OS: Lost (Completed on Pg 1) - Page 2

"How would I get back from Nainital?" she questioned as she kept looking outside from the window, determined not to look at him. He was lost in some thoughts and didn't even seem to notice her question. After two minutes however he came out of his reverie and said a faint, "Hmm?"

"Where are you lost?" she asked, still not looking at him and then repeated her question. "How would I get back from Nainital."

"Don't worry. I'll send you by air, then you wouldn't have to travel for long alone."

"But there's no airport in Nainital, is there? The nearest one is in Pantnagar, 71 kms away from Nainital."

To say that he was taken aback was an understatement. "I didn't know you were so knowledgeable about stuff like this."

"Sure I'm from a small town but does that mean I don't have any general knowledge?" she questioned back, a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Am so...anyways, I was not talking about sending you in commercial flights, I'd send you back in my personal chopper."

"I've seen it." she said so randomly that he looked at her. "Seen what?"

"Your helicopter. I've seen it when you flew it to Lucknow. I was on my way to Sheesh-Mahal on my scooty and everyone was staring at me as I was dressed really well. And then I lied to a small boy saying that I was doing a role of a princess in a drama. And then he asked where was my prince. And then I heard the noise and saw the helicopter, that was yours, right?"

He clenched his fist as he remembered that fateful day's incidents. He was at his worst that day, acted like an animal. He remembered the way he's pulled the string of her blouse, tearing it apart, letting the pearls fall scattered in the ground. Even today he can see the scared teary face of hers when he closed his eyes, can hear the sound of those pearls tinkling on the marble floor. He's not done something so terrible in his whole life and that's saying something. He didn't know what happened to him that day, why he lost control like that. And his own actions still gave him horrifying chills till this day. He gulped. "Khushi, that day..I.."

Khushi closed her eyes and clutched the seat tightly. It was the most horrifying experience of her life and she didn't want to remember that. She knew she couldn't be able to stay with him another moment if the scare he gave her that night returns back.

"Why are you driving to Nainital when you've got a helicopter of your own? You could've flown there." she asked hurriedly, trying to change the topic.

"Huh?"

He looked at her and she looked back at him, trying to plead with him with her eyes to let that go. He seemed to understand and concentrated on the road once again. "Well, I like to drive, it makes me calm and helps me collect my thoughts. But I don't actually have time to take long-drives, you know. So that's why sometimes I choose to go by road instead of flying, so that I can have a nice long drive. It soothes me."

Khushi was a bit surprised that he let her know such a personal thing but pretended that it was the most natural thing of the world to have a polite conversation with him and continued with her questions. "But Lavanya-ji was supposed to come with you."

He shrugged, "She doesn't bother me. She'd be asleep whole through the journey."

Khushi stared at his face as he spoke about Lavanya. There wasn't even a hint of fondness in his voice. How could this two be in love? When Lavanya speaks of him, it's like she worships him and when he talks about Lavanya, it's like she is someone non-existence to him. Then how? Why?

No, Khushi, it's just that he's mad at her for missing the trip, that's why. she tried to reason with him and just so that she won't blurt out any questions regarding this she stated randomly, "I never saw you driving this car. You always drive the Jeep."

"Yes, but a certain someone put some certain things in the fuel tank and it's not fit for such long journeys yet. In fact, I think I have to change the SUV. It's not the way it was before."

"I'm so sorry!" she said and started to sob once again. "I didn't mean to spoil it. I asked Happyji before doing that, he told it won't matter much. I really, really didn't want to...it must be expensive and I...am so sorry...please.." her words got more and more muffled as she cried louder and louder.

"Stop crying, stop crying at once." he demanded. "And don't blow your nose! Err..it was old, I was planning to change it anyway." he lied, hoping that she won't find out that he bought the SUV only 4 months back.

"Saachhi?" she said, attempting to weep her tears.

"Yes." he replied, relieved that she's stopped crying. She kept looking at him from the corner of her eyes and smiled to herself. "You are going to buy a new car, are you applying for loan?" she asked innocently.

"What?" he looked shocked beyond words and then chuckled softly. "You are crazy Khushi. Loan? Honestly? You think I, Arnav Singh Raizada, would need a loan to buy a car?"

She ignored his words completely and only stared at his smiling face. God, she could get used to it! Does he even know how gorgeous he looks when he smiles?

Haaste hue aap bilkul Lard Governor jaisa nehi lagte ho. she thought fondly and was about to start talking once again but the car chose the very moment to make a cough like noise and then it stoppped.

"What the H***!"

"You didn't do anything to the fuel tank of this car too, did you?" he demanded. The rakshash was back!

Khushi shook her head, keeping her fingers crossed. I'm so dead if he finds out about the things I did.

"No fuel? NO fuel?" he flared up as he checked the meter. "The pack of incompetent bas*****! I told them to keep the fuel tank full! Wait till I get my hands on them."

Khushi stood leaning against the car as she saw him prancing up and down the road, mad as hatter. He was making calls after calls and shouting at people left,right and centre. She's hardly ever seen him as angry as that and that was saying something considering the number of times she's faces his wrath. He looked ready to rip someone apart limbs to limbs and the thought was making her a bit scared. Devi Maiyaa, I'm the only one present here. What if he gets mad and throws me down the hill?

She took a step back automatically as she saw him coming towards her way. He gave her an irritated look and kept talking, well barking at someone in the phone.

...

"I don't care! Did you hear me, I don't care how you'd land it and where you'd land it. I want you to get me out of this goddamn place, send the chopper, send a car, send a rocket for all I care. If you can't do it, I'll make sure the rest of your life you stay counting trees in North Pole."

"Sir, there are trees in north pole?" his executive assistant asked meekly, trying to figure out what to do at the same time.

"That's exactly my point." he hissed.

"Sir, please try to understand, you are at such a point, there's no way a helicopter would be able to land there, it's not wide enough as it's hilly way. I'll be sending the chopped to the nearest helipad. I've already talked with people in the helipad and a car has started...but sir, I can't make the distance short. It would take the car about 2 hours to find you. Sir, please have patience, I'm trying my best."

"Then your best is not good enough." he grumbled. "You expect me to stand stranded in the road for two hours? Aren't there any way it would come faster?"

"Well, Sir, there's a way...but..."

"Stop stammering and tell me clearly. I just want to get out of here."

"Sir, woh, there's a short-cut. If you cross the jungle, you'll be on another road and there's a small resort. They have a car for the visitors. I can arrange for them to give you a ride to the helipad from there. It would take you half an hour if you go through the jungle."

"If a resort is so nearby tell them to send the car here."

"I'm sorry Sir but it's only half and hour away through the jungle, if they are to come by road, it would take them more than 2 hours as there's no direct link road."

"I swear if you were here, I'd have thrown you from the hills." he growled angrily and tried to consider his options. Well, it seems logical to take the root through the jungle, but what about Khushi? Would she be able to walk along the rough woods?

"Damn! Why do I care?" he thought angrily and asked his assistant to send a road-map and directions of the way in his blackberry and disconnected the call. He approached Khushi who was once again busily munching Pakodas. Unbelievable!

"Listen, I'm going to take the path through the jungle to a resort. It would take half and hour, you wait here, a car would be here in 2 hours or so."

"WHAT! Have you gone insane? I'll stay alone in this middle of nowhere place waiting for a car? I'd be scared to death."

"I don't care, you'll slow me down. So stay here and wait for the car, I'm going."

Khushi looked at him disbelievingly as she saw him disappear among the trees. Was he for real? Ughh! I hate him!

She looked around her, there was not even a bird humming. Whatever he says, I'm not staying here alone. She made up her mind and sneakily took the path she's seen him take and decided to follow him without letting him know that she's behind him.

...