One Day At A Time

Chapter 6 (A) - Haul Over The Coals

April 1992
Pune

"God, my fingers look like a big ugly spider clinging to the neck of this thing, Kabs!" Khushi shrieked as she looked at her fingers holding the neck of the guitar to strum the chord Kabir had just taught her.

"Well done! You got the F minor chord, Khush, and this is just the beginning, mere dost!" Kabir winked as he knelt in front of her near the two-seater sofa she was seated on.

"This is serious effort Kabs! It seems so simple when someone is playing it."

"It is indeed, but worth it once you get the hang of it. Tu yeh sab chhod. Chal, sing something. I'll try to accompany you." Kabir took the guitar from her and sat down on the rug. "Sing a peppy number or else as you can see, everyone here is going to nod off any moment after gorging on that delicious halwa!" He said, looking at everyone yawning and slowly getting comfortable in their seats.

It was a lazy hot Sunday afternoon for everyone as they relaxed in Akash's room on the third floor of his house. Akash's bedroom was on the top floor looking out onto a vast terrace, which had been a witness to many birthday parties and boys-sleepovers throughout these years. The gang always met up at his place every Sunday after lunch, catching up on the weekly events and happenings in their life. They would make elaborate plans for the Sunday afternoons every week —plans to do something together indoors or outdoors and then eventually sit for hours in the room or the terrace, coffee after coffee, pondering over which plan to go for first. Usually, by the time they were done discussing it, it would be time to go home. The planning part of it had also become a routine in their lives, and even if the plans were not implemented, no one ever complained.

"Kabs, let me have a look. I want to see how a beauty like this feels in my arms!" Akash said as he sat down next to Kabir.

"O Bhai mere! No, no one is touching this thing! Duur baith! And you should know this feeling. You already have a beauty in your arms all the time!" Kabir winked, and everyone burst into laughter.

"Besharm!" Payal chided him, as she threw a cushion at Kabir and blushed to the roots of her hair.

"So Mr Smart-Ass, are we supposed to ignore the special consideration given to Khush?" Akash asked Kabir, making Khushi giggle.

"She understands the value of it, Akky, unlike you all!" Kabir grinned at Khushi.

Arnav raised his head from where he was sprawled out — on a huge sofa in one corner of the room. Everyone had overeaten on the halwa made by Chef Chacha, and it had been very tempting to give in to a snooze after that kind of overeating.

"Kabir, I'll value it more than my life. Can I give it a go?" Arnav smirked.

"Dada Muni! No one is getting this thing, bola na! You are not the exception to the rule, she is!" Kabir dismissed Arnav and started strumming a chord to a rhythm.

"Teri toh main...!" Arnav shot up from his position and was about to get up when Khushi started singing.

"Oooo... naya dard hain yeh toh
Nayi pyaas hain...
Jawaani ka pehlaa...ehsaaas hain..
Mohabbat ka dil pe ..nasha chha gaya..
Kuchh bhi ho jaanam ..mazaa aa gaya ...."

Arnav got back into his seat, staring at her. Her melodious voice floated all around him while she played with the bracelet on her left wrist with her nimble fingers. He could see the smile twinkling in her eyes as she sang the lines and observed how her eyes closed every time she hit a top note. The muscles of her throat strained at times, and she moved her arm gracefully with every wave she rode, especially when she added a murki in those lines. Her hair was tied back into her signature ponytail, and the pink hues on her face and neck were because of the beautiful pink kurti she was wearing right now, making her look ethereal. How long was his heart going to listen to his mind, he wondered.