13: A Reinstate, A Turn:

“This is happening all over again? Isnt it?” Khushi asked sneering even as she gave him another swift head turn, while her hands worked over the wheel of her car.

“I mean how can you just be so…so…….irresponsible!” She groaned and used her hands to show her annoyance. Sitting beside her all too composedly, Arnav dragged down his body, leaning back and gave her one of his nonchalant looks. The one he often gave his father whenever he had to hear one of those lectures about him being remiss.

“I was just too occupied dealing with your drama since the time I have come, that it completely skipped my mind!” he answered observing the rapid change of expressions in her face and completely enjoying himself.

“Are you serious? Forgetting to  bring an instrument with you? And you claim you have come here to give an audition?”

“Oh common Maddy! It’s not like this is my last chance. I’ll give the audition in another venue, another day” he shrugged nonchalantly yet again and that for reasons quite complex to him irked her like anything which in turn entertained him.  

“Its Khushi!” she gritted her teeth. “Oh and I know! Keep giving excuses until your last chance would come and then get all worked up in the last moment. This is the first time, is it? Nothing has changed after all. So what is with this whole, ‘famous musician from India’ aura that you carry around? Just another scam?”  Her voice was dipped in sarcasm as she took a deep turn, her foot pressing the accelerator into a higher speed limit just as they hit the highway towards Belhaven.

“How’d you know?” he answered completely nonchalant again, quite aware of the fumes that might probably be coming out of her glare right now, as he kept his eyes attuned to the country view outside.

“You could just sing to get through the auditions!”

“I don’t sing anymore” he stated this time a little too firmly, his jaw tightening a little.

“Oh! A musician who doesn’t sing! Great!”

“Speaks the one who doesn’t touch music at all! Why are you so affected by this anyway? It’s not like I’d be coming to you for help in the last moment anyway? And even if I did, you are no longer doing music. So I completely fail to understand your overrated reaction” he spoke, putting forward his logics while observing her minute expressions quite resolutely.

He didn’t know if the reasons he stated were actually the reasons to turn away from the audition, but somehow after listening to her apparent endangered interest in music, all he wanted to do was to get to the bottom of this truth as she is claimed it to be. He somehow found it hard to believe and more so, it had been the only thought nagging him. Not that he had anything prepared for the audition otherwise.

And, this just seemed like an excuse for his own conscience yet again to avoid invading his own creative side, that is, if it still existed.

His little self introspection came to a sudden halt along with the car that seemed to have stopped and he found himself inside the car, which was in the middle of nowhere, causing him to look at the deserted highway and then back at her questioningly.

“Listen you, irresponsible brat! I’m not your driver to take you to places everyday just so you would come up with new excuses to skip the audition. I know how exactly this works for you and I don’t have the patience nor the time to play your ‘chauffer-girl’ as long as you stay here. And hence it sure as hell pisses me off that you have outright wasted my one whole day and----------”

“Shh, shh, take it easy Chauffer-girl, here” he interrupted her whilst angling his hand to extract his wallet from his jeans pocket before shoving a note into her hands. “Extra over the prescribed charges, for the time that you’ve invested. If you need more you can ask me. Do you still have any more complaints?”

“What the fuck! How dare…” the intact smile on his face and a completely unaffected demure caused her to just look at him stumped. She then groaned and looked away causing him to smirk internally putting back the money into his pocket. He was neither affected by her fury nor her insults and more so, he actually did manage to terminate the flow of her complaints and that’s a first, well, whatever was the method that was used. She released the accelerator in another rash movement and the car was speeding along the way highway with what seemed like a jet speed.

**

Later that evening, khushi walked into their surfing store just in time to see her father trying to get down the stack of boards from ceiling rack. She walked and stood adjacent to the stool on which her father was standing and he handed the boards to her, already being aware of her presence. She banged the boards over floor the sound of which echoing in the room and shot him a fierce look.

“Hello to you too…” Sameer spoke walking ahead of her towards his study table. There were new learners in the store working with their boards on the other end of the room, and Khushi completely played oblivious to them. Just when Khushi opened her mouth to speak, Coco ran to her snuggling to her feet. Her face broke into a sudden pure grin as she picked up and nuzzled the Ferrier close to her neck, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. After another moment, she tugged the pet inside her arm and tailed behind Sameer as he walked towards the learners, with the sheet of instructions.  

“Okay the new learners, can you all come to my left?” Sameer spoke although he was well aware of Khushi’s determined stance behind him, as he dedicated his one ear awaiting his daughter’s outburst.

“I’m telling you dad, he is doing it all over again!”

“Taller ones take up those longer boards, these smaller boards are for average height, please select your respective boards as per the instructions mentioned over there” Sameer continued with his instructions and turned to his side to give Khushi an encouraging smile.

“After going all the way to the university, he didn’t attend the audition, he just turned around and came back, can you believe it? And you know what he had to say about it? That he didn’t carry any instrument!”

“Really?”

“Yeah I mean how obnoxious is that? Going for the Fringe festival audition without any instrument, dad he is just so irresponsible! He is doing this all over again! Just think of it dad. If he really was this famous musician back in India, why would he come all over here, hiding from the media and world to participate in some European festival?”

“Actually Sidhant wanted him to participate. He is just trying make his father happy”

“Exactly my point! If uncle was happy with whatever he was doing back in India, why would he want him to participate in this festival? And what is he doing after coming here dad? He is literally enjoying his holiday! The hiking, the beach, the weather, a free cottage at the beach, it’s like his official holiday and he would just delay giving the audition until the last minute!  And then he would be looking for ways to get away in the competition using all the short methods that he can. He might just trick you to help him or me…..”

“Wait wait…. honey, just calm down” Sameer finally looked up from the record book that he had been holding and shifted his attention to her. “Its okay, how does it bother you or me, if he had indeed come here for a holiday? He is a guest and all we have to do is be nice, yeah?”

“But dad! That’s just being so deceitful towards his work! How can you let that happen dad? You of all people?”

“Sweetie, I’m no one to react to what others have to do with their work or profession. Everybody makes their own choices. So did you….” He said and looked right in her eye. “I’m no one to show someone a right path, when I’m not even leading the same path anymore” he completed and observed for a moment before shifting his attention back to the learners who were now fixing their boards, getting them ready for surfing.

“You should wax the board properly Aileen. Make sure the board is cool and rub the wax over the board in circular motions, yeah?” he spoke causing Khushi to come out of her little reverie.

“Ailee ?? What the hell are you doing here?” Khushi exclaimed suddenly shifting her attention, noticing her Scottish friend among the learners, even as Coco barked at Aileen recognizing her.

“Got you Mr.Gupta. why is this wax though?” and it turns out even her friend decided to ignore her question and Khushi let her mouth open wide in bewilderment.

“It is to provide a grip to your feet dumbass, now if you try and come once in a week instead of once in an year, you will remember the instructions” Khushi teased her friend, as Aileen shot her an annoyed look whilst applying wax to her surfing board. As on cue, Sameer walked away, leaving the friends alone, into the backyard to make some other preparations for the surfers.

The bright Sunday afternoon looked like the perfect timing for Sameer to get out into the beach. As the ocean flipped and swelled the tides to an appropriate current, making it perfect for surfing, Sameer has decided to schedule his lessons for some of the surfing students. Aileen however has turned up without any schedule and with surely different intentions, as Khushi would just know it.

Smirking Khushi shifted her gaze to the sea, where Camron was surfing effectively riding a tide, as he flipped both of his legs along the wave completely enjoying himself.  “And I can see why you are here today” khushi added and chuckled making Aileen walk to her in long purposeful strides.

“I have to. It’s such an important party today and I need a date!” she demanded.

“So?”

“So? K? Get him to talk to me! I’ll ask him out!”

“And how lucky have you been doing that before today?”

“I know! He just doesn’t seem to be interested in me!” Aileen retorted.

“And I wonder why?” came a sudden foreign voice causing the two friends to turn around and look for the source of the voice. And before she could lay her eyes on him, Khushi knew who that flirtatious voice belonged too. T o her surprise, Coco jumped out of her hands and ran towards Arnav who have just walked in, dressed in his white three-fourths and a blue shirt, the buttons of which were opened, exposing good part of his toned abs, his slightly long hair held back by a thin hair-band and his eyes shielded by shaded Aviators. Khushi instantly realized how true she had been to think that he had indeed come to this part of the world for a holiday. And just like that her annoyance for the man swelled up, even if it was possible.

“Hey kiddo!” he cuddled Coco all too easily and has only added to Khushi’s annoyance. She stretched her hand just as he reached them and grabbed Coco away, and the animal stayed in her arms, much to her relief. It cooed and settled at her neck and Arnav just raised an eyebrow at her pointed look.

“I have seen you somewhere” She heard Aileen’s voice, suddenly turning too sweet and too suggestive for khushi to digest and khushi looked to her side at Aileen just in time to notice how the two of them were literally having a eye-sex with each other. And she mentally rolled her eyes.

“Nice and ancient pick-up line, but then I have seen you somewhere too” Arnav responded with equal amount of tease in his husky voice. Or, it was even more, if not anything else.

“There! Cam is done with his surfing, Aile, I thought you wanted to ask him something?” Khushi interrupted and Arnav gave her one of his questioning looks before shifting his attention back to Aileen.

“Oh yes! How can I forget? Arent you the charmer that brought this crazy one down the hill, at the hiking?” Aileen exclaimed, suddenly even more impressed with Arnav that she seemed initially.

“Ah, yes I happen to be that very unfortunate one”

“---unfortunate, why?”

“Oh because the life-saving favor was returned back with a stay in this very store room…”

“Aw, that’s bad” Aileen said stepping a little closer just in time for Arnav to step into her territory leaving a much bewildered Khushi to gape at them wide-eyed, as she found herself being completely incredulous to the sudden change of events around.

“Only if it was me that you have saved…..”

“I take it that you express your gratitude without any holding back?”

“You bet!”

“You can still do that you know? For saving your friend’s life?” Arnav gave Khushi one loop sided smile before looking back at Aileen who by now was completely getting under his spell.  Aileen then burst out into a coyly peal of laughter finally stepping away from him and hooked her hand around Khushi.

“Oh wow! Who is this Mr.Stranger kill looks K? Will you not make an introduction?”

“Oh, she has always been bad with manners” Arnav answered causing Khushi open her mouth wide in disbelief yet again. Arnav looked at her for a moment and kept his eyes intact on her for a moment longer trying to read something into those hazels, before bringing his one finger to close her opened jaw, smirking profusely all through. “Let me just introduce myself” he spoke bringing in his friendly aura suddenly taking Khushi by surprise.

“I’m Arnav, Arnav Singh Raizada, her family friend from India”

“Hi, Aileen” They shook their hands for a bit longer and Khushi finally smiled, just to be in her best cordial self. “Oh K, is he the one you were ranting about the other day?” Aileen added.

“You were?”  Arnav enquired and Khushi was all but stumped.

“Uh, I….”

“K, the other day at the airport saloon? You got your hair colored and said you wanted to be in disguise?”

Both of Arnav’s eyebrows arched up at that little piece of information and he stepped back folding his hands across his stomach to give Khushi one full eyed stare or rather at her red-hair that was glowing taking the glint of the afternoon sun. Khushi just looked away from him and tried composing her anger, her one hand caressing Coco all too vigorously, causing the creature to bark in response and jump out of her hands running into the store. Arnav chuckled. She swerved her eyes to shot him another pointed look.

“Ailee! You are unbelievable!” she groaned and walked away from the two of them leaving the confused Aileen and a smirking Arnav alone. Just as she walked into the beach away from them, towards Camron who was drying himself whilst greeting her, she stopped and turned around to find them engrossed in another flirty conversation completely ignorant to her. And that for reasons that were complex to her, just irked her even more.

“What’s up?” She heard Camron say and she turned to look at him just in time to catch him giving Aileen and Arnav duo a questioning look.

“Is that your guest with Ailee?”

“Yeah” she stated absent mindedly.

“Looks like she found someone else to hook up with for time being! I feel relieved!”

That resumed Khushi’s complaining self. “Relieved! Yeah right! Everything is just happening because of you. What’s wrong in going out with her for once! You knew she had always been hitting on you…”

“K, you know I don’t do dates unless I really like the girl, and besides she is just a friend and definitely not my idea of a girl friend”

“Who is talking about dating her Cam! Just ask her out as a date for the reunion party, common!”

“Are you kidding me K? I’m sorry….”

“K!! Hey!” they heard Aileen’s voice and khushi turned around only to find herself being engulfed in a tight hug by the taller girl.

“Arnav said he will be my date today! Oh thank you so much K, although you didn’t practically help in anyway, still…” she trailed off looking at Camron. “Hey Cam, you are coming for the party right?”

“Yes I’m…. actually my sister has a very important announcement to make at the reunion today, so I have to be there”

“Great see you there, and K, I will give you all the juicy updates as usual tomorrow. Bye” she air kissed her friend again and turned around to run back when Khushi stopped her. “But Ailee, your surfing lessons?”

“Later, I’m now into bikini dipping with Arnav! He is so much fun K!!” Aileen grinned, making Khushi roll her eyes again as she ran away towards the sea, where Khushi could see Arnav waiting for her.

“Problem solved. People alike always hit off well K. The norm that opposites attract is just bull” Camron spoke in his thoughtful manner.

“You mean Arnav and Aileen are alike”

“I don’t really know much about the guy but, yeah he looks similar kind. Have fun, no commitments, and sustaining physical attraction. They are two good looking people, and a little fun is all what they want, it’s no wrong” He shrugged making Khush stare at the playing duo even more thoughtfully. “You had been asking me to do that with her. Now do you get why I never wanted to lead her on? I believe in commitments K, not flings. I mean I’m no one to judge them, but it’s what they chose and this is what I chose. I’d ask a girl out for a date only if I’d be willing to give her some space in my life; if not all… you know what I mean?”

“K?” 

Khushi was already lost staring at Arnav and Aileen who were enjoying themselves in the water, getting quite cozy with each other. Not that she hadn’t been listening to what Camron was saying, she was, but then his little explanation had only made her think more about some kind of uncertainties she have always managed to avoid all her life. Everyone she knew had always just said that she and Arnav were perfect together. Agreed it was in the sense of music that they create, nevertheless, that’s what everyone said as long as she could recall. For once in her life someone was actually saying they are poles apart, something she always wanted to hear people say about them. And suddenly, hearing it out verbally didn’t give her the kind of pleasure that she thought it would. It made her feel weirdly disoriented. And she hated it.