Chapter 35

Parking Lot, ASR Designs

Aakash stops his bike in the parking lot of ASR Designs where Payal had parked her scooty in the morning.

They both get down and Aakash asks Payal: Payal, are you sure you’ll be able to go home? I mean, I can drop you off.

Payal smiles: No thanks Aakash. I need my scooty tomorrow so I should ride it home. My crazy sister has some plans for me and she told me to keep tomorrow free for her. I’d rather not get into a car with her behind the driving wheel. So we will take my scooty for whatever crazy plan she has.

Aakash frowns and thinks to himself: Oh, Payal’s little sister drives?  For some reason, I thought she was a baby. I guess she must be close to legal age then.

Payal stops Aakash’s thoughts: Hello? Aakash? What are you thinking?

Aakash smiles at Payal and opens his mouth to ask question to clear his confusion when Payal’s phone rings.

Payal excuses herself and picks up the phone. It was Garima asking her when she is coming home. Payal assures her that she is on her way.

Payal turns to Aakash and tells him: Aakash, I have to go. Mom is worrying about me staying out so late.

Aakash smiles: Sure. Say hi to your family from me.

Payal smiles: Sure. (blushes) Just wanted to let you know that I had a wonderful time today. Thank you.

Aakash smiles: Actually, I should say thanks for coming with me. There aren’t many women in India who likes outdoors as much. I’m glad that you came with me.

Payal nods smilingly: I will see you on Monday.

Aakash nods back with a smile.

Payal takes her stuff and hops on her scooty. She starts her scooty when she remembers Aakash was going to ask her something.

She turns back and asks him: Aakash, what were you trying to say before Mom called?

Aakash shakes his head: It’s not that important.

Payal nods her head and drives away in her scooty thinking about the day and Aakash.

Aakash also hops in his bike and drives to his home thinking about the day and Payal.

Nandi screams clutching his horns in frustration: NOT IMPORTANT? NOT FREAKING IMPORTANT? Why why why? Why do you test my patience, people? What would it take, for you to talk to each other?

Devi Maiyya stops chewing popcorn for a moment to answer with a deadpan expression: Common sense… which humans, most of the times, forget to use. (starts munching popcorn again, ignoring Nandi’s very un-heavenlike phrases)…

Khushi’s house:

ASR stops the car and growls: Get out.

Khushi was mumbling under her breathe all the way, gets startled at the sudden growl: What?

ASR grits his teeth: Get out, right now.

Khushi growls back: Yes, yes. I’m going. I don’t have much desire to sit in this car with you either.

She hops down and slams the door of the car loudly.

ASR cringes at the torture on his beloved car and shouts: Careful with the door of my car.

Khushi shouts back: Big freaking deal. You have a crappy black car. NKji has a much better car than yours... A Red Lamb Curry.

ASR’s eyes widen. He shuts down the engine and gets down from the car.

Then he strides to Khushi and growls: That’s my car NK was using. And that’s a Lambor-freaking-ghini worth Rs. 8 Crore (About 1.5 Million dollars). Not a Lamb Curry.

Now Khushi’s eyes go saucer-like: Hawww… 8 crore ki gadi?

(Hawww… a car worth Rs. 8 crore?)

ASR smirks expecting proper respect for his car now.

Khushi, of course, wipes off his smirk with her next comment: Isse to ek chote mote desh ka pura saal ka kharcha chal jaaye.

(You can pay a whole year’s worth of expense of a small country with that much money.)

ASR grits his teeth and growls: Urghhh… Forget it. He turns to leave, but pauses and turns back: And stay away from NK.

Khushi had turned to leave as well but stops and turns back at the warning.

She growls back: Make me.

ASR strides back to her and grabs her: Don’t challenge me, Ms. Gupta. You won’t like the consequence.

Khushi also leans forward and growls: Don’t threaten me, Mr. Raizada. You won’t like the consequences either…

They stare at each other fuming while the air between them sizzles with pheromones flying like statics back and forth.

Suddenly they feel the invisible sparks in the air, realize the close proximity and moves back in a hurry.

ASR strides back in his car and Khushi runs inside without looking back.

Nandi was holding a brown paper back taking deep breathe into it.

Devi Maiyya was sipping her pepsi in deep thought.

Suddenly she exclaims (making Nandi startle, which also bursts his brown paper bag): I don’t understand where we went wrong.

Nandi looking at his brown paper bag in dismay: I don’t understand how it happened either.

Devi Maiyya (thinking Nandi is talking about her predicament): I mean I’m a perfectionist if I may say so myself, I created the perfect species with lovely brains. Then why do they screw things up so much?

Nandi (snorts): Excuse me? Perfect species? Of what? Screw ups? Human beings are the most botched up project you made.

Devi Maiyya (scowls): There are some design glitches. But I made them in the initial days after defeating my first demon. I was bored.

Nandi (snorts again): And boy, does it show…

Devi Maiyya (growls): What?

Nandi (innocent face): That you are such a talented project manager, even when you are bored.

Devi Maiyya (smiles big): You think so?

Nandi (smiles bigger): That’s the only thing I can think of right now.

Devi Maiyya (blushes without getting the insult): Thank you. I try my best.

She slurps her pepsi in serenity while Nandi wipes off imaginary sweat from his brow.