Chronicles Of My Darling Husband

37. Durdhara (Part 2)

"Goa?" Shravan's voice held a tinge of surprise, eyebrows shooting up. "They will be off to Goa this weekend and we're invited?"

Nishita's nod was affirmative, her tone light but certain. "Yes, Jagdish mentioned that his childhood pals will be in Mumbai only for the next week, then back just in time for the wedding. So, they've planned a little getaway."

"And why exactly are we on their guest list?" Apoorva's curiosity was piqued, her tone playful. "Are they financing our trip? What's the deal?"

Nishita described, "Jagdish mentioned since none of us are in a position to splurge, they're covering our stay and food. They've just asked us to handle our transportation."

Devika chimed in with a mock sigh, "They have enough cash to sponsor six of us? Maybe we should have studied Law instead of Commerce; we'd be rolling in it by now."

Asmita joined in the banter, "Viki, commerce is not that bad. You might want to lower your job expectations a bit."

"And end up a school teacher like you?" Devika retorted. "No, thanks. I'll take a desk job any day."

"Well, my teaching gig pays well enough to not stress about a trip to Goa," Asmita teased, flaunting her freshly done nails.

Devika shot her a glare, clearly envious of her little display of wealth, "Maybe we should all become teachers then, Mitu. Seems like the path to a luxurious life!"

Asmita chuckled, "Well, Viki, if you're ever in need of a career change, you know where to find me."

Shravan, sensing an opportunity to steer the conversation, interjected, "But Nishu, do you think it's wise to travel with them?"

"Yeah, why's that?" Vijay, ever curious, questioned.

Shravan hesitated, "I don't know, I just have a feeling that something's not right."

Nishita jumped to their defense, "If you're worried about us women traveling alone with strange men, we've traveled solo and—"

"No, it's not that," Shravan clarified. "I just get a... Not-so-good vibe from that guy... That Chandrakant fellow. I don't like him."

"Wh... Why?" Devika tensed, her mind racing with worry. She panicked at the thought that perhaps her friends had noticed the subtle exchange of glances between her and Chandrakant. It shouldn't have bothered her so much, but it did. She had been unable to sleep for the past two nights, consumed by thoughts of his pain.

"He seemed off. Even at the engagement party, he was in a foul mood and left early," Shravan explained.

Nishita tried to defend Chandrakant, saying, "They all go through a lot, Shravan. A lot of nasty cases and stuff. Maybe he was just having a rough day," she turned to Devika, "Remember how cheerful he was when they first came to meet me, wasn't he, Viki?"

Devika nodded, her head bowed.

Asmita tried to reassure Shravan, patting his shoulder. "We're not kids; we can take care of ourselves. Don't worry too much."

Shravan's expression softened, and he relented, "Okay."

Apoorva lightened the mood, clapping excitedly, "Well, if we can't do Thailand, Goa sounds just as fun!" She winked at Nishita, who laughed along with the rest of the group, eager for the upcoming adventure.

Except for Devika, who wanted to scream 'No' to the plan, but kept her mouth shut.

--

"I'm not going anywhere," Chandrakant declared, his tone defiant. "You and your little party of shithead monkeys can go gallivanting wherever you want."

Arihant rolled his eyes in exasperation. "It's not a request, Kant. It's an order from Jaggy."

Unni, visibly disgusted by the state of Chandrakant's apartment, kicked a beer bottle that was rolling on the floor. "Your place looks like a fucking cowshed, full of shit," he remarked, his germaphobe instincts cringing at the sight.

"You're not welcome," Chandrakant retorted, giving Unni a shove. "Get out."

Arihant quickly intervened, grabbing Chandrakant's arm. "Kant, we convinced Jaggy not to come here and punch you, with the condition that we would somehow persuade you to come to Goa with us."

Chandrakant stared at him, then ran a hand through his almost shoulder-length wavy hair, sighing heavily. "Who all are going?"

"Just us friends... Six of us, Kant," Unni replied, lying without a hint of guilt. He had become quite adept at bluffing, a skill that Prasanna often jokingly referred to as borderline sociopathic.

Chandrakant swallowed hard, a mix of emotions evident on his face. "Okay... I... I'll pack my stuff and come."

"No need to pa—"

"I'm not going to wear your shitty underwear, so just wait outside my apartment until I pack my stuff!" Chandrakant snapped, his frustration bubbling over. "Fuckers, can't even leave me to my own hell!"

Pushing them out, he slammed the door shut and leaned heavily against its wooden frame. His hands rubbed wearily over his face, trying to collect himself. All he wanted was to wallow in his misery, but his insensitive friends thought otherwise, springing a surprise trip to Goa on him. The weight of his troubles seemed to crush him as he stood there, contemplating the sudden turn of events. The thought of facing a trip with his friends, pretending everything was fine, felt like an unbearable burden on his already heavy heart.

Who the fuck wants to go to Goa?

--

A/N

*tapping my fingers together* Drama!

Am I like Nawab Farhan who gets excited over drama? XD

"Nazrein Milana" is a song that captures all sorts of moods. It embodies the essence of a love triangle, unrequited love, the joy of travel, and even a touch of cheesy romance... Just like all the characters in this book... Wow! XD

P.S. Peculiar observation: I've noticed an interesting trend in my previous works. Chapters featuring intense emotions like love confessions, conflicts, or explicit content tend to garner the highest number of votes. It's quite intriguing, isn't it? I put the same amount of effort into every word, yet it seems like only the more sensational parts are getting recognition. As an author, it's always a challenge for me to decide whether to keep or delete a particular passage since I strive to avoid filler material. Most of my chapters have connections to either past or future storylines, almost like a crossover, so it's amusing to witness how readers react. No offense intended, just wanted to share my observation and how funny it is... XD

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