Chapter 11

The next morning, Aarav landed on their door step as a big surprise for Mrs. Rai. Aarav was good looking and almost as tall as Arnav, but Aarav didn’t resemble his cousin too much. He wore glasses which reminded Khushi that Manav hadn’t been wearing his glasses much since the first day she had seen him.

The same night, Anjali had also arrived in Udupi. Arnav had announced casually about his cousin sister's impending visit without imparting any more information. Since she was sharing her room with Anjali, and with Aarav's arrival, they hadn’t really talked since the night on the terrace.

The next morning, it was full house and with Ratna's, Khushi managed to get the breakfast ready.

"This dosa is amazing Khushi," Anjali complimented her, "you will have to share the recipe with me."

"That is Neer dosa," Mrs. Rai explained, "Khushi had become very good at it now."

"Sure Anjaliji." Khushi said politely.

"Please call me Anjali." Anjali's smile completely transformed her face, taking years off it. Khushi couldn’t help admiring how elegant and poised Anjali looked in her long gray kurta, with pink flowers and green vines printed on it. She had matched it with ankle length white cotton pants.

"You have a beautiful house here aunty," Anjali complimented Mrs.Rai, "lovely location too."

"You can come here anytime you wish," Mrs. Rai said, "I hope you know this house belongs to Arnav now."

"How many times have I told you not to say that?" Arnav said, "The house belongs to you."

Mrs. Rai explained how they had been forced to mortgage the house after their parents' death. A few years ago, Arnav had bought the house.

"I will be buying an apartment in Bangalore soon," Aarav said, "mom and I will live there when I come back."

"What made you come to Udupi Aarav?" Arnav asked his cousin, "I told you I was taking care of Ma."

"He came because he as jealous," Manav quipped as he looked at Aarav's annoyed face. "I sent you all those pictures with Arnav and aunty and you couldn’t take it anymore."

"Why don’t you grow up?" Aarav asked him, "I am not 18 anymore."

"This has been going on with them since college," Mrs. Rai told Khushi, "Aarav spent half his holidays in Bangalore and the other half in Mangalore."

"What was the point?" Manav retorted, "He would bring all his books to Arnav's place and be buried in them."

"I was studying medicine not computer science."

"He loved Mangalore so much that he ended up doing his residency here," Manav said.

"Don’t be silly," Aarav dismissed it, "you weren’t even here."

"Did I say you did for us?" Manav grinned, "you must have come her for some South Canara beauty."

"Beauty – my foot!" Aarav exclaimed, "I came here because of the hospital. Do you know how important a residency program is? It's not like your silly computer games."

Khushi got the feeling that Aarav was completely opposite to Manav in nature, more mature and serious, even more so than Arnav.

"We earn our living with our silly computer games." Manav retorted.

"Alright you two – cut it out," Arnav said, his tone laced with humour, "you are scaring the ladies here with your squabbling."

Aarav turned to Arnav. "I know you can take care of mom – in fact you have been doing that the past few years," he said, "I wanted to see mom and had planned to come here during Christmas holidays anyway. After this, I plan to take mom to Bangalore to visit dad's relatives."

If Khushi hadn’t heard about Arnav from Mrs. Rai, she might never have understood the deep bonding the cousins shared, having grown up together in the same house. It must have been hard for them when Arnav had moved to Delhi.

 Later that day, they visited the Sri Krishna temple as per Mrs. Rai's wish and Rashmi joined them along with little Sanvi.

Khushi was fascinated by the unique temple where the devotees could view the idol of Lord Krishna through a small window known in the local dialect as Kanakana Kindi or Kanaka's window. According to the legend, around the 16^th century, when Kanaka Dasa, the saint visited Udupi he sang devotional songs for the Lord, staying in a hut situated behind the temple as he was not allowed to enter the temple premises being a person of a lower class. Later one day, it was believed that Lord Krishna, impressed with his devotion had turned around to the back and created a hole in the wall so that his devotee to could see him.

Before entering the temple, Khushi was surprised to see Arnav taking off his navy blue checkered shirt and then the other two men, Aarav and Manav followed suit. Rashmi explained to her and Anjali who also seemed equally surprised that, it was the stipulation for the males before entering the premises of the temple.

As Khushi looked through the small window at the image of the Lord illuminated by the glowing oil lamps, she was mesmerized and a peaceful feeling settled in her heart.

After the darshan, they went to the famous Woodlands restaurant for lunch and they all ordered the vegetarian meal that came in a big round steel plate with poori and a bowl of rice in the centre and ten small cups of different dishes that included sambar, rasam, vegetable curries, pickle, dessert and papad. Even though Khushi couldn’t do justice to the meal, it felt nice to be in the company of these people who were all pretty much bound together by Arnav Singh Raizada.

"So, what are we going to do for New Year's Eve the day after tomorrow?" Manav asked Arnav.

"Should we go to the beach house?" Anjali suggested.

"No." Arnav said, "Let's go somewhere else."

"Yes, you are right," Manav agreed, "It will be boring -- we should go to a party."

On New Years' eve, they set out on a trip in a rental Innova to Hebri, a town that was 30 kms away from Udupi. The destination was a waterfall called Kudlu Theertha falls, that was located amid the jungles of the Western Ghats and was recognized as the first waterfall of the river Sita.

Manav was at the wheels of the van, and Anjali sat in the passenger seat next to him as she had the tendency to get motion sick if she sat at the back of the car. Khushi and Rashmi shared the middle seat while Arnav and Aarav sat in the rear. Khushi looked out of the window at the beautiful scenery whizzing past and her thoughts began to wander.

The day after Nagamandala, the security guard at Payal's old hostel had called her to inform her about a box that belonged to Payal. He had told her that he had found this box in an old storage room where they kept students' belongings that they might have left behind. Since it was eight years ago, he had taken time to find the box but he was proud that he had managed to find it. She had gone to the hostel during lunch break and brought the box back with her to college but due the incident with Sriji, she hadn’t been able to look in to the box until later that night after Arnav had left with Manav to the bar.

The box contained notebooks from Payal's final semester at college and a pouch with some knick-knacks like hair ties, pen, make up and some jewelry. But what had caught her attention was the random notes written by her sister like one would write in a diary. Payal hadn’t mentioned names nor there were dates on the letters which made it difficult to know the time frame but it was clear who she was writing about as some of the incidents matched with what Manav had told her -- about a knight in shining armour saving a damsel from distress, his visits to the hostel, about the tutoring class, the movies and a trip with the entire group. These notes had been mixed up and Khushi had a tough time arranging them in a sequential order or at least what she thought was one.

The notes were happy ones that described, what seemed to Khushi like a one-sided infatuation. She had come to that conclusion because most of what she had written seemed to be a misinterpretation of actions, rather than a real interaction. In one note, she had expressed her optimism that relationships were not written in stone, and that sometimes people didn’t see what was right in front of them but instead hankered after something that was not right for them. It was quite clear that she was talking about Arnav and Rashmi's relationship. If anyone else had read these notes, they might have thought that she was penning down a story because she had not written them in the first person. Khushi thought that if Payal had lived, she would have been a novelist one day, for she could see that her writing had a fictional quality. There was one note where she scribbled down her anguish about lost dreams, which Khushi surmised was written after the break-up which was at least apparent from her sister's perspective. There didn’t seem to by any notes after this about her rekindling her relationship with Arnav as her friends had claimed. After discovering so many new things about Payal, Khushi couldn’t put it past her, the likelihood that she had created a fictional situation to show her friends that she had moved on. Did she have other reasons to indulge in this farce? Khushi was disappointed that she hadn’t found any more notes that would help answer these questions. But it had answered one important question – Arnav had not been in love with Payal.

"Khushi?" Arnav called to her behind, "can you get down -- we need to step out for breakfast."

Khushi realized that they had stopped at a fast food restaurant on the highway.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed as she stepped out.

As she struggled to collapse the seat, Manav came to her rescue. "Let me do it, Khushi."

Soon they were seated in the modest restaurant and ordered breakfast of idlis, and dosas. Then Arnav ordered some poori aloo to be packed.

"There are no restaurants near the falls," he explained, "we will have to carry our own food and water."

"If you had told me I could have prepared some at home," Khushi said.

"That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you," he said, "a trip is supposed to be fun. I don’t want you waking up earlier than everyone else only to cook."

"I could have made some vegetable pulav," Rashmi said, "it would have been fun."

"No offence Rashmi, but I think we are better off without vegetable pulav," Manav said, emphasizing the vegetable part.

"Talk for yourself," Aarav said, "I like pulav."

"God!" Anjali exclaimed, "can’t you do without meat even for a day?"

"I am doing without it," Manav said, "Does poori-aloo sound like non-veg to you? I should just pack something from Karavali Seafood right across the street."

"You are incorrigible!" Anjali shook her head in resignation.

"I can understand these two are born vegetarians," Manav told Anjali, "but what's wrong with you?"

Anjali shrugged her shoulders. "I just quit one day."

Later as they began to get into the vehicle, Manav said, "Khushi, could you sit at the back? Aarav told me he has been feeling a little queasy."

Khushi looked at Aarav who looked clueless at first. "Yeah." He said as an afterthought.

"Sure." She said wondering if this was Manav's mischief.

Arnav thought he should talk to Manav later for his juvenile trick but he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Khushi from the moment he had seen her in the red black and white printed full length, wrap-around skirt and the white crop top.  Sitting next to her right now, he wished no one else was in the vehicle.

 As he picked up her hand casually and began to stroke it absently, he noticed her face was flushed with color.

"Why are we going to this waterfall on New Year's Eve?" Aarav asked, "I thought we were going to a party."

"I never said that," Arnav drawled, "Manav did."

Arnav's fingers moved up her forearm, to stroke the crook of her elbow and he saw that Khushi was quivering with feeling, as her fists scrunched up nervously.

"I did want to go to a party," Manav defended himself, "did you think this was my idea?"

"We could have gone to a party if we were in Bangalore," Aarav said, "We happen to be in a not-a-very-happening-place."

Arnav lifted Khushi's chin and gently placed a kiss on her lips, his tongue bathing her lips in continuous strokes. As he pushed her down on the seat without letting her lips go, his fingers slipped into her top, to touch the smooth skin of her stomach, and then slid upward to upward to cup her breast. As he kneaded her breast gently, Khushi gasped allowing his tongue deep inside her mouth.

 "Arnav?" Manav's question brought Arnav out of her his day dream. "I was asking you if you think Udupi is not a happening place?"

"Never mind!" Arnav raked his hand through his hair, "this is a healthier way to celebrate New Year." He couldn’t believe he was imagining things like an adolescent would.

Once they arrived in Hebri, Arnav had booked a Jeep that would take them the rest of the way to the base of the water fall which was about 14 kms further from Hebri. Armed with three bag packs that had the food and water, they got into the vehicle. As the roads passed through the jungles of the Western Ghats, the condition of the roads deteriorated into a muddy pathway. However, the landscape on both sides of the road was a sight for sore as eyes, with green lush mountains under blue skies, coconut groves, tall silver oak trees surrounded by dense bushes and rubber plantations.

"How much further is this place?" Rashmi asked Manav anxiously, "you told me it was nearby."

"Have you never come here before?" Anjali asked, "you are from this area, right?"

"My father wouldn’t let me go anywhere," she said, "he was very -- protective."

"Thankfully we won’t be doing that to our kids," Anjali said, "my daughter is in boarding school and is already quite independent."

"I don’t know how you do it," Rashmi, said, "I can’t imagine staying away from Sanvi."

As Anjali fell silent, Manav said, "That means you won't let Sanvi do anything either. You are probably as strict as your father."

"Don't be rude Manav!" Aarav admonished his friend, "don’t mind him. He has left behind his manners at home today."

"I agree." Arnav added.

Manav sat back looking somber. "Everyone is ganging up on me today."

"I haven’t said anything." Khushi said tentatively.

"You are my one true friend Khushi," Manav pouted.

After they reached the base of the waterfall, they alighted the jeep. The driver informed them that he would wait for them until 3 PM and no later than that.

Soon they were crossing a narrow bridge across the river and into the jungle, toward the water fall. As they entered the jungle everything seemed darker with the dense thicket of trees and bushes. They could hear the gurgling of a stream and stepped carefully on rocks to cross it. Arnav held Khushi's hand as he helped her cross it. Aarav did the same with Rashmi.

"Where are Anjali and Manav?" Rashmi asked.

"Anjali can't walk fast," Arnav said, "Manav will take care of her.

Soon, they came to a point where there were steps built to help in the ascent.

"There were no steps the last time I came here." Arnav said, "race you to the top!"

As Arnav and Aarav ran up the stairs, Khushi and Rashmi walked slowly one step a time.

"Can we rest for a bit Khushi?" Rashmi asked her, "I am out of breath."

"Sure," Khushi said, "the water is with the guys. I wish we had kept one bottle with us."

They sat looking around the trees in the jungle, listening to the sounds of birds making melodious sounds, once in a while.

"Manav told me you are Arnav are together." Rashmi said suddenly.

"What?" Khushi was shocked beyond words.

"He told me I should keep out of your way," she said, "he was quiet vocal about it."

"I – the thing is –" Khushi stuttered.

"He needn’t have worried," Rashmi said, "Arnav and I are just friends."

"Rashmi – you don’t have to explain." Khushi said going red in the face. She would have to have a talk with Manav soon.

"I know Manav told you about Arnav and me during college," she began, "but it looks like he doesn’t know details about our break up."

Khushi realized she was going to hear Rashmi's version of the break up and wondered why she was telling her all this out of the blue.

"Arnav had come to talk to my dad and told him he would marry me after completing his MS. But my dad convinced me that I would be leading a very difficult life with a man who wanted to make it on his own. I chose to listen to my dad."

Now she understood what Rashmi had meant by her words earlier. "Going against parents' can be daunting," Khushi tried to offer some comfort.

"That's a nice excuse," Rashmi smiled through her tears, "The reality was that I chose a life of luxury over love."

"You were young Rashmi." Khushi said.

"I paid a price for that," Rashmi said, "it turned out that my husband's family had lost a lot in business and they needed me to bail them out of their financial crisis. I realized very early in marriage that my husband was used to luxury but didn’t like to work hard to earn it."

"I am sorry."

"After a year of marriage, I met Arnav again," she continued, "I practically threw myself at him but he told me that in clear words that he cannot accept me in his life. However, he said he would give me all his support if I needed it.

"My father realized his mistake but because of his pride he wouldn’t let me divorce my husband. He supported me by giving my in-laws more money. My husband's death was because of his indulgence of fast cars. He was driving over the speed limit when he lost control and crashed into a truck. Finally, my in-laws are fighting me for the property that belongs to me.

"Despite everything that happened Arnav is helping me out now. In these past couple of months, I have learnt how to be independent – something my dad should have taught me a long time ago. I am truly grateful to him for that.

"The only good thing in this whole fiasco is my daughter." She smiled fondly.

As Khushi saw Manav and Anjali approaching, she warned Rashmi to straighten herself out.

Soon they were on their way up and were joined by Arnav and Aarav who had come down looking for them.

"What took you so long?" Arnav asked Khushi, "we were there for nearly fifteen minutes when we realized you hadn’t turned up."

"We took a break." Khushi said looking up at Arnav.

At the first glimpse of the pristine waterfall, they just stood silently astounded by the beauty as it flowed amid a backdrop of green foliage and brown rocks, splashing into a pond below. As it fell from a height of 300 ft above, it felt as though it was flowing from the blue skies. As the rays of the sun sluiced through the gaps, illuminating the water like gold, the scenery looked like a small piece of heaven.

The men, who were already attired in shorts, took off their t-shirts and got into the shallow pond shouting at the top of their voice, as the cold water touched their bodies. Khushi noticed a group of young girls who were awestruck by the sight of the three handsome men.

Khushi turned toward Anjali and Rashmi.

"Shall we get into the water?" she asked them eagerly.

"I can't step in to cold water Khushi," Anjali shook her head in refusal, "I will get a migraine."

"Me too." Rashmi agreed. "I can't afford to get sick with Sanvi around."

"You go ahead Khushi," Anjali said, "we will keep watch on all our stuff."

As she hesitated she caught Arnav's eyes and as he gave her an encouraging nod for her to join them, Khushi took off her wrap-around skirt and her t-shirt to reveal the water-resistant black shorts and the black and white spaghetti top she wore inside.

As she stood on the rock, Arnav motioned her to jump in and after the first initial shock, Khushi got accustomed to the temperature of the water as she swam smoothly, enjoying the warmth of the sun rays that fell on parts of the pond.

She saw Arnav, Manav and Aarav trying to get close to the waterfall as it splashed on to the pond. As she got closer, she realized the force of the water fall was too much to sit under it.

After playing in the water for a few more minutes Arnav and Khushi moved farther away and sat on a huge rock, basking in the sun. As birds flew above in the blue skies, Khushi leaned back as a feeling of peace settled in her heart.

"This place is so beautiful!" She exclaimed with pleasure.

"You are beautiful." He looked at her, his molten brown eyes simmering as they bore into her hazel ones.

I chose a life of luxury over love…

As Rashmi's words reverberated in her head, with startling clarity Khushi realized that she would drop everything in the world to be with Arnav even if he had nothing to his name. She was in love with him.