SS: Fragrances New update (Page:68-06/05)

~The beauty of life starts with light and ends with light. There is nothing in darkness. It is vacuity. An unwanted shell but visited almost always by many ~

She watched the sun, diminishing away somewhere behind the confines of earth. Coonoor. The place that holds deep and untouched beauty. The hills standing high to share their stories. Albeit beauty bestowed is what an apt statement could be. She walked faster as she saw the watch tick 6:30. Gracious God! She was running late. She sprinted across to the last circle and turned right. The green lawns beside the roads turning olive as they retired. The heavy weight of the guitar that rested on her left shoulder was not helping either. She almost ran to the alone building that lay across the green fields like a warrior of the battlefield. In fact it was a battle field for her. Sighing as she reached the door she knocked. The mirrored door reflected a stressed girl and she hitched in displeasure.

The door suddenly opened and there stood a man in 40's hovering over her five feet 4 inches.

"Explain" he stood rigidly against the door and arms folded across his chest. She knew she was in danger.

Scratching her head to come up with a nice excuse but her brain decided to take a stroll in the nice climate. So, the only thing she could do was smile. That idiot of a brain was sipping its cold drink sitting on the beach sand.

"The thing is today I... I was having an important assignment and decided to do it just in case I would forget but the moment I completed, I looked at the clock and it was almost 6:20 and I ran here." she said and pasted a sad emoticon. Her inner mind almost jumped up and choked on its coke.'Oh really' it smirked.

"Khushi! Listen to me carefully. This is the last time I am excusing you and one..."

"Thank you, sir" with that she rushed into the hall before he completed his diatribe. He sighed. Few things never change. Mr Gupta knew it.

He had known her since she was 7 and now almost 15 years passed but few things never change. Turning around he entered into the hall. The long hall was decorated with small orchids over hanging, and the room looked like old classic English time. Of course it ought to be. It was the coming play. 'Romeo and Juliet'.

Khushi was gawking at the beautiful decorum in front of her. Wow drama is Beautiful. She smiled. Deciding not to rile Gupta anymore. She unzipped the black cover and took out her guitar, tuny that she called. Thinking of the coming days was enough to shudder. It is going to be tough working here with balanced mind. She came all the way from States to be a part of this program. It became a tradition to be precise. She would come here every year and would stay for a month and then disappear into the chaos of busy life. Her chain of thoughts were broken by a voice.

Startled at the sudden entry she looked at her intruder. It was NK. His tall body covered in a relaxed attire.

"Hie loony" he riled as he settled on the bench that was ahead and grinned at her.

"Will you stop calling me with those stupid epithets." she knew it was waste arguing with him. He would pay billions to irritate her. That's how their friendship grew to be.

"Oh, come on buddy. I love to call you loony and you know that." he smirked at her.

"NO, and enough. I am hell tired today" with that she turned about to walk.

"Hey! you okay?"

"Nah! tired" she said as she breathed out hoping that her tension would escape in that breath.

"Why are you here?" he asked as he took her guitar. However, the playful tone changed. She knew what he was asking. Today was really important. In order to not confront anything, the only thing she can do is, work.

She let it go and tried to ease that tension that was getting intense in his head, she smiled and said "I am supposed to be or Gupta takes the privilege in chopping down my head"

"Aha... Scary Loony. I get it" he gave her a coy smile.

"Where Were You Today?" he asked as he blocked her way. Although he knows where she was, he had to ask. She is getting into a niche that she is running out to hide in and he cannot let that happen.

"No where," and she jumped to take the guitar which he successfully dodged away from her.

"Well that isn't humanly possible dear. Being no where" he said as he moved his hands away.

"Perks of being tall you see.." he marked.

"Arrghhh!!! fine be it. Mr. NK! I DO NOT NEED TO SAY WHERE AND WHY" she retorted back.

He smiled. "Need I require the reason. Well I am too intelligent, and I very precisely know where you were"

"Well then that you know. Poor me."she groaned.

"Khushi!!!" Gupta's yell was enough to seek the attention of all the lazy bones.

"Coming Mr. Gupta" she said.

"Give it back you mud head" she almost launched for a fight.

"Wohoo Calm down little warrior" he said as he gave her the guitar.

She gave him a dirty look and sprinted to the dais.

NK, he was kind but annoying. The interesting fact is that people still don't understand how they could survive in the presence of these two. Believe it or not; never in Dictionary Crazy and Sensitive go hand in hand but it is true with her.

Soon... Although I'd love to know what you felt! This is kind of a prologue! 😊

Next

The scene that encompassed put everyone into a spell. The way he looked at her twitched my heart.

His voice husky and unknown.

Ah, dear Juliet, why are you still so beautiful? Should I believe that death is in love with you, and that the awful monster keeps you here to be his mistress? I don't like that idea, so I'll stay with you. And I will never leave this tomb. Here, here I'll remain with worms that are your chamber-maids. Oh, I'll rest here forever. I'll forget about all the bad luck that has troubled me. Eyes, look out for the last time! Arms, make your last embrace! And lips, you are the doors of breath. Seal with a righteous kiss the deal I have made with death forever. (ROMEO kisses JULIET and takes out the poison) Come, bitter poison, come, unsavory guide! You desperate pilot, let's crash this sea-weary ship into the rocks! Here's to my love!

ROMEO drinks the poison. Oh, that pharmacist was honest! His drugs work quickly. So I die with a kiss.

It was not the mind that replayed. It was the mind's heart. Romeo. What is in name? The emotion is what always sets our cells to motion. The vibrancy that is difficult to express but only felt. So deep. So real. So fascinating. Unknowingly my hands drummed on to the guitar strings playing a tribute of a kind to the love that stayed. The rhythm that is so known yet unknown. As the scene played my vision blurred. Optical effect.

I was so involved in the situation that I was not even aware of the loud applause that vibrated around the hall. Well, it is beautiful.




"Splendid!" I heard Gupta's voice resonated. His eyes were brimming with tears. He is one of a kind. In his black jeans and a checkered shirt, with the loosely overhanging black vest coat, he looked like a model, with a fresh aura. Unbelievably strict in his nature, he still manages to crack up everyone around him. He has been in this theater business for more than 20 years, yet he is here, bringing another best treat of the upcoming Romeo and Juliet play with a touch of drama. He sure knows how to polish people. One exception, and that is me. He never understands me. I sniffed feeling the pressure in my nose. Oh Crap!!! Have I been CRYING?

Quickly wiping my tears away and turned around to look if someone saw me. Obviously, can I ever be happy? No. That stupid grin plastered face came into view.

Impassive expression mode: ACTIVE.

NK was amused to see Khushi. Her beautiful eyes, so focused on the scene, and her petite form in a state of meditation. Well, she was surely a connoisseur. He had known her for more than 15 years. That little carefree Khushi hasn't changed much, however there were few feathers of life that irrevocably attached. This was the same girl who was his crime partner in all those innumerable crazy stuff that they did together, God he couldn't help but grin!




Khushi packed her tuny back into her thick bag. She was reeling in the after effects of the play.

"Loony. Emotional I know. But you know you are too helpful than people ever know" he quipped along.

"And how is that related to me," I know he would come up with the most stupidest kind of explanation.

"See. Isn't it too obvious that you cry over small things like you cry buckets, tanks and rivers. You could erase the problem of water scarcity I tell you" he said as he ate the chips that he carried along.




Yikess! I know. His stupidity tends to infinity.




"NK! I do not cry over small things. It is just that I get emotional to normal humanly feelings like everyone do. Well if you are an exception then..."




"Leave all that. Let us just grab a chai" he said pulling her along. Yes, she needed one very badly. Her brain is almost on the bed screaming for remedy. Practice with Gupta is like practicing for a war. Yet, all knew he is the best.


We both rushed out of the dented door. The sudden cool breeze hit me relaxing my nerves. The time was already 9. The silent mountains decked with thousand hearts, some in deep slumber and some still active on roads.




"So, when is Shyam returning to India" he asked.




I looked at him for a minute. Where did that come from suddenly? "Next month. 20th" I said still thinking for the sudden doubt that broke in his head. He giggled.

"You scared buddy" It was more of a statement than a question.

"I don't want to discuss about that NK" I told him, silently pulling the overcoat slightly closer, trying not to think about it. So, he would stop pestering over the matter.

He shook his head.

"Okay. I will not," he said as he took faster steps.

"NK," I called but he is such a stubborn head you see. Stopping in his tracks turned around and gave the what-are-you-waiting-for look.

"It's just that I feel cranky when I bring up the topic. I will tell about it to you. Pukka. Who else will I vomit to" I said keeping the naive expression.




He rolled his eyes and looked at me. "You make me feel like a basin" he said as he smiled and stretched his hand. I giggled and took his hand as we ran down the hill. Who would have thought we were 23? It is so placid around. The silent breeze and our drumming hearts.

That beauty is hard to be felt. But once felt it is difficult to fall out. Well I am crazy. Outdated. I can skip from a normal thought to something that is not even related to an iota of it.




As we passed the Gyaanesh Book stall and climbed around we saw Hari Prakash Kaka stuffed in his old ragged jerkin and stirred the contents of the chai and the mystery of the jerkin still unknown. Not that NK tried to bring out the topic. But he was outrageously shunned. Hari Prakash Kaka was a mysterious man on the hill. He was fit and about 5'8". He had a built personality, and never generally spoke more than 'haan' . He was completely different from others. He never socializes with people. But the chai he makes is just so delicious. You can relish upon the taste for a life time.




We both sat over the stone seats. The stick high walls rose above and canopy, the place with small silent music of the crickets that resonated through the hill. NK mock saluted HP kaka and then started the nonstop blabbering. We spoke form Tina aunty's new dog to NASA' s latest launch.




I smiled at HP Kaka. But he just placed our glasses on the side bench and went away.
"Don't even try. I tell you he is married" NK smirked.




"You are a CHEAPOO" I remarked at him. He laughed a little more.

New York

The large office looked magnificent to his stressed eyes. He pinched the little strain that crept with headache.

He pressed the call button and the phone was answered by an alert young man, "Mathur, arrange my travel and make it quick, I am sending the details to your email and yes, postpone the meeting with Merrins to next month"

"Yes, sir," Mathur cut the call and sat staring at him laptop, when the email popped. He was curious when he saw the destination. In his years of experience working under Arnav Singh Raizada, he never saw his boss travel to India.

Arnav moved to the nearby plush couch and dropped his body's weight, relaxing his nerves. His handsome features blurred with emotions, he had no choice this time. He has to go take care of business.

He sighed.

Coimbatore.

With that he fell into a silent slumber, the lack of sleep overtaking his body.

Well, that's all for now! I do appreciate your likes and comments 😃

And yes, ignore the typos, I shall edit soon!

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