Meant to Be note on page 162 - Page 39

Meant to be

part 24

Coonoor trip

An Innova car tears the thick misty fog and zoomed on the crooked, bent hill roads of Coonoor...the time was just before the dawn..the sun slightly peeping out of the misty clouds over the hills...the climate was perfect and a cold wind rejuvenated the heart, body and even soul ...Raji crossed her arms across her chest out of cold and slightly snuggled towards the person besides her ..he was oblivious to the beautiful scenery passing by and immersed in his own dream land...

The sky touching eucalyptus trees..and the vibrant greeny evenly trimmed tea estates..foggy roads and clouds entwined hills,milky falls fallig from heights...sun playing hide and seek behind the clouds...everything were the treat to watch..Raji had been to this place didn't know how many times actually it was countless..but every time she found it new..fresh and novel to be here..it's the beauty of our mother nature..

Raji was an admirer of nature ..and that place was her favorite one..she had been there for almost every month since her childhood until she left her native place..all the places were reminder of her family her dear ones..her eyes gloomed in worry with thought of her family..she leaned her head on his shoulder slightly and as a reflex his hand encircled her in a comforting hug... she was baffled for a moment and looked at him instantly..but he was in sound sleep..she sighed in relief...

Before she had drowned into her past..she realized that ,it was her first visit to her most favorite place with her most favorite person..the thought itself elevated her mood...and a sweet smile lingered on her lips...and she looked at the source of her happiness ,joy and life...

He was sleeping peacefully..she wished her every morning should start with him besides her..

She smiled at her thought...and gazed at him ever so lovingly...

How silly it was that he pretended to be mad on her..but she knew he couldn't hate her..and vice versa..

He moved in his sleep and it looked he was about to wake up..she hastily parted away from him leaving his hand..in the context of watching outside..

Training center in Coonoor...

Everybody got down from the car lazily as all were tired due to the long journey..

The place was calm and lonely, aloof from the hustle bustle of the city...full of nature ... no artificiality and commercial... Raji had an instant liking towards that place...

They were given rooms to fresh up before they were heading to their actual training place..

There were two teams under Koushik came for the campaign..

Training place was near the forest area...first they were asked to make their own tent..the instructor was showing them how to tie the knots of the tent..

Four members have to built one tent. the process itself brought the team members together and helps them to work in team and dividing the work and it had created a healthy relationship between the members..

Likewise more physical and mental games were conducted for them ,they were fun as well as involving the development of physical and mental abilities..they had been thought how to work as a team in the form of games and puzzles...

All the foods provided for them were natural and light foods..which was a different experience for the subways and KFCs attackers..

Trekking the high hills, climbing the rock against the water falls...narrow bridge crossing every activities involving both physical and mental strength and also developed team boning.. They had been gone though many activities not even having space to breathe...

But all were enjoyed a lot and learn more about each other..at the end of the day all were exhausted and drained yet refreshed and excited..

Everybody wants to hit the bed as soon as possible..

They are asked to sleep in the tent itself..Tents were located amidst of the forest...at first they frightened to stay there..

But the security was ensured for them...the place was fully electrical fenced ...even though they were warned not to roam on the forest at the night time..as the threat of wild animals would be always there..

Tent was not the ordinary one... it was more like a small cottage.. spacious and convenient yet simple and natural..

They could hear the trumpets of the elephants and the howling of the wolves and roar of the bison very often...despite of the frightening Goosebumps they have got, they found it exciting and adventurous...

In the night ,camp fire has lit up as instructed by the trainer as a group effort...

After some funny games all were dispersed some went to sleep some were chatting in small groups..

KRVL formed a circle near the camp fire..

Vishnu had taken one beer bottle from his bag...

"Dai yennda idhu..?" Karthik asked in shock..

"Bayapadaadha daa..idhu drink panradhukku illai...ippo naama oru game velaiyaada porom...

Yellaarukkum therinja game dhan.. "Truth or Dare..."

Indha game yellarukkum therinjirukkum irundhaalum rules solren...ippo indha botltle naan suthi viduven..adhu yaaru pakkam aa face panni nikkudho avanga naan solradha seiyanum..yenna puriyudhaa..?neenga truth ah select pannaa...unga kitta kekura kelvikku unmaiyaa marikaamaa badhil sollanum...dare ah choose panninaa..Challenging aa yedhaavadhu seiyanum...ok vaa?"

All three raised their thumbs up for a " Yes.."

First Raji spun the bottle .. it stopped facing Lakshmi ..

Others hooted... "heyyy.."

"Ok Lakshmi, tell me truth or dare..?" Vishnu asked excitedly..

Lakshmi thought for a moment and said.. "mmm...dare.."

Another cheer rose for her answer...

"Lakshmi ku yenna sollalaam..." Vishnu thought tapping his chin..

Raji suggested.. "Paatu paada sollalaam.."

"Raji neenga innum LKG level laye irukeenga...grow up Raji..grow up...

Adhu matum illaama... Lakshmi paadinaa adhu avalukku dare illai..namakku dhaan..."

Vishnu laughed in his usual style...Lakshmi gave him a deadly glare..he stopped his laughter at once..

"Ok naan solren..Lakshmi ..namma instructor irukaane andha mongoose manadai..avan kaalaila irundhu whistle adichi yennai saavadichitaan...anga nikuraan paaru.. karnan ku kavasa kundalam maadhiri ivan andha whistle ah kazhatta ve maatengaraan...nee andha whistle ah ushaar pannitu varanum..Inga paaru kettulaam vanngittu vara koodaadhu..avarukku theriyaama sudanum..."

Vishnu declared the dare for her..

"Ok fine.. idho varen.."Lakshmi walked ahead confidently..

Others had watched her curiously ..she walked straight to the trainer and chatted with him for some time and she came back very casually...

"Yenna Lakshmi dare la thothutiyaa?" Vishnu teased her..

"Yaaru thothadhu..?yenga paramabaraiye mun vacha kaalai pin vaikka maatom..inga paaru..."she swayed the whistle in front of him and others were gapping at her in shock..

Lakshmi raised her invisible color in pride..

"Yeppadi Lakshmi..nee yeduthadha naanga paarkave illaiye..."Raji asked out of curiosity...

"Adhu dhaan Lakshmi...Naan ponen...avan thola thoten..avan suthunaan naan suttuten..."she said in Vivek style..

Everybody laughed at her comment...

Vishnu whispered in Karthik's ear "Dai,machaan iva sariyaana kedi yaa irupaa pola...training yeduthaa kooda ivlo perfect ah suda mudiyaadhu.."

"Aamaandaa machi nee yedhukkum Lakshmi kitta careful aa irundhukko.." Karthik mocked at him...

Vishnu stared at him in shock and looked back at Lakshmi with little fear..

It was Karthik's trun to spin the bottle...

That time it stopped facing Raji...

Raji was shocked and hesitated..VL clapped in excitement...

"Ok Raji ,its ur turn.. tell me truth or dare.." Vishnu asked..

"Truth.."she said reluctantly...

Karthik was about to tell something..Vishnu stopped him

"Karthik ku badhillaa naan kekuren..."Vishnu declared and whispered to Karthik...

"Dai machaan ippa naan yeppadi asatharennu paaru...ippa naan panna pora velai ya paarthu..nee yennai thalaila thooki vachi aada pora paaru..."

"Modhallaa nee kelu appuram paarpom..." Karthik said sternly..

"Raji..have u ever loved someone...?"

He asked to her glancing Karthik with a proud smile..

Raji was shocked..

"Yenna ipapdi laam kekureenga..?"Raji had protested...

"Neenga dhaane truth ah choose paneenga..sollunga..poi laam solla koodaadhu..neenga yaaraiyaavadhu love pannirukeengalaa?"

She eyed Karthik for a second and said... "yes..panni iruken"

"heyyyooo" a loud shriek tears her ear drums...

"Panni irukken naa yenna artham ,appo ippo pannalaiyaa?kozhapaadheenga Raji thelivaa yaara love panreengannu name sollunga..."Vishnu asked all confused..

"Aamaa Raji.. adhu yaarunnu sollu ..."Lakshmi also persuaded her even though she knew the answer..

Karthik was acting like he was not interested in all these,but he was all ears to hear her reply..

She looked at him for an instance and with a smirk she said..

"Vishnu...neenga ketta first kelvi yodave unga game mudinji pochi..unga first question ku naan truth solliten..adhoda game over..second question kum answer pannanum nu rules kedaiyaadhu.."she played smartly..

Karthik gave Vishnu a deathly glare...in return Vishnu gave his absurd smile...

"Idhu dhan unnoda master plan aa?Podaa neenyum unnoda udhavaa karai moolaiyum..idhukku naane urupadiyaa yedhaavdhu kettirupen..." Karthik said with gritted teeth...

"Sorry machi.. konjam timing miss aagiduchi.." Vishnu apologized with a foolish grin...

Next Lakshmi had spun the bottle..and it stopped facing Vishnu..

"Heyyy..yes..yes..yes..." Vishnu jumped in joy..

"Kekaradhukku munnadiye sollidaren... namakku dare dhaan..."

"Sethadi sengamalam..."Lakshmi smirked in mind...

"Ok Vishnu...unakku yenna dare naa...nee Alaipaayudhe Maadhavan' style la propose pannaum..."

"heyyy...super Lakshmi..idhuvalla vaa dare..idharkku thaane aasai patten Raja kumaari..."he was all set to propose to Lakshmi...

"Hello..Hello...propose pannanum nu dhaan sonnen..yen kitta nu naan sollalaiye..."

"Pinnaa?" Vishnu asked in confusion..

"Avanga kitta...pannanum..."she pointed towards someone at the distance..Vishnu followed her pointing finger and was shocked to the core...

"Lakshmi ...no way.. yen velaikku oraediyaa nee aappu vaikalaam nu mudivu pannitiyaa?"Vishnu was almost cried...

"Nee dhaane kannaa dare ah choose panna..come on... be a brave boy and face the challenge.." she mocked at him..

KR muffled their laughter seeing his facial reaction..

"Dai Vishnu nee inniku setha daa.."Vishnu thought in mind and went to complete his dare...which happens to be "mission proposing to koushik.."

Koushik stood outside of his tent and doing something in his mobile..

Vishnu goes near him with reluctant steps... he turned towards his friends with puppy face...

Lakshmi threatened him to go further ..and KR watching the drama with highly amused face...

Gathering some courage..Vishnu snatched the phone from Koushik...

Koushik looked at him in shock...and started to shout.. "What the hell..."and stopped in mid by seeing Vishnu's so called romantic smile (imitating Maddy)...

"Koushik..." Vishnu handed over the phone back to Koushik...

"koushik...nee azhagaa irukennu nenaikalai..."

Koushik was like what the heck.."What..?"

"Unnai virumbalai..." Vishnu uttered with feeling..

"What the hell is wrong with u Vishnu..."Koushik shouted at him..

"Un mela asaipadallai.." he continued...

"Yenna thanni adichirukiyaa?..ju..just get lost.. " koushik threatened him with stuttering voice..

Unaffected by that threat Vishnu continued...

"Unnai love pannanum nu nenaikalai.."

"Shut up u fool..stop ur blabbering...i am going to fire u if a uttered a single more word.."koushik was outrageous now..and started to walk away from him...

Vishnu chased him and said... "Odi poi kalyaanam pannikanumnu nenaikalai..."

"No.. no.. no.. Vishnu..u r mistaken.. I am not the kind of person u are thinking.." actually Koushik was baffled at this weird proposal..he would never expected this even in his wildest of dreams...he got very nervous and his hands started to shiver...

Koushik literally ran from Vishnu..and Vishnu didn't let him without giving his final blow ..

"Idhellaam nadandhudumonnu bayamaa irukku...koushik yosichi sollu..."he screamed aloud and burst out in laughter finally...Koushik closed his ears and ran faster..

The whole team witnessed this scene laughed their lungs out with clutching their stomach...

"koushik..jenmathukkum nee irukkara pakkam kooda thalai vachi padukka maataan daa.."Karthik patted his back laughing uncontrollably..

"Iyooo Koushik moonjiya paarkanume...kodi rubaa kuduthaallum ippadi oru reaction ah parka mudiyaadhu..."Lakshmi grinned widely...

"Nalla venum andha dragula ku..yevlo time nammala ippadi oda vachirupaan.." Raji cursed him ...

"First konjam bayamaa dhaan irundhadhu..appuram avan face ah paarkanume..yennala sirippa adakka mudiyalai daa...nejamave bayandhutaan daa..."

Vishnu too laughed out loud...

"Ok guys..sema fun..Next bottle ah spin panna thevai illai..Karthik mattum dhaan baakki..."

Karthik smiled ...

"Maatnadaa mavane...unaku kandipaa dare dhaan..naan yerkanave plan panniten..."

"Sari yennannu solli tholai..."

"Indha game idhoda finish aagudhu..so indha bottle ah kaila yeduthu ore gulp la finish pannanum without gap.."

Karthik was shocked to the core..

"No way..Vishnu...naan drinks panna maateennu unakku theriyum dhaane...?"

"Adhunaala dhaan unakku idhu dare..No excuses u have to do it..don't be a spoil sport man...just for fun ..Ok full bottle kooda vendaam oru naalu gulp adidaa podhum..."Vishnu relaxed his rules..

"Stop it Vishnu..avan dhaan kudikka maatennu solraan la yedhukku compel panreenga..Drinking is injurious to heath nu theriyaadhaa unagalukku?"Raji was on fire...

Vishnu was about to say something but Karthik pressed his hand to stop him..

"Sari daa Vishnu naan kudikaren...yaarum yennai pathi kavalai pada vendaam..?"

He said rudely and took the bottle in his hand and tried to open the bottle...

But Raji held his hand and glared at him fiercely...

"loosu maadhiri pannaadha Karthik..just stop this nonsense.."

He snapped her hand and opened the bottle and put it near his mouth..

She snatched the bottle from him forcibly ...

"Yennai pazhi vaanga idhu dhaan unakku kadaicha vazhiyaa?"

"Whats the damn problem with u if I drink..?"

"Oh appadiyaa?sari appo naane kudikaren.."

She was about to gulp down the drink...but he grabbed the bottle at right time and threw it away...it rolled on the slope and hits some stone with the cling sound...

"Now what's your problem if I drink.. mister..?"

Other two were watching the drama dumbstruck..

Both staring at each other on fury...as if ready to pounce on other at anytime..

Didn't know what would have happened then but before that they heard the whistle sound announcing them that was their bed time...

Everybody dispersed to their respective tents..

After they settled in bed Lakshmi asked Raji to cool down..

"Paaru Lakshmi avan venumne yennai verupethuraan.." Raji complained like a kid...

"Sari vidu..nee yum avanai konjamaavaa paduthina..? yellam sari aagidum..ippo nee thoongu kaalaila seekiram muzhikanum.."She covered her duvet and slept immediately..

Raji was trying very hard to sleep ...as the sleep was about to drown her a loud blow of continuous whistle startled her and she stood up at once..

At the starting of the campaign they have been informed that this continues whistle was the indication of an emergency alert..if they heard it they have to assemble in the gazebo ...

Within a minute all the members were assembled at the gazebo..rubbing their sleepy eyes yet alarmed by the emergency call for..

The trainer spoke in a loud voice..

"Guys, our watchmen had witnessed some of the camp member has crossed our safe boundary,he said the person was talking over phone may be searching for signal..since the wild animals threat is high in that area we called for an emergency meeting to ensure all your safety..Now let us count u all whether anybody missing.."

Raji remembered that she had seen Karthik lastly while he was talking in his phone.. She ran her panic stricken eyes around and found him missing...her head was spinning and she even forgot to breath..

Mean time it was confirmed that Karthik was the one missing..the identifications that the watchman gave also matched Karthik..he was wearing yellow t shirt which was witnessed by the watchman...

"Omg Karthik is missing.." Everybody gasped in shock and fear...

Raji felt her world had been crushed in front of her eyes...She stood still with fear stricken eyes..

To be continued...

So how do u feel friends...????

What might have happened to Karthik? and where could he be? What do u think...

Keep guessing until next part...lol