part 8

Khushi kick started  Happy Singh ji’s scooter and raced away not bothering about anything.  The morning Delhi traffic was a big hindrance.  There were traffic jams and traffic signals which were adding to her anger.  She was yelling and frowning at the people around and riding, weeding through the heavy traffic. 

Arnav took a sharp turn in the morning traffic.  He had a very important appointment with the Chairman of BTR group of industries.  He would never be late for any meeting.  This was an important meeting for his ambitious plans to taking over Kolkata Fashion House.  

“Damn this traffic!” he was irritated and frustrated at the indiscipline of the traffic.  He had to reach in time.  He raced away slamming the accelerator and it made some odd sounds and bangs in protest of his thinking.  He banged on the steering in frustration.  He knew something was wrong.  The car had put down its tools with the crank shaft dragging along the road.  Arnav was stuck up.  He somehow managed to pull it at the edge of the road and dialled his driver frantically getting down from the car.   He looked for taxi or auto in vain in the traffic, everybody seemed to be busy.  A deep furrow appeared on his forehead.  Everything was going wrong for him since morning. 

“What the hell... Send a taxi...!” ASR clenched his fists in rage.  His driver told him, “I am with Anjali Di. ..”

“Where the hell is the other one?” he asked angrily forgetting the driver’s name.

“Oh! He is on leave, sir! For his sister’s wedding!” said his driver and Arnav gave up.

“Hell!” he banged his fist on the bonnet getting more hurt physically.  

Khushi was weeding her way through the traffic on her ancient scooty in the wintery morning, wrapped herself in woollen.  Sun  too seemed to be still turning in his sleep.  She was riding hurriedly dodging the oncoming unruly traffic.  She crossed the signal to take the sharp right turn and she saw the white SUV stabbing her heart.  She tried to ignore the vehicle parked at the edge of the road but couldn’t.  She looked at the number plate and the AR Design’s mark on the vehicle and curious, stopped her scooty.  

“Driver ji?” she stopped and peeped in.  There was no one.  She put her head in through the open window and looked inside.  There was no one.  “Humm.. this Laad Governor must have gone somewhere ... !”

“What the hell!” someone yelled and she banged her head in fright on the window sill.   She took her head out and saw him looking at her furiously.  She looked away frightened.

“woh.. I thought Driver ji...!” she couldn’t complete.

“What did you want from him?” he asked angrily and she flared up in rage.

“Yeah, I wanted to ask him if he needs any help. But he is not here and you don’t need anything....! So, I guess I should be going..!” she retorted contorting her face.  He gaped.

“Yeah, right!” he said thumping his hands on his hips and looking around.

“Damn this!” he was really desperate.  He looked at her ancient scooter and she shuddered.

“Iss damn car Ko bhi abhi band padanaa thaaa!” he muttered angrily.

“This time i have not done anything!” she raised her hands in the air clearing herself off.  He looked away.  She kick started her scooty and raced away.  She turned abruptly going a few meters away and took a U turn.  Coming back to him she surveyed.  

“Do you want me to drop you somewhere?” she looked generous.

“No, Thank you!” he said turning his back on her.

“Ok!” she shrugged and turned again.  He remembered his important meeting and yelled. 

“No, Wait!” She looked back.  He came to her and said “Office!” she said “Ok!”  he looked at her and she didn’t move an inch.  “This is my vehicle!” she threw her nose up in the air with a glint and he frowned. “Ok!” he said frustrated and with a great fuss sat behind.  She kick started and he lost his balance.

“whoa... careful!” he yelled gripping her waist to regain his balance while Khushi enjoyed his panicky.   “Don’t worry you will reach your destination..!” she said smugly trusting her riding skills.

“In one piece!” he muttered not sure about the same.   “Yeah, in one piece!” she retorted back angrily. Within few minutes he was accustomed with the traffic, her riding, and the morning wintery breeze.  He was ok with sitting behind.  Her talcum powder sweet smell made him close his eyes for a brief fraction of  seconds.  His chin lightly bumping on her shoulder, her dangling green zumkas brushed his nose.  Her hair flowing untidily in the air tickled his face and made him gather her lose hair in his fist.  She was riding comfortably and cautiously.  He had full freedom to observe her without her knowledge.  Her unblemished skin was glowing in the morning with a pink tinge of winter spreading across.  He looked around.  The entire atmosphere seemed to be glowing in that faint morning glory.   

Her deep green churidar and light green sweater matching with her zumkas, he looked at her wrists and was sure that she would wear green bangles.  But to his surprise she wasn’t.  She was wearing a thick red single bangle in her left hand and a wrist watch in the right.  He sighed at her matching sense but failed to understand that she hardly had time to look at herself in the morning.  She had a lot of things to do.   

They were riding silently.  She had so many things in her mind but was unable to think of anything else.   He still was thinking about the moments spent with her.  

Shivering cold breeze made her nose go cold and he was breathing warmth on her shoulder, resting his chin on her shoulder.  Every little bump made him tighten his grip on her.  She was riding comfortable on a little secluded place and the orange ball was rising looking around lazily.  Her cheeks grew pink and earlobes turned red.  Her dangling zumkaas tempted him to tickle lightly and she shivered with his touch on her neck.  Embarrassed, he took his hand back and looked away.  She didn’t mind and rode faster on her several times repaired scooter.  Her hands gripping the handle, she looked at her left hand.  There was no ring.  He felt better. He didn’t know why, though!  He refrained from asking her anything.  

She suddenly applied breaks and almost bumped on the vehicle ahead.  He lost his control.  “Careful!” he screamed holding her tightly and gripped on the handle.  She lost her control and he took over.  Regaining the balance he steadied the vehicle and looked at her from behind.

“Dekh kar Chalaa Nahi Sakati?” he yelled angrily in her ear and she shuddered.  “Chalanii aatii hain! I know how to ride!” She retorted back and he left the handle.  She took over without another word.  He was relaxed and she was tensed up.

“I want to reach safely, that’s it!” she could only think.  He never wanted to finish the ride.  She applied breaks and he took the opportunity to bump on her hard.  “What the..!” he blurted.

“Office!” she pointed at his huge office building.  He got down reluctantly and she turned her scooter.  She was getting later for her tuitions and he didn’t even bother to thank her. 

“This  is all because of her!” he blamed her looking at the time and seeing that he was late by ten minutes.  He muttered furiously under his breath blaming her for riding slow and dangerously.  “Damn this girl!” he said walking into the office to find that the Chairman of BT group Mr. Balwindar Singh had already arrived twenty minutes back.  Frown appeared on his face, blaming Khushi!

He was confident, had done his homework well, he was well rehearsed for the presentation.  Mr. Balwindar Singh was waiting in the conference.  He apologized for being late blaming his car and the traffic.  Balwindar Singh gave a nod of understanding.  He didn’t mind for ASR being late.  The presentation started and Balwindar Singh listened with rapt attention with a very warm expression on his face.  ASR tried to gauge his expressions in vain.  Balwindar Singh was taking down notes, was asking relevant questions making ASR more nervous.  He had never faced a person like Balwindar Singh in his life before.  His piercing look made him more nervous.  For the first time in his life, ASR fumbled while giving presentation.  

“Come to the numbers, Mr. Arnav Singh.. let us not talk about projections..!” Balwindar Singh had stopped him from proceeding further when he had started off projections and sales forecasts.   ASR understood and he came back on facts and figures.  It was only a fifteen minutes talk and Mr. Balwindar Singh concluded saying that they need to meet once again to take it further, without giving any verdict or any positive or negative expression.  ASR was unable to gauge him.  He was as pleasant as before.  He got up from his seat and ASR presented him with the new year desktop calendar.  He accepted it politely moving out of the conference hall and ASR switched on the lights turning off the screen.  “Skeptical and slow decision maker...!” ASR judged the formidable personality of Mr. Balwindar Singh.

“He seemed to be little aggressive, very ambitious... bande main kuch toh baat hain!” Balwindar Singh had called up his wife travelling back to the guest house of BTR group in Delhi.