Chapter-27

Hope, you guys like it...❤️ A long one ahead...😉 Sorry, for the delay...

"Wake up, Tanya!" Zoya shouted as she threw a cushion at her sleeping form. Tanya pulled the blanket until her head was covered in it.

"Zoya, it's too cold...sleep na..." She said as she peeked at the wall clock.

"Have we come here to sleep?"

"Maybe..." She said yawning still under the blanket.

"Ok...let me convey it to Neil that Tanya doesn't want to go and we three can go and enjoy while you SLEEP!" Zoya said picking up her phone.

"Wait!" Tanya said sitting up on the bed with a jerk.

"Yes..." Zoya said flashing an overpolite smile.

"I got up! See..." Tanya said as she stood up from the bed and wore her slippers.

"Great! I'm going to take a bath till then take out your clothes that you have to wear and check the belongings before we leave the room and make sure that you wear something ethnic..."

"Ethnic?"

"Yes, in the temple that we are going there are rules that we have to wear something ethnic or they won't let us visit…"

"Ok..."

"You are such a hitler, Zoya...you should have woken me up after taking a bath so that I could use the washroom…" Tanya said rubbing her eyes.

"I know how much time you take to choose your clothes that's why I woke you up early... I'm going to take a bath, bye!" Zoya said picking up her towel and entering the bathroom.

"Such a spoiler!" Tanya said and lay down again on the bed covering herself with the blanket.

"Tanya, don't sleep again!" Zoya's voice boomed from inside.

'How does she know?' Tanya thought.

She picked up her phone to check messages only to find it switched off.

'Oh God! I should have charged it at night...Now I have to wait till it charge...' She groaned.

"Charger? Where is it?" She asked herself just when someone knocked on the door breaking her self talk.

"Who is it?" She asked moving towards the door.

"It's me, Aditya..."

"Oh...Yes." Tanya said as she opened the door and looked at him.

"I just came to check if you both are up or not."

"Oh..." Tanya said leaving the gate open and moving inside.

"Zoya has gone to take a shower and I'm here finding my charger...Can you help me find my charger?"

"Why are you finding it here? You gave it to Neil last night, remember?"

"Oh yeah... I'm so stupid!"

"Exactly!" Aditya said as Tanya exited the room quickly throwing a chewing gum into her mouth.

"Mad girl..." Aditya chuckled as he settled on the single seat sofa kept by the window. He looked outside at the beautiful view before him. The sun rays were falling on the green grass making them look brighter. Some flowers were peeking out through the green bushes giving a breathtaking appearance all together. The sun rays fell on his cheek and he felt so good feeling it's warmth.

"I love nature..." He said as he enjoyed the beauty in front of him.

"Tanya!!!" Zoya's shriek brought him out of his trance and he spoke," Zoya, Tanya is not here...She has gone to take her charger from mine and Neil's room..." Aditya heard Zoya's huff from inside.

"She's not gonna come any sooner..." She said.

"Do you need any help?" Aditya asked.

"Umm...no...infact...yes..." She said nervously.

"Actually, I forgot my Kurti outside...and my bathrobe is also not with me..."

"Where is it?"

"On the bed, maybe... it's white in color "

"Oh...wait..." He said and moved towards the bed as he spotted the white piece kept on the bed.

"Here..." He said as he held the kurti near the door.

"Umm.…How do I-"

"I'm turning my back...you can take it from my hand..." He said as he turned his back towards the door. He heard the door open and soon his hands were empty. Zoya rested her back on the closed door and kept her hand on her thumping heart trying to calm it..

•••

'Duniya zamaana, jhoota fasaana

Jeene marne ka waada saancha mera…'

'Dor ka ek main sira

Aur tera hai doosra

Jud sake beech mein kayi tadap hai na…'

'Sondhe sondhe rang mein mujhko rang de

Rang de na...'

Zoya looked outside the window totally bored. She and Aditya were sitting on the back seat while Neil sat on the driver's seat and the control of music player is in none other than Tanya's hand.

'Aisi chale jab hawa

Ishq hua hi hua...'

'Main kahin bhi jata hu

Tum se hi mil jata hu

Tum se hi...tum se hi...'

Aditya looked out of the window yawning equally bored. He tried hard to keep his eyes open while such songs were not helping any way.

"Feeling bored, right?" Zoya asked turning towards Aditya and yawning keeping a hand in front of her mouth.

"Yeah..." Aditya said yawning again.

"I can't even imagine what would have happened if I had come alone with them...Thank God I brought you here... Otherwise I would need a psychiatrist back home…" They both chuckled at the same time.

"Let's sleep..." Aditya said as he turned his head towards the window and rested his head comfortably on the cushion. Zoya pulled his hand and made him sit straight.

"We are not sleeping…Let's enjoy the trip...see around it's so beautiful…I'm not going to sleep and waste all this experience…and I'm not letting you also to sleep..."

"Bu-"

"No buts-vuts..."

"Ok...then what should we do..."

"Click pictures!" Aditya scrunched his nose at the suggestion.

"Shut up!" Zoya said as she unlocked her phone, opened camera and held it up and smiled at it.

"Smile, now…" Aditya flashed a fake smile.

"Offo...you are not coming in the frame..." She said as she shifted a little closer to him.

"Now, perfect!" She said as she saw both of their faces on the mobile screen.

"Now, smile..." She elbowed him in his stomach as he flashed a fake smile.

"A genuine one!" She said but still he flashed the most fake smile he could muster up.

"You know, Tanya brought some chocolates with her and I ate them all last night...Today, in the morning she asked me about them and I said that I haven't even seen them..." Zoya said in a low voice trying not to burst out laughing. Aditya on the other hand started laughing loud.

"What are you guys talking about?" Tanya asked.

"About ch-" Aditya began.

"Nothing, Coco." Zoya said as she passed a tight lipped smile to Tanya.

"We were just clicking pictures, you know..." Zoya said covering up.

"Aditya what were you saying cho-" Tanya said.

"Aditya look here..." Zoya said ignoring Tanya and smiling at the camera. She was satisfied to see a now genuine smile on Aditya's face. His eyes beaming with happiness and dimples gracing his cheeks.

It was then that they realised how close they were sitting to each other. Zoya distanced herself from him and sat on the other end of the seat, again looking out of the window. Aditya gulped down and also looked out. Both of them feeling awkward and not meeting each other's eyes.

•••

"What happened?" Zoya asked as she felt the car stop.

"Have we reached?" Aditya asked.

"Yeah, we will have to park the car here...and then walk a bit to the temple… " Neil said as he turned the engine off and unbuckled his seat belt.

All four of them came out of the car and looked outside. It was a crowded place and looked like it rained just a few hours ago as they could smell petrichor floating around in the air.

They walked through the slippery lane that led to the Gokarna temple. Shops laden with colorful items surrounded the narrow lane. From sacred offerings to a toddler's toy, they had everything displayed in front of them. Several colored bangles reflected the bright light inside the shop to the outside appearing more and more luminous.

They bought some flowers to offer the deity and and also some joss sticks. They were told by the shopkeeper that the men have to wear 'dhoti' otherwise they will not be allowed to visit the 'atmalinga' and they bought two.

"Aditya why do we offer flowers to God?" Zoya said lost in deep thinking.

"Hmm?"

"I mean that...He created this whole universe, right? And He also created the plants and us...and in science we have studied that plants are living organisms too...and when we pluck the flowers they become dead... why do we offer dead things to Him...that too His own children…His own creation…and...I also don't understand why people offer milk...I mean it is just going down the drain...It would have fed someone…more like... it's better to help His creations and be compassionate towards them than to just make His idol bathe in milk...If some people still want to offer milk then they can distribute it as 'prasad' among the poor... Wouldn't that be much better?" She looked innocently at him while he was unable to think of any suitable answer knowing that she was just stating facts and nothing else.

"I think my thoughts have offended your religious beliefs…" She said turning to him when he took a pause longer than usual.

"It was just random...Sorry..." She said moving away towards Tanya and Neil.

They soon reached the entrance of the temple which was as much crowded as it could be. People were crushing into each other and struggling to get in.

Zoya felt a hand around her shoulder. Her heartbeat rose as panick started settling in her.

"It's me..." All her anxiety and restlessness vanished into thin air as his melodious voice fell in her ears. He caged her, protecting her from the pushes of the crowd. She looked at him in adoration and warmness filled her heart. It was in that moment that their eyes met and she felt her heart skip a beat. She didn't knew what that was but she felt something really unusual. She broke the eye lock with him and looked straight.

"You were actually stating facts a bit earlier…" He spoke. She looked at him confused.

"About the flowers and all other things...you are right…even I agree with whatever you said...but...the truth is people feel closer to God when they make such offers... however I'm strictly against offering milk but flowers…they can be used rarely but not frequently…It is said that God loves smell and whoever offers Him flowers are set to receive some blessings from Him..."

"Isn't that like... selfishness…like you offer flowers so that God shower blessings on you..."

"Everyone doesn't think the same...like...I offer as I feel at peace while doing the act...but yeah, I certainly don't offer milk…water is fine I guess..." He said quirking up an eyebrow. She let out a small chuckle.

"But obviously everyone has their own way of feeling close to God...like someone can offer flowers and milk while the offer can feed some poor kids... someone can waste heaps of money in doing various yagyas while the other can just distribute some necessary items in the slum areas...See, God is present anywhere and everywhere and also in our heart…in us...we just need to keep doing things selflessly…"

"Like you do..." Zoya said staring deep into his eyes.

"And like you do..." He said flashing a genuine smile.

.

.

.

They walked through the temple's corridor to where He resides. Granite floors cooling their feet and the light breeze sending shivers in their body and arousing goosebumps adding more to the feel of being close to Him. They stood in the queue formed to see a glimpse of Him. Neil and Aditya in one while Zoya and Tanya in the other.

As they were nearing the atmalinga their heartbeats started to rise. Zoya saw Aditya's closed eyes and his lips moving in a slow manner as if talking. His face had a calm expression and a small smile played on his lips.

Zoya's lips automatically curved into a smile as she saw him calm and in peace. Her mind automatically went back to the time when she encountered him for the first time after two years. Back then he seemed vulnerable and now there is hardly any trace of him being that. Earlier his face had a sad expression on his face and now a small smile was displayed. Zoya felt good seeing the change.

'Good job, Zoya!' She told herself, mentally patting her back.

.

.

.

"The temple was so beautiful…!" Tanya said.

"Yeah...and it felt so good coming here..." Aditya said.

"It was an all together different experience for me..." Zoya said.

"No wonder why it's also known as Dakshin Kashi..." Neil said.

The sun was now peeking from behind the clouds and its rays were trying to come from the little space left vacant between two clouds. The rays fell on the earlier wet surfaces and made it look glossier.

"Aahh!" Tanya shrieked.

"What happened?" The three of them asked at the same time.

"That cow just...she hit me with her tail..." Tanya said making a crybaby face while the other three just burst out laughing.

"I will just come, huh..." Zoya said as she excused herself and went towards a shop.

"Not even the cow likes you.." Neil said and burst into another fits of laughter.

"I hate you..." Tanya snickered.

While they were engaged in their banter, Aditya's gaze was fixed on only one person. He went to her towards the shop and saw her holding a small little shivling.

"Ok..." She said sadly and handed the shivling back to the shopkeeper.

"What happened?" Aditya asked her.

"Nothing... let's go..." She said moving towards Tanya and Neil. Aditya had his gaze transfixed at the peice which she was holding a bit earlier and later joined the trio.

"You know, there's a beach near by…" Neil said scrolling down in his phone.

"A beach?" Zoya and Aditya said at the same time with excitement filled voice.

"Yeah... We'll go there after visiting the Murudeshwar temple… a very big idol of Lord Shiva is there...and it's just so much... BEAUTIFUL!" Neil said.

"Let's go then!" Tanya said.

.

.

.

"Wow!" Aditya said as he saw the creator of the universe before his eyes in his majestic size.

"This is really so much beautiful!" Zoya said looking around at the green patches and the waves that were hitting the rocks on the boundary.

With the gold colored snake wrapped around Shiva's neck and his hand holding the trishul, He looked magnificent. The half open eyes and the small little smile adding to His imperiality.

Zoya stood at the temple's boundary holding the railing and looked towards the sea.

"Aditya, come here!" She shouted.

"See, how the waves hit the rocks!"

"The waves look so much massive!" Aditya said.

"That's the beauty! These waves seem to be high tempered, rising high in the hope that can overrule the huge rocks but no ego and temper can enter in His territory and their ego just crushes down as they collide with rocks and they have to retreat back leaving their ego forever…"

"Woah, that's some great philosophy!" Aditya said.

"I just said what I felt..."

"Let me make you feel something more..."

"What?"

"Close your eyes...now, just listen to the sound around you...observe it closely…try to separate every sound...try to recognise every voice that reaches your ear...feel the breeze on your face...is it cool?" Zoya nodded her head and soon a shiver ran down her spine. She opened her eyes and looked at Aditya.

"That was amazing!"

"I know right! Just like me..." He said raising his collar.

"Let's click some pictures…I want to capture these moments…" Zoya said as she took out her phone.

"Come here..." She said to Aditya. He shifted a bit closer to her.

"Say cheese…." Zoya said while Aditya burst out laughing.

"Cheese, really?"

"I thought it had be cool..." She said making a sad pout.

"We aren't kids..." He said letting out another chuckle.

"We aren't kids..." Zoya said imitating him.

"Oh...so you are! Let me guess…you still count sheeps at night, right?" Zoya's cheeks became red in embarrassment and she didn't answer.

"So you do!" He said laughing out loud.

"You know what...bhaad mein jaaye pictures…I'm going!" (Let the pictures go to hell)Zoya said and went away from him to where the grass was. She sat there huffing while Aditya was laughing holding his stomach.

"Accha baba sorry..." Aditya said as he settled beside Zoya on the grass.

"You were earlier saying to click pictures... let's do that now..." He took out his phone and before she could even sense the camera he clicked the picture. Her mouth formed an o-shape and she glared at him.

"Nice expression…" He said as he again click another picture.

"If anything happens to me...I can show this picture to the officer and say that you tried to kill me and he'll believe that too!" He said laughing.

"Just look at your expression!" He said laughing and showed her the picture which earned him a chuckle from her and she also joined him in his laughing session.

"Just don't give this to Tanya..." Zoya said controlling her laughter.

"When is your birthday, Zoya?"

"23 December…Why?"

"Aise hi..." (Just like that) He said pressing his lips together trying to suppress his laughter.

"You are not putting that up on my birthday!"

"Exactly my thoughts!" He said.

"Delete that pic at this instant!" She said moving towards him and trying to snatch his phone while he was quick to lock it and snug it into his pocket.

"I will take my revenge!"

•••

"Is this your revenge?" Aditya asked as Zoya splashed water on him. They were currently on the beach. The sky was slowly getting darker as the sun was about to set. Birds were returning to their nests. The slight breeze made the leaves of palm trees ruffle and the blue waves were reflecting the sky hitting the shore again and again taking some peice of the beach with them.

"Guys, I have brought this ball... Let's play!" Neil said as he held up a ball.

"Yeah...!" Tanya said excitedly while the other two just made a glum face.

"What happened?" Neil asked them.

"I don't wanna play... I'm tired!" Zoya said.

"I don't like this game..." Aditya said.

"You both..." Neil let out a sigh.

"I'm ready!" Tanya said.

"You both play... we'll sit here and relax a bit..." Zoya said as she settled on the sand.

"Yeah...you both play..." Aditya said as he settled beside her.

"Ok..." Neil said making a sad face.

Zoya watched the sun slowly going down and its orange rays reflected back by the water making the ocean appear as if gold powder was sprinkled over it.

"How do you feel?" Zoya asked.

"Hmm?"

"You like beaches…and here we are about to witness a sunset...how do you feel?"

"I like beaches because I feel at peace here...and this beach isn't even crowded much...it feels so much serene here...how do you feel?"

"What if I tell you that I've also started liking beaches..." She said with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Really?"

"Yeah... I've been visiting the beaches frequently…whenever I'm stressed out or sad...I remember your words that you visit beaches and they calm you...I just applied your advice one time and then there was no going back..." Zoya said as she let out a small chuckle at the end.

"Wow!" Aditya said looking forward.

Zoya followed his eyes and looked forward. The sun had finally set and it disappeared behind the horizon. The apricot color still masking some peice of the sky and the sea. The low light making silhouette of every thing. She watched Tanya standing beside Neil with her head on his shoulder. She also bent her neck slightly and was going to rest it on Aditya's shoulder when a ball fell near them.

"Aditya, pass us the ball na..." Neil said.

"Yeah, coming…" Aditya got up and went to them making something fall from his pocket on the sand.

Zoya was looking at them when her gaze fell on the box that fell on the sand. She picked it up and opened it to reveal a small shivling. The same peice which she wanted to buy from the shop but they didn't accepted cards so she had to leave it.

"You dropped something…" Zoya said as she handed him the box.

"Oh...do you like it?"

"Yeah... it's so beautiful…" She said looking at the peice with adoration.

"I bought it for you..." He said making Zoya suddenly look at him with shocked eyes.

"I can't take it... it's expensive…"

"Take it as a gift...'from your friend'…" In that moment Zoya knew that she was the luckiest person to have Aditya as her friend. She kept thinking about him as Neil drove back to the hotel. The earlier moments flashing in front of her eyes as she laid her head on Aditya's shoulder. She pretended as if she was sleeping but all she was thinking about was 'him'. Every moment from their first meet to the present came into her mind.

The moment when she first saw him seated behind the desk, when they both were sitting in the park, when they drank coffee in the rain, that day at the beach, the accident, the day when she left her past behind besides the lake, that day when he didn't let her go alone to her house, their late night talks, their fight, and the day when she found him under the table. She decided from that day that she will do anything to bring his toothy grin back and when she saw his calm expression in the temple, she felt at the top of the world. She thanks God for bringing him into her life...

_________________________________________

Finally, I completed the chapter! It's past 3500 words...I don't think I have ever written so much...

Anyways, hope you liked this chapter...and am really sorry for this late update...Earlier, it got delayed due to the research which I had to do of the places and then because of my studies...it is finally here at last...and will try to update the next soon...❤