Dastaan Jo Likhun

Ch 25.1. Elastic Encounters - PART I

___________ Context __________

Did you know ?: Googol means 10^¹⁰⁰ and Google is a spelling mistake.

I have used images to aid in storytelling, so please read through the texts to get the subtext and play the bgm attached when prompted to get the full experience.

Note: This chapter involves parallel conversations so please follow along and enjoy!

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Date: 14-04-2001, Saturday

Time: 6:02 am

[30 days after last ch.]

"Log kehte hai ki govt offices me appointment lene me joote ghiss jate hai," Neil uttered in annoyance. "Galat kehte hai!," he screamed in his brother's ear. "Unko to apke sath ek din bita ke dekhna chahiye..."

"Bas kar!," Abhimanyu reprimanded him while he cleaned his assaulted ringing ear and proceeded to wear his helmet, "Would you calm down ?"

This triggered Neil, whose annoyance was at all time high, "Calm down! Aur mai ?," he huffed in the back seat. "Mera na sir ghoom raha hai," he said while glaring at his brother's back.

"Low blood sugar ?," Abhimanyu joked, huffing as he pulled his visor down and kicked the support stand. "Biscuit khalo chup-chaap," he advised while slowly pulling the bike out of the parking lot.

"Gems na khaalun?," Neil mumbled under his breath, but Abhimanyu's glare from the side mirror indicated that he overheard. "Sorry," Neil quipped... placating his equally frustrated brother.

The reason for their continued annoyance... finding common ground or time or situation or place where one could finally rid himself of his guilt and provide a peace offering to the sisters he offended, while the other would just be. Basking in the presence of a person who shied away from him.

Their weeks worth of effort to be subtle in their agenda... to be proper and not stalk back to their home like unwelcome guests... to arrange a meet that would seem like an elaborate coincidence were wearing thin on their minds.

But all they achieved was epic failure...

From circling around the sunset garden... in hopes to meet them during the morning run, like they had before. That one time.

Unware that the Goenkas frequented the space around mid-morning on Sundays and the evening over the weekdays.

If only they also had an early morning regimen... like the dynamic duo part III.

From chancing surveys around the community garden... in hopes to run into them over the weekend... for any impromptu function that might have popped up.

Unaware that every other function, not that there were any in the few days, where the guest list was manageable, was hosted in their home or their maternal homes. And, the Birlas weren't that close family friends, yet, to warrant an invite every time.

Such a pity... for the budding i̶n̶n̶o̶c̶e̶n̶t̶ s̶t̶a̶l̶k̶e̶r̶ surveyor and his reluctant sidekick.

From alternating random visits to their family hospital... on the off chance that her appointment aligns with his lovely stars and Abhimanyu manages to catch hold of Akshara.