Feels like Home-
"So where exactly are we going?" asked Kripa as she followed Angad out the hotel. Kripa really had no idea as to where they were in the first place, and so where to start the sight seeing was a total mystery to Kripa. At the same time, leaving the decision making rights to Angad was something Kripa could not do. She ran up and caught up with Angad, and tugged him by the arm. "The whole point of escorting a girl around town is actually walking with her," Kripa said in a manner in which Angad usually spoke. Angad put his arm around Kripa's shoulder, and brought her a bit closer to him as they walked. Kripa didn't mind, only because she really didn't notice.
"Is that what you think I'm doing?" he asked with his irresistible smirk.
"Angad, do you know where to go? Because I'm completely at a loss". Angad looked around and walked up to the sign board, and read it aloud. "Welcome to Hometown. It feels like Home. Well isn't that ironic after everything that happened here?". Kripa walked up to Angad and read the sign over to herself.
"What the hell kind of name is Hometown?" asked Angad while laughing uncontrollably.
"So, we're in Hometown, Illinois", Kripa said looking at the sign. "So do you know any place to sight see here?" she quickly asked.
Angad took Kripa and linked his arm with hers, as he lead her away from the sign board. "I find the famous sights over rated, lets discover something new". Kripa leaned with all her weight on Angad and then nudged his shoulder with her head, thus pushing him. "You do the discovering, I'll do the seeing part," she said.
Angad and Kripa spent about an hour trying to discover on their own. Hometown was a small close knit community, neighbors say it was built for the war veterans of WW 2 and even now is a peaceful community, something very rarely seen in America nowadays. All of this information, although very fascinating, didn't interest Angad at all. Kripa was, on the other hand was in awe by the amount of significance this little town held.
Just as they left the neighbors house and Angad held his head and took a deep breath. "I honestly thought we'd never get out of there". Kripa laughed as she walked in front of Angad looking at the other old fashion style houses. "You seemed to have really liked the conversation back there" said Angad as he stood next to Kripa looking at what she was looking at.
"Not really. But the lady seemed really passionate about it, it be mean if we just left after asking where the bus stop was".
Angad smiled at Kripa, secretly impressed. "So where to now?" asked Kripa. "There's a lake nearby, people say it's really nice. Leys go there, I'm sure someone will know the directions, if we show them a picture of the lake," explained Angad.
"How do you know? And where are we going to get a picture?" asked Kripa. Angad smiled and pulled a book from under his jacket. It was slightly tuck in the back of his pants. "I was reading it in the lady's house. It's about the great places in Hometown".
"Angad, that belongs to the old lady! Go give it back," Kripa exclaimed, still unable to hold in the smile. "We'll give it back, I promise". Angad took Kripa's hand and lead her to the other side of the street, where a old man was walking his dog, to ask for directions. Kripa didn't even get a chance to revolt Angad's idea of stealing the book.
1 Hour Later-
"I want to go home!" screamed Kripa. It's been an hour and they weren't anywhere close to finding that infamous lake. Not only did this blasted town have a moronic name, but it also had no public transportation and no proper direction giving citizen. Kripa whined next to Angad, who had given up a very long time ago and was leaning by a pole reading about the life of Amy Lowell. "Angad! I want to go home," she continued to whine.
"Kripa, we're in Hometown, I can't get you any closer to home then that". The Khanna's much missed sarcasm was back again. Angad seemed to not be the least bit concerned about getting back to the hotel, finding the lake, or even ever reaching California. It all seemed to be child's play for him. Kripa on the other hand didn't have all day. She had to get to California, the last time she spoke to Anna, she was told that Anna's aunt was beginning to think she'd never show. Anna's aunt was a very spontaneous woman, Kripa could only hope that she'd be in California when she showed up.
Kripa sighed in tension, and decided to step up. "Angad, we have to go now! We don't even know where we are," Kripa complained trying to get Angad's tension by waving her hand in front of his face. "I can't believe I actually took this trip with you! Your such a moronic idiot! Hello! Boy, I'm talking to you!" Kripa was going to have a fit just about now. She sat on the floor with her head covered with her hands and just simply looked down, praying for strength.
After about a minute more of silence, a voice spoke out. Angad's voice.
"Hey, you want ice cream?" he asked looking at Kripa.
Kripa lifted her head in annoyance, and gave Angad an evil glare. "What?" she asked. Angad pulled Kripa up by her arm and held her by the hips. Even in all the rage and exasperation, Kripa's entire body shook at that one touch. Her breathing slowed down and she turned a warm peach color. No matter how much she tried to deny it, she was attracted to Angad. Now, maybe more than ever.
"Come on, I read that there's a 80's ice cream parlor on Anne Drive. And to my surprise, that's exactly where we are right now. It's probably a block away". Kripa was dumbfounded. She simply had no words, no actions except to follow Angad to wherever he was taking her.
And just as Angad had predicted, a block away was the Ice Cream Parlor mentioned in the old lady's book. The inside was exactly what you would expect from a 1983 movie. From red, white and blue, themes to the blonde waitresses, to the almost extinct 80's classics like Anything for You and Love Bites. Kripa was astonished. The best part was the smell. Even it's smell had no artificial preservatives or food colorings in it.
"One double fudge chocolate cream please. On a cup.," said Kripa as she read it out of the menu on the wall next to her. Kripa was okay with anything that had the word
chocolate in it.
"Get it on a cone," said Angad looking down at the floor as he leaned against the counter with all his style and attitude.
"I prefer the cups, I always drip on when I use the cones," replied Kripa. Angad walked up behind Kripa and held her by the shoulders. "Kripa, ice cream was made to be eaten on a cone. I don't know who it was that actually invented eating ice cream with a cup but he didn't know the first thing about eating ice cream".
Kripa shoved Angad off and leaned against the counter. "Really, and who are you to decide?"
"Kripa, ice cream is suppose to be on a cone. It's suppose to rub off on the tip of your nose, its suppose to drip into your fingers, making them sticky, and its supposed to be slurped from the bottom of the cone in all its attenuated-ness".
Kripa stood there, only inches apart from Angad. Breathing in what he breathed out. He had an undefined charm about him. The perfect mix of mystery and sweetness. Black and white. Bad and good. "Make that on a cone, please," said Kripa still staring into Angad's eye's.
They hadn't even noticed when day became night. Slowly the moon came up and the stars glistened the sky. "Say it", said Angad with a smirk. "Angad, stop it," answered Kripa rolling her eye's.
"Say it"
"There's nothing to say", Kripa licked the droplets from her finger. Angad pushed Kripa with his strong shoulder and he ate his cone. "Say it," he said again.
"Fine. Ice cream is always best on a cone," said Kripa giving into Angad's demands, much like she always did. "Exactly, I knew I was right," Angad rejoiced.
Angad and Kripa walked side by side under the moonlight, heading absolutely no where. "I love this town, I just love it," said Kripa abruptly. She happily linked her arm with Angad's and kept walking. Angad looked down at Kripa and watched her for a minute. Kripa's touch obviously had the same effect on Angad, as Angad's did on Kripa.
"What's there to love," asked Angad a few minutes later.
Kripa looked up at Angad and just nodded her head. "It's so small, and so home like. I mean, living in New York all my life, I never get to see this. Everyone knows each other, no hostility, everyone is happy".
"No one is ever happy. But if this is what your into, then whatever you need to believe," Angad said as he tucked his hand into his pocket.
"What about you? What's your idea of a perfect home?" asked Kripa. Angad shrugged him shoulders and made a face. "I don't think about these things".
"Well of course you don't. So, are you going to live in New York your whole life?" asked Kripa. She was in her question mood. It was actually predictable. The next step after attraction was to get to know each other.
"I'll live where I live. If you want it in philosophical terms, then where ever life takes me". Kripa gave a small laugh and she finished the rest of her ice cream. "And work?" she asked. Angad un-linked his arm from Kripa's and put it around her shoulders. "I'll work when I need money," he said just like that. "Anyway, guys like me don't have much of a working future," he added without a care.
"Why do you say that, Mr. Misunderstood?" Kripa joked trying to lighten the mood.
"I don't know, ask my dad. Or my professors, they might have a clue. Or try asking that old lady we were talking to, she may not know me very well, but I'm sure she made her opinion about me like everyone else too. Everyone makes their two cent opinions about me, it seems that predictability is my strongest trait".
"I didn't", said Kripa looking down at the ground. Angad turned to Kripa making his confused face again. "What?" he asked. "I didn't make an opinion about you, when I first saw you that is," she said.
"Well not everyone can be like you Kripa", said Angad smiling at Kripa as he pulled her closer to him while walking.
Kripa was getting a bit worried about where they actually were when suddenly she smiled. "Oh my god," she exclaimed. Angad turned to her and looked around. "What?' he asked worried. Kripa jumped and clapped as she pointed to the lake. It was surrounded by water plants, and shimmered in the night light. It looked just the picture. Angad and Kripa walked to it and sat on the soil right beside the lake. "I guess we found it after all," said Angad smiling at Kripa. Kripa smile back. Angad and Kripa slowly linked their fingers as the watched the small tides on the water.
"So what's your opinion about me now?" asked Angad. Kripa looked up as if she were just awoken from sleep. She was simply mesmerized by the lake's beauty. "What?" asked Kripa.
"You said you didn't make an opinion about me when you first met me. Well, what's your opinion about me now?" asked Angad again. Kripa thought for a while looking down. Angad decided to drop the topic.
"Your nice," answered Kripa a minute later. Angad laughed as he laid down on the ground and stretched his arms. "Nice save," said Angad.
"Well, it's totally impossible to describe you in one word. You're a complete opposite of yourself most of the time. It's impossible to narrow you down to one word. And so I choose something that goes with every twist and turn you take…..Your nice," she repeated.
Angad remained silent for the most part then on. After a while he got up. "Come on," he said as he offered his hand to Kripa. She kindly accepted it and got up as well. Angad looked around and stared at the water for a minute.
"You want to go for a swim?" he asked with a smirk.
"What" asked Kripa, who unfortunately couldn't comprehend fast enough.
Angad held Kripa by the waist tightly. "I'm in the mood for a swim," he said. Then without any further notice, he fell into the water with Kripa making a huge splash. Ending the silence the lived in the nature around them. Kripa right then and there, made a mental note of killing Angad when she got out.
To Be Continued…
Finally got over my writers block. Yay!!!! Really hope you guys all liked it. I'm going to edit it tomorrow since I'm super sleepy now. So, you might not like the un-edit, filled with grammar errors version. My advice, re-read it tomorrow if your not busy. Bad news it that I wont cont for the rest of the week. It's a very busy week. And 4th of July coming up, which means…PARTY! Okay guys, please comment. Luv Ya.
Karishma*****
Edited by Desi Pride - 18 years ago
Vanshaj
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Udne Ki Aasha
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