Opposite Poles..Part 55

Part 55

Khushi and Lavanya gaped at each other. 
“Chamakili.. do something! I don’t want you to come with us!” Lavanya was enraged. 
“Even I don’t want to come with you! What should I do now?” Khushi asked hopelessly.  Lavanya had no answer.  She was pacing restlessly.
“Ok. I will call him in the night and tell him I am not well!” Khushi found out the good old excuse.  Lavanya looked hopeful.
“Ok! That will work!” she said brightly.  

 “Oh, No! That won’t!” he had come from behind. 
“Don’t you dare try anything like that, Lavanya!” he threatened Lavanya, looking at Khushi angrily.  Khushi shuddered.
“You have no other go!” he declared and “Go pick up your things Lavanya!” he held her elbow and moved her out of his cabin.  Khushi broke into tears, frustrated.

********  ****

“I told you! He did it! That.. That Monster is a perfect spoil sport..He did it on purpose…!” Khushi was tearing the paper napkins to pieces littering then all over the place.  Rekha sat there looking at her enraged face.
“Khushi, calm down! He  didn’t know about the party…!” she tried to pacify her.  Khushi’s rage had reached the peak.
“No! Rekha Madam…!” she stopped gaping at the entrance.  He entered the cafeteria which was the rarest of the rare thing.  Rekha gaped at Khushi and ASR.

“Khushi…. You better go early and prepare for tomorrow’s journey!” he smirked at her and took a place at her table repelling her.  She got up and stomped out muttering “Spitting ink…~”
 He shrugged and ordered for a black coffee.  Rekha went behind Khushi.

“Rekha Madam… you carry on with the party, even if I am not there!” Khushi had regained her composure.  Rekha nodded.  “Khushi we are going to miss you!” Rekha got emotional.
“Me too, Rekha Madam.. I had planned so much!” Khushi was all lost.  But  then said
“Doesn’t matter… but the party should be as we have planned.  Promise me!” she said forcing a smile on her face.  Rekha nodded smiling.  “Promise!” she said.  

*********   ********   *********

“Yeah… This is great! Babuji… you tell him that you will not permit me to go!” she said brightly.  Her babuji shook his head.
“Khushi, a person from your office had already called and I said ok!” he pointed out.  She was doomed.
“You better prepare for the tour, Khushi!” Payal said reasonably.  “Come, I will help you!” she said getting up.  Khushi had no other option.

******   ********   ********

“ASR, I have done this before ..! I really don’t want her assistance! Why do I require her assistance for compering??” Lavanya urged at the dinner table.  Arnav ignored.
“Whose assistance?” asked Nani for the first time.  She had never interfered in their matter.  Though she was very disappointed with Lavnaya’s behavior, she never showed it on her face. 
“That Chamakili..!” blurted out Lavanya.
“Haain? Hello hi bye bye.. Chamakili?? Who is this chamakili?” asked Mami. 
“That Khushi Kumari Gupta!” Lavanya said with disgust.
“Khushi bitiya? Is she coming with you?” Nani couldn’t hide her excitement. 
“Khushi? Is it true, chote?” asked Anjali.  Arnav refrained from answering. 
“Actually I wanted to call her here ..I had some work! But my work can wait.  Your assistance is important..!” Nani didn’t hide her grin.  Arnav looked at Nani. 
“When are you leaving?” asked Nani.  “Early morning..!” came a curt answer.  Nani nodded happily. 

**********    **********     **********

“Be ready in half an hour!” came an order over the phone.  She frowned.  She went to the bathroom hurriedly. 
Guptas heard screeching brakes…! She knew! “Chalo babuji.. Aatain hain!” she said bye!…
“CHALIYE, Driver Ji…!” she opened the door and froze.  He stood smirking.  She looked at the car, “Keep your luggage.. He waved at the car and looked at her shabby hand bag.  She went to the car.  Babuji came forward.

“Hello!” he held out his hand.  “Namaste!” Babuji said and looked at Khushi’s Monster KHSDUS boss!
“Sir…!” Babuji started off.. But before he could speak anything..
“Don’t worry, she will be safe!” he said in a soft assuring voice and smile appeared on Babuji’s face.  He was sure, that Khushi will be safe…!

“Khushi…!” Babuji called out.  Khushi came running with hope.  He gave her his mobile and said.. “Keep this with you and keep calling everyday…!” his voice chocked.  Khushi nodded and turned.  He still was in passageway.  He turned and blocked her way, she almost bumped on him.  She tried to dodge him.  He stood in her way looking at her angrily…
“What??” she asked angrily.  “Charger?” he asked her.  She went back running and got the charger.  He still stood there.  She ran past him towards the car.
“Empty headed!” he taunted.  “I was about to go and take the charger!” she retorted back angrily…! He smirked.  

“WOH KYA HAIN NAA, KHUSHI KA MOBILE GUM HO GAYA HAI! She lost her mobile, so I am giving mine!” said babuji.  Khushi frowned looking at his smiling face.  

He opened the back door.  She peeped in. 
“Good Morning, Lavanya ji!” she wished for no response.  Lavanya was in front seat.
They raced away.  Khushi couldn’t keep quiet for long.  She started off….
“WAISE TO HAME NAINITAL KAB SE DEKHANA THAA! Actually I had a desire to visit Nainital…! But with my Amma Babuji! Not with you people”.  She said flaring up her nose and puffing her cheeks.  He stared at her angrily through the rear view mirror.  She glared back returning the same look.

“Oh! Shut up Chamakili! Don’t talk!” Lavanya snapped.  Khushi shut her mouth up but not for long.
“You don’t have a music system in your car?” she asked loudly.  He ignored her.  She looked ahead at the dashboard and saw the button.  Leaning forward she played the music system.  The Heavy Metal played loudly… she shuddered…
“What kind of music is this?” she pressed her palms on her ears… he smirked.
“FM NAHI HAI KYA?  FM   LAGAIYE  NA?” She requested.  He turned off the music system. 
“Shut up!” he said. 
“Octopus… control freak with eight hands…!” she muttered leaning back on her seat.  

“What kind of journey is this? No music, no one to talk to, nothing to eat, and nothing to look around…!” she said loudly touching the black tinted window glasses and tried to roll down. 
“Oh! Shut up Khushi…! AC is on!” Lavanya was irritated.  Khushi leaned forward and looked at Lavanya wearing black glares and a mini skirt with skin tight top. 
“ANDHERE MAIN ANDHERAA??  She grinned.  ASR stared at her from the mirror. 
“ASR! Ask her to get down and take another vehicle…! I am fed up of her nonsense…!” barked Lavanya.
“Yeah, that will be better… I will at least enjoy the journey with other people…!” said Khushi looking around. 
“Shut up!” he snarled at both of them.  Khushi looked ahead sulkily.

“YEH KITANA SUNDAR HAIN? This is so beautiful!!” she exclaimed looking at the rising orange ball from behind the clouds..! He only stared at her.  They had left the city behind and were racing on the twisting and bending Ghats..!  Khushi’s face brightened up.  She looked around mesmerized for a long time, without a word!  He kept glancing in the rear view…!

“YEH KYA HAIN? What is this?” she looked at the bag beside her on the back seat.
“Nani has sent it for you!” he said.  She opened the bag, took out a Tiffin box and opened it.
“Haaa! Alu Puri…! My favorite…!” she smelt it with satisfaction closing her eyes. 
“Oh for God sake, don’t open that!” Lavanya snarled.  Khushi looked at her.

“Chamakili, AC is on and I hate that oily smell!” she said with disgust.  Khushi frowned.  He rolled down the back windows switching off the AC.  She smiled happily and stuffed puri in her mouth. 
“Lavanya ji?” she offered one to Lavanya ji… She pushed the box aside.  Cool breeze blew off Khushi’s hair sprauling over her face.  She tried to manage with one hand, the other being busy clutching the Tiffin box.  He slowed down.  She kept the box aside and tied her hair with hair band.  He did not take his eyes off her.

She offered him one and he took it.  Lavanya looked surprised. 
“How can one eat such an oily food… that too early in the morning…!” she muttered looking at her wrist watch.  Khushi shut the box close and kept it back.
“I will save it for afternoon…!” she said happily.  She looked out of the window taking in the monsoon greenery, the mountains, the twisting road, lush green forest..! Her face lit up.  She looked ahead and screamed..
“Look, clouds are meeting the earth, Oh! So beautiful… it looks like mountains are blessing earth … clouds are embracing the …!” she looked dreamy. 
“Its raining ahead… we will reach there soon… !” he rolled up the window glasses, putting off her enthusiasm.  The nature was changing its colors.. The orange ball had vanished behind thick black clouds.. The overcast skies made the vision blur.  Khushi looked on … He switched on the fog lights.. The vision was very bleak, he slowed down… There was no visibility beyond a few meters… Khushi looked frightened and sat back closing her eyes.  She fell silent.  He drove on….  

It had started raining heavily, making it more difficult to drive.  There was no oncoming traffic.  A few tail lights were blinking ahead.  

“Oh God, ASR! Why did we come by road? Look at the road condition.. It’s pathetic..!” disgruntled Lavanya spoke.  He focused on the road ahead driving carefully.  He glanced behind.  Khushi had curled up on the seat and had dozed off after eating Alu Puri and having no one to talk to.  He couldn’t see anything else.

“What the…!” he applied sudden breaks with all his might coming back from his trance..!
“Aawww! Khushi fell down from back seat.. And woke up banging her head on the front seat.  She looked ahead.
“What is that?” she looked ghostly…
“Landslide…!” he too looked aghast.
“ASR!” Lavanya held his hand tightly, panic struck.  They had reached a dead-end.  A few more cars ahead had stopped abruptly.  A car was buried under the boulders.