Arshi FF: Jeene Laga Hoon (NOTE pg. 68)

"Khushi come on," Lavanya whined.

"No La," Khushi said in her exasperated voice. "For the hundredth time, no. I don't want to go. Payal is already going. Why do you need me there too?"

Lavanya threw herself on Khushi's bed face first, letting out a loud, audible groan. She, too, was exasperated by her friend. For months, she had been planning this trip, and in that time she has been trying to convince her best friend, Khushi to join her. Their other friend, Payal, was already on board when Lavanya informed her about the trip. But Khushi had one excuse or another to feed her. Well, finally she had had enough. Today was the day she was leaving for her trip, and Lavanya was determined to take Khushi willfully or by force. Her things were packed in the car, ready to go, and Lavanya spent the last hour at Khushi's house, arguing with her.

Khushi, who was sitting on her bed with her legs folded, looked up from her book she was making notes in. She let out a sigh as she glanced over at the bags which Lavanya packed for her. When her friend set herself to do something, nothing could stop her from doing it. Clearly her friend wanted her to go on this trip, but she couldn't go right now.

Lavanya popped her head up and said, "I don't understand. It's break and you are still studying! This is the time to relax, have fun, live your life."

"La, please try to understand," Khushi pleaded. "My medical school exams are this year and I want to do really well."

"You will do well. You always do! You're Scholar Khushi! Chasmish Khushi! Number one in our school and you will be number one in college too!"

"I hope you're right."

"I know I'm right," Lavanya sat up. "But you have to learn to take a break once in awhile. It's okay to not always have your nose in books. Payal is studying Business, but you don't see her calculating numbers all the time."

"I...I just can't. I have so much reading and-."

Lavanya sighed, "Khushi, do you really want to know why I want you to go?"

Khushi looked at her through her glasses before shaking her head in a negative.

"We all only live once. This is the life we have. We should live it up now so when we look back we can feel that we don't have any regrets. We can look back when we're old and remember all the good times. When you look back at your life fifty years from now, do you only want to remember how you spent all your time reading?"

Khushi remained silent, giving Lavanya her answer.

"Exactly. This also might be the last trip we ever take together before college gets in the way. Come on, Khushi. Please?"

Khushi thought about what Lavanya said. Looking at her life now all she thought about was books and exams. She had good memories with Lavanya and Payal, but were they considered truly memorable compared to all the things her friends had done? Would it really hurt if she went on this trip? It's with La and Payal, so she wouldn't be alone. And it was only for a week or two.

"Okay," Khushi said.

"Wait what?" Lavanya said.

"I'll go with you guys."

Lavanya screamed with joy and leaped onto Khushi. Both of them laughed. Khushi put her books away properly while Lavanya practically dashed in and out of the house, grabbing the bags she packed for Khushi and putting them in her car. Khushi changed into her red, white, and blue flowery dress that just hit her knee. With a nice waist belt and a matching blue, button-up sweater, Khushi quickly fixed her hair and adjusted her glasses before sliding on her shoes and running out to the car. Lavanya was helping the driver shove the last bag into the car. She was sliding on her aviators, which completed the outfit she was wearing, consisting of jeans and a dark blue crop top. The two of them were polar opposites, but as close as cheese and macaroni. Lavanya gave a million-dollar smile before she and Khushi hopped in the back seat.

Lavanya grinned and looked out the window, "Manali, here we come!"

As the car pulled away from her home, Khushi closed her eyes and prayed to her Devi Maiyya that this trip would be unforgettable.

~

Arnav checked his bag once more to make sure he had gotten everything he needed. This was the second time he had done so this morning. Now, he was checking his cupboard and the bathroom for the third time. Even though he had been slowly packing his things for the last three days, Arnav still felt that he needed to do a last minute check to see if he had everything.

He mumbled to himself under his breath, "Clothes? Got it. Jacket? Got it? Camera?...Wait, where's my camera?"

Arnav did a quick spin around to find that his camera wasn't near his bag. How could that be? He was sure he had put it next to his things last night. As he scratched the back of his head and pondered his thoughts, a whistle from the doorway caused him to turn around. Arnav dropped his hand and smiled upon seeing his sister, Anjali, leaning against the doorway, with the camera in her hand. He should have been irritated at her, but the endearing smile on her face was contagious.

"Di," he said as he extended his hand out to her, signaling her to give him the camera back.

She slowly walked forward and placed the camera in his hand. Arnav quickly glanced at it to make sure that his beloved sister hadn't damage it. This was the third camera he had been forced to buy after Anjali's clumsiness resulted in the complete destruction of his previous, expensive cameras. He tried to keep it hidden from her, but she was his Di and always managed to figure out just where he kept his things. Seeing that there was no immediate damage Arnav pointed the camera at her, to which she instantly adjusted her sari and smiled. He clicked the shot. He checked the photo on the screen. Perfect. As always. Arnav treasured the moments where Anjali smiled, especially after everything she had been through in the last two years. Now she smiled all the time, each moment more radiant than the next, at least that's what he and Aman, the man Anjali was seeing, believed. Now Arnav wished he could capture every single smile she shined, but he knew he would run out of memory on his Memory Card if he tried to do so.

Anjali sat down on the bed and gazed at her brother fondly, "Do you have everything, Chote?"

"Now I do," he replied as he put the camera in his bag. "Have Akash and NK arrived?"

"Not yet. Why didn't NK just come here rather than have Akash pick him up?"

"NK's car battery died."

"Oh. Chote, are you sure you want to go on this trip?"

"Why wouldn't I? You know the three of us always do something adventurous during break."

"I know. I'm not worried. My Chote knows how to handle himself."

"Di-."

"But you know Nani worries. You are her grandson."

"I promised her I would return in one piece."

"That's not stopping her from doing poojas all morning long."

Arnav groaned. He really didn't believe in all of this pooja and rasams and such, but he dealt with it because of his Nani and Di, the two people that meant the world to him. Taking a deep breath, Arnav grabbed his bags and headed out of his room, with Anjali following behind. As he made his way down the steps, he found his Nani finishing up her prayers and making her way to him. Arnav could already tell by the look on her face that she was going to give him a speech.

"Chote," she said. "Are you sure you have everything you need?"

"Yes Nani," he replied.

"It might get cold. Don't you want to put on a jacket?"

Arnav took a quick look down at himself. He was wearing faded jeans with a plaid, button-up shirt. Underneath his shirt, he was wearing a white, long-sleeve sweater. He looked at his Nani and blinked for a moment. Arnav already felt a bit warm. If he put on a jacket he could die of a head stroke on the train.

"I'll be okay," he told her. "I packed a jacket."

"Will we be able to reach you if anything happens?"

"Probably not. Once you get into the forest, the cell service will be really bad."

"But what if you're in trouble? How will you get help?"

"I'm not going alone."

"But Chote-."

"Nani, relax. Everything is going to be okay. NK and Akash are going with me. I will come back in one piece. I promise."

Clearly his words eased a little bit of the elder woman's apprehensions. Arnav saw the tense look on her face calm as her shoulders relaxed as well. The moment of peace was disrupted by the sound of a car horn blaring through the open doors. Arnav glanced over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Akash's black SUV. NK was waving from the passenger window, his eyes unseen by the aviators he had on. Arnav turned back to face Anjali and Nani. He gave both of them a quick hug and said goodbye before heading out the door. He tossed his bag in the trunk before hopping in the back seat.

"Nanav mera bhai!" NK greeted. "Are you ready for our great adventure?"

"Yeah," Arnav replied. "What time is the train leaving?"

"11:30," Akash answered. "Hopefully there isn't much traffic on the road."

Arnav checked the time on his watch. It was 10:30. The train leaves in one hour, which gave him, Akash, and NK plenty of time to get to the station.

"How can there be traffic?!" NK practically shouted. "It isn't even noon!"

Akash laughed, "Not everyone wakes up at one in the afternoon like you."

"We'll make it with time to spare," Arnav affirmed.

Both Akash and NK looked back at the man they considered their elder brother. If he says that they will make it on time then they will make it. They shrugged their shoulders and turned to face forward.

NK smiled, "Challo! Manali, here we come!"

As they drove away from Shantivan, Arnav put on his sunglasses and gazed out the window. He had a feeling that this trip would be one he would never forget.