Heart wrenching adoration Part-31

“Here you go khushi!” I said as I placed a pile of books in front of khushi.

We were in the Book Store. Several long mahogany tables were placed in neat rows in the huge room, with books arranged systematically on them.

“ Inferno, Are you afraid of the dark, The lost symbol, The night over water, The best laid plan.” Khushi quietly read the titles and looked up at me, surprised.

“But these are of my favourite writers! How do you know?” She asked me incredulous and I barely stopped myself from rolling my eyes.

What a silly question! Since the time I had met her, that was the only thing I did because she manipulated all my attention; I considered it a waste of the precious time the seconds I spent away from her, not observing her, not noticing her likes and dislikes and her little slips that everybody else failed to notice, when she was being diplomatic so as to not to hurt anyone’s feelings.

But that wasn’t the reason I could give her;it will shock her to the core to say the least. So, I decided to be a tease.

“ How thick will I have to be to not to notice the speed with which you finish the novels of these writers khushi? You could set a record or something!” 

Khushi narrowed her eyes in mock anger and spanked me on my arm playfully. I laughed and mussed her hair lightly.

We spent our time in the similar fashion, laughing and teasing each other, further strengthening our camaraderie!

“Khushi, let’s kip in! I’m bushed.” I said as we emerged out of the Book Store.

“OK!”She acceded happily and I led her to cafe ‘Chocolate Story’.

We ordered chocolate brownies and cold coffee with ice-cream-a speciality of theirs- and settled comfortably  at the far end of the cafe, away from the milling crowd.

“Hmmm...I like this song very much! Its so much invigorating!” Khushi commented casually and I paid attention to the song that was being played softly in the background. It was ‘Its a climb’ by Miley Cyrus.

“You like preachy sort of songs?” I asked disbelievingly. Such kind of music got on my nerves.

“Yes,I do! Why?What’s wrong in that?” Khushi asked, a bit miffed.

“So, don’t you like rock music?” I asked.

“No, I don’t! They use too much bass and all that shrieking and wailing drives me nuts!” Khushi screwed her little nose. I gaped at her.

“There’s nothing too wild about you, is there?” I commented and khushi laughed merrily.

“What?” I was curious again.

“Oh it was pretty much below the belt you see! My Mom used to say that a lot too! She reckoned that I should’ve been born in 50’s or 60’s;that I was too tame for a 21^st Century teen!” Khushi chortled and I tensed.

I couldn’t disagree more with khushi’s mom’s thoughts. If khushi had really been born in 50’s or 60’s then how could I have found such a cherubic, beautiful person like her? I shook my head hopelessly. Did I still delude myself into thinking that I merely liked khushi?

“Arnav? What’s wrong?You are looking all lost!” Khushi asked, snapping me out of my reverie.

“Its nothing. Ummm...So how do you like Dehradun?” I asked abruptly, like a game show host and khushi laughed on my tone.

“Oh its really beautiful! So pristine...so pure, especially like a nature lover like me, this place is like paradise!” Khushi said and I gave her a sceptical look for her hyperbole.

“No literally Arnav! You really have no idea how tired one can get of living in the concrete jungle of New York!”She sighed. I cocked my eyebrows questioningly so she continued, shrugging.

“Well being a nature lover is in my gene. Both my Mom and dad were one heck of nature enthusiasts. During my vacations, we always used to go to Amsterdam, Alaska and sometimes even Africa, Kenya, Brazil, Portugal. We used to do a lot of hiking and trekking, though I didn’t like walking on rough path of forests, still the beautiful scenery used to drive me. I still remember the numerous times my dad carried me piggyback to our camp whenever I sprained my ankle or something.” Khushi chuckled and I smiled.

 I could only imagine her curled up and being carried like a baby. A perfect picture of cuteness indeed!

“Once we even came to India to visit Payal di, Mausa ji(Uncle) and Mausiji(Aunt).I was ten then. When I saw the huge garden my di had, I threw such a colourful tantrum of spoilt, little tyke... My dad and Mom literally had to move mountains to calm me down...I came a notch down only when dad promised to gift me lots of indoor plants and a huge garden for myself once we shifted to our new house!” Khushi grinned.

“You and tantrum!” I said in a tone of disbelief. Yes, she was stubborn, but she was not a thoughtless brat.

“You really don’t know how adamant and stubborn I can get Arnav! You should be on your guard you know!”Khushi said playfully, winking at me.

“Oh you bet, I’ll be!” I replied easily.

We talked endlessly, wrapped in our own happy little bubble as she told me everything about herself...everything except on thing...her dark past which changed her life forever.