When you Say Goodbye

Tug of War

Eighteen-year-old Ditiya was waiting near the main gate of her house, tapping her right foot continuously and checking her wristwatch impatiently for Aisha to pick her up. It was a foggy, very cold morning and Ditiya found standing still was quite impossible for her.

Ditiya fished into her pocket, brought out some chewing gum, and popped it into her mouth and then took she took out her phone to dial Aisha's number, but to her surprise, Aisha didn't pick up the call.

"Stupid," Ditiya mumbled as she looked at the ground and started to kick the pebble next to her Nike shoes, for a few seconds she could forget the freezing weather and simply focus on the pebble. But soon many thoughts ran through her mind like what if Aisha won't come? Did she forget Ditiya? And maybe using carpool wasn't her best idea but she really wanted to go to Tanya's farmhouse and enjoy the winter vacation.

After a few more minutes, which seemed like an hour in Ditiya's eyes a Suzuki Etiga stopped in front of her. Aisha was sitting in the passenger seat, while Aisha's boyfriend was sitting in the driver's seat. Two more girls were sitting in the middle seat and a boy of her age at the back.

"Hey!" Aisha said as she got out of the car. "Sorry for being late."

Ditiya rolled her eyes and let her head loll back to show her annoyance, "I was about get pneumonia," she murmured later.

Aisha elbowed Ditiya lightly in the ribs "I said, I sorry." Then she opened the trunk of the car and told Ditiya, as she pushes a suitcase to the side, "You can put your luggage here."

"I will get you a cappuccino for getting late," Aisha smiled at Ditiya

"Better!" Ditiya said, throwing her bags into the trunk and then she jumped into the car onto the back seat, still chewing the gum.

"Hey," Ditiya quickly greeted everyone presented in the car.

"Hello, I am Dhruv," the boy who was already seated at the back seat quickly greeted her back with a big smile and reaching out his hand to shake hands, which Ditiya ignored deliberately.

"Zisha," "And this is Mihika" the two girls in the middle turned back and greeted Ditiya subsequently and in turn Ditiya acknowledged them with a polite smile.

"Vihan," the boyfriend of Aisha and the driver for that carpool said without turning around, but Ditiya looked into the rearview mirror and she could see his smile. Soon he started the engine, put the car into gear and they shot off for Nainital.

"I am so excited," Ditiya cheered with joy as she tried to find a comfortable position.

"Sure why not, Ditiya you gotta good company" Mihika joked, looking playfully at Dhruv.

"You don't say," Ditiya muttered under her breath glaring at the boy next to her if looks could hurt till then Dhruv might have some bruises. To be sure, she didn't like him. Not at all, he had unruly thick, dark, curly hair that was so not incredibly cool, but the girls in the middle seats did seem to like him.

"You should fasten your seat belt," Dhruv suddenly told Ditiya after a while.

'No. I don't want your suggestions," She fired back, staring at him with fury. Dhruv was caught in disbelief, at her rudeness. But he didn't say a word just stayed silent for a while and turned to look out the window.

After five more minutes Dhruv rolled down the car's window, he rested his hands on the window frame and endeavored to inhale one long deep breath of fresh air.

"What the hell! It's winter! Do you want us to catch a cold?" she yelling at the top of her voice at him, "Close that stupid window now!"

"I can't get my breath in here, the air's so thick," Dhruv replied.