The Journey (2016)

The Restart

Not proof-read. Unedited. 

"Under Dard Mein Kahun Ya Dava,

Jinhe Yaad Main Karun Sau Dafaa,

Sunehere Unhi Dino Se Bata,

Pada Hai Kabhi Tera Vasta..."

- Khamma Ghani, Happy Ending.

The Restart

Nikhil paced the guestroom with the phone to his ears. It was past midnight in Sydney and he knew they're probably sleeping but if either of them didn't pick up the call, he was going to push them down the mountains in Himalayas.

"Hello?" Raj's voice sounded like he had swallowed a three hundred candies in one go.

"What's wrong with your voice?" For a moment he forgot about the reason he was calling.

"We went Jetpacking today and I swallowed a lot of water," he muttered in his hoarse voice.

Nikhil laughed, "you can't swim though, why did you get into the water?"

"I know but Aisha insisted on it and I didn't expect it to fall back into the water while training."

Nikhil laughed again and Raj clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Did you call me after three months of absence so you could laugh at me?"

Nikhil's laugh came to an abrupt stop. He was right. The last time they talked was three months ago and that was because Raj had called him to tell him that he was going on a world tour with Aisha. It wasn't that Nikhil never thought of calling them but he felt like he had nothing to talk about these days. He even let Raj's calls go to voicemail even when he had time because he didn't want to bring down their mood.

"I am sorry!" Nikhil said. "I have been selfish and I know I shouldn't have done that to you guys."

"Okay, forgiven. So what's up?"

Nikhil chuckled. He had missed this so much. Suddenly his life felt bright and colorful again.

"I am in India. Dad and Rahul uncle tricked me into coming here and now I don't know what to do."

"Oh! Well you could've Googled but I have heard the northern and southern regions are best for— "

"No, you idiot! It's not about that!" Nikhil face-palmed. "It's Radhika. She's here."

"Oh," Raj said. Then a moment later, "OHHH! Shit!"

"Yes, my thoughts exactly."

Raj knew about everything that occurred last summer, obviously. He was the first one to rush over with a cheese pizza and a 5 liter bottle of coke (though he did drag Nikhil to the gym the next week).

"So...are you feeling down? Do we need to come over?" Raj sounded genuinely concerned.

"No man, that's not it. She seems completely normal to see me and I just don't know how to react!"

"Well, if she is acting normal, why don't you just do the same?"

"That's the thing! I can't form a single coherent thought when I see her!" Nikhil ran fingers through his hair and finally sat down on the bed. Raj laughed on the other end, frustrating him even more. "Why are you laughing, you dollop head!"

"I am the dollop head? Look at you! You're so god damn whipped."

Nikhil let out a groan just as a knock sounded at the door. He jumped up in surprise as if he was greeted by an unexpected knock while on some secret mission of assassination.