The Journey (2016)

The Party

Tu Dhoop Hain Jham Se Bikhar
Tu Hai Nadee O Bekhabar
Beh Chal Kahin Ud Chal Kahin
Dil Khush Jahan Teri Toh Manzil Hai Wahin...
- Kholo Kholo, Taare Zameen Par
[Trans: "You are sunlight, spread yourself. You're a river, O ignorant. Flow away somewhere, fly away somewhere. Wherever the heart is happy, that's your destination."]

The Party

Radhika wondered if it would be appropriate to turn around, get into the fancy car, and get herself back to the safe haven of the resort. To her utter alarm and displeasure, Aisha put an arm around her waist and dragged her to where the chaos seemed to only increase every passing second. With the kind of shiny and glamorous outfit Aisha had picked out, Radhika was hoping for a more sophisticated and quiet party but one look at the raving madness and Radhika knew her predictions were true and her hope unsurprisingly fickle.

"Come on, let's go meet Keith." Aisha shouted to her over the loud music and Radhika barely caught the words. She followed Aisha further into the party, trying to avoid the bodies filtering the room. Whatever space left was occupied by nasty smell of alcohol, sweat and she didn't even want to imagine what. They crossed the living room and exited outside the backdoor. There was a lawn there and the area was relatively quiet. A group of friends sat on the lawn. Few of them were smoking, a few sipping on beer from their bottles and the rest were just trying to fit in. One of them was laying on the grass, staring up at the sky. Nikhil and Raj joined them and the groups greeted each other.

"Why did you even invite these bullheads, Keith?" Aisha walked over to them, followed by Raj and Nikhil. Nikhil turned to call her over with a tilt of his head as an invitation. Radhika walked hesitantly.

"I didn't." Keith scowled. "I invited only a few but word spread and before I could finish even one bottle, people were dead drunk. Keith was leaning back on his arms, his biceps bulging under his polo shirt. He had dirty blond hair, straight white teeth and green eyes. Radhika had never met anyone with green eyes before. It wasn't until he spoke that she realized he was looking at her too. "Keith."

"Radhika." She introduced.

"It will take a while, but I promise I will get it right one day." Keith smiled. "I have never seen you around here."

"She isn't from here. She just came this morning from the States." Nikhil answered for her.

"Nice! Enjoying Astrum so far?"

"So far I have slept through afternoon and had the world's best sandwich." She smiled. "I think I love this place already. Keith laughed and Radhika soon found out that these were actually nice people, even if drunk. She was just enjoying the humid but strangely comforting air outside when Aisha said they should go inside and check out the party. Radhika wished she could say no to this beautiful girl but she found herself following Aisha inside as the other girl talked about the last party they went to.

"I was just dancing with him and this jerk had to go ahead and shove him. He almost started a fight saying he was misbehaving with me! I mean I gave the guy permission to touch me, you know? Does my opinion matter?" Aisha ranted about Raj's irrational behavior as they walked towards the kitchen. The island was set up as a bar and Aisha made two guys get up so they could get a sit. Radhika murmured an undetected sorry to the boys as she took a sit. She was all for feminism but she knew this wasn't equality. She didn't say anything though because debating with Aisha over feminism didn't seem like a wise idea right now. And anyway, this was battle of classes. When she realized where her thoughts were trailing off to, Radhika shook her head and came back to earth.

Soon she was nodding her head to the up-beat song and Aisha was already on the floor dancing with someone. She had always avoided parties because she was scared of what the outcome could be. To her, there were only two possibilities; getting in trouble for something or hating them. She never even considered enjoying them. What she was feeling at the moment though, was indifference.