Shrishti Reborn

Chapter 32. Vacation begins

'I cannot believe we are going on a trip!', Megha chirped happily as she and Shrishti put their bags into the trunk of the van. Shrishti could not believe it either. Shrishti, her Pappa, Raghav, Arpit and Megha were going on a trip. Where were they going? Only Shrishti and her Pappa knew. Rest were only told that it was a cold place despite being summer and to pack their clothes accordingly with sweaters and socks and scarves and everything else they needed. All of them had been warned to wear sneakers and not even think about wearing their usual sandals and slippers. Shrishti had felt giddy when she had delivered these orders to the three siblings. It felt like she was on some secret mission which only she knew!

They were heading to the airport for an early morning flight, hence they were leaving home before sun was even up. Shrishti wondered if the siblings would guess their vacation destination once they saw the name of their flight's destination on their tickets. Shrishti doubted. They had to travel by road from the airport to reach the hill station. Once the bags were in and their documents rechecked and confirmed, the quintet were off to the airport. The boys sat in the back while the Shrishti and Megha took the middle in the van while Pappa sat in the front with the driver chatting. Half way to the airport, Megha fell asleep on Shrishti's shoulder.

'Are you comfortable?', Raghav suddenly asked and Shrishti was thankful that he was sitting behind her and hence, she could not see him properly without dislodging Megha from her shoulder. Because for once, he was not wearing his simple attire. He wore a teal coloured turtleneck and Shrishti could not even look at him properly without feeling shy. Did the man have to look this lovely in a turtleneck? Couldn't he have spared her heart and worn something that was not so physique highlighting? Shrishti's heart rabbited every time she looked at him! It did not help that the teal colour of the turtleneck only complimented his coffee coloured skin and brown hazel eyes.

'Huh?', Shrishti murmured. She turned her head sideways to hear him. Her eyes fell on Arpit who was watching them keenly from behind Megha's seat.

'Megha.', Raghav murmured. She felt his breath closer to her ear and resisted the urge to shiver. Did he have to lean this close to talk to her? Sadly, the answer was yes because they were in the car and other option was to shout at the top of their voices. She looked away to the other side and swallowed.

'Megha's head is on your shoulder. Are you comfortable?', Raghav asked.

Shrishti nodded, unable to say a single word. How did Raghav manage to set her nerves on fire without even touching her? His soft husky voice and his breath this close to her was enough to send tingles down her back. She did not know how she would survive being in his proximity for the whole week! Suddenly, she wanted the vacation to end soon so that she could go to college and not deal with Raghav anymore. But then would her heart survive without seeing Raghav daily? She did not know!

'I am fine.', Shrishti whispered and Raghav replied, 'OK.' She sensed him move back and heaved a sigh of relief mentally. She looked out of the window, trying to take deep breaths and calm her racing heart.

They reached the airport in a while and Shrishti woke Megha up. Soon, they were into the airport with luggage and bags and before she knew it, the luggage were bagged and tagged and sent away while they headed to the security. Half an hour later, they were at the gate from where they would take the flight. By now, the siblings knew which airport their plane would land in and yet they did not know their final destination.

'Bagdogra Airport? Where is that?', Arpit wondered before whipping out the phone to google the name.

Megha meanwhile decided to nag Shrishti's Pappa about their vacation. Now that she slept in the car, she was wide awake for the journey now.