Kyon Nahi ✓ || (neirohi)

10. Paagal ho tum

10. Paagal ho tum

"Wow, Mumbai kitna pretty hai, I love it."

Neil and Aarohi smiled at the very excited girl who was seated right in the front of the wooden boat and admiring the Arabian sea, stretched out till it meets the ocean and the evening sun shone so well in the open sky and the deep blue water. Abhimanyu and Akshara were on another boat, just adjacent to them and the Birlas' had booked the two ferry rides for themselves until they could witness the sunset, being right in the middle of the sea. 

"Neil bhaiya, can you take a picture of me with the Titanic pose?" Nishta stood with her hands outstretched as Neil asked her to be careful, nevertheless clicking her picture and then few selfies, while Aarohi shut her eyes and let her hand in the cold water, fingers playing with the water. 

The guide who was rowing the boat, brought the little ferry right in the middle of the sea, away from the shore and Aarohi opened her eyes to see the horizon so close yet so far as the sun prepared to set. She looked at the side, where Abhimanyu and Akshara were, hand in hand and enveloped in each other's arms and she smiled at them, turning back to the orange ball of fire, now ready to descend. 

It was a long day, first they had arrived a little late because Mumbai's traffic was uncanny, then they had a tour of the Elephanta caves and the Gateway of India, and then horse riding at Marine Drives and after that, they were back again at the ferries, this time to sit peacefully and let the evening sun set with all their tiredness. 

"Nishta enough," Neil instructed his cousin, who pouted, "sit in one place and watch the sun set, warna main Taiji ko complain karunga." 

"You are so mean," Nishta said, huffing, "Aarohi dii, kya sarre bade bhaiya iss idiot ki tarah hote hai?" She asked from the other end, making faces at Neil who was also making faces at her in reply. 

"Nahi, sarrey nahi hote," Aarohi remembered Kairav bhaiya, her brother who did and still does so much for the two sisters, lately he was too busy with his wife and their baby and Aarohi felt the jab of being lonely once again.

"Wow, toh Kairav bhaiya aapki complain karne ki dhamki nahi dete the aapke mumma pappa ko?"

On the mention of her late parents, Aarohi sighed, and saddened immediately, she gulped, missing her parents now more than ever. Neil diverted the topic to the setting sun, and Nishta started recording the scenery, and the former sat besides the mysterious girl. For the entire day, Neil kept an eye on the girl, who kept to herself most of the time, hardly clicked pictures and never spoke more than warranted. She was definitely not like him, carefree and lively, instead she was a close book, choosing what to say, carefully reacting and thinking a lot before speaking. 

Unless of course, when they bicker.

"Aaj ka din, accha tha," Neil spoke to the girl, their shoulders brushed and for a split second, Aarohi felt a little shiver as she got goosebumps, even when there was no chilly wind passing at that time. "Thanks, Aarohi."

"Aarohi?" She questioned him, tilting her head, "theek toh ho na?"

"Wow, dhang se baat karu, woh bhi galat?"

She shook her head, "kitne dramatic ho tum, no wonder Akshara is happy to have you. You two are so similar."

"And you are like bhai, sarrey doctors aise hi hote hai kya? Itne depressed." Neil teased her, while she met his bright eyes. "Kuch hua hai kya?"

"Nahi, bas, deep sea se thoda darr lagta hai," She replied, shrugging, "I don't know why I fear that I may just drown or the boat might sink or something."

"Well, then why did you agree to tag along?" 

"Nishta wanted to, and then, you are busy too right, I thought why let my fears get in the way of fun. Aur waise bhi, aankhein band karnse se darr nahi lagta."