Synopsis: Arnav and Khushi find out that there was a land slide at the place called Binsar where Akash and Payal were supposed to go. They decide to go in search of them to find out if they are alright. Read the story below to find out about their journey from Nainital to Binsar.
My knight on a black bike
Arnav and Khushi had reached the hotel. Reality had set in. The enchantment of Thandi sadak had worn off. Arnav had gone back to work on his lap top when they reached the room.
He was irritated, 'So much time was wasted today. I will have to call Aman to reschedule my meetings'
Khushi switched on the TV. 'As if someone asked him to come after me' she muttered under her breath. She flipped through the channels when one of them caught her attention. It was a local channel announcing a land slide. It was near a place called Binsar. She was alarmed. 'Which place had jeeju mentioned? Was it Binsar? I will have to call him immediately to find out if they are ok' she was talking out aloud.
'Stop blabbering Khushi! I am trying to work ____.'
'Arnavji, there has been a landslide in a place called Binsar! Isn't that the place jeejaji and jeeji have gone to today?'
'I think so. I will call him right away,' said arnav, already dialling Akash's number.
'Damn! His phone is not reachable! I think we should go down to the help desk and ask them if they know more'
No one in the reception was of much help. Binsar was a remote place and there was no cell phone towers in areas like that. Arnav realized that the only way to find out if Akash and Payal were alright was to go there. He asked Khushi to go up to the room and wait until he got back.
'Of course not!' I am going with you Arnavji! Jiji might be in trouble and I want to help.' she said determined.
'Look, there has been a land slide. I don't think it will be safe for you to go with me' he tried to dissuade her.
'What about you? You think Yamraj is also scared of you, right?'
At Aranav's quelling stare, she said quickly, 'Now let's not waste time and get going.'
She could be really stubborn at times and he had no time for this. He went back to the reception to arrange for a vehicle. He was informed that there was a taxi strike all of sudden and the only option to get there was to rent a vehicle from the rental place close by.
Khushi waited outside the rental place where Arnav had to gone to rent a vehicle to go to Binsar.
'Khushi, we have a problem. They don't have any cars for rent. They only have bikes!'
'So?'
'This is a long journey and I don't think you will able to manage. I think you should go back to the hotel.'
'I am from Lucknow!' said Khushi as if that was a qualification. 'I can manage anything. But, I will understand if you have difficulty riding a bike. Being used to cars, and all that. So, if you have problem riding a bike let me know. I am used to riding my babuji's scooter. I will take you there.' she said tongue in cheek.
Arnav rolled his eyes in exasperation, Drama queen! 'Alright you can come! Don't tell me I didn't warn you Khushi Kumari Gupta!'
Arnav paid the rental for the bike and brought it around to where Khushi was standing. When she looked up at Arnav she was completely zapped.
It was a magnificent sight - The man and his machine, completely at ease with each other, made for each other.
'What is this?!' she exclaimed.
'This is an Enfield 500 classic. These are bikes that are generally used in these areas. What's the big deal?'
'Do you know how to ride a bike?' she looked doubtful.
'You could always stay back Khushi' he said once again.
'Could we please go back to the hotel first? I would like to get my shawl.' There were no more arguments.
Arnav had been riding for about half an hour. The road meandered up the bank of the river Kosi. The vegetation in the surrounding area was green and soothing to the eyes. The cold breeze blowing on their faces felt fresh, free from pollution. They hadn't covered much distance and Khushi was getting restless. She leaned into Arnav and spoke loudly into his ear.
'Don't you think we are going a little slow? Are you finding it difficult to ride this bike?' she asked.
'Of course I am finding it difficult with you sitting so awkwardly. You start fidgeting every now and then. I think you should sit with your legs on either side' suggested Arnav.
'My clothes are not designed for sitting that way. I think I am fine like this.'
After 15 minutes Arnav couldn't take it anymore. He stopped the bike and asked Khushi to get off. He parked the bike and took Khushi to a small store on the road side.
'I think these shops sell clothes. Let's see if we can find something appropriate for you.' he said.
Poor Arnavji, he is probably having a tough time riding a bike. She looked at him sympathetically and decided to humour him and went into the store. There weren't too many clothes to choose from. Finally Khushi managed to find a pair of jeans and top. Khushi tried it on and came out of the trial room
'I think these clothes are a size too small for me. But they don't have a bigger size. Do I really need these?' she asked dismally.
Arnav looked up at and was speechless. She looked better than most of the models who walked the ramp for his company! The dark blue jeans rode low on her waist and fit her like a second skin. The top was baby pink in colour and had a wide round neck. It had short sleeves and pearl buttons all way from the top to the waist where it ended just at the waist band of her jeans. If she raised her hands a little bit he would be able to see her waist. Now, why did that thought enter his head? He shook his head to clear it out a little.
'Er um '. They are not too bad.' his voice came out in a squeak. 'Hurry up now, will you? We have already wasted a lot of time' he covered up with rudeness.
Khushi wondered why he had the "What the ____?" expression on his face when she had done nothing to annoy him.
'I think you should get a jacket and a pair of boots as well' he suggested.
'I don't think so. I have a shawl and that is more than enough for me' she declared and stepped out of the shop confidently.
'I don't even know why I try to argue with her. Just give me a pair of boots in her size. ' he asked the shop keeper as he made the payment.
The old man at the counter smiled to himself shaking his head. Newlyweds!
They continued on their journey. Now that Khushi was sitting with legs on both the side she was much more comfortable and Arnav found it easier to ride the bike. However her hands were aching as she was trying to hold on to the hand holds behind the bike. Now and then her shawl would slip off from her shoulder and she would have to keep putting it back on. She had started to fidget again and it was getting on Arnav's nerves. He turned his head toward for one brief second to tell her to stop.
And then, suddenly a jeep, coming from the opposite direction, lost control and came head on in their path at full speed. Khushi opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out.
Arnav swerved the bike out of the jeep's way just in time. But the movement forced the bike off the road and very fast it began to skid toward the valley on the left. With a sinking sensation in her stomach, Khushi closed her eyes bracing for the worst.
Suddenly they came to a crunching stop and everything was quiet.
'Khushi! Are you alright?' Arnav asked in a shaky voice.
'I am not sure' she said in an equally shaky voice.
'Do you think you can manage to get off the bike so I can check?' he asked her.
Khushi realized only then that she had plastered her face and body to his back and her hands were around his torso in a death grip. But somehow she didn't want to let go. She shook her head.
'Khushi! Please. Just get off for one second. I have to take a look at you.' he pleaded.
The desperation in his voice finally got to her and she slowly unwound her arms from around him, she slid off the bike still holding on to him. Arnav got off the bike after her and parked it. They had come to a stop dangerously close to the edge. He turned around to hold her. Khushi crumbled in his arms like a piece of cake. He lifted her up in his arms and looked around. He found a small temple tucked away on the side of the road a short distance away. He carried her up to the steps of the temple and sat down with her on his lap. He hugged her to him to calm her slender, shivering body.
'I am sorry Khushi. So sorry, sorry' he said over and over again.
Khushi finally calmed down enough to look up at him in confusion, 'What are you sorry for?' she asked her face pale.
'I am sorry for being careless. I should have been looking ahead. I ____' Khushi cut him off.
'Stop it Arnavji! The driver who ran us off the road was at fault here. And if anyone should be sorry it should be me. If I hadn't been fidgeting so much, all this probably would not have happened.' she said tears filling up eyes.
'Sshhh. Its ok now. Calm down' Arnav spoke in a low tone.
'I think we should thank God for saving our lives today' she said.
'Well'.. I don't know about that. I was the one who saved us from falling over the cliff' he said in a matter of fact tone.
'Of course you did Arnavji, but you should agree you had some help from above'
'I had help. But not from above. It was because of spending my college years participating in dirt track bike racing'
Khushi's eys grew wide with surprise. 'Bi..Bike racing''you?'
'Yep. Me. I participated at National level championships. I can dismantle a bike and put it back together again if I wanted to' he said with a smirk.
'Oh God! I asked you if you knew how to ride a bike. But '.but you don't even know how to change your car tire!' Khushi couldn't believe this.
'I never told you that I cannot change a car tire. You just assumed that. Why should I, when I can afford to have a driver bring me another car?'
'Why did you stop racing?' she ignored his cockiness.
'Racing can be dangerous. It is common to have injuries like broken ribs, and scraped knees. But in one race another driver crashed into me and went off track and had to be admitted in the hospital for serious injuries. Di found out and forbid me to race again. That was the end of it' he said simply.
Before Khushi could say anything, she heard hoot calls from a group of young bike riders on the road. They realized the reason for the calls. Khushi was still sitting on Arnav's lap!
Arnav lifted Khushi off his lap and seated her next to him. They avoided looking into each other's eyes.
'I think we should get going. Are you feeling better?' he asked standing up.
Khushi stood up and nodded her head.
'Wait here I will get the bike' he told her.
When Khushi got on the bike, Arnav turned his head and said, 'Now hold on properly and don't fidget.'
'I know that!' she said. As if she was going to take the risk again. She put both her hands on his shoulder and held on tight.
As they made the ascent to higher regions the green vegetation gave way to pine trees and shrubbery. The temperature had dropped a little more. But Khushi didn't seem to notice. She was lost in thought. She had learnt a small part of Arnav's past today. He was a bike racer in college. She would never have imagined it in a thousand years. How was he as a young man? Would he have been fun loving back then? Did he have friends? Khushi suddenly wanted to know the answers to these questions. A small part of her was her happy that he had quit racing. She wondered why.
It was Arnav's turn to fidget. Khushi had slid down the seat and was flush against his back. Her face was on his shoulder, very close to his neck. She was holding on him really tight. Was she sleeping? Why was she so quiet? Man! Even through their clothes, he could feel every part of her body from her cheek to her stomach and this was making him really uncomfortable. He desperately needed a distraction. As if on command, distraction came in the form of a loud honking. They had entered city limits of Almora.
Precap:
'I don't have the time to argue with you. Are you coming with me or not?' asked Arnav impatient.
'No. I want to see the sun set first' Khushi was adamant.
'Alright. As you wish.' Arnav left Khushi there and rode away a little distance. Once he was satisfied that he had given her enough of a scare he turned around. There was no sign of Khushi!
'What the _____'? Arnav looked at the path that lead to the sun set point and groaned out aloud.
For the previous chapters:
Edited by charlotte74 - 13 years ago
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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