Take Me Away

Chapter 5

She woke up with a headache the next day. She groaned and got up, rubbing her eyes and clutching her head. Just as she was about to roll out of bed, her phone began to ring. She blinked and reached for the phone. She was about to click it shut when she saw it was her closest friend calling. She took a deep breath and answered it.

"Hi Rina..."

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeriye!"

She laughed. Of all the people close to her, Rina was the only one who would call her something as filmy as that.

"Hi hi! What's going on?"

"So we're meeting soon, yes yes?"

She frowned and asked, "Wait are you coming down here?"

"No silly! You're coming up here!"

The frown deepened.

"What are you talking about?"

Rina sighed and replied, "Spiti, girl. Spiti. I thought aunt told you the plan yesterday. Why are you zombie-ing out on me?"

Heer blinked a few times in silence. Who all were in on this plan? Why did it sound like it was in the works for a while and the only one who was left out of the whole plan was her?

"Rina, what is happening? What plan are you cooking with my mother? You know I can't actually do this, right? There's so much work in the pipeline. I can't just up and leave the resort like that. That too to some remote mountain with no signal! Why are you guys behaving like this?"

Rina's playful tone became serious.

"We are behaving like this because you are behaving like some sort of work-obsessed hermit! You either work or you sit on your own at home. You don't do anything else. Also, you realize that it is your mother's resort and technically she's your boss? She can actually run that place without you for a few days. Are you not entitled to a few days of leave? You won't do it on your own so we are making it mandatory. We are not really taking a no for an answer."

A couple of moments later, Heer sighed and asked, "Have you guys rehearsed these monologues? My mother had one for me too last night."

Rina burst out laughing and asked, "Wait you're thawing."

"No I'm not..."

"Yes you are. It's 10 days, Heer! Please. For us."

Heer shook her head slowly and said, "If...If I were to agree, who would be going?"

With barely contained glee, Rina replied, "You, me and Maddy!"

"Hmmmm."

Author's Note: Is Heer truly thawing? Will we finally get to see Spiti through her eyes? So many questions.

On an unrelated note, happy weekend! How's everyone coping with the lockdown? Are you guys reading a lot more? Also, what are you reading? I've been struggling with my reading to be honest for the last one month. There's also been a lot of work. Working from home is a whole new experience. Of course the whole situation is such unchartered territory, I don't know what to feel. So I am trying to return to familiar ground with writing. In stories, we can explore so many worlds and geographies after all.

Until the next chapter, all my love!

S.