Bound By Hurdles

❥ Chapter 15

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The Terminal Downfall

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"I can't believe we are stuck at this creepy place. Fuck my fate! Fuck your goddamn car!" Juhi's annoyed cribs were directed at Harsha who was working on repairing his car that had broken down at a deserted lane, kilometres away from the city. There were no beings around, neither did they see any vehicle except Sonakshi's car that had already sped into the vicinity minutes ago.

"Sona has travelled through this shady byway all alone. This girl! She isn't even scared!" Juhi commented or rather talked out loud to herself in disbelief, unable to digest her best friend's reckless adventures. If she didn't know it was almost close to noon time, she would have assumed it to be midnight. The surroundings were pitch dark with trees covering either side of the road. It was hard to figure out the right path from among numerous narrow passages. Now that they had missed Sonakshi's car, she was apprehensive about reaching Aadyanth on time.

Harsha didn't bother to reply at all. Within few minutes of the meet & travel, he was acquainted to Juhi's demanding character. She was such a problematic woman who complained about everything he did. Given a choice, he would have pushed her outside & drove away. But then it wasn't the time for ridiculous child plays. He had enough problems on his shoulders already. Besides, he was so tensed about Aadyanth that everything else seemed negligible for the time being.

"Will it be done today?" Juhi nagged as she leaned in from the rear seat & long pressed the horn.

"I'm trying!" Harsha replied not taking his eyes off the engine.

"Sona is already gone. What are we going to do about the way? Do you think we will be able to find the place?"

"Hmm!" Harsha simply hummed not giving importance to her never ending, senseless rants.

"If only we have taken my car everything would have fallen into place. But the problem is Sona can identify it real quick. That is why I left it behind. Didn't you see how she stopped twice? She was doubtful. So this has to be the right choice. Nooo! Wait! Not really! We should have taken some other car which was in a better condition. Not mine, not yours but somebody else's! What do you think?" Juhi remarked, indulging her now dense brain in some deep shit thoughts.

"Hmmmm!" Harsha hummed again, stressing the end for a little while longer, to match the length of her essay on which car to choose & which not to.

"Woah! Look at you. I have talked so much but all you do is hmm, hmmm, hmmmm. How cool Aadyanth is! But you're a picky old guy! Stop being so pricey. It won't cost you millions to move your lips" Juhi mouthed in irritation as she imitated his way of talking. Harsha rolled his eyes, indirectly asking her to hold her tongue & went back to whatever he was doing.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me? Remember I'm your senior & I.."

"You can always rag me at college for being a jerk. Right?" He cut in & repeated the tagline he had been hearing like a chant even when he turned around or moved a little.

"Yeah! True. Wait! Are you, by any chance, teasing me?"

"I won't dare to" Harsha pretended to be startled & got inside the car. He started the engine which fuelled into life with a screech. He was glad that Juhi didn't pick out the sarcasm hidden beneath his previous reply. If she did, she might eat his ears off with her list of do's & dont's until they reached the destination.

"Good for you!" Juhi straightened her seatbelt & gazed out of the window, not wanting to converse with the bizarre guy anymore.

They crossed a few kilometres in absolute silence. For their luck, there weren't any confusing by-roads on the way. This continued for several more minutes until the car reached at an abandoned intersection. The real challenge began when Harsha couldn't decide which route to follow. He halted the car & turned back at Juhi to find her equally confused & lost in thoughts.