the space for him to sit and swung his right leg to the other side of the scooty so as to settle on the pillion seat. He saw Lavanya waving at him quite enthusiastically and that Cheeku boy smiling as if he knew something clandestine. The woman sitting in front of him waved back at both of them happily. And so did the lavender to him as if beckoning him.
Khushi pressed the red button the instantly brought the engine to life and rotated the accelerator handle bar slightly releasing the brakes one and the vehicle obeyed moving ahead,promisingly. Aranv felt a slight jerk as the scooty moved ahead, turning back to look at the standing , smiling duo.
**
The scooty glided on the smooth, wet curving roads. Fresh and new,earth and cedars on the slopes that ran along with them. Cool wind hit them, making their cheeks sting pleasantly. Arnav, as much as he tried to lean back could'nt possibly do so if he wanted to save himself from tumbling back while this woman, he wondered might not even come to know of his dissapperance given the fact how much merrily she was lost in riding with a smile on her face , that he could make out on the the mirrors on the handle bars.
'OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR.'
Really.
He sighed, glancing at those faint white letters.
Khushi s' tresses, dancing along, rose in accordance with the direction of the wind. That eventually caused them to brush on his face after every few moments. After half an hour so like this into the ride and his failed attempts to avoid it by turning his head left and right, he finally rose his right hand and glided his palm with a faint touch,along the length of her unruly locks to restrict them from rising again.
He stared intently at it and then moved his gaze towards her reflection of the face on the mirror. Tilting his head slightly he looked at her. The circle of her small gold earrings lay still on her ears. No sooner he did it than the pink of her dupatta just like that flew over at his face.
Mentally groaning, he did'nt hesitate this time. Taking both the ends of her dupatta that lay before him, he tied them up, entangling them once into a loose knot.
**
As much as Khushi had spent the last few days thinking how to initiate a conversation with Arnav,she surprisingly liked this companionable silence, if that's what it can be called, between them. And Devi Maiyya is the witness, this is the best time of her life until now. A smile tugging at the corner of her lips, she saw him,sitting behind her, looking elsewhere and warmth and affection washed over her heart. She looked ahead ata the road and was barely aware of him struggling with her dupatta and then tying it. Chuckling softly, she realised the fruitiness in the air.
Sky laden with gray, marked slightly with hues of black se a magnificent backdrop for the massive Kunchenjungas. Looping roads were visible at the other slopes, inclines falling into a valley. Having heard of it quite a many times since he had arrived at Darjeeling, Arnav realised that the beauty of it could only be seen and not captured. The strength with which Rangeet gushed to meet the Teesta streaming between the valleys could be heard. Pebbled bed lined the meandering confluence of the rivers, visible from the height they rode on.,surrounded by steeping hills on all sides, that were covered in dense green foliage. And instantly he realised that his co-rider too was as much overwhelmed with it as much as he was.
"It's beautiful,isn't it?" she spoke softly.
He looked at her. Every strand of hair, every feature of her of her from where he sat, every thread on her quite close for him to see. An instant wish to touch her took over. But before he could reply, too many things happened too quickly.
The strong blare of a horn from a car ahead coming towards them from the opposite direction. Breaking their trance, it made her realise the closeness of their vehicle to it. The late realisation of it due to the blinding sharp cut of the curving road alongwith inability to think properly of what to do caused a numbness in her mind. Adrenaline rushed. But instead of a fight or flight, Khushi widened her eyes realising about the safety of Arnav and turned her head. While all this happened within span of a second, Arnav knew what he had to do. Leaning ahead, he moved his hands ahead from both sides, such that they were along her arms sideways and covered her hands with his palms over the handle and taking control of it, he quickly turned it, missing hitting the car by a heartbeat.,driving them to safety,still engulfing her from behind.
**
As her ragged breathing calmed, she kept on looking at him , his chin resting on her shoulder and instantly became aware of the bristle of his stubble somewhere on her neck, a bit on her ears and sometimes on cheeks. Warmth covering her back that ran along her hands and as her mind went on a vacation, she was vaguely aware of the first words that he spoke to her,
"Tum theek ho?"
**
A/N-
How was it?
coz you see I need your good wishes too for this, as this Arnav Khushi Scooty Rabba ve popped up in my head just like that last Sunday when I had been sitting in the church while the mass was still going on. God will surely punish me.đ¤
Do let me know of it and also about the pace of the story. I myself don't wish to extend it beyond 10 chapters or so.
Although I don't know if you had been waiting or whether you all noticed or not..but I was to update this yesterday. It was ready too but something unexpected came up and I could'nt. Sorry...đ
Next update on Monday.
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
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