Road Not Taken ✔

Chapter 48

It's December 20 and our winter vacations are  starting from today . My  gang of  friends   has planned a trip to Manali for Christmas and New Years . So, I , Chirag , Cherry and Taniya are going to Manali along with our parents. I am really excited for this trip as I will see snow for the first time in my life .Even Cherry, Chirag and Taniya are also excited because they will also see the white wonder for the first time.

I and my mom packed our woolens . Then we all drove together in a mini bus to Manali on 21 December . Two Cottages were booked , one for the parents and other cottage   for me, Chirag , Cherry , Taniya and her three cousins Kiara , Kimsy and kiyaan who are triplets.

As we reached near Manali the mountains became taller and huge . Manali with it's snow clad mountains , pine trees and its surrounding beauty are just surreal . We reached our  cottages which  are beautifully built near a frozen lake .The Parent's cottage has 6 rooms with attached washrooms , kitchen and  a  hall with a beautiful fire place . While the cottage which is  given to us has  4 rooms with attached restrooms  , kitchen , hall with a well decorated  fire place and a beautiful balcony to have the mountain and lake view .

Cherry , Taniya and me stayed in one room , Kiara and kimsy shared one room together while the two boys Chirag and Kiyaan took different rooms because they are
quarreling on stupid things. Well, Kiyaan and his sisters are just  one year younger to us . But I guess Chirag and Kiyaan don't like each other's company . Right from the bus both are arguing , first Kiyaan sat beside me which infuriated Chirag then Kiyaan tried to say poetry praising my eyes this made Chirag lose his cool and he was about to  punch Kiyaan in his face but somehow I pacified Chirag otherwise the battle between the two boys would have started in the bus itself  spoiling the whole travel mood .

So, after settling our stuff in the cottage it was already dinner time . Now fun fact elders will cook food for themselves in their cottage and we all teens have to cook our own food in our  cottage. Well , I guess Cooking is not a tension for us because Taniya is also a pro at cooking. So, cooking food won't cause a problem rather  it will be fun to cook and eat  together . But I hope too many cooks don't spoil the broth note the sarcasm.

So, for the next 12 days we are  here in Mountains to spend our vacation amid beauty of nature , snow and pine trees. So, now were are going to buy some groceries from the market . We walk to the market as the market is at walking distance from our cottages. While walking  I saw  the night stars and I thought that I have never seen so many stars at night because the cities are so polluted these days that all stars together are rarely visible .

As I was looking the sky full of twinkling night stars Chirag took hold of my hand giving me tingling sensations in my palm. We reached the market and we bought some veggies , flour , spices and  other ingredients for cooking . As we were returning back to our cottage Kiyaan came by my side and he started praising me and walking beside me .But Chirag came in between me and Kiyaan like a wall . Chirag  then glared Kiyaan . I could see Chirag's jaw clenched in anger.

I have never seen Chirag being so over protective about me .Today I see a different Chirag who is getting angry, possessive and jealous . May be with time Chirag's over  protectiveness  will go away .We all head back to the cottage . Taniya makes Potato curry , Kiara makes Chapatis(Wheat bread ) .I  help in chopping the veggies because   I don't know much about cooking .

Kimsy and Cherry lay the dinner on the dining table. We sat to eat the dinner . After that I and Cherry washed   the dishes . For the next few days we explored Manali . We saw beautiful Kasol, Solang pass and Kullu valley . Kasol is a heaven for nature lovers . We tried hiking and clicked a lot of pictures . Kasol with it's snowy mountains and beautiful river made me remembered movie Ye Jawani Hain Deewani( YJHD ) and even a tourist guide informed us that YJHD was shot in Manali . Solang pass was another attraction where we  had snow fighting , Cable car ride and skiing  on electric  skiing  vehicle . Kullu valley stole my heart with beautiful lakes , valleys and  breathtaking  mountains . Again here  we took a lot of photos .

Christmas was so much fun with my dear friends and family. It  snowed   freshly   on the new year eve , we all teens got  out  from our cottage . Then all the girls made a big  snowman and the boys were throwing snowballs at each other with such intensity as if these were not snowballs but bombs. Soon all of us got busy in snow fighting . Chirag threw a snow ball at my face and I ran behind him . I threw back  a snow ball at his face, Chirag took me in his arms and he pecked on my cheek . Others hooted in the back ground making me and Chirag blush like idiots .Well , my dream of me and Chirag running , laughing in the snow has now come true now .I just can't wait for all my dreams to come true . Specially, the ones in  which I dreamt of Chirag  with  me .

This trip will remain etched in my memory forever . I guess this  was the best gift for new year and best stress buster before the board exams starts . After a long time my mom enjoyed her life as she made  new friends on this trip . Mom has grown close to Chirag's mom in this short trip.Cherry and Taniya's mom  have  also become  good friends  of my mom. Some trips are really  good for inner peace and calmness. This trip to Manali has purified us  inside out with it's pure air and  goodness of nature . After 2 days we are leaving Manali - the snow heaven .Now I realise that,

"FROM  ESCAPING HARD MOMENTS
  TO  LIVING  EVERY  MOMENT
   WE   DISCOVER  LIFE "

********CHAPTER      ENDS**********