Tewari & Sons, 23, Chandni Chowk (THREAD II) - Page 22

Radhika ji update kab aayega ?  🥱

Notes from the Past: 7

August 2006, Priya Complex, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi

"Khushi, stop looking so freaked out. It is just a movie for god's sake," Preeto said, pulling at her rather forcefully causing her to yelp in pain.

"But, kissi ne dekh liya toh," she had asked, still not convinced that this was a good idea.

"Toh," Preeto had said. This was normally Preeto's chosen response to most of her questions that she felt did not deserve an answer. It was effective too, because Khushi never knew how to respond to this.

She had been a Delhi University student for about sixteen months now and not once had she bunked college and played hookey. Preeto had however been working on this because she maintained this was abnormal behaviour that required immediate attention. And after months, Khushi had finally been persuaded to assert her normalness and agreed to cut class to watch a movie. Once Khushi had agreed, Preeto had picked the movie, the just released Ajay Devgan starrer Golmaal. And not just that, she had also convinced Khushi to come to Priya Cinema, which was a considerable distance away from both her home as well as their college. The film had just released that day and of course, the theatre was packed.

"Maine kaha tha na, picture houseful hi hogi," she had said, both annoyed and relieved at the same time. But this was Preeto we were talking about, and she would most definitely find a way. She always did. And sure enough after a chat with one of the guards, who took her to meet the popcorn vendor, who in turn took them to meet the man who ushers the patrons in with the torch, she managed to get two tickets.

"Preeto, tujhe na desh chalana chahiye," she said when they finally took their seats.

Though she found Gopal, Lucky, Madhav and Laxman's shenanigans  amusing, she was relieved when an hour and a half later they broke for interval. She could feel the start of a headache, some of it was to do with the movie and having their seats too close to the screen, but much of it had to do with the fact that she was  stressed. Cutting college was the most common thing that every student ever did. It was also relatively harmless. It was in many ways, as Preeto had pointed out, rather normal. Cut classes to watch a movie, or go shopping, or hangout at cafes, or sometimes be inside the college campus and still choose not to attend a lecture. It is not that Khushi was one of those students who had hundred percent attendance. She did choose to skip classes when Baba needed help around the mithai shop, or when she was running behind on an assignment and knew that the professor would give her flak, and sometimes because she just didn't feel like it, especially on days when she didn't have track practice. In that sense, unlike what Preeto said, she was normal. But skipping class to watch a movie, seemed somewhat duplicitous to her. Maa and Baba thought she was in college, when in fact she was watching a movie. That too at an expensive movie hall where she noticed the popcorn and colas were marked up by at least thirty percent when compared to Golcha Cinema at Daryaganj, where she usually watched most movies. Preeto had gone to use the restroom and had asked her to buy a large butter popcorn and cola. She joined a queue, anxious that the movie might begin and also that she might meet someone she knows. She just wanted to quickly get into the darkened movie hall. Maa used to always say this, "agar kissi cheez ke baarein mein bahut zyada sochti rahogi, toh pakka waise hi hoga."  Maa did not say this in the context of how reinforcing positive thoughts could help you achieve pretty much anything, but more along the idea that obsessing about bad outcomes, might lead to just that. And the thing is, mothers are never wrong.

"Khushi Kumari Gupta!"

Of course, Maa's prophecy had to come true. It was her obsession, which would cause her to meet someone whom she most definitely did not want to meet. Nervously, she turned behind to look in the direction that the voice was coming from. And out there next to the entrance to the hall she spotted Lavanya holding two large popcorns and a friendly smile on her face. Lavanya Kashyap, her classmate and good friend from New-Ons, the one who had been friendly with her inspite of the fact that she was a misfit, but with whom she had barely been in touch with since they left school. It is not as if she had deliberately done this, it just so happened that she got caught up with her college-work and sports, and Lavanya too seemed to be busy. Once or twice that Lavanya had called her she would hang up almost immediately because something else needed her attention. And after this, she would never call back. However, through Aakash, with whom she was more regularly in touch with, she did get some bit of information or the other. Like she knew how Lavanya was no longer interested in running, but that she was now in the St Joseph's basketball team. Aakash had said that Joseph's did not have coaching and training for track and field, which is why Lavanya had made the switch. Plus, in Joseph's basketball and cricket were the only two sports that were considered worth their while because corporates funded their stylish jerseys. Khushi had been a little baffled about how someone could make such a drastic switch of interest and squander away years of training and skill-building, but she never had got a chance to speak to Lavanya about it. 

"I never thought you would bunk college and come watch a movie.You used to be such a stickler for rules in school. But good to know you are normal after all," Lavanya said grinning. Why was it not normal to be against cutting classes, she wondered. If she recalled, Lavanya too was a strict follower of rules back in school. But she didn't say anything and just smiled. A tall, lanky boy was hovering around and tapped Lavanya on her shoulder saying, "Shuru hone walli hai picture abhi."

"Khushi this is Gagandeep. Deep, this is Khushi," Lavanya said introducing them. She handed over the popcorns to him, gesturing him to go in. Gagandeep waved at Khushi and went inside. She could hear the movie had begun and almost everyone had found their way to their seats.

"Aur Khushi, what is new? Still running and competing? What events do you still do? Hundred? Four hundred? Triathlon? Anything new?"

"Of course, all of them. Have a track meet next in September. What about you? How is college?"

"Theekh hai yaar. I should have been in Alchemy. Or Khalsa. Deep is from Khalsa and from what he tells me, his college is so much more fun than mine."

"Oh, okay."

"God Khushi! You are not even a little bit curious? You are strange. He is my boyfriend. Acha hai."

Khushi was curious as to why Lavanya was describing her boyfriend as acha hai. Like she was just describing a passable movie that she had seen, like Golmaal. But Golmaal wasn't very acha. She was unsure about what the etiquette was when somebody said they had found a boyfriend. Should she congratulate her? Ask her more probing questions? Ignore it and deftly switch subjects? She was unsure, so she just smiled instead. After this, they chit chatted about people they knew and of course making solemn promises about meeting soon. As Lavanya pushed open the hall door, she asked her, "Baaki sab toh theek hai, tumhara best friend kaisa hai waise?"

"Mere best friend kaun hain?"

"Arrey. Arnav Singh Raizada. Who else!"

"Funny. He must be okay."

"Must be?"

"I am in the Science wing, and he is in the Arts wing.."

"And never the twain shall meet?"

"Yes."

Thankfully Lavanya had reached her row and gave Khushi a half-hug and went to her seat. Thankful because they were getting pointed looks from some of the people in the cinema because of their chatter. When she finally got to Preeto and handed over the popcorn to her, she said, "I was just going to send a search party for you." Khushi smiled. Preeto was so involved in the going-ons on the screen that she probably didn't even notice that Khushi was not around. 

"Sorry. I met Lavanya. Maine kaha tha na, koyi na koyi mil jayega."

Preeto shushed her at this and turned her attention back to the screen. Once the movie got over, after a very painful second half, the light came on.

"New-Ons walli Lavanya? Kahan hain? Oh acha.. saamne hai.. kaafi moti ho gayi hai. Hai na?"

Khushi had noticed that Lavanya had put on weight, but did not think if she would classify her as fat. But Preeto, prone to quickly sorting people, spent the next five minutes speculating about Lavanya's weight gain, even as they desperately tried to maintain distance from the rest of the predominantly young-male crowd who were almost rubbing themselves against them as they tried to exit. When they finally got out of the cinema, they spotted Lavanya and Gagandeep walking just a few feet ahead of them.

"Who is that boy with Lavanya?"

"Some friend of hers."

"Boyfriend?"

"Preeto!"

"Kya? Why are you always so cagey about everything?"

"I am not."

"Is that Lavanya's boyfriend?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to go to Mc Ds and eat something?"

"No. I have evening practice today at college. So I have to go soon."

"Fine. I am taking an auto home. So you can go from RK Puram?"

"Okay."

It took them a while to get an auto-rickshaw that wanted to go to the same place they did. Preeto pulled out the popcorn carton from her bag. They had barely finished half of it. Khushi had told Preeto that should buy a medium-size one, but Preeto had been adamant.

"Yaar, we should have been in Joseph's."

She was amused hearing Preeto voice exactly the opposite of what Lavanya had just a while ago.

"Why? What is wrong with Alchemy?"

"The boys. They are so chepu."

"That is not true."

"Name one boy in Alchemy who takes regular baths and is not annoying. And don't say Arnav. I will throw you out of the auto then."

"I won't."

"But see, Lavanya has a boyfriend because she is in Joseph's. If she were in Alchemy, would she have found anyone? No."

"Gagandeep is from Khalsa actually. So, your theory is not even right."

"What?"

Preeto seemed very surprised at this for some reason. Khushi noticed the auto-rickshaw driver give a disapproving look at them on the rearview mirror. She wondered what he disapproved of though, but she averted her eyes. She had been taught this for years, don't make eye contact with strange men in the city. Pretend that they are invisible and hopefully they will return the favour too.

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

"A Joseph's girl is dating a boy from Khalsa? How is that even possible. Woh bhi New-Ons walli Joseph's girl. That is impossible."

"Preeto, tu hi aisa sochti hai. I am also from New-Ons. There were a lot of normal people in my school."

"Right. Tumhaare liye toh hai na, mera Aakash jeeju."

"He is just a friend. A good friend."

"You should try your luck in Bollywood."

"Maybe, I will."

"Or you can get together with Suicide Boy."

"His name is Aman. Why will I get together him. He is not even my friend."

"Then why does he email you everyday."

"Not everyday. And he only sends me jokes. Kuch aur baat karein kya?"

"Or maybe you and Arnav will get together."

"I thought you hate him?"

"Yes, I do, Khushi Kumari Gupta. I don't understand why you don't."

"Acha mujhe bas yahin Ring Road mein utaar dena. Bhaiya, yahin rok dijiye."

She got off the auto and pulled out her wallet from her bag. 

"Acha Preeto, picture ke tickets aur auto ke liya kitna doon?"

"Rehne de. When you marry one of these rich boys, mujhe Ritu Kumar ya Manish Malhotra walle designer lehenga dial dena. Bas."

Khushi walked towards the bus-stop shaking her head. Preeto was crazy.

**

"Arnav Bhaiya, Bade Saab aapke liye study mein intezaar kar rahe hain," HP said to Arnav as he got back from college. HP threw an obviously questioning look his way, clearly he wanted to know what father and son were going to be discussing. Truth be told, Arnav was curious too for he had no idea whatsoever.

Two days ago, he was in the college library and using the computer to check his mail. There was one mail from Anjali Di inviting him to an evening of Kupcakes and Kahaani.  Yes, cupcakes with a K. Some  guy whom Di knew from the time she was studying in London, was backpacking in India and had chanced upon her cafe. Turns out, the backpacker was now a poet, or at any rate convinced Di he was one and that is how an evening of cupcakes with godawful poetry had been conceived. Perhaps he was being too judgemental, but this had all the makings of a disaster in his mind and thus, he had no intention to attend it. There was also a mail from his New-Ons classmate and former best friend Aman Sabharwal, with some inane knock-knock jokes. He said former because it had been over four years now and the two of them had not had one meaningful interaction since the day after their class tenth board exams. He remembered that day well, a bunch of them had gone to Nirula's at Defence Colony. Khushi had bought herself a scoop of ice cream, specifically Manhattan Mania, which was apparently her favourite. But Karthik and Divyesh who were showing off their karate moves to each other, accidentally dropped her ice cream. Everyone suggested that she get another one, but she declined. At this point Aman went and bought her a Hot Chocolate Fudge. Perhaps it was the rest of the New-On-Ites bunch teasing that that made her decline this too. At which point had said something like, "Khushi if you don't have it, phir se suicide commit karoonga." In the light of what had transpired, this was not the best thing to tell her and she had immediately burst into tears. The New-On-Ites were a little taken aback by how a normally very calm Khushi had become so upset by Aman's joke. They were even more surprised when Aman, who only made fun of people, hug Khushi and apologise to her. The rest of the time in Nirula's was spent with a Khushi who did not once take her eyes off her hot chocolate fudge and an Aman who did not once take his eyes off Khushi. This was the last memory Arnav had of his friend. He moved to London and made no attempt to keep in touch only to resurface two years later, just before they both started college with an email that had just one word - Test. Arnav had responded back with an equally glib - Passed. When for weeks he got no response to this, he sent a well-thought-out, wordy email. He did not respond to that either. But Aman made one consideration for his friend, which was to add his email address to random chain mails and forwards. Out of loyalty and affection for his friend, Arnav still read them. 

The third email was from his father, a rather cryptic one that said:

Arnav,

Need to discuss an urgent matter with you tomorrow. In private.

AR

He made sure to despatch HP to his quarters before he headed to the study on the first floor. He was more curious than HP was. He wondered what could it be? Something about the business? Probably it was something to do with the Werner deal that AR Enterprises had signed a year back. Last week Di had sent him a small clipping from a financial daily that had a piece about how some Board members of AR Enterprises were having a difference of opinion over it. Without stating it, the piece made it apparent that the members who were unable to see eye-to-eye on it were his parents. Maybe, Dad wanted him to exercise his vote and hence this secret meeting. He hoped not. He had little interest in the business and an even lesser one in picking sides in the battle his parents were in. Mom was not in town and it did not seem like a coincidence that dad wanted to meet him today.

He knocked on the study and entered, he was surprised to see Roy Matthew, the legal counsellor of AR Enterprises sitting there with him.

"Arnav, come in. Roy was just leaving."

On cue, Roy got up, patted him on his shoulder as he walked out.

"What is it, Dad? Is there a problem?"

"Can I talk to my son, only when there is a problem? But you are right, I needed to discuss something important with you. I won't say that it is exactly a problem though."

"What is it, Dad?"

"I am worried about Anjali."

Okay, this he was not expecting at all. Somehow, it also made him feel relieved. Yes, his sister sometimes worried him too. She flitted from one thing to the next and was gullible enough to get swayed by some random person she knew years ago, who had suddenly been transformed into a poet. She was a very smart woman, but didn't always stop to think about people's motives and agendas. Of course, this made her a good person, but some self-preservation would be good.

"What about Di, Dad?"

"I want to set up a fund for her, but you know how stubborn she is about taking money from us. So, you will be her angel funder, anonymously of course, for whatever next thing that catches her fancy."

"But now she has the cupcakes business."

"I have been looking at the numbers. It will last for another two months, optimistically speaking."

Contrary to what he thought, his Dad sure seemed to keep tabs on his daughter and had more information than he thought he would possess.

"Anyway, I have spoken to Roy and all the legal documents are in place."

The next half an hour, he was told about the legal process involved and he had to sign a hundred forms. 

"Anjali shouldn't know about any of this. I don't want her to feel hurt. And of course, your mom.. I will tell her when the time is right. She has too much on her mind now."

He nodded. There was a strain in mom and dad's relationship. It was obvious, he could tell that much, but he didn't ask them about it. It was not the kind of subject to casually broach during dinner-time, usually the only time the family met. He and Di discussed this though, with Di blaming it all on dad because of her stellar argument that, "It is always the man's fault."

"And how is everything else?"

So his Dad was being chatty, he thought. He had done signing the papers and he wanted to just get up and leave.

"Everything is fine dad."

"How is Aman? Are you in touch with him?"

It was uncanny that his dad brought up Aman, when he had just been thinking about him.

"Not really in touch. But I think he is fine."

"How is that girl Khushi? She had to.. leave suddenly. And your mom seems to have taken a dislike for her. You know how.. she is."

"Hmm. I am sure she is fine... we are in different wings in college, so don't get to meet. You got her the internship, didn't you?"

"What internship?"

"The on with KR Fund. I thought.. I mean mom.. I thought you helped her get it."

"I said I would speak to Shankar, but she didn't want sifarish. Good that she got it. She seems like a bright girl. Who told you that I spoke to anyone? Does she think that? Tell her that is not the case."

"Hmm. I have to go back for practice dad, so am I done signing all the papers?"

"Yes, I think so. And who knows, we may not need any of this."

Dad was right, exactly a month from today, Di met a boy named Arjoon Bose and her life did take a turn after that.

**

"Coach Sir, that is not fair."

But Dhiraj Singh, the sports coach of Alchemy College, was not swayed by Khushi.

"Khushi, if you have a problem, you may go and speak to the Sports Ministry people. Only they can help you. You are a state level champion already who knows if they are happy with you, some Public Sector company will employ you."

It was the middle of October, they had just completed the first semester break and were back in college. That was when Singh Sir had called Khushi into the staff room and had said that Alchemy had recommended her name as part of the Government of India's initiative to identify and mentor young sporting talent. Not that Khushi and anything against this. In fact, it was lovely and gave the people who were in the margins an opportunity  to show off their talent. But there was no reason that she had got singled out for this two-week camp at a place called Barh, around fifty kilometres from Patna. This would eat into her training time and she would be missing crucial classes. Plus, most importantly, she felt ill-equipped to be able to train others. She herself had a long way to go. How could she be responsible for training someone else, that too someone young, who needed the right mentoring, like Baig Sir was hers.

"You will be fine, Khushi. I feel that you have it in you to be a good teacher. Maybe you will learn that during this trip. Go and give your details to the office, they will book your tickets for you. You must leave day after."

And that is how a reluctant Khushi, and an even more reluctant Baba, got into an auto to go to New Delhi Railway Station.

"Tujhe hi kyun bhej rahe hai? Paise kuch denge kya?" that was Maa, ever-practical about everything. After this Maa had grumbled through the next twenty-four hours as she helped her pack  her things and inserted little amounts of money into every pocket of her backpack. She also packed a huge dabba of food that Khushi took without any protest and reluctantly bid her goodbye. New Delhi railway station was as always bursting in the seams and a determined Baba almost pushed away people to get to platform number sixteen, from where Poorva Express was to leave.

"Second AC toh kara dete, Third AC kyun karaya," Baba had complained to her. Khushi shrugged. Honestly, since she was travelling alone, she would have preferred non-AC, it would have made her feel safer. Baba was the first to get into the coach and had said, "Arrey, yeh ladka yahan bhi hai." And there she saw him, the seat number forty-seven to her forty-eight, Arnav Raizada, glowering at her.

She gave up.

**

The train had left ten minutes ago and it was still early part of the evening, so Arnav determinedly looked out of the window of his side berth, ignoring her sitting across him. Yes, it was immature. Not like it was her fault that Coach Sir had decided that he needed to go for some godforsaken camp. Except that it was. When Coach Sir had sent word through one of the college peons yesterday morning saying he needed to meet him urgently he was sure it was because he had missed track practice for a week because he had been recuperating from a bout of viral fever. He had sent an email to Coach Sir saying he was unwell, but Coach Sir had probably been just forced to create an email id by the college administration and never checked it.

"Arnav, you need to go to Barh tomorrow for sports trial camp. It will be a good experience for you and Khushi was complaining that she doesn't want to go alone. I was checking the schedule, only the track team has no events for the next few weeks, so I can spare you."

Arnav was not sure, what was more worrying about this request.. nay order from coach. That he was going to some place called Barh or that he was going along with Khushi Kumari Gupta. 

He looked up from his book to steal a glance at her. She had a notebook on her lap and was furiously writing something. Was she studying, he wondered. He noticed thats she was wearing her hair in an alarmingly high ponytail and pushed a dozen hair clips through her head. She looked fierce and child-like, a far cry from his mother's idea of her as some kind of wanton and depraved young woman. He sighed. Though Khushi was always somewhat maddening to him, he still felt that few months ago he should not have told her some of the things that he did. He should have apologised to her and yet something kept holding him back. It was probably because since there last encounter she looked through him. Like literally. Because they competed in the same event and had roughly the same training times, it was impossible for them not to tun into each other. Initially he had been so mad at her, he ignored her. As he cooled down over the next few weeks, he began to see things more rationally. He loved his mother, but she seemed to have an axe to grind against Khushi. This would not be the first time that his mother had been unseasonable about someone. Hadn't he grown up watching his mother and her fraught relationship with both Seema Bua and Shivam Uncle exactly because of this. In hindsight he realised that he had been disrespectful towards his father and Khushi both. But after the cooling off period he realised that Khushi seemed absolutely determined to avoid him. In fact, he was pretty sure that she opted out of one event only to avoid travelling with him to Chandigarh for two days. He felt slighted by this, even if it was likely that this was his persecution and not something Khushi deliberately engineered. But after that the next few months, they stayed away from each other, by choosing different time slots in the gym. When they had to travel for sports events, they never gave their booking requests together to the college administrative staff, much to their chagrin and inevitably ended up on different buses, trains or at least coaches. Until today that is.

**

Why was he staring at her? He was always staring at her. Like he was watching her and trying to assess if she was going to do something vile and terrible. What could she do inside a train anyway? Thankfully, he was now back to reading this book again. She had to admit that she found the book intriguing based on its cover. The book called The Blind Side had some numbers and equations on the cover. She also thought back about the time when during another instance when they had travelled together in a train he had been reading a book, which somehow was now in her possession - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Some months ago, when Maa was in the middle of cleaning the house, she found the book.

"Yeh kitaab rakhna hai?" she had asked her.

This was just before the time that Arnav had basically told her that he was disgusted with her and that he thought she was a sick person. So Khushi had snatched the book from Maa and placed it on her table, meaning to return it to him. But she kept forgetting about this, and after their showdown she had no intention of seeking him out to return a book. God knows, what he would read into the fact that she had kept his book for years. It was wildly ironical when some weeks ago she had picked the book to make some space on her table and randomly opened a page where she read something that in essence said, to know a man, one must observe how he treats his inferiors. Khushi had closed the book and thrown it into the bottom shelf of her cupboard. She hated it when she felt like that inferior person, like a victim of sorts and who feel sorry for themselves. She would not be that person. Being a victim would serve no purpose.

She closed her notebook and put it inside her backpack. Earlier this morning Coach Sir told her to write a small essay on, being a sportswoman and how the support that the scholarship was giving students like her helped her in achieving her goals. The endowment which paid for her fees, brought out an annual booklet where all the beneficiaries wrote a small essay, as a thanksgiving of sorts. She had to turn in the essay in three or four days. She would need to find a cyber cafe in Patna from where would have to mail it. Khushi was not a writer and she was struggling to put this essay together. She wanted to sound thankful, but not cloying. It was difficult. She watched as Arnav got up from his seat to step out, probably to go to the restroom or get some fresh air. But he almost immediately returned, picked up his backpack and put it on the top berth and left again. What did he think she was going to do? Rummage through his backpack while he was away? Maybe steal his expensive shampoo or something. When he was gone, she pulled his seat down, placed a pillow and went to sleep. She knew it was just six in the evening, but she didn't care.

**

"Arnav, do you want to have dinner? Arnav, are you okay?"

He found himself stirring at hearing a voice from far, far away. He was sweating now, the fever had probably let up finally. As the voice persisted, he also felt some cold water on his face. That made him open his eyes, he got up and sat on the berth. He checked his watch, it was almost ten in the night, he had slept for a good four hours now. He turned and noticed Khushi, standing rather precariously on the foot of the ladder to climb the top berth. He also noticed that she had an open bottle of water in one hand. Wait. Was she the one sprinkling water on him. What the hell.

"Khushi, get down, you are going to fall."

"But are you okay?"

"Khushi, just step down."

Careful, he muttered under his breath as she almost slipped when she caught the bottle that fell of her hands as she got down. He followed her down and went to wash his face. While he returned he noticed that almost half of the coach, had pulled down their berths and gone to sleep. Some were already snoring even. Khushi was sitting cross-legged on the berth, poring over the schedule of the Athletic Camp that Coach Sir had given them.

"Why did you splash water on me, Khushi?"

"I didn't."

"Really?"

"Okay. But you were not opening your eyes. Your phone was on my seat.. your seat.. our seat and it kept ringing. I ignored it, but then I saw it was your mother. I thought if I picked it she will.. so anyway I tried waking you up and you didn't. So I thought.."

"What did you think? That I was dead?"

"Not exactly.. but your phone is very loud and you still didn't wake up. I got worried."

"You are so unpredictable. You go from ignoring me to worrying about me. Hmm."

"Every time I am around someone from your family, something goes wrong. So I was worried about that, not about you.. not that I want anything to harm you."

"Calm down, Khushi. Where is the dinner that you were suggesting I eat. I am sure the pantry is closed and I am really hungry now."

"Oh."

"You should have just let me sleep. Anyway, you sleep, I will walk to the pantry and see if I can get something."

"Wait. I have leftover food from home. But just roti and subzi. Par jootha hai."

"What does that mean?"

"Which part is not clear?"

"Why would i not want to eat it?"

"It is jootha."

"Did you lick the leftover rotis and put it into the dabba?"

"What? No, I am not disgusting."

"Then? Never mind. Just give it to me. I think my fever is returning, I need to eat some food before I take my medicines."

"If you are unwell, why didn't you tell Coach Sir? Why did you come on this trip?"

"Because Coach Sir said that you had complained about it. That is why."

"Oh. I didn't complain.. I mean, not about you. I didn't want you to come."

"You are very secretive, Khushi. But this much even I know."

Khushi decided not to respond to this and instead pulled out a newspaper and spread it on the berth, like she expected him to drop the food all over the place. She then handed over a paper plate, tissues and spooned some subzi and rotis into it The bout of illness over the last few days had meant that he had eaten some pretty bland food and it was good to eat food with spices and flavours.

"Your mother is a very good cook, Khushi."

"Arnav, I am sorry."

"What? Why?"

"If you feel that you had to come for this meet because of me. I didn't tell Coach Sir anything like that. I mean.."

"Shut up, Khushi. You look sleepy. I am taking this dabba to my berth. Good night."

When he woke the next morning, he checked his phone. It was almost eight in the morning, they should reach Patna anytime soon. He got down from his berth to find that there was no Khushi. Wait, this train went upto Kolkata, had Khushi got off without him? Unlikely. He expected her to empty an entire bottle of water to wake him up. He looked out of the window, the train seemed to have halted somewhere, some place with a small ghost-station. Just as he was about to check with a co-passenger where they were, he saw Khushi walk into the coach with a kulhad chai in her hand.

"You got off at some random station to buy chai? You can't do that."

"You can't tell me what to do."

"I am not telling you what to do. Just saying that it was kind of stupid. That you were being stupid."

"You can't call me stupid either."

"I didn't.. Never mind."

The train finally reached Patna where they were received by a headless chicken like government official who was incharge of transporting all the students to Barh. They were given badges that were pasted on their chest, their bags, even the water bottles and they were sent away to the waiting room. Student-athletes from all over the country were going to be coming in, so they had to wait for the rest of the lot before they could leave the station. The waiting room was full, not just with fellow students, but general travellers too. There were no vacant chairs, so Arnav and Khushi sat down on their backpacks. 

"Khushi, I am sorry for calling you stupid earlier. It was not cool."

"I am sorry that I screamed at you. You were right, it was a stupid thing to do."

He knew that was the right moment for him to apologise to her about what had happened months ago at Raizada House. To clarify with her about her KR Fund job. They were both in the most neutral place they would ever be, away from their comfort zone, from people they knew, but in that moment, the words just wouldn't form in his head.

"Don't you think there are too many mosquitoes here," he said pushing them away and failing.

Khushi looked at him, somewhat strangely like she wanted to say something, but checked herself in the last few seconds.

"I should have got my mosquito bat," Khushi had said somewhat forlornly.

**

Poonam saw from the corner of the eye that Shastri was hovering around the door. He was always like that. She had very little patience with him and would have fired the Administrative head of AR Enterprises Vijay Shastri if she had her way. He was a good man, without a doubt, but he was also not particularly competent when it came to work. And that bothered her. Plus, this business of hovering instead of knocking and addressing her made her a little uncomfortable.

"What is it Shastri? I am very busy now. Whatever it is that you have, can it wait?"

"Yes, madam. This is the yearly booklet and event we will have for your father, I am putting down all the documents and articles we already have. The student beneficiaries were only told yesterday,  so they will send their articles in by next week. If you want, I can finalise them."

"Yes, please. You and CFO go through it. I will just see the final proof before it goes to press, okay? And make sure this time we click photographs of the students using a professional. I don't want their candid photographs."

"Madam do you want to be there for the meeting with the coach from Alchemy and Joseph today to discuss the final details."

"No, Shastri. Unless it is important, I am busy, haven't I told you. Just send me a detailed minutes of the meeting. Anything else?"

When Shastri finally left she called her assistant and instructed that nobody disturb her for a few hours. The Werner Deal required her complete attention, the reports in the media were not good for investor faith. She wished Anand would be less stubborn. Since his illness, he had taken a backseat from the business, but selectively got involved in things. The Werner partnership was one such thing. She wondered why this partnership was one of special interest to her indifferent husband.

She had been so preoccupied that she did not realise that Arnav who was still recovering from a severe viral fever was now in some place in Bihar for two weeks. Not an actual event, but some government of India initiative to identity the sportspersons of tomorrow. Actually, unlike what she told Shastri, she should have met the Alchemy coach and asked him why her son had been singled out for this. Anand and Arnav were very particular that Arnav not get any preferential treatment, so she was not even allowed to visit the college let alone talk to the authority people about her son. Maybe she will pop in later and have a word with the coach. Now she needed to speak with Anjali, in case she needed her vote in the board meeting.

**

"Khushi, how is Patna?"

She had called Preeto to find out about college and what she was missing, but Preeto seemed interested in talking about everything but college.

"It is okay.  We are in Barh, not Patna. They had a contest yesterday, informal, friendly one. I came fifth. I need to get better."

"It was just a friendly one, how does it matter. By the way I have some news?"

"Oh. Did the professor return our Linear Algebra surprise test papers? What did I get? What did you get?"

"God, Khushi, why? I had gone to the Khalsa college festival and ek banda mila."

"Banda mila matlab?"

"Means I met a cute boy. Gagandeep. And day before we went for coffee, yesterday for lunch and today for dinner. Itna funny aur sweet hai yaar, kya bataoon, yaar. Gold wraps aa aur use se mil."

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"Matlab, achi baat hai. But it would have been nice if we got back that Linear Algebra test, I have done well. I think."

"You are not normal. Ja, desh ke liya yuva khiladi dhoondh."

"Abhi toh kal hi hoga. I have to now type my essay for college's sports scholarship magazine."

"Itni raat ko kahaan jayegi?"

"Arnav said I can use his laptop."

"Arnav? Khushi walla Arnav?"

"Preeto!"

"Woh wahaan kaise pahunch gaya? Are you following him or is he following you."

"Phone rakhti hoon, kya pata Gagandeep tera number try kar raha ho."

"Par nikal aaye hai, Khushi Kumari Gupta kay."

"Bye, Preeto."

After she hung up, Khushi thought how strange that Lavanya's boyfriend was also a Gagandeep from Khalsa. It was probably a common name.

**

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