THE HEIST

Our Final Day? (II)

As if Arya wasn't already scared of heights, now that we realised we didn't have parachutes, she lost it. Even as we were free falling, she was screaming her lungs out, with her face completely red and even Linda joined in on the screaming. I glided over to Karan to get him to explain himself.

"WE'RE LITERALLY SUPPOSED TO BE FREE FALLING INTO THE OCEAN??" I spoke to him in sign language. He just nodded, and I couldn't be angrier. "ARYA HAS NO EXPERIENCE IN THIS YOU IDIOT!! SHE CAN POSSIBLY DIE WHILE LANDING" his face went pale.

He realised then the error of his idea. He had presumed that a girl like Arya would already have experienced skydiving before and made his calculations based on that. But boy was he wrong. Arya and Linda still hadn't stopped screaming and It sure wasn't going to be a happy ending, definitely not if the things went on the way they were right now.

Now what?

I glided back to Arya and tried to explain to her the way one should dive leg first into the sea when free falling and how to go about doing it. We thankfully had the small CO² cylinders stuck to our wrists and could easily get us back to the surface once triggered, and one pair each of tiny O² gas cylinders which could supply underwater breathing. I explained that to Arya, while Karan taught the same to Linda.

As we neared the ocean surface, I pushed Arya away and we plugged into the ocean, far away from each other.

To add some drama to the already dramatic situation, I pulled off a Houdini and stayed inside the ocean for much longer than the others, and only after around 5 minutes, using up all the O² possible, did I finally come back to surface gasping for air.

All I was able to hear was Arya screaming my name out loud, wailing while doing it. Karan immediately jumped back it to the ocean and helped me get back to the boat.

Arya started to hit me on my chest, harder than I thought she could and was still crying. I just hugged her tight and didn't let her go, even as she struggled to break apart. That was enough to pacify her for the time being and I signalled Karan to get us back to the Cruise ship.

Once we were back, we head to our respective rooms,  while on the way Karan told us to be ready for the ballroom dance this night that he would host in our honour. I was a bit confused about this.

Almost get us killed first, then host a dinner for us. Perfect Karan, just perfect.

At around 8 pm, I got ready and almost like clockwork made my way to her room, knocking thrice for good luck and then waiting for her to open.

And while I thought the white one piece couldn't be one-upped, here she was. Her magnificence just tore me apart. There were days when I would think of such times... You know? Those moments when one wouldn't be able to speak. Be THAT spellbound by the beauty before me that in respect, the head would just bow down by itself - with no other reason compelling it to. Yes. Those moments. Here I was, living one of them and couldn't do anything to make it seem otherwise.

"Arya... You.." I couldn't speak after that. "I know Angad, I'm perfect, I know!" she said, giving me one of her coy smiles. All I could do was sigh. I asked for her hand in a formal manner, kissed it and we made our way to the ballroom three stories below.

Karan and Linda were waiting for us in the common room, to take us to the ballroom. Linda's breasts were almost popping out of the dress she was wearing but I knew better than to point it out. I signalled Karan in the way we usually used to back in INSEAD, and he nodded in glee, like a toddler who just got a bag of candy all to himself.

The rest of the night went exactly like Karan intended it to, we four as double couples danced first, and then everyone else in the room followed suit. After a bit of dancing, we ate the delicious Thai food served in a buffet and I tugged Arya and signalled to her that we should head to our rooms now.

As we reached the door which lead us outside the hall, however - I heard a familiar voice. "May I have your attention, please?  MAY I PLEASE HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? Alright. I am the host of this ball and I say we spice it up a little. I had originally hosted this for Angad and Arya" 

"What the hell Karan!"  I thought to myself, "This wasn't a part of the plan!" looking at his drunk and crazy self, holding the mic and standing on the stage doing what looked like he was searching for someone in the crowd - me. I tried hiding but it was already too late. He had spotted me. 

He gave his signature smirk and continued: "Yes... As I was saying... for Angad and Arya. But now, I've had enough of this bullshit, formal pirouette. So if you could just look to your right" he said, pointing to the left, "Uh, I mean this right!" Now pointing right behind him, "No no! I mean this one" finally pointing to the right, to what seemed to be makeshift changing rooms, "I have arranged for clothes for the entire lot of you. You might as well change into those because..." after going blank for a second he said while pointing at the DJ, "because DJ! SPIN THAT WHEEL!" looking at the crowd now, he screamed: "LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED RIIIGHT!" and jumped down from the stage, just as the beat dropped. 

Arya however, needed no invitation. Already high on champagne, she pulled me with all her might to the dressing room and shoved me into one, saying "I'll change too and see you in five!"

The rest of what followed was a rave party, to say the least. With drunk, crazy people thrusting themselves in from all directions, we could only jump and dance just as crazily as Karan and Linda were beside us. Too tired by the day, I pulled Arya closer and shouted near her ear, "LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" to which she nodded to, in glee and I helped her get out of the hall in what seemed like an hour, but was lesser than five minutes. 

When we finally reached our rooms, I tried to push my luck and asked for a good night's kiss but what she did, however, blew my mind. Pulling me by my funky tie, she gave me a long, hard kiss which left me gasping for air. But before I could pull her for another, she stopped me and said "There's time for everything, Angad. You should learn to be patient!" sticking her tongue out. And once again, all I could do was pull another sigh, shrugging my shoulders.

Karan was waiting in the aisle, almost sobered up now, to explain the next day's proceedings. I listened intently this time, just to make sure nothing like this morning happens ever again. We agreed upon the plan and head to our rooms to get some good night's rest.