Cigarettes & Peonies

16

"Maahi let's get some ice cream!!!" said vaishali as they both strolled along the grassy foothills. Maahi nodded quickly. Who the hell declines an ice cream offer after all. They both swerved right and after a quick short walk down the narrow pathway they came across a lone ice cream truck parked under the roof of the thick Nilgiri trees.
"Dells aren't so packed up like the towns higher up in the mountains or simply the hills at length. For some reason people avoid valleys even though valleys are so beautiful and serene, for instance our town. It's so peaceful here, isn't it???" vaishali talked to her as they slowly approached the ice cream truck. Maahi nodded.
"Be thankful that people avoid the valleys or else our town would've, by no means, been quiet and peaceful." said maahi. Vaishali chuckled. They both halted close to the truck and vaishali placed the order for two choco chip ice cream. Maahi looked around casually, admiring quietly the pristine beauty of the valley. The undulating hills, the stark greenery, euphonious tweeting of the birds, the chilly breeze and KARANVIR. What the hell???? Her eyes literally bulged out of her sockets after catching Karanvir right across the ice cream truck, staring intently at her with his cold, blank eyes. She snapped her head at vaishali who was busy in paying for the ice creams and squabbling with the vendor for two rupee change. She gulped as behind her head she could feel Karanvir's deep, piercing gaze digging holes into her skull.
"Vaishu......" she whispered gingerly. Vaishali threw a casual glance at her before continuing her fight with the vendor. Maahi literally was quivering in trepidation.
"Vaishu listen." she hissed slowly. Vaishali wrenched the change out of the vendor's grasp and turned towards her.
"What happened???" she asked, tossing the coins inside her handbag. Maahi's face was taut and she was actually shivering.
"Karan-vir!!!" she stuttered fearfully. Vaishali's face contorted into a frown as she quickly looked across her and found his big figure, now, leaning against his 'lousy' jeep. His eyes were staring fixedly at maahi. Vaishali clenched her fists.
"Vaishu let's get out of here!!! I don't wanna be around him." maahi pleaded anxiously. Vaishali looked at her as if she's lost her head.
"Why should we move??? He will go from here, filthy dork. You don't need to be scared of him, he's pathetic but other than that he's harmless." vaishali told her firmly. Maahi furtively peeked at him through her long, curled eyelashes, he still was there, staring at them like a predator. Vaishali raised up her middle finger at him and his face twisted into a fearsome expression. But he said nothing and they only murdered each other with their eyes. Maahi took vaishali's hand and the two sat on a cute little bench right under the shade of a grove of eucalyptus trees. Maahi avoided karanvir's presence but perhaps vaishali couldn't do so, especially when she just had a hankering to chop off his balls. Karanvir wanted no less for her, if he gets the opportunity he'll surely strangle her to death.
"Vaishu, when are your exams starting???" asked maahi, licking her ice cream. From afar, Karanvir couldn't stop licking his lips for some reason. His eyes shone with something evil.
"Next to next month. God!!! I hate exams. I just want these studies to end soon so I can finally marry my baby!!!" vaishali said, picking out the choco chips from the ice cream. Maahi blushed.
"Don't you feel strange about marriage. I mean aren't you a little young to get married!!!" maahi asked softly. Vaishali laughed.
"People do get married even at a tender age of 18, I am 21. Besides, I don't care, I just wanna marry Uday and have babies!!!! Aww..... I can't wait to have a life with him!!!" vaishali drooled over the thoughts of a family life with her sweetheart boyfriend. Maahi gasped.
"Babies. Don't you know how they are born??? I mean, are you ok with the process???" asked maahi timidly. Vaishali looked at her mischievously.
"C'mon maahi sex isn't a bad thing. It's so important and so...... exciting!!!!" vaishali told her exuberantly. Maahi was shocked.
"That means you've done that before. Haww!!! Vaishu, you're not a virgin!!!!" maahi asked in incredulity. Vaishali gasped and immediately shook her head.
"Ofcourse not maahi, what are you talking!!!! I'm a Hindu, how can I have a physical relationship before marriage. Well, we've kissed a couple of times and it was me who actually forced myself on him. He's too shy and a scaredy cat when it comes to being physical. I wonder who's gonna undo the veil on our wedding night, me or him. But no, though I know a couple of things about sex..... thanks to my friends who are married!!! They told me a couple of things and I am just kinda excited to try it." said vaishali honestly. Maahi's face was red. She had never really thought about getting married and not even for once had she pondered about sex. For her it was a taboo, although it shouldn't be for it is not something to be ashamed of but somehow she's uncomfortable about 'sex talks'.
"Vaishu let's not talk about this!!!! I feel so uneasy!!!" maahi said timidly. Vaishali chuckled and nodded.