FF - The Promise - Thread I - Chapter 1 to 68

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Tanmaya1

@Tanmaya1

Dazzler

Posted: 12 years ago

#371

Nice Update

It is nice to know that Madhu is a Geologist.

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luvera

@luvera

Voyager

Posted: 12 years ago

#372

Originally posted by: preetianand21
Again a nice and lively update...appreciate your efforts to give us a daily update even though you have cold and feeling sleepy.

Thanks!! 😳

Feeling a bit better now though...

Working on the next update...

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luvera

@luvera

Voyager

Posted: 12 years ago

#373

Originally posted by: sviren
very entertaining..and I appreciate your hard work very much to give your readers an update daily..thank you !! 👏👏👏

Awww...🤗

Thanks!!! ☺️

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Aliya

@..Aliya..

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 12 years ago

#374

Nice update
Liked the groups convo

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840216

Suspended

Posted: 12 years ago

#375

u r one of d best writers here. loved it hmm want madhu to open upo more and not regrett

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luvera

@luvera

Voyager

Posted: 12 years ago

#376

Especially for the MAL-RishabMadhu-NOURISHED readers... 😉

Chapter 37

As the group was talking and cleaning up after themselves at the same time, Rishab was finding it difficult to focus on the conversation going on around him. "I think I'm gonna take a quick walk after I check on Deepali," he said to Harpreet before getting up and leaving the group. Madhu watched him leave.

Akash glanced between Madhu and Rishab's retreating back. He knew something was going on there but that they both needed the extra nudge now and then.

What would Kapoor do if she were here? Hmmm.. As an idea flashed along the blank pages of his mind, Akash filled his coffee cup and then a second one and carried it over to Madhu and sat down beside her on a vacated camp stool and held it out to her with a smile. "Your friend call it an early night?" he asked.

Madhu returned his smile and shook her head. "No, Abby's just grabbing her camera." He kept an eye out for Rishab because this whole drama would be fruitless without his presence. As he saw Rishab getting out of the tent he leaned into Madhu not knowing what to say but just going for it, he whispered, "Let me tell you a secret. To me a rock is a rock is a rock." and laughed. Madhu didn't really find it all that funny but didn't want to seem rude so she smiled back at him, all the time wondering 'Why is he acting so weird?'

Rishab froze in place, when he came out of his tent again and saw that... Akash had taken the seat he had vacated earlier and was now seated next to Madhu. And if that wasn't enough it seemed like he was flirting with her too.

Akash glanced up when he noticed Rishab several feet away, not missing the death stare and the fisted hand. He almost backed out off his plan, not wanting to speed up his death, who seemed to be walking towards them. But reminded himself that he was doing it for Rishab and one day he will thank him for it, from the looks of it the thanking will be done on his gravestone. "So," he let his voice drop lower, well aware that it would carry just enough for the other guy to hear what he was saying, "you wanna take a walk? I'll bet you've never seen anything like the view from up here at night."

Madhu could see Rishab out of the corner of her eyes, but it would have been too obvious to fully look at him to see his face. She then looked at Akash and wondered, is he...? and smiled. This could be interesting... "Sure," she said.

Rishab had to force his hand to relax when he realized he was so outraged that he could very much snap Akash's spine in half. What was he doing flirting with Madhu? Didn't I tell him clearly to back off from Madhu? He cleared his throat as he joined them, making it a point to get between them when they stood up. "Going somewhere?" he asked, shoving his elbow in Akash's space and smiling inside when he heard his coffee slosh over the sides. "Sorry about that," he apologized, not caring that it came out without the slightest bit of sincerity.

"Yeah," Akash growled, "it's okay." Adam watched the drama of Rishab, Madhu and Akash and inwardly shook his head. When would his friend finally give in and go after Rishab?

Rishab ignored him and turned to look at Madhu. "Where're you going?" She shrugged. "Just around camp. It's not like I can go very far." Oh yeah, she thought, this was jealousy and kind of revelled in it.

He turned to look at Akash, and his eyes narrowed. "Don't you have some other guide related work that you need to be doing?" Damn it, there was no way that hadn't come out sounding jealous and it was doubtful that even Madhu would miss something that pointed. Did he really care? He was getting tired of beating around the bush.

"Rishab," Madhu placed a hand on his arm to get his attention. "Why don't we take a walk, huh?" Akash hid a grin when Rishab went from irritated to placated in less than a heartbeat and he decided to try to get a rise out of him once more. "Sure, you can come with us," he offered generously. "The view's big enough for all three of us."

Adam who had been watching the situation as well shook his head. He stood up and grabbed Adam by the arm. "You can help me with something." "Dude!" Akash complained as he pulled his arm free of Adam's grip and laughed at the whole scenario. "We are sooo not a couple - quit acting like a jealous boyfriend!"

Adam rolled his eyes at him. "You suck." Realising his mistake he quickly apologised, "Sorry, didn't mean it that way." Adam just grinned and shrugged. "The guy obviously needed some help... and you were just giving him a nudge in the right direction."

Madhu glanced at Rishab, who pulled in a deep breath before he turned to look at her. "So, let's take that walk." She nodded and felt her own heartbeat speed up. What if he really told her he had feelings for her now?

It was the first time they had taken a walk together, and he could feel the possibilities and change on the air as he held his hand out to her. She took the hand he had offered and they started to walk away from the others.

"Don't go too far," Akash called out in warning. "I hope I don't have to remind you about the instability of the outer lying area. Less privacy, but better than falling off a mountain."

Rishab glared at him while Madhu responded for both of them "Okay." Not that they really needed a reminder of that. Only Deepali had been stupid enough to not heed to the guides warnings.

Rishab glanced down at Madhu when she bit back her automatic response, knowing that she really wanted to make a comment on Deepali and stupidity. "It's just killing you to not say anything bad about her, isn't it?" he teased as they walked away from the others.

Madhu grunted. "I know I know she fell down a mountain and is hurt. Booohooo... Who told her to do exactly opposite to what we were instructed. I know I should be sympathetic towards her but it is very difficult to feel that way. Especially when she is a total ass when you're not around. Just once I'd like for you to catch her when she's not on her best behavior just to impress you and make it look like we're the ones causing all the drama and being unjust."

"You think I am blind to what's going on? Anyway no drama from anyone anymore. Well, at least not up here on the mountain, 'cause Deepali's going down tomorrow."

"Is it wrong of me to be happy about that?" she asked. "Wait, Sikander's not going with her worthless ass, is he?" Rishab shrugged. "I don't know yet. I hope not, but he might." "It would suck. He seems to be fun at times."

"Yeah, it'd suck if his vacation got cut short because Deepali's stupid. But I don't think he'd mind much since Harpreet will be going down with them." he said with a smirk.

Madhu smiled. "Also it would be nice if it was just us, you know? Adam, Abby, Akash, you and me. I don't know, we're all so much alike and enjoy each others company."

He stopped when they reached the rope that marked off the safe area. He drew in a deep breath, feeling the cold air as it filled his lungs. Madhu looked at the mountains in the distance. "I'm glad we chose this for our vacation."

Rishab looped his arms around her when she leaned back against his chest. He rested his chin on her head when she pointed out into the distance. "What're we looking at?" She shrugged. "Just the landscape, ya know? It's good to know that there are still a few places in the world that are almost untouched by any humans."

Rishab smiled. "You ever wonder what it was like out here a hundred years ago?" "Probably the same with a little more snow," she joked.

He snorted at her answer. "It's amazing how some things can change and stay the same." He took a deep breath. He could tell her now, just open his mouth and put it out there, tell her how he felt about her and end this agonizing limbo he'd been living in for what felt like forever.

"What's that?" Madhu's head snapped to the left when she heard something next to them. Rishab turned his head when he heard the same high-pitched whistling sound. "Hell, I don't know. I would say it's the wind, but uh... there's no wind."

Madhu looked around when they heard the sound again. "There..." she pointed at something only a few feet away from them. She frowned. "That's the biggest rat I've ever seen," she muttered. "No one said anything about rats up here."

"It's a pika," Rishab said. "A who?" Madhu echoed. "Pika," Rishab repeated. (FYI - A Pika is a small mammal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and no external tail. It is also known as the 'whistling hare' due to its high-pitched alarm call when diving into its burrow. Pikas are native to cold climates, mostly in Asia, North America and parts of Eastern Europe.) "It won't attack you, it makes that sound when it feels threatened." "IT feels threatened? What's it doing up here?"

"Well IT lives here." "Then shouldn't it go home? Hide in a cave or a burrow or something?"

Rishab laughed at Madhu's disgruntled tone. She hated mice and rats and the thing just looked too much like one for her comfort. "It probably thinks the same about you," Rishab said with a grin.

"Those things won't get in the tents or anything will they?" Madhu asked, eyeing it warily. That sound probably wasn't a warning... damn thing was probably calling all of its friends to prepare for an ambush on the humans. "Not if you keep your tent closed."

"Look, Madhu, its ears are just like yours," Rishab teased. "Ha ha, very funny," she made a face at him as she started to walk back to the others.

So much for telling her the truth, he thought. Madhu glanced at him, easily detecting the note of frustration on his face. He had something on his mind and he wanted to talk, but she recognized the look of resigned acceptance on his face and decided to let it wait until later when they were alone again.