Chapter 1C
A/N- Edited to add, Happy Birthday Vee!
'How long are we going to pretend that we don't know each other, Khushi?'
Kushi heard the words as she sipped on some of the tea- the tea doing nothing to provide her respite from the uncomfortable situation she found herself in, ever since she met him earlier in the day. She was in fact buying time, putting up an act to tell him that he didn't affect her even a bit.
Arnav turned side ways to look at Khushi, she hadnt as much as moved an eyelid. This is what he disliked most about her; her aloofness. Whenever Khushi had felt threatened or stressed she would withdraw into a shell and not let anyone in. After all who'd be in a better than him to know how inaccessible she could be, when she wanted.
Arnav turned back to view the river, the gentle sound of the water only heightening the tension between them, instead of bringing it down.
'Khushi, I asked you a question. Is this how you are going to play it? By ignoring me?'
Khushi took a deep breath in and turned around to walk back to her tent, she had enough for the day. If she stayed there any longer, they would have a full-blown out argument, something she didn't want during this trip. She wasn't going to lose focus of why she had made this trip in the initial place.
She had taken just a couple of steps towards the tents, when she felt Arnav hold her hand and pull her close to him, her face now inches away from his. Khushi could see his breathing rapidly increasing, the barely held anger about to snap anytime. Arnav on the other hand saw Khushi's hazel orbs harden under stoic determination.
'I asked you something Khushi. And you damn well answer me!' He bit out, making no effort to hide his anger anymore.
Kushi used her free hand and pushed his body away with force. Arnav lost his footing and stumbled back and Khushi managed to free the hand he had been holding.
'You. Dare. Not . Touch .Me!' She retaliated. 'I don't owe you any answers. Stay away from me.' She bit out and turned around to walk towards her tent.
Arnav took a step towards her and then stayed back. He saw her retreating figure in the dark and ran his hand through his hair. Khushi always had the ability to bring out the worst in him. He couldn't believe how easily he had let her get under his skin again. He wanted to close his fist and smash it against something to let out his frustration. But then he realised that he was on an expedition that didn't allow him to indulge in any sort of idiotic fallacies.
He tried to calm himself and started staring at a point where he felt the water and sky had become one. This had always been Khushi favorite part of the nature- where water and sky, where mountains and sky became one. He recollected the time when he had met Khushi for the first time, their first meeting as intense as the one they shared a few minutes ago.
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'Hey, I'm Khushi Gupta, I have been told you are the President of the Mountaineering Club at Harvard. I'd like to join the club.' She had told him in her usual child like enthusiasm that she reserved for any discussions on mountaineering.
'Ms. Gupta you can't get into the club by just expressing an interest. This is serious business. You will have to prove to me that you are genuinely interested in this activity and not just because you think it makes you look cool.'
'Mr. Raizada...'
'Call me Arnav.'
'Okay Arnav. While you were busy learning to hold on to a rope to climb a mountain, guess what? I had already climbed one. But if you are still interested here is a list of the mountains I have climbed.' She threw a paper on his desk.
Arnav rummaged through the sheet and tried to hide the look of appreciation behind his grin.
'What is so funny?'
'If I were someone who didn't what I was doing I would have called this impressive. But unfortunately for you and fortunately for me, I know what I'm doing.'
'How dare you rubbish my achievements?'
'Ms. Gupta...' he continued addressing her with his surname as she hadn't told him otherwise.
'I have a lecture to attend.' And he started walking out of the club room leaving behind an absolutely furious Khushi. And before he left the room he turned around to address here from near the door.
'If you want to join the club, let me see how good your skills are. Harvard Climbing wall, This Saturday at 10am. And Ms. Gupta...' He added.
'I hate it when people turn up late.'
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Day 4-
*Source- trip Advisor
On day four the group left their camps at Phakding at eight in the morning to begin their hike to Naamchi. The hike involved navigating a world Heritage site called the 'Sagarmatha National park,' a picturesque area that gave glimpses of the Everest. The hike transcended across parts of the Dudh Kosi river and Khushi was careful not to do anything stupid like the day before. As the group continued towards their destination, the temperature continued to fall with the increase in attitude. The hike in this part of the journey was rather simple when compared to what awaited them. The path had been laid clear for this part of the hike, due to the sheer number of tourists the place attracts.
The number of amateur climbers who hiked up to the base camp every year has been rapidly increasing. When compared to the base camp, a smaller proportion of people make an attempt to climb the summit. But with the commercialisation of Everest even that had been increasing every year, creating bottle neck especially closer to the summit.
This route to climb the Everest was rather popular- it was called the South Col route. The North route was known to be more difficult, due to higher attitides for camps, colder temperatures and harsher winds, with no opportunity for helicopter rescue at any time making it an extremely dangerous exercise.
By around two in the afternoon the group were just 500m or so away from Naamche. Yet this proved to be the most difficult and time consuming part of the hike, as the rest of the ascent was very steep. Khushi had tried to stay at the back end of the group with Caroline and her sherpa, trying to keep as much distance from Arnav as possible. Caroline was a practicing acupuncturist who had a passion for climbing. At the age of forty seven, she had hoped to become one of the oldest women to climb the Everest.
Arnav had stayed in the front of the group, sharing banter with the men folk, while gathering as much information as possible from the sherpa about his previous expeditions. The Sherpa who was born in the region and spent most of his life here, told Arnav that the locales believed that the mountain was a Goddess. To successfully climb the mountain, one had to seek the blessing of the Goddess. He also repeatedly warned them to never take the mountain for granted.
This was one aspect of mountaineering that Arnav loved most- how different cultures view their mountains. But one common theme across all the mountains he had climbed was how the people who lived near the mountains considered and treated the mountain with respect and traditions.
One of the undying rule of mountaineering was to never disrespect the signs of the mountain. That was something Arnav learned the hard way, by paying a heavy price.
At one point Arnav turned around to look at Khushi and caught her staring at him. Khushi turned her face away and Arnav was further incensed by her behavior.
Around five in the evening the group reached Naamche and checked themselves into a simple lodge in the town of Naamche. Kushi was given a single room with a western bathroom that she had to share with the occupant of room next to her, which fortunately for her turned out to be Caroline.
After a shower Khushi walked to an internet cafe, near by. She checked her emails and then used the phone in the cafe to call Payal. She shared a very deep bond with Payal who was her maternal cousin. She was a doctor by profession and lived in Prague. Khushi and Payal had grown up together. Payal had offered to come along with Khushi on this trip to keep her company. But Khushi wanted to go on this trip on her own, plus Payal wasn't an experienced climber.
'Khushi please take care of yourself. I understand why you are on this trip, but please don't lose focus on yourself.'
'I will be fine Payal. I will take care of myself.' Khushi replied with a soft smile. Payal always had a way of making her feel warm and loved.
'Okay Payal, I got to go, bye.'
'Bye Khushi. I love you, take care.'
'I love you too, bye!'
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Arnav had decided to use the internet cafe to upload his blog entries on his expedition so far. A part of him also wanted to see if she had made an attempt to get in touch with him. He knew that was unlikely and chided himself for thinking about her again. He walked to the internet cafe, he decided to place a call to his brother Akash first, to let him know of his whereabouts. When he entered the cafe, he saw Khushi speak to someone on the phone with her back turned towards him. He took a step towards her and then suddenly changed his mind. He'd rather not see her or speak to her and spoil the trip for both of them. He was just about to walk to one of the computers when he heard her say, 'I love you too,' on the phone. His legs carried him towards her, on their own accord.
She put the phone down and turned around to pay for the call when she noticed Arnav standing behind her, with a look on his face that she knew too well.
She had made out that he had listened to a part of her conversation and prepared herself for the stinging words that were about to be delivered by him.
'If you love Shyam so much why isn't he on this trip with you Khushi?'
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Edited by Naach_Basanti - 12 years ago
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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