Chapter 3
Not against the wind...
Cant go against the wind...
I do not have the strength...
I worry getting blown away...
Because there is nothing for me to hold on to...
But sometimes, this wretched heart of mine urges me,
To take risks, to let it go...
So I can rediscover myself...
Do I have it in me to go against the wind?
"Promise me, you are going to take care of yourself" Chris held his tears back, knowing it would be really immature to cry in front of his bestie, who would leave no stone unturned to tease him about that.
"Stop fussing, big guy," Khushi hit him squarely on the chest "I am not a 4 year old kid...I can take perfect care of myself, you know."
"I know you can take care of yourself but I cant stop myself from making sure you are going to be alright..." Chris whispered, a lingering emotion in the air, making Khushi get assured that she wasn't alone in this world, after all...
She gave him a big hug, putting all she had to say in it. Chris, who knew Khushi better than anyone, patted her on her head lovingly, smiling and reassuring himself that his bestie was going to be alright "pick your phone when I call! I don't wanna hear some lame answers from you, do you get that?"
"You are my buddy not my mom so stop acting like one," Khushi punched him playfully on the arm yet, making a mental note of the request Chris had ironically demanded.
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Arnav zipped his suitcase harder than it was necessary and slumped down on the bed, looking annoyed. He hated going back to his home. Home, was it really? He thought bitterly. The overflow of emotions that his family displayed made him feel suffocated. Arnav was not a family guy but he was a loner. He liked being to himself without someone hovering around him to take care of him. He didn't like it. He was used to taking care but not being taken care of.
Shaking those wretched thoughts out of his mind, he asked the servant to take his suitcase to the car. He knew this time he wouldn't be able to make any excuses as his much awaited event was in less than a week and he had to be there was for the final preparations else someone would blow it up.
Not much of a choice, was it? His trains of thoughts again made him feel nostalgic about whatever had happened through the course of his life. The sun had long forgotten to shine upon him, taking away every bit of light he had treasured, leaving him in a pit of darkness which had no way out. Chained and tolerating, Arnav was still looking up to the sky for one shred of hope but somewhere in the back of his heart, some secluded soft corner said that it was too much to expect, he knew there was no hope for him left in this world.
She is gone, Arnav...she is dead!
His hands fisted, his eyes closed as his heart was stabbed again with the same memories. No amount of care and affection he received from his family had the power to heal the wound his heart had to bear for the last 15 years.
15 years...15 years of slow torture, 15 years of painful, lonely life. At times, he pondered shouldn't he move on? Wasn't that the rule of nature? The river never stilled, it just ran through its course and met its destination at the welcoming arms of ocean. Shouldn't he just forget everything and make his life greener again?
No...you can't do that...!
A small whisper in his heart had struck the chords again. It vibrated through, carrying an immense power, enough to drown him under the waves of its reverberations, telling a known tale of how a heart can never breathe without its elixir, blood.
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It was bitter; the plane food never surprised her. She wrinkled her nose and took a mouthful of half cooked rice and chugged it down her throat along with the tasteless potato and onion curry. She longed for her jalebis, which, unfortunately weren't allowed inside the plane nor could she barge into the pantry and make some for herself. She absolutely loathed flights.
Khushi had been sitting in this disastrous flight for almost 17 hours and a way over 8 hours of the journey was still left to go to NYC. "Bloody flight services! Couldn't get me a ticket directly to India!" she mused, furious because she had to go to Minnesota, pack her bags and come to New York, spend a night in there due to unavailability of proper tickets before she boarded her flight to Delhi. If there was any part of the world that she hated, it was NYC.
New York was too modern for Khushi to get adjusted. The city was exactly the opposite of what she was, fast paced, contemporary and too populous. Khushi had been to NYC several times and each time she came to hate it even more the previous time.
She closed her eyes and forced to get some sleep, afraid that she might lose her mind in that wretched city without jalebis and ample rest. She could sleep in the flights, thinking the clouds lulled her on their on their soft, cottony cover but never a hotel in NYC, be it the most luxurious, could give her the feeling of being comfortable.
For Khushi, nature was her refuge. She had grown up in the midst of nature, admiring and fascinating the beauty it hid in its heart. Though change was the only constant in the world, the nature never changed, according to her. It just got adapted to its surroundings of the urban world, albeit forcefully. She believed nature still held that enormous power that had an unparallel energy of toppling the whole world in just seconds. When it could pave a way to a renaissance of the modern world then certainly, it could revert itself to the peaceful and serene world of antiquity.
Closing her eyes and humming a tune of Beethoven's best symphony, she slowly slid into a deep sleep.
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"Akash, did Chhote tell anything about when he is coming?" Anjali desperately wanted to talk to him and hence, was anxious to know his travel plans and at least, his whereabouts.
"No, Di..." Akash sounded unhappy, "but I think he is going to be back soon, in a day or two because his collection's showdown is next week."
"But what if he doesn't come?" Anjali knew her brother too well to actually think he would leave his solitary penance just for a fashion show.
"No, Di!" said Akash confidently, "I know this time he would definitely come. It's his most awaited collection. He wouldn't miss it for anything in the world."
"From when did he take this fashion shows seriously?" it was very much unlike Arnav, who believed in doing everything behind the screens. Not once till now had he come to any of AR's shows. Aman was the only one who represented ASR in the shows of his company. He was always a background guy, more of a green room artist who would do everything, every arrangement for the show from designing to production but never showed up to the actual show in front of people. He hated limelight.
"Seems unlikely, right?" Akash had to agree with Anjali on this "Even I was surprised when Aman said that bhai would come for this show. It seems, this collection is bhai's most loved collection."
"Most loved collection?" Anjali now was seriously skeptical, "he never had anything that was his most loved collection. I mean, yes, I agree that he drew his designs from the heart; he loved all of his collections actually so why didn't he show up in any of their showdowns? Why only this?"
"This, according to Aman, is a tribute to someone!" Akash said, "He has been working on this collection for almost 8 years now. He wanted everything to be perfect for this event. This time, even the event management has been done by him! Strange na?"
"Tribute to someone?" Anjali let out a low whistle, "Like seriously? Who would he be giving a tribute to? You have been bluffed, Akash! Chhote just cannot do something like this!"
"No, Di!" muttered Akash, "for some time even I thought Aman was just winding me up! But no, that's not what it's like. He is seriously coming for this show! I bet!"
Anjali was really doubtful. Who in this world deserved such an honour that the mighty, great Arnav Singh Raizada himself would pay a tribute to. "What's the show's date?" she asked uncertainly.
"4 April," Akash replied only to gasp in surprise, "Bhai has organized a show on 4 of April?"
"4 April," Anjali smiled, "Marks 15 years!"
"But, Di! He never does anything on 4 of April!" Akash knew his brother and his schedules and important dates of his life only too well, "He spends it alone..."
"I know...he spends it alone!" she replied, smiling, "but probably, he wants to spend it with us!" she winked.
It was a moment for whole of the Raizadas to shout in glee...finally, after years of prayers probably God was close to granting their wish.
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Arnav was going through the last minute preparations of the event. He had to finish this before he boarded his flight because after he had packed, a strange thought had occurred to him. He could never do this at home. It would ruin everything. Hence, in a hurry, he had delayed his departure and sat to work, making changes and fixing minute glitches in the big event that was on the verge of being hosted.
"No, Aman, just do it as I say. The banner behind the stage has to be like this! I don't care what people think about it, alright?"
"Sir, but, it is the biggest show of AR till date...I mean a banner like this would be..." Aman was scandalized that ASR had told him something ridiculous to write.
"So what? So what's if this our biggest show?" Arnav hissed into the phone, "this is my show, Aman. My most awaited show! It will be just the way I want it to be! I am working on this for 8 damn years and I don't want anything to mess up in this event, do you understand?"
Aman gulped. ASR wasn't this particular for any show that happened in the history of AR. He was sure that his boss had definitely gone mad, "yes sir, I understood. Don't worry, sir, everything will be as per your orders. I will see to that personally."
"Great, now, how is that new model of yours shaping up? Is she okay for the role of show stopper? If not flip the positions with someone good..."
Aman froze for a second, thinking about the meeting with a new model who had auditioned. Luck, indeed, played a good game in life. The one who didn't qualify through the first round of interview and selection had wound up coming right into the inner circle of the AR fashionistas. Though Aman knew she didn't deserve to be there because of the lack of confidence and style, which were the foundation of AR Fashion Company, he had no choice but to select her as all the other models were booked for various other shows for the same Fashion week by various other designers.
"I, too, was thinking the same sir. She is not as good as Elina or in fact, she is not good at all. But she is the only option left. So I have put her to the last slot. The one which was supposed to be taken by Vrushika. Vrushika has moved up a slot."
"So, who is the new show stopper?"
"Aarti Mehta, sir" Aman just loved this woman who was everything a model was supposed to be. Her style, her confidence, her attitude...uff! He thought and smiled before realizing he was still on the phone.
"Aman! Do you hear me, dammit?" Arnav was yelling from the other side.
"Ye..yes, sir!" Aman felt like he was choking, "Sorry, I just got a fax so was distracted for a moment."
"Alright...keep everything ready. I will be back tomorrow and I will personally check everything and don't you dare tell Akash or anyone at home that I am coming back. Do you get it?"
"Yes, sir."
"If you do then you know what's going to happen."
Aman gulped in fear, "ye...yes sir! I won't tell anyone."
"Good!"
Aman sighed in relief as soon as his class got over. Talking to ASR was like inviting a hungry lion for a sumptuous dinner. He wiped his brow and threw the phone on the couch, loosening his tie and drinking a full glass of water, he made the arrangements ASR had asked him to do.
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Ah, finally...Khushi thought as soon as flight landed. She often joked that the air gagged itself in the plane. Since a kid, Khushi hated flights and she always thought it can't be compared to the lovely journey on a train. Kahan train aur kahan yeh stupid flight! Hmmph!
She breathed deeply, feeling every particle of air in pleasure and strode towards the exit, waiting for the night to be done and sun to rise soon, hoping to get out of this city as soon as possible.
Here, Arnav was getting totally bugged up with all the pressure. He took his keys and headed out for a long drive hoping to clear his mind.
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PRECAP:
Cant you see mister?
Excuse me?
Oh, you are not excused! You just ruined my shirt! Are you blind? Oh of course you are! Who in the world wears sunglasses at night!
A/N: You guys pretty much have got the idea of what's going to happen in the next update :D So stay tuned, folks...more comments, or I might take even a year to update the next one...
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