《Short Recap》
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get your sorry ass out of bed and get ready." He shouted over his shoulder as he went out.
Wait what?!
I grunted indignantly, as I pulled the sheets away and got out of bed.
Cheers to a long day ahead!
●○●
"So where are we headed?" I asked, strapping on the helmet that Vinay had handed to me.
"I have no clue. Thought we could just start with breakfast and think then." He replied simply.
I paused.
"So you pulled me out of the house for absolutely nothing?" I questioned, with a tinge of annoyance in my tone.
Vinay gave me a listless nod as he turned the key into ignition.
"What the hell?" I huffed, "I'm going back up."
Just as I turned on my heel, Vinay caught hold of my wrist and stopped me.
He tugged me towards him gently and said, "Have you ever done anything spontaneously, Akira?"
I gave him an incredulous look, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
"There, you've got your answer," he smirked, as I tried to figure out what he meant, "You're so used to doing everything according to a set plan that you've forgotten how to live in the spur of the moment. You need to loosen the control you wield on your life sometimes, just go with the flow. You'll be surprised to find out what you've been missing."
A frown flitted onto my face.
Why on earth was everyone telling me to have fun? First my parents, then Roshni and now even Vinay.
Honestly, I was having the time of my life if you ignored some things like Mrs. Pinto's accident and being forced to live with a jerk. I had a job that I absolutely loved, and amazing friends. Plus I did attend the stupid college party on Saturday, which counted as a plus point on my social life CV, right?
I could at least rest assured that I wasn't committing social suicide!
So why did everyone have a problem?!
"What's wrong with being organized?" I asked Vinay, tilting my chin up slightly, "I like planning my activities and it's worked out for me just fine until now. If anything I'm enjoying life more than seventy percent of my peers."
He pursed his lips indignantly before saying, "Well, wouldn't you like to experience life like the remaining thirty percent at least once."
I considered for a moment before climbing onto Vinay's bike, "Fine, you have one day. Make it count."
"Thank the fucking heavens!" he muttered under his breath, as he strapped on a backpack to the side of the motorcycle.
We rode silently until we hit the highway. There Vinay put his bike into full throttle and we sped along as adrenaline pumped through my veins in spurts.
I felt the same feeling of freedom, that I had the previous day. If anything it was far more intense today, the air feeling impossibly lighter against my bare skin.
"Whoo!" Vinay hollered, the blowing wind drowning out his voice.
"What the hell was that?"
Vinay's shoulders shook with laughter, "Try it yourself!"
"Of course not!" I exclaimed, "There are people around us. What will they think?"
"Who cares what they think. It's not like they know us." He shrugged, "Come on Akira, just shout at the top of our lungs like you're queen of the world."
"Umm...no." I rolled my eyes, "Because unlike you I'd like to preserve my dignity."
"That's fucking bullshit! Just admit the fact that you're scared."
"That's hardly true!" I said pulling my lips into a tight line.
"Well, prove it then." Vinay replied.
"Ahhh!" I shrieked like a dying banshee.
I burst out into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, before screaming again.
"Wasn't so hard, now was it?" Vinay flashed me his signature smirk through the rearview mirror.
I ignored him, savoring the feeling of euphoria that was setting in.
We rode for another half an hour, the urban landscape slowly transitioning into bare farmland and small towns lining the highway, before we stopped for breakfast at a roadside diner.
"The benne dosa you get here is to die for." Vinay said looking up from the small menu card.
"I'll just have one of those then." I nodded.
As if on cue, a young man with a napkin draped on his shoulder arrived at our table to take our order, and before long we had our food served.
"Oh my god! This is delicious." A satisfied moan tumbled off my lips as the warm butter on the dosa melted in my mouth, "Have you been here before?"
"Yes, my father used to stop the car for breakfast at this diner every time we drove to my grandparents' place," Vinay replied between bites, "And I never ordered anything other than the benne dosa."
"So we still haven't decided where we're going. Do you have something in mind at least now?" I asked curiously.
"Well, there's an old fort with a beautiful lake inside and it won't be very crowded today since it's a weekday. I was thinking we could go there, maybe trek around the surrounding hills." Vinay said, waiting intently for my response.
"Sure, I'm open to anything today." I replied with a lopsided smile.
"Well, finish fast then," Vinay clapped his hands together, a glint in his eyes, "There's so much to do!"
●○●
The day blew past in a blur, as we trekked across the lush green slopes of the Western Ghats, chasing misty clouds and eating snacks that we'd bought on the way.
Currently, we were sitting on the banks of a large rain filled pond with clear water jumping flat stones on the surface.
"Yes!" I punched the air victoriously, "It jumped five times. Did you freaking see that?!"
"I'm sure I can do way better than that." Vinay shrugged, taking his stance.
He curved his forearm back and strained his eyes on the pond before catapulting his stone forward in a fluid motion. I watched in anticipation as it jumped once, then a second time and then a third before sinking into the water.
"Fuck!" Vinay cursed.
"Ha! I win!" I yelled, mocking his previous words, "I'm sure I can do better than that."
"You just got fucking lucky, ok." Vinay snapped, "Let's play another round."
"Nope." I pouted, popping the p, "I won and that's that."
"Whatever..." he muttered under his breath, pulling his t-shirt off in a single motion.
"Whoah!" I straightened up a little as he proceeded to strip his pants, "What do you think you're doing?"
"I believe I'm going for a swim." He yelled as he charged into the cool water.
He swam a couple of laps before standing in the chest deep ripples around him and called out, "Aren't you going to join me?"
Involuntarily, I inched backwards on the sandy beach, "Most certainly not!"
"Oh no no...you are not going to do that." I got up, my hands raised in front of me in defence as Vinay made his way out of the pond and sauntered towards me with a mischievous glint in is eye.
He picked me up and hurled me into the warm water like I weighed absolutely nothing.
"Ahh!" I went down, gurgling as I hit the water.
"You asshole!" I shouted, splashing water his way, "I'm drenched now."
"Good thing I packed some extra clothes then." Vinay countered with a snort, jumping away from the jet of water.
"Ughh..." I groaned in annoyance.
I ducked under the water surface and swam towards him, latching onto his legs and pulling him under, before swimming away.
"Fuck!" he sputtered coming back up, as I bellowed with laughter.
"Swim away while you can, Akira," he warned before launching his body forward.
Shit!
I began my escape but was a second too late as Vinay caught hold of my shoulders and shoved me underwater. I sank lower and wiggled out of his grip.
I swam to the sandy bank and flopped onto the ground, tired from all the fooling around.
Vinay followed me and sat down a couple of feet away.
"That was awesome!" I smiled crinkling my eyes to avoid the direct sunrays from getting into my eyes.
Closing my eyes, I tipped my had back and basked in the warmth of the late afternoon sun.
"Here." Vinay threw a towel my way.
I picked up my spare set of clothes and made my way behind a clump of bushes for some privacy before stripping down my soaked outfit.
After I was done I came back to find a shirtless Vinay in dry pants and his towel around his neck.
My face flushed red, and I looked away.
"How long do you take to change?" I asked.
"Why? Is this distracting you?" Vinay raised his brow insinuatingly, pointing at his glistening torso.
I shrugged.
"No, I'm just afraid you'll catch fleas or something, and you're my ride home so I'm obviously worried." I said lamely.
I ignored the funny look he shot my way, and started gathering my stuff to avoid watching him as he pulled on a t-shirt.
We hiked up the hills a little more, as the sun began its descent into the horizon. The temperature was beginning to drop and it was suddenly chillier as winds started blowing into the valley below.
After reaching the top, Vinay plopped down on a rock outcrop and motioned for me to sit next to him.
I inhaled the clean, fresh air greedily.
Was it weird to say that it tasted different from city air? Like a really good different?!
I looked up at the mauve sky dappled with orange and pink, marveling at the sheer beauty that nature had at its behest.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" I whispered loudly, the awe evident in my tone.
"Hmm," Vinay murmured absentmindedly, "Just like you."
My breath hitched at his words, and I wondered if it was just a trick of my ears.
I met his gaze slowly, his irises darkening ever so little as he leaned forward and cupped my chin gently.
I sat there stunned, unable to process what was happening as he searched my eyes for a response.
Before I knew it, his warm lips met mine and he kissed me gently. My eyes shut involuntarily as his mouth moved against mine, savoring the taste, my heart beating violently against my rib cage.
Placing a light hand on Vinay's chest, I pushed him away.
"I can't." I whispered, mortified at what I'd just done.
"Fuck!" Vinay drew back hastily, running his fingers through his hair in frustration, "What the fuck was I thinking?"
I sucked my lips into my mouth as I watched as he stood up and slung his backpack onto his shoulders before making his way back the way we had come.
"Vinay, I..." I called out.
"Don't, you don't have to say anything. It's not your fault." Vinay cut me off rudely.
I followed after him, my hand coming up to brush my lips. Despite being so wrong in more ways than one, the kiss had felt blissful and I craved to feel his mouth against mine again.
I just hoped that one taste would be enough.
●○●
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