||The Journey||Note (Moved) - Page 13 Dec13th2013 - Page 9

Faria, 2946 words. Don't you dare complain now. This part is a little boring, but I will TRY to make next part funny. He can't be a bad boy, sorry. Okay bye. Read, comment and like too. Have fun. Or not. Bye bye.

No research is cited here, but it is quite an experienced fact that when a mind begins to wake up, vision isn't the first thing on the list. Radhika woke up to a faint sound of ocean waves, and something else she couldn't exactly pinpoint. Even though the sleeping bag and blankets seemed soft and comfortable, she felt her backache, her throat sore and her legs tired. She opened her eyes with great effort, because the eyelids that she barely ever felt were weighing down on her eyes. She looked around to find herself in a strange place with blankets and bags around her. It took her only a second to figure out that she was in a tent. She remembered falling asleep somewhere in the middle of their conversation last night.

"Why did you run away?" He had asked again last night. Radhika bit her lip, staring up at the starlit sky. They had both settled down on a blanket and stared up at the sky. That would be one of those things she would have in her bucket list, if she had one.

"I wanted to be independent." She had replied, surprising herself but not regretting.

"Independent?" He asked, turning to look at her.

"My parents wanted me to get married to someone I had never even met." She told him. "I am just 21, you know? I have dreams that are beyond the limits for a housewife."

"Why do you think every man in this world wants a typical housewife for a wife?" He asked. "Not everybody prefers to be dominant." Radhika turned to him.

"You don't?" She asked. Nikhil shrugged and turned back to the sky.

"I would like to spend my life with someone who knows what she is doing than a dumbass who needs to be told what to do every time she opens her eyes." He said and turned to her again. "Someone who needs my love, not advice."

Radhika stared into his eyes, and something inside her triggered again. An emotion she did experienced every time she looked in those dark orbs. But this time, it was a little different. This time, that emotion had broken through her heart and reached her mind. She was poisoned by his kindness. This cannot be a good sign for sanity. She looked away, feeling like a coward. Nikhil turned back to the stars.

"I hope you find her soon." She said after a while.

"Too late." He whispered and then repeated. "Too late." Radhika didn't ask him why, maybe because she was sleepy, maybe because her head was heavy or maybe because he didn't seem eager to answer anyway.

But she tried to push that one thought away: Maybe because she was scared of the answer.

Radhika blinked, trying to focus. The sun's light barely filtered inside the tent. She found herself alone. Then there was that strange sizzling sound again, and Radhika forced herself to get up.

"What is that?" She asked, rubbing her eyes, still struggling to wake up. For a change, she wasn't embarrassed by her croaky morning voice. Instead, she stretched her arms over her head and yawned in comfort.

Nikhil was lost in his thoughts. He seemed to be suffering from insomnia because even though he stayed up all night next to her for three days and barely had any sleep, he didn't feel sleepy. He had taken too many cups of coke and coffee the past week and he knew he was going to crash soon. But he wanted to spend every moment he got next to her.

If few years ago someone had asked him he believed in fate, he would have said "I don't know!" He was so sure with everything he did. He knew he was going to be a businessman like his father when he was in high school. He knew what college he wanted to go to. He had decided he would visit the places his mother had always talked about. He had promised his dad to be the best child he can be, but also told him that he was flawed, so not to expect anything legendary.

His life was simple. He never had girlfriends, no extraordinary past and no basically no drama. He got in trouble with his father many times for being mischief, but that is normal. His mother died when he was eight year old. It affected him, of course. But he had come to a conclusion that when a life around him ends, his life wouldn't stop. His life will go on, and so he had to keep her beautiful memories and come over the sadness.

When Radhika entered his life, he had felt the attraction. He didn't know her, so love was a faraway thought. Despite living in London, Indian logic of marriage had followed him. He believed in arrange marriage because his parents had a sweet story to tell. His mother's diary had told him what a beautiful journey it was, being next to his dad. How the strangers married after a couple of dates had experienced falling in love after marriage. She always said she doesn't know if she loves him, because every time she is with his dad it feels like there is something more than last time.

What had changed now? Will he believe in fate? She was his responsibility for time being. She will return to India after a week and pursue her dreams. She will become a computer engineer and soon fall in love with a fellow worker and get married, forgetting what she did think few years ago. Maybe the best was in protecting his heart. He should have a layer of metallic armor over his heart. After all, what is a knight in shining armor capable of if he couldn't protect himself?

"Nikhil!" A shout broke him out of his trance, and he jumped in surprise. In his haste, his hand contacted with the frying pan that was in his hand, and he jumped in pain again. Radhika ran to him, her face carved in an expression of worry. "Where the hell are you lost?" She asked, taking his slightly burnt finger and blowing on it. He pulled his hand away and turned to look at the pan that now held a burnt piece of bread. He sighed and started to throw it away.

"Are you okay?" She asked him concerned. He nodded.

"I was just cooking something for dinner," He said. "But..." Radhika walked closer to him and he watched as she extended her hand towards his face. She put the back of her palm on his head and frowned.

"You are burning with fever Nikhil!" She said. He shook his head.

"I am fine. It's probably just because I am standing close to the fire."

"Nice try!" She said, grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the tent. "But you need sleep, and am listening to none of your lame excuses."

"Radhika I am..."

"Superman, I know." She said. "Man being the point. But I don't care." She said. Nikhil's mind was fuzzy. He could barely keep track of what was going on. "Damn, what's the time?" She asked as they got inside the tent. She moved the bags and blankets around and forced him to lay down with her glares and threats. She opened her bag and found the watch somewhere in the pocket chains. "Shit! Five already? What the hell? I slept for so long!"

"It's okay." He said, tossing to the side. "You were tired." She crawled over to him and sat beside him.

"And now it's your turn. Good night!" She said. He took only a few seconds to fall asleep. His eyes were so heavy that as soon as he closed them for more than a second, he couldn't lift them up. Radhika sat there for a while and than went outside. She brushed her teeth with the water they had brought with them and changed her clothes. She wished she could take a shower. She cleaned up the area where he was cooking. He had made a grilled sandwich and was probably going to make another one but burnt the bread. She smiled.

She checked on him before she left for the town. It was literally only two minutes walk. She wondered if she could take a shower.

"Madam?" She heard a voice as soon as she reached the beach fence. Radhika turned to look at one of the guys who had brought them the tents. "Are you with Mr. Neil?" Radhika nodded, confused.

"Mr. Neil has a room rented for you at the hotel. He said you will want to freshen up, but he was going to come with you." He frowned.

"He is sleeping. Show me the room please." Radhika smiled, thanking Nikhil thousand times.

"Excuse me?" She went up to the counter of a little grocery store. "Do you maybe have an icepack or something?" They didn't have an ice pack, but they gave her a container full of ice blocks. Radhika returned back to the tent. She poured out water in a bowl and added sufficient ice blocks to eat. Then she returned to the tent and laid the cold-water straps on his head. He was murmuring something in his sleep, probably due to fever. She couldn't grasp any words, but hoped he was all right.

His fever went down by the about nine, so she took a little time to eat the sandwich he had made for her and take a stroll down by the shore.

"Radhika?" She heard his voice. She turned to the tent and saw him looking around for her by the fire she did made. She jogged towards him. He breathed out when he saw her.

"Nikhil! Go back to sleep, you are still sick." She scolded him. He shook his head.

"I am fine." He said. "Did you eat?"

"I did. I will make you a sandwich; go freshen up for a bit. You are going back to sleep after eating." She told him. He obeyed. She asked him to go back to sleep once he had his dinner.

"I am not sleepy." He insisted. "I am fine. I don't even have fever anymore, see?"

Radhika shook her head. "Your eyes are still tired. And we are not going to stay up all night tonight, come on." She pushed him towards the tent. He scoffed.

"Right, don't be my mom now!" He rolled his eyes. Radhika stopped right as she entered the tent. He groaned and plopped down on his blanket. She had wondered why he didn't bring sleeping bags. He looked at her face and raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to do that." She said. She gave an awkward smile and started zipping up her bag.

"Radhika." He called out.

"I will be in the other tent. I am taking my bag there. Will see you tomorrow than. Sleep well." She said.

"Hey, Radhika." He called again as she picked up her bag. "I didn't meant it like that."

"I know. Don't worry about it. Let me know if you feel sick again. I hope you will sleep." She smiled and started to go again. He held her hand.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked.

"What?" She turned. "I am just tired, I should sleep." She told him.

"Sleep here." He said. She raised her eyebrows. "I am sure you can control yourself." Radhika slapped his shoulder but laughed anyway.

"No. It's fine. You need rest, I will be in the other tent." She said. He knew why she was doing this, because he was doing the same thing. He had the thoughts of detaching himself from her, for the sake of his sanity that morning. He wanted to keep the distance so that the fall wouldn't break his bones. He wanted to land safely, or be saved. But maybe his mind was too fuzzy to think about that. Maybe the fever had infected his ability to think straight, because all he wanted to do right now is have her by his side.

"Radhika..." He started to say something but was interrupted by the voice of his phone ringing. He sighed and walked over to the where his phone was charging in a portable charger.

"Hello? Nikhil?" He heard a panicked voice. Nikhil's face tensed up.

"Uncle? Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Divya is in emergency room. She fell from the stairs." His uncle seemed scared, and Nikhil knew what he had to do. "Can-can you both come here?"

"We will be there." Nikhil said, not even thinking for another second.

He turned to look at Radhika, who was standing there confused. "Is something wrong?" She asked. Nikhil swallowed before he said the next words.

"Your mother fell from the stairs."

The flight was long, tense and full of Indians. No matter how proud of your country you feel, the chances of you actually enjoying a flight to India with bunch of Indians in economy class are rare.

"Excuse me!" The man behind Radhika called for the Air Hostess for what seemed like twentieth time. Radhika sighed and slumped a little more into her chair. "My son want ice-cream." He said.

"I am sorry sir, we cannot serve ice-cream in short flights." The Air Hostess told him. The man seemed upset.

"Just great!" Radhika said. Nikhil stifled a laugh. "Shut up!"

Her father had called them again at the airport and told them that there was nothing severe. The doctors had said she had just fractured a leg. Though that was good news, Nikhil was not looking forward to Radhika's reaction anymore. During their three hours drive, she hadn't even questioned him about how he knew her parents. And Nikhil was scared of what she might have planned in her mind. Nikhil was angry at his uncle now. He ruined everything!

"Would you like anything?" The Air Hostess came around. Nikhil smiled at her and shook his head.

"No, thank you." He said, and raised his glass of water. "I got it."

"Are you sure? How about a cup of orange juice?" She insisted. Nikhil shook his head again, smiling at her. She nodded, disappointed, and walked away. Radhika scoffed.

"Jerk!" She muttered.

"Jerk?" He asked, offended. "How is that anywhere close to being a jerk?"

"Do you really want to go there?" She asked, glaring at him. Nikhil pouted and looked away.

"You never asked me if I knew your parents." He muttered. It only took him a moment to regret that. The water in his hand was now over his head. He turned to look at her in shock. "What the hell?"

"You never asked me if I will pour the water over your head." She said, and Nikhil realized how stupid that sounded. Radhika got up and started to walk past him. Nikhil squeezed in the seat to let her pass.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"To hell." She said, and walked away. A few minutes later, an Air Hostess came around with a napkin in hand.

"Are you alright sir?" She asked. Nikhil nodded, sneezed, and rubbed his nose. Then he turned to look at the Air Hostess and cocked his head.

"Why is she so cute?"

"Do not come near me, ever again!" Radhika said, walking through the airport as fast as she could. Nikhil followed her, tripping over her bag every few steps. They stepped out and Radhika started looking around for taxi.

"Oye! I am going to see aunty too!" He said. Radhika stopped and turned around. The sudden stop made Nikhil trip over the bag and fall. Of course, taking her with him.

"NIKHIL!" She shouted in frustration and started to get up. Nikhil wrapped his hands around her and smiled.

"Destiny."

"Get the hell off me!" She said angrily.

"Look who's talking." He grinned cheekily. Radhika pushed against him. He tightened his hold. "I am sorry."

"It's not okay." She said. Nikhil rolled his eyes.

"What's the big deal anyway?" He said. "It's not like you fell in love with me or something." He took a chance. What could possibly go wrong? At worst, she would reject him. Oh, whom was he kidding? If she even expressed anything close to a "no", he knew he would break down.

Radhika's cringed but her eyes turned to glare at him. His heart raced in hope and disappointment. "Let. Me. Go." She said, her words so sharp, they pierced right through his heart. He loosened his grip and watched her get off him. She stood up straight, grabbed her bag and walked away towards the taxi stand. He stood there frozen, wondering if he will ever be able to get her.

He had originally planned to tell her nicely. He had planned to bust the news when she was in a good mood and in a way that would avoid anger. He had made and crumpled many plans. He didn't expect her to find her like this.

"Uncle!" He groaned in frustration. "Why is your daughter so adorable?"

"Can I expect a granddaughter now?" A hand came around his shoulder. Nikhil turned to look at his father.

"Can you please pray for that daughter-in-law first?" Nikhil asked. His father laughed.

"She can't escape my family now." He winked. "You have my charms. If your mother cannot resist me, nobody can resist you."

"Dad," Nikhil smiled. "Did you forget who fell first?" His father laughed again.

"Do I see history repeat itself?"