Chap 11- Broken
It was hiking day/camp at mountain top everybody got early and proceeded to breakfast. While she was eating the fruits, Anya snided," Imlie you guts man"
"Guts? Matlab"She asked
"Matlab brave , you told your feelings upfront to Aryan hats off yar"she smiled. Imlie was furious.
How dare he share something so personal with anyone. "Hmm" all she said. She gave dangerous look to Aryan. Aryan looked like a prey his eyes looked pleading. After that everybody at silently.
Imlie went back to room and washed her face , she was pissed it was out there. Anya sounded as if it was funny and unheard of. Ugh! I will kill this man as soon as we reach Mumbai.
There was soft knock on the door, she opened it was Aryan holding his ears.
"I am sorry, maaf kardo mujhe" making puppy face
"I know i had no right but we had started talking about you and i just blurted out plus i was tad drunk" feeling ashamed.
"Its ok" sighed Imlie. "I suppose it was bound to come out one day, but not like this atleast that too from her" When she said her her dislike for Anya was visible.
"Why you hate her yar, she is chill"
"Thandi hogi tumhare liye, she talks to me as if i have just come from village "
"Thandi? But chill means"
She put her hand up "i was being sarcastic idiot" He laughed at her innocence.
"Go get ready am gona go too" with he headed out.
They all gathered at the base of the mountain ready to start their day. It will be late evening when they reach with breaks in between. Everybody head appropriate attire except Imlie.
She wore her regular salwar with sneakers.Nobody commented and respected it and Imlie was glad otherwise she had a smart reply ready.
They had taken breaks as needed for lunch/snacks. Imlie was all the way in the back in the group as this was her first time hiking. She was dead tired but she did not say a word. Raja was leading the group, follow by Sumit and Ahana. Ahana, such a sweetheart wanted to tag along with her, but Imlie insisted that she got with Sumit. Ofcourse Aryan and Anya were walking together. Imlie realized in trip, there was romantic notion from Aryan side atleast but Anya body language said otherwise.
Imlie joked in her head, she evokes feeling of shahrukwa of darr movie. Imagining herself as psycho! Imlie was too kind she could never harm anyone.
"Aur kitna shaam hogaya " making a face
"Bus thoda aur"Aryan said checking up on her finally but he quickly went back to his conversation with Anya.
Imlie shook her head . Night would come anytime as she was lost in thoughts she tripped on small hidden rock. Without making noise she sat removed her shoes and massaged the foot where it hurt. After five minutes, when she got up ready to continue, she looked around the group was long gone.
She hurried up trying to catch up with them. What imlie didnt know, they had navigates to left side of the forest. Here Imlie went straight ahead , she walked around one km, she realized she was lost. "Am sure , Aryan will come back to look for me" with that notion she went back down one km although for her everything looked same. She decided to wait for somebody from the group to come and get her. Phones ofcourse no signal. She waited and waited. She started to panic. They left her? Nobody realized that she wasnt there ? Her heart broke, tears started to spill, not even Aryan? Am i nobody just a tagalong? "Stop with negativity" imlie muttered to herself. "They will come"
It got dark. Imlie got up looking around scared. She started to walk down to base trying to recall their hike. She couldnt belive that none of them cared . After sometime Imlie found a boulder and decided to sit against it. She put her bag pack down and opened to see if she has any snacks. She saw the gifts wrapped up nicely that she was going to hand it at campfire.
She smiled sadly. She rummaged through and found a protein bar. This shoudl be enough even though she was hungry. She took sip of water and rested. She didnt know when she fell asleep. She woke up feeling cold and looked around, there was rustling of trees. She feared of wild animal or some supernatural thing. She looked at the watch it was around 4 am.
She slapped herself awake, her heart racing fast she was determined to walk down the base and leave to Mumbai. She was hurt by her so called friends. Tears started to spill again. "Please sita maiyya saathe dedo aaj, kachu nai mangat rahe aage jake" she hiccuped. Why did she make friends? She was better of alone. It was so easy for them to forget not once they came to check.
By 8 am she reach the base and from there she headed to hotel. Her tears were dried up by the time she reached the hotel. Luckily she had the key to her room, she stoicly went started packing . She called the airline to book the earliest flight to Mumbai which was noon. She will just leave for airport and wait there she couldnt stay here any longer. Suddenly the door banged open, Aryan with bloodshot eyes took Imlie in and in long stride came close and hugged her. Imlie just stood there not returning the hug. "You are ok you are ok i almost died"he whispered "he cupped her cheeks. Imlie took his hands away from her. Others came running to the room. "Imlie!" All in unison worry on their face even Anya. Ahand hugged her , "i am so sorry , we didnt realize"
"Its not your fault, tumse koi sikhayat nai. You were here to enjoy time with your husband "she smiled sadly . She looked at others with unread emotion. Aryan was shocked. "Before i go, i have some things for you guys. She removed the gifts from bag and hand it to their owners.
"Aur haan hum akle hi ache the, dost wost kuch nai howat hai. "She looked at them "Ek baar bhi mude nai" "Imlie" aryan started to speak she put her hand up to stop him. "Mujhe aisi dosti nai chaye. Humne apni dost nibhaai shayad kahi kami reh gai isliye aap logo ke liye aasan tha. Ahana tumse mein milungi Mumbai mein as promised. Please mujhe mat rokna, i hope you enjoyed your campfire and rest of journey."
Aryan was shattered. He hated himself, when he realized Imlie wasnt with them he died thousand deaths at that moment. It was an unknown feeling but they had started back to base as soon they could in middle of the night. He realized how much of a jerk he has been in trip with Imlie. He hardly spent anytime with her.
This was suppose to lifetime trip and he managed to make it worse for one person who mattered to him most. He opened the box, a lone tear escape and he dropped on his knees. He caressed his mom face in the picture.
Imlie was able to break the barrier that nobody could. His confidante, and he hurted her so much she broke their friendship.
An officer who was so proud, well guarded , man of few words -that too he speaks alot now because of her. Her influence on him was much deeper then he thought.
