Chapter 2B
To the readers who have stayed with this story. Thank you!
*Lines from the past are in Italics.
Day 7-
Khushi had set the alarm for five in the morning to see the sunrise from a place not too far away from their lodge. The sherpas had warned her that given the weather conditions she was unlikely to see the sunrise. However she decided to disregard their advice and give it her best shot. Since she had managed to sleep for a few hours at a stretch she was feeling much better. She wore some warm clothes, zipped in an additional layer below her jacket, got herself some coffee in a flask from the tea room and left the lodge to walk towards a place about two miles away from the lodge which offered the best view of the sunset.
'I'm feeling really lazy today morning, will you make me some nice coffee? You make the best coffee in the world.'
'Yuck! How can you even drink black coffee? Disgusting!'
As she started walking briskly towards the viewing point Khushi breathed in the early morning air.
'Wake up you lazy bum, lets go out for a run.'
'Go away...'
'If you want to go on the Everest expedition next year, you need to move your lazy arse and start running.'
'I can't hear you, I have my pillow wrapped around my head.'
'I'm sure you will hear me well once I start tickling you. Here I come.'
Kushi started walking towards the viewpoint with a smile playing on her lips as she recollected some of the pleasant memories. After walking for nearly thirty minutes she arrived at the viewing point only to find someone else also waiting to see the sunrise.
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Arnav had woken up early in the morning to steal a view of the sunrise. The sunrise from this point came highly recommended by his father who had scaled the Everest three times, twice from the South Col route and once via the dangerous North Col route. He was surprised when no one else showed interest in the early morning walk. The increase in altitude was slowly getting to a number of the members, especially those who didn't have much of a mountaineering experience. A few of them were down with nausea and were suffering from bouts of vomiting. So it made sense for them to steal a few additional hours of sleep, over waking up early to watch the sunrise. As he walked to the particular point, the cool wind blew against his face. Although it was biting cold, Arnav couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of total abandonment he was experiencing during this trip.
Climbing was an intrinsic part of who he was, he could never give up on it. One of his earlier girl friends had asked him why he was putting his own life at risk by climbing such mountains, he had simply answered that he'd rather die doing what he loved than living a prolonged life away from it. He couldn't believe that he was foolish enough to think that he could give this up in the last few years. During the course of the last few days a part of him had been thankful to her for leaving him, as he could now embrace his passion without any concern in the world.
As he stood at the viewing point, waiting for the sun to make an appearance Arnav heard someone else walking towards him. He turned around to see a much surprised Khushi.
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'Erm... I was here for the sunrise.'
Arnav nodded his head and turned back to look at the sky and the mountains near by.
Khushi stood at a good distance from him. From the corner of his eyes he could see that she was constantly fidgeting with the zip of her jacket, an obvious sign of her uneasiness.
'Still a fan of the sunrise and sunset?' Arnav asked as a way of breaking the ice.
Khushi's hands stalled. 'Yes, of course. Its one of the...'
Arnav joined her to complete the remainder of her line. 'Reasons I love climbing.'
Khushi looked sideways and looked directly into Arnav's eyes. She found him smiling gently at her. Khushi relaxed and her face broke into a smile.
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'Khushi what are you doing this weekend?'
'Khushi is going out on a date with me Arnav.' NK offered his hand to Khushi, which she readily accepted.
After their first climbing trip together, NK, Arnav, Khushi and Shyam had formed a close bond and had spend many weekends together, climbing a number of hills in and around Harvard. Their common Indian background and a mutual passion for climbing had made them good friends. Arnav's interest in Khushi had become stronger over the period of time, prompting him to ask her out.
'NK stay out. Khushi would you like to get some dinner...say this Saturday?'
'Sure that sounds like a plan. What do you think Shyam? The four of us together, it will be fun.' NK continued teasing Arnav.
Arnav gave NK a deathly stare, warning him to stay out.
He held Khushi's hands and walked away from NK and Shyam.
'Listen Khushi, I suck at sweet talking. I like you and I think I'm attracted to you. I'd like to take you out and see where this heads. What do you say?'
'I'm not sure Arnav. I mean if things don't work out, it will become awkward especially since we belong to the same group of friends.'
'Nothing like that would happen Khushi, I promise. We cannot stop living, just because we are scared of what would happen in the future, can we?'
'You have a point.'
'So...'
'Hmm... Sure we can go out this Saturday.'
Once Khushi had left, Arnav, NK and Shyam walked back to the apartment they shared.
'Arnie I hope you know what you are doing. Khushi isn't the kind of girl you can mess with.'
'Shyam why do you always have such a low opinion of me? Do you think I mess around with girls?'
'You don't want me to remind you of Karen, do you?'
'What the f**k Shyam! You know she was crazy. How could you even blame me for our break-up?'
'Can you guys take a chill-pill.' NK tried to mediate. Shyam and Arnav were strongly opinionated people. In spite of their close friendship over the years, they would very often find themselves at each others throats. And it would be left to NK to mediate between them.
'Shyam I'm sure Arnav here know what he is doing. I don't think we should dictate what he can or cannot do with his personal life.' NK spoke calmly to Shyam.
'I know NK. I'm not trying to poke my nose. Khushi is a good friend. Given Arnav's relationship history I dont want to see two of my good friends part on a bitter note.'
'Shyam, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I think I know what I'm doing here.'
Shyam had put his hands up in resignation.
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'You must be joking.'
It was Arnav and Khushi's first date together.
'Obviously not. I swear I went on a climbing expedition when I was eight.'
'How?'
'Papa says I was always intrigued by climbing. So he was forced to take on a small expedition due to my tantrums.'
'So what do you love most about climbing?' Khushi probed.
Arnav played with her fingers on the table. 'I guess I feel a deep connection with the mountains. Climbing is a big part of who I'm.'
'And why do you like climbing?' He returned the question.
'I love watching the sun rise and set from the top of the mountain. I find the experience very ethereal.'
'Sunrise and sunset?' He asked her disbelievingly.
'Yes, its one of the reasons why I love climbing.'
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'Do you think we should have listened to the sherpa and stayed back?' Arnav asked impatiently.
Its been nearly twenty minutes and there were no signs of the sunrise.
'I think we should wait for a few more minutes.' Khushi replied.
'Hey! Do you remember how we had stayed back at Mt Washington for the sunset in spite of everyone warning us not to?' Arnav asked recollecting a difficult but rewarding hike of Mt Washington.
'Yeah and we were awarded with one of the best views. Although the weather during the descent was horrendous.'
Arnav broke into a wide grin as he remember the fun ol' days.
'Arnav! I think the sun might just make an appearance. Look over there? She had tapped his shoulders. Arnav felt the familiar warmth seeping through his skin as he felt Khushi's fingers on his shoulders through his jacket.
Arnav and Khushi watched the sunrise in total silence, the view more beautiful than any of the pictures they had come across on the internet.
'Its beautiful isn't it?' She asked him, her face radiated with pure unadulterated joy.
Arnav looked at her face. 'Yes, very very beautiful,' Arnav replied affectionately.
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After viewing the sunrise Arnav and Khushi started walking back to their lodge. They had kept the conversation to a minimum, with each of them wondering how they had managed to have a pleasant time together in spite of the bitterness from their past together. As they got closer to the lodge, Arnav decided to ask her the one question that was still bothering him.
'The lodge is here. I'll see you later.' Khushi told him.
'Khushi wait.' Khushi stopped and looked at him.
'You may not like this question, but I still need to ask this.' He waited and pondered for a moment.
He then took a deep breathe in and asked, 'Where is Shyam? Are you guys not together anymore?'
Khushi flinched at his question. But soon her defences were up. 'How dare he ask her such a question?' But soon she masked her pain with a look of indifference. She turned around to walk towards the lodge.
Khushi's indifference and her unwillingness to answer let alone acknowledge his question hit a raw nerve and brought Arnav's temper back into fray.
He held her hand and stopped her.
'I asked you a question Khushi. The least you can do is acknowledge it. Whether you answer it or not is your prerogative.' His words were sharp with intensity.
Khushi struggled against his hold.
'And I told you that I owe you no answers.' She retaliated.
'What was wrong with my question? After everything that happened between us, do I not have a right to know?'
'Let go off my hands. I feel disgusted by your touch.' She bit out in sheer desperation and hurt. Her need to get away from him and his question was getting the better of her rational self.
The words made Arnav further angry and he did what he did every time when someone managed to hurt him.
He left her hands with a jerk and delivered his final blow.
'Why are you uncomfortable with my question Khushi? Has he left you for good?'
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Edited by Naach_Basanti - 12 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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