The tent was setup in about an hour. The sky was clear, and the crescent moon and the twinkling stars were visible. Water crashed against the shore and roared with satisfaction. Nikhil on one of the rocks, watching the usually clear water sparkling like million white diamonds. The waves soaked his feet once in a while, he was used to the temperature of water by now. The scenario was so beautiful; he had to over come the sudden urge to take a dip.
Radhika was in his tent, checking her emails on his laptop. He had walked out when he saw her smiling at her laptop. His thoughts had just started to accumulate when his phone vibrated. With a deep sigh, he answered the call.
"Hello?" He spoke first.
"Hello? Nikhil? How are you, son?" The voice asked on the other side.
"I am fine uncle. How are you?" Nikhil replied. "And aunty?"
"I am fine son, and so is your aunty." Then he asked after a pause, "How is Radhika?"
"She is fine. I think she received your email." He said. "We are at Cornwall right now."
"Thank you so much son! I don't know how to thank you for this." The voice on the other side turned watery, and Nikhil knew he was close to breaking down. Radhika's father and his father were business partners. Since Radhika went to boarding school at a very young age, she barely knew them. And when she finally came back home, he had left for London to continue his studies.
"Don't worry uncle, I would have done this for Radhika any day." Nikhil smiled unconsciously. "I should be the one thanking you for trusting me."
"I have known you since you were born. Your aunt has named you. How can we not trust you?"
Nikhil chuckled at that. He looked up at the sky and had barely turned his head when he saw someone walking towards him from the corner of his eyes. "I know uncle. I will call you tomorrow. Don't worry too much, I am here."
He ended the call and pocketed the phone. Then he went back to staring at the dark, sparkling water like he never noticed her. She didn't bother with greetings, and quietly went to sit next to him. They shared a comfortable silence, and listened to the roaring water. Few minutes later, he decided to speak first.
"Do you believe in love at first sight?" He asked with a straight face, his eyes never living its focus. Radhika turned to him, a little startled at the question.
"Why?" She asked after a long pause.
"Because I fell in love with you at first sight." He replied. A feeling of deja vu hit her, and she blinked in surprise. Without any warning, something rumbled through her chest, and she couldn't help the laughter that pushed out while Nikhil just turned to look at her. It took her a while to stop laughing. Nikhil smiled and went back to his water.
"No seriously, why do you ask that?" She asked. Nikhil sighed and picked up a little pebble near him. He threw it sideways into the water. The pebble took two leaps on the water before finally submerging under.
"Just a random question." He replied.
"I don't know, to be honest." She said. "It hasn't happened to me yet, so I can say no. But if it does happen to me, than I would be going back on my words."
"I hope you will never have to believe then." He said in a small voice, but she caught it.
"What do you mean?" She asked, puzzled.
"Do you want some chocolate cookies?" He asked instead. Radhika raised her eyebrows.
"So you won't answer my question?"
"Or some spicy, Indian Chaat." He said, getting up.
"I prefer the latter." Radhika sighed.
Turned out, Nikhil had brought ready-made packages. They had set up camp fire over the sand with some dry wooden twigs. It was starting to get cold due to the water. Radhika hoped he had packed some blankets.
"I thought you could cook." She said, opening her jar of Chaat.
"I never said I could." He replied, already licking the delicious food.
"You said you would make me some Indian food." She said, glaring at him.
"If we do not reach this side safely." He shrugged.
"Which we didn't."
"We did. I am sure you're not hurt." He grinned at her across the fire they had built on the sand. She sighed in defeat.
"And here I thought I finally met someone different. " She muttered. Nikhil's hand paused. He didn't dare look up, and instead, continued eating his Chaat. Radhika noticed that, and guilt rose in her throat.
"Can you sing?" She asked. Nikhil looked up, surprised. Color rose to his cheeks and he cleared his throat.
"No." He replied. "Why?"
"Just a random question." She replied. Nikhil rolled his eyes.
"You saw my guitar, I know." He muttered.
"Then you can only play, I guess?" She asked. He shrugged. "I am sure you can sing. Can you please sing something today?"
"No way!" He said.
"Please!"
"No!"
"For me!"
"No!"
"We may never meet again!"
"No." He looked up surprised and saw her face fall. And than said again, "No."
Two hours and a few arguments later (all won by mademoiselle), Nikhil ended up sitting on one side of the campfire with his guitar propped up across his legs. Radhika sat on the other side, a huge victory grin on her face. Nikhil had to fight hard to keep the smile that wanted to surface. "What do you want to hear?"
Radhika cocked her head, thinking. Then shrugged, "Anything you want."
Nikhil stared at her for a few moments and then looking down at his ebony guitar, he strummed a few strings. Radhika looked like she was about to squeal in excitement.
"Promise me you won't run away after this." He looked at her. She laughed, and so he added, "I am goddamn serious."
Radhika watched his eyes shine due to the fire. The way his gaze seemed to tear through her, made her heart race. She smiled a little this time and what escaped her mouth was, she could bet, not her words. "I will never run away from you."
His face broke into a huge grin, and so Radhika found it easier to not amend her sentence. After all, isn't seeing someone smiling always a better choice?
"Then sing with me." He said, his face hopeful. Radhika's eyes turned big.
"No way!" She said. "I am a croaking frog!"
"I am too! It's just you who doesn't believe me!" He said. "I can't sing, you can't sing, so let's just sing together. We are alone anyways, and no one will ever know!" Radhika bit her tongue and looked down at her hands. With a deep sigh than, she nodded.
Nikhil cleared his throat, and started to strum the strings. The music was so beautiful that Radhika couldn't stop smiling. And when he started singing her favorite song, she struggled to keep the heart from beating out of her chest.
Bindi
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Jodha Akbar
