When life happens

The trail road

Rishabh was sitting in his room after the long walk, checking his mail. To is surprise, he heard his door open and Tani's voice came. "Do you want to check out the trail road with me?" 

Rishabh looked up, blinking rapidly, wondering what to say.

"Can you speak?" demanded Tani.

"Yeah...erm...yes, sure," said Rishabh, standing up so fast that he nearly fell down. Tani tried not to grin at his now-ordinary goofiness.

Rishabh followed Tani to the gate of the resort and paused, waiting for Jassi and maybe someone else to come. Tani walked ahead, and then realized that he had fallen behind. She turned and asked, "Now what?"

"Isn't anyone else coming with us?" ask Rishabh.

Tani raised an eyebrow. "Do you want anyone else to come?"

"Um, no, no...I didn't mean that!"

Tani laughed and beckoned him over. "God you get so awkward, it's kinda cute."

Rishabh felt the blood rushing to his cheeks, but he smiled shyly. It was the first time Tani was being so open with him. What was it with mountain resorts to mess with people's minds? he found himself wondering.

"You're so..." he began.

"What, intimidating? I know that."

"No-I mean you are intimidating but you're also interesting," said Rishabh. "Like as though you had layers..."

Tani looked at him, startled, because it had been a odd yet nice thing to say.

They entered the rocky road winding upwards.

"In case you're wondering, you're nice too," she said. "More than what meets the eyes."

Rishabh gaped at her. "Is there?"

Tani internally sighed.

"Yeah, there's a very resilient guy under that goofy armour," she said, sounding pretty philosophical even to herself. But she did mean it.

Rishabh realized with a warm feeling that Tani, in spite of her intimidating manner, in spite of her closeness with Jassi, had noticed him after all.

He should have known that his stars would not let him live in that happy daze for long, because just that moment Tani tripped over an unexpected bump in the road and fell down heavily.

Rishabh bent and put an arm around her shoulder instinctively. "Are you ok?" he asked anxiously.

Tani began to feel like she had twisted her ankle, but she still said, "Yeah, I can manage."

Rishabh drew away his arm. Tani tried to stand up but her feet did not hold up and she stumbled again.

"Come on I'll support you, let's sit on the bench, then when the pain reduces we can go back," said Rishabh.

"I said I can manage," said Tani, a note of strictness creeeping into her voice as usual.

Something fell in place in Rishabh's mind.

"It won't kill you to take help once in a while you know, especially when you're injured," he said, probably being braver than he had ever been. Tani stared at him in shock, and he added in a softer tone, "Let me help you...please."

His forceful tone seemed to have done some good after all, because finally Tani pulled his arm around her and admitted, "It's hurting a bit."

"It will subside," said Rishabh, feeling delighted on several levels at once. "Just...just lean on me and walk to that bench."