| Tied By Destiny |

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟷𝟻

Outskirts of Shimla

Arjun's POV

I sat panting with the pillow; the owners are really going to wonder to which people they have allowed to stay. 

"Oh God....I can't believe I am doing this with you after freaking six years. Goddamn!" I wanted to laugh in idiocy. This brought back so many memories of school, how we used to argue and fight; everything had almost vanished into oblivion once I left school, and being in touch with my classmates just for namesake.

Damn, I miss my school now. 

"Isn't it...?" Reet panted out too, with her lips curling into a grin. It had been six years since I last ran behind her or vice-versa, God! I kept the pillow aside, not knowing what to say, stretching on the mattress. Breathing deeply. 

"Lol, you still remember everything?" I tilted my head towards her while she did the same.

"Of course I do! I had one of my best memories in that school," She stared up at the ceiling, "Minus you."

"Of course." I chuckled a bit. School was interesting because of friends, no need to worry about future, this and that; like I still didn't understand why I used to complain to want to grow up. Now I want to become a child again.

We stared up at the empty wooden ceiling, watching the shadows flickering. Evening had set in, and so did the cold. 

Everything was so just....nostalgic all of a sudden. Everything same, just that we grew up. So suddenly.

"I remember you were sad," I tried not to dive into depths of emotions, "Since you will be missing me, didn't ya?"

"Shut up." I smiled a bit at her reply.

"Why, you didn't even turn back and sassed. So I thought you were sad at the prospect of leaving your beloved me...." I animatedly spoke, sighing deeply while placing a hand on my heart. She glanced at me and did a vivid eye roll. 

"Awwww, Miss Raichand was sad!" I curled my lips out and got a slap on my arm instead. I knew Reet absolutely hated words like 'awww' and 'cute' etc. etc. She used to freaking scrunch up her forehead when someone called her cute or something. Finding it cringeworthy. So I used to annoy her like that as well, "Awwww..."

"Awww, Mr. Roy Choudhury couldn't attend his party!" She fired back at me, resting her head on her palm, causing my jaw to drop. She started laughing after a while seeing my expressions while I plopped back on the floor staring at the ceiling trying to hide my snicker. 

Perhaps laughing at my own fate. 

I wasn't angry now, or was I? 

I didn't know. 

Here in this village....there is a different sort of peace I was getting. Just pure nature and good people, in the depths of the Himalayas. Unknown, unseen and exciting.

God Arjun, stop being philosophical! 

"That's all because of you, idiot." I pressed my lips together and drummed my fingers on my chest, "Ruined my perfect holiday."

"Awwww....." Now it was her time to take over me. 

"But you don't seem sulking over it." Reet reposed her face underneath her arms, glancing at me with humor laced in her eyes. 

"Everything isn't supposed to be shown." 

"Words of intelligence that too from our mouth." She nodded her head wildly, causing me to squint my eyes at her, "Atleast I have a reason to ditch my date." 

"What what what?" She suddenly raised her head up, feeling quite amused, "You had a date?"

"Yes, spoiled because of you that also." I crossed my arms against my chest, glancing at the ceiling. I didn't know why I was not feeling anything about it. Or rather, I don't much sulk over stuffs over a long time, I guess. 

I had a lot of crushes, and Megha was one of them. If not her...then someone else. What's the harm in it? That's how it worked for me, I was never totally interested--just flirted, dated casually without commitments. I was hoping for Megha, if it went on a serious note, it not then also I am not worried much-

Never-mind. If yes then wonderful, if not then hop on! There is no use of sulking over something casual! 

"Really? Who agreed to date you, idiot?" She grinned, resting her chin on her wrist.

"Unlike you, people have a good taste." I sassed back, flicking her forehead with my index finger causing her to tumble her head with a frown, "Pakka andhi haina wo? (She is bloody blind isn't?)" She blinked dramatically, inching foreword again, "Or she doesn't know how to differentiate between humans and devils..." She tapped her chin with her finger, gazing up.

I slapped her with my pillow causing her to burst out laughing.

"But I am sorry that I ruined your date," She paused, still tittering though, "Atleast someone in this twenty two years of life fell in love with you and vice versa....I feel bad for her."

"Hey, I am not in love!" I instantly responded, sitting up. Seriously? Love, that so so fast? Heck, I had a simple crush on Megha and that's it.

"What? Then why do you want to date her then?" She seemed more amused at my confession, having an innocent frown on her face.

"You don't have to be in 'love' to date." I acted the inverted commas with my fingers for the word 'love', "Seriously Reet....you haven't casually dated anyone?"

Reet's face fell a bit at my comment, the frivolous expression vanishing gradually. What happened to her all of a sudden? I saw her resting her face on her arm and gaze at me, "For that, you need to have freedom Arjun." She smiled a bit, but not sarcastically. It was a lingering lopsided smile as she breathed a bit, "Which of course, I don't have. Or didn't rather-"

I realized what she was trying to say. Not that I know much about her family or so, but I did hear how conservative her family was. 

"There are still ways to find freedom..." I didn't know what to exactly say. It was perhaps for the first time I was conversing with Reet without arguing; a proper conversation without any colorful words in between. 

Weird.

"No, not in my house." There was a tone of agitation in her voice, "If it was, I wouldn't have been running away today."

Her words made sense. I lowered my lashes, perhaps confused at where the conversation was heading to. But there was a sense of curiosity that started to erupt within me suddenly, "I get you. Is that the reason why you have completely changed yourself?"

"I mean...." It was suddenly getting too personal, but I wanted to know.

"Yup..." She softly responded, "Like when I left school, I came to Shimla. My ancestral house where my uncle stayed. I came back with my Grandma." I think I do remember her Grandmother, maybe faintly. I had once seen her in school, she had come to drop her. She seemed a sweet tempered woman compared to her granddaughter.

So much difference.

"Your Grandmother seems sweet. Unlike you." I smiled, while she shot me a deadpanned look, "I agree on that part though.....she wouldn't go on shooting curses at some tiny event unlike me." She tittered softly. 

This isn't the Reet I am used to. 

***********

A/N

Many revelations...... 👀👀

Signing off for today!

Nushkie