CHAPTER 9 - JETTING AWAY HOME

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Hello everyoneee...

Supriseee..supriseee..

I am back with the third back to back update in a row!

It isn't very long because it had to totally stand out on its own.

Let me know what you all think!

I will let you all dive in now..without further delay.

Chapter 9 – Jetting Away Home

830 AM

Arnav's POV

I walk into the plane behind Cap and Coach and the rest of the boys are behind me as we greet the crew and then settle into our business class seats. We were flying Emirates and it was going to be a long travel time of almost 16 hours which included a short 2 hours 30 minutes layover in Dubai.

I see most of the boys simply crash into their seats, all exhausted from all the partying.

I don't think any of us got any sleep at all.

The exhaustion was now catching up with us all.

The boys had continued partying and I had obviously had to take that time to see Khushi,and I had reached the hotel just in time to rush up to the room , freshen up a little, it was good that I had packed up well in advance.And then I caught up with the boys in the lobby at 5am,and we had reached the airport on time for the formalities etc and then had chilled and relaxed in the lounge, had a super early breakfast and then got on the plane, everyone was prepared to sleep through this leg of the journey since the duration was 9 hrs 35 minutes.

So because we travel a lot, and have to adjust to different time zones, our medical experts advice us to kind of schedule our sleep cycle based on the time that would be in the country we were landing into as our final destination, eventually. So for example, we all were mostly going to rest it out through the first leg and then be awake throughout from Dubai until New Delhi because we would only land at 2am in the morning according to IST which meant that we go straight home and get to bed, so that theres no jet lag the next day.

I relax in my seat and settle all my things and I take out my wallet from my back pocket and I was just about to put it in my backpack as well, when I paused and I opened it to recheck my coin pocket within, and I smile to myself as I see Krish's toss coin and the mini hanuman chalisa – khushi had given me just hours before, safely tucked in between the fabric walls of my wallet.

On reflex - I touch them tenderly.

I was going to keep them both with me as a precious treasure.

I don't think Khushi can even comprehend what these pure and priceless gestures from her end meant to me.

I close my eyes for a second as I remember her words as she'd gently placed the mini hanuman chalisa in my palm – "id like you to keep this with you, you travel so much...iv given one to uncle , aunty, and rahul too to keep with them for their travels..because they are all the family I have left anyway..iv kind of become a little paranoid about air travel after the crash that killed my family..",

And I as I revisit the moment in my head , I feel moved again as I re-read the emotion on her face as she'd paused and gulped down a emotion and then continued with a soft smile – "but you travel so so much all the time..its like half your time is on a jet plane..keep this with you please...I just feel like this will keep you safe..."

I am still speechless about what I feel within as I revisit that moment in my head.

I quickly close my wallet and place it safely in my backpack and then get up to stow it above in the overhead cabin and all this while, I cant get Khushi's face outta my mind.Or the emotion I'd felt when shed held onto my hand silently and walked me to the car and opened the door for me, or how her gaze had silently locked with mine before the cab driver drove away or the fact that – leaving was hurting so damm much.

I'd probably fallen for her way more than my mind had been able to process.

I get back into my seat and Ravi joins in on the seat next to me, and he gives me a smile and a pat on my shoulder and he grins – " im crashing ASR..im so exhausted..im sure im going to sleep the minute I buckle up..help me recline my seat once wev taken off..please?"

I grinned at him – "sure...",and I winked – " and ill ask the crew to keep something ready for that killer hangover you are going to face when you wake up.."

He winked at me – " sure..you know me..you get some rest too..?"

I nodded – " yes, im planning to sleep through too...",and I watched him buckle in his seat and he folded his arms and adjusted the blanket on himself and closed his eyes.

I settle the little pillow at the back of my head and open my blanket to cover myself and I took out my phone, and I open my whtsapp and go through all the chats and messaged id had with khushi until now.

I smile to myself as I read through it all.

How did I get so lucky?

I can't believe the way destiny had played the chance card here and made me meet her.

I felt such a strong connection with her that it was really unexplainable in words. She understood me like no other and this instant connection between of us was so amazingly pure and unadulterated too .

And.

God the things she had made me feel.

She'd touched on all those deep chords within.

I think of her dramatic antics(that made me laugh), all the fun that I had with her (id never been so much at ease in anyone's company apart from my family, I could be myself in everyway) and her innocence and her honesty (that's so pure that its so amazing), and her strength and courage and her bravery and her positivity and zeal to go on in life with a smile on her face, her never give up attitude (all the above that I deeply respect and admire).

And I am clean bowled, all over again.

I take a deep breathe as I recall everything that she'd made me feel and then pause on the thought of how attracted I was to her too.

She was absolutely clueless about how gorgeous and incredibly sexy she was and that kind of made her even more irresistible and alluring.

I was so crazily drawn to everything about her, that it was almost starting to feel like as if even the little things about her were supposed to serve as custom made magnets to my existence.

I recall it all and I find myself being bowled out - Over and Over again.

It was as if I was bowling and stumping my very own wickets within the pitch of my inner being.

Or maybe – I was just Hit Wicketing the wickets of my Heart with my very own bat.

How did I get so damm lucky to meet the most precious girl on this planet – in the way that I had?

I had to thank my destiny, and my fate and all the gods above for the same.

The captains voice fills in through the speaker as they announce that the gates were now closed and we were now getting prepared for taxi.

I looked at my phone.

It was 850 am.

Was Khushi awake??

I hadn't messaged her until now because I didn't want to disturb her sleep.

She only slept so late because off me and shed also had a super long day before, and then ofcourse all that late night driving whilst she waited for me.

But I wasn't regretting the fact that I had woken her up.

I couldn't have obviously left without meeting her.

Infact those last 45 minutes with her meant so much to me.

I smile to myself as I recall the stumped and shocked expression on her face as she just repeated my words back to me when I told her that this wasn't goodbye or that we were going to be in touch.

I was super happy that she'd wanted to be in touch with me too.

I was kind of nervous over her answer to that.

I quickly message in my family whtsapp group that I had now boarded. I always messaged in there about my takes off and landings.

I close my eyes for a second and I remember khushi's words again - but you travel so so much all the time..its like half your time is on a jet plane..keep this with you please...I just feel like this will keep you safe..."

I quickly messaged her on whtsapp.

Hi Khushi, I don't know if you are up yet.Incase you are, then goodmorning to you! I'v boarded the plane now and we will be taking off in the next ten minutes, we will be flying for 9 hrs 30 minutes first and then land in dubai and then 2 hours 30 mins layover and then we have a 4 hr 30 minutes flight to New Delhi.I will message you once I land in Dubai.I usually text about my takes off and landings in my family group too.

I was about to close my phone away right when it beeped with a reply.

And I smiled to myself.

Khushi was awake.

Her : Goodmorning hoodie guy, I just woke up like 5 minutes ago! Thank you so much for keeping me in the loop about your take offs and landings. Its very comforting to my paranoid brain.Gosh that's a lot of travel though..did you manage to get any sleep at all?? Its been so hectic..do get some rest. Please surely think about resting throughout the flight.

I grinned as I quickly typed.

Me :Thank god my message reached you just in time.Yes, I do plan to rest it out. You too..please take care, its been a hectic week for you too..sorry again about making you wait so much, last night..

My phone beeped.

Her : Don't worry about it hoodie guy, I gotta be your tourist guide for all these days, I assure you the pleasure is all mine.are you taking off now? Its 856am.

I quickly replied.

Me : yes, taking off now.you have a good day ok? I will message you when I land in dubai.

My phone beeped.

Her : thanks I will.happy journey to you.

And I was replying to her when my phone beeped again.

Her : you have the hanuman chalisa with you right??

I felt a gush off emotion wash over me as I wrote : yes Khushi.its safely tucked away in my wallet.thank you so much for giving it to me.

The crew member now came around for the final round of check and I quickly went with the flow of what I wanted to text to her and I wrote : I am going to miss you Khushi!

I didn't want to overwhelm her by telling her that I was already missing her very very much.

I didn't know if I was going to get a reply to that immediately and I almost put my phone on flight mode right when it beeped.

Her : I might just miss you too, Hoodie Guy.

I smiled to myself as I read that bit and I quickly type : I am happy to read that.It made me grin.

I got a quick reply with a emoticon of a smile with a sticky tongue,and I almost laughed out loud as I could totally imagine khushi enacting that expression in front of me.

I finally put my phone on flight mode and closed my eyes.

I felt a little better now after this little chat with her ; maybe – just maybe the physical distance wouldn't be a problem in nurturing this connection in between of her and me.

I mentally thanked the evolution of technology, for I was going to have to rely on it a lot.

It was totally going to be - my sole saviour in the given situation.

.................

9AM - SUNDAY

Khushi's POV

I smile to myself as I sent Arnav that sticky tongue emoticon and then I step out of bed to freshen up and walk out ten minutes later and go over to my little kitchenette and I put on the electric kettle as I started to prep my coffee and buttered toast for breakfast.

So Sundays.

I don't quite like them.

I wish I could just skip this day of the week.

It used to be full fledged family time fun day for us all when Mom, Dad , and Krish were alive.

The time on this day kind off moves slowly, and it makes very emotional and nostalgic.

I was getting better with time surely.

But I think it was a better idea if I actually thought about doing private tours on this day.

I decide to read up on that and all that I needed to take care with regards to starting big bus tours on weekends and then private taxi on Sundays for day tours outside of Cape Town,and I made a mental note to talk to Rahul about borrowing the car for beyond just usual uber once I went to his place for lunch.

Uncle and aunty were amazing, they always called me over for Sunday lunch.Even Diya and her younger sister and her parents also joined in mostly.

The toaster rings and I pick out my toasts and put some butter on it and then make my coffee, and pick them both up and then walk over to the tiny table and two chairs , which was my little dining area next to the window,and I look out the window and sip my coffe.

And I immediately put on my little Bluetooth speaker, and play some music on my phone and just as the tune flows in.

My thoughts finally return to him.

Arnav.

And I cant help but smile and I pick up my phone and re-read the little chat I had just had with him, before his take off.

And then I put my phone back and the music continues to flow through and I sip my coffee and take a bite off my toast, and my thoughts automatically drift to last night when he'd come to meet me that way in the middle of the night at 320 am.

So after writing that text to him, I had just crashed into bed and sleep had come over soon, because I was so exhausted and id obviously been woken up by the constant banging and hard knocking at the backdoor, but I had been pleasantly surprised when id seen him and not a theif like I had expected.

I chuckle as I remember how he'd ducked my taekwndo kick just in time.

All those stupid damm flutters and goosebumps and then major brain shutdown – it all happened all at once when hed pulled me into his arms and held me close , concern dripping in his voice over my safety.

And id just been hypnotised under that malfunctioning of my brain and went with the flow of the moment, and I was also very overwhelmed with the thought that he had come to see me , because when id slept it was with the thought that I was not going to see him again or probably even hear from him again.

But I had been in for a very pleasant surprise when he'd woken me up in the middle of the night.

I was glad he did.

It was probably the first time that I wasn't mad or irritated over having my precious sleep disturbed.

And then ofcourse, id felt all that intense unsaid vibes as his gaze locked with mine and or when his eyes scanned me up and down when I was still in my night suit shorts.I am sure he was thinking about how kiddish I looked in my candy striped shorts,and I was kind of embarrassed about the fact that he had seen me looking like a weird idiotic sleepy dork.Because I was still in half the state of my sleep,when id opened the door but to my embarrasement I had walked infront off him looking like a silly sleepyhead.

Even my hair were all tossled and messed up.

Gosh, I really was embarrassed about that.

That's why I had taken a couple of minutes to brush through my hair and had changed into my night tracks when id come up to make us that maggi, and then ofcourse because I knew he was going to travel, I was going to give him my mini hanuman chalisa as a token of saying goodbye.

I wanted him to have it.

Because It felt like it would keep him safe in all that air travel.

But I wasn't expecting him to not say goodbye.

That bit had come as a real shock to me.

I was completely taken aback and shaken when he told me that this wasn't goodbye and that we were going to be in touch.

He wanted to keep in touch with me??

Why??

It took me a couple of minutes to just digest the possibility of the fact , but then the way he held onto me and the look on his face – it was all so honest that it moved me, and I admitted honestly that id like to keep in touch with him too.

And then I don't know how or why did I get so emotional in the moment when it was finally time for him to leave and then I'd handed him my hanuman chalisa and asked him to keep it with him because it felt like it would keep him safe in all that air travel(it felt good to my head that my hanumanji was now guarding him ).And the look in his eyes as he closed his hands over it and then pulled me into a crushing hug – made me shiver all over again with a zillion flutters in the pit of my stomach.There was also something about the way he had tenderly kissed my forhead and then cupped my face and gazed into my intently as he pointed out one more time that this was not goodbye.And I had held onto his hand silently and walked him to the car and then I had stayed rooted to my spot until his car was out of sight.

I did feel my eyes moisten on its own accord as I saw the car finally leave the bend of the curb.

Why did it hurt to see him leave?

I knew he was going to right?? Right from the very beginning.

Then why did I have to feel this weird riding -a- Columbus-ride- kind of feeling in my stomach.

Great – Now I had to deal with two different swings in the pit of my stomach as if that up and down feeling of the ferris wheel wasn't enough.

Just as he'd left and id found myself standing rooted to the spot until the car was out of my sight - Everything inside my stomach had twisted into knots just like it always did when I sat at the last seat of the Columbus ride in the fun-fair.

It totally felt like those last gestures in the flow of the moment from both our sides was surely something that went way over just normal friendly gesture and care.

Am I Right??

Or am I wrong??

Or maybe, I was just reading too much into it again, because my brain had officially shut down anyway, so who was I to make any analysis in the malfunction state of my thoughts and emotions that were hopping between the ferris wheel and the Columbus anyway?

But.

I surely wanted to take his word for the fact that this wasn't goodbye.

For two reasons that kind off entangled within each other.

First reason – that he was right about one thing for sure.

Our instant connection.And that crazy unsaid intense vibe in between of us which I am sure is that result of that instant connection.

And second reason being – that even though all this swings in my stomach emotions was completely foreign, it was also the situation that I had never experienced before, for no one ever had- had this kind off affect on me.

It made me nervous but it also was different and exhilarating- which made the turn of events in between us totally interesting to my head too.

Yes,he had returned to his routine life which was in a different world from mine and I had returned to my world too.

But I don't know why it seemed right to atleast stay connected to each other and hold onto this weird thread that tied us both to each other.

I had no clue where was this going to take us or what this even meant, but I didn't want to over think a lot right now.

I wanted to wait to see the flow of it all, anyway.

I pick up the phone and I re-read his message : I am going to miss you Khushi!

And I smile to myself as I finish sipping my coffee and take a last bite off my toast – I was surely going to miss him too.

I walk over to my sink and clean up my plate and mug and then pick out a change and decide to step in for a shower.

I had to still read a lot about this tourist guide opportunity that I was wanting to explore, and then id also catch up on some studying for my charted accountancy in the evening after lunch at Uncles, and then

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