On the vibrant festival of Teej, a chance detour changes everything for Arnav and Khushi. Will their bond withstand the trials of the wild - or will the rainforest unravel them completely?
Note: Some chapters are 18+. Appropriate trigger warnings wi...
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Khushi wriggled her toes, the cool water felt good against her feet as opposed to the sultry air clinging to the rest of her body. She raised her pale blue cotton gown up to her knees, though it was futile as the hems were already wet.
The silverware clinked softly as Arnav-ji set his glass down. She grinned at him, excitement bubbling for the dinner he had planned. Their long table was set at the shallow end of the pool, perfectly positioned to overlook the rolling waves as the sun dipped lower into the horizon. The entire scene was nothing short of surreal.
She had quickly lost her enthusiasm for foreign cuisine after days of trying it, craving instead the warmth of comfort food. She'd been daydreaming about puris and bhaji, drooling at the thought of them.
It was as though Arnav-ji had read her mind. Her squeal of delight had echoed when the servers rolled up a cart laden with Indian delicacies. She'd eagerly requested a local dessert to keep the experience adventurous, though she secretly hoped for jalebis to make a surprise appearance.
"Khushi," said Arnav-ji, his fork hovering mid-air as he stared at her thoughtfully. "What do you think about college?"
The question caught her completely off-guard. She laughed. "What, at my age? You can't be serious."
"Oh, I am," he replied, rolling his eyes. "And twenty-two is hardly old. It's ridiculous to think there's an age limit to learning or developing one's skills. Do you remember when Akash praised your handiwork with the buttons—"
"To get into designing?" Khushi interjected, her voice timid but curious. "Yeah, I remember."
"Well, I don't think it's a bad idea," Arnav said earnestly. "And believe me, that's the businessman in me talking. You have a natural knack for it."
"And college is the answer?" she asked dubiously.
"I'm not saying it's the only answer," he admitted, leaning back slightly. "I think there are two kinds of people. One group thrives on theoretical knowledge—those who gather resources and build a foundation before they take on a project or pursue a career. Then there are the action-oriented ones—those who learn by doing, on the job. I want you to figure out where you fit in. Which approach feels right to you?"
Khushi absorbed his words, considering them carefully before asking, "What about you? Which one do you fit into?"
Arnav-ji paused, his brows furrowing slightly in thought. "A bit of both, honestly. But when you're starting from scratch, like I did, a college degree can be essential. That's the unfortunate reality of our society. Still, it has its advantages—it opens up a broader scope of opportunities: diverse projects, new perspectives, and exposure to fresh ideas."
