Foresight

Chapter XII

After a good day of sightseeing and a heavy lunch in of the prominent dhaba's, the trio go to their last destination for the day – Sunset point. They spend a lot of time admiring the natural beauty of the place. The gentle breeze blowing the tree leaves to a soothing rustle, the magnanimous sun which is getting ready to call a it a day, is shining its last of the brightness on the rustic plains and a much needed warmth to the chilling night. Rajesh and Neeraj talk about their plans for the night, which of course includes attaining euphoria with the joints, which they hope have accompanied them in the custody of Tarun.

Tarun, on the other hand is smoking off his evening cigarette in a distance, far away from the prying and judging eyes of the society. As he finishes his cigarette and is about to throw the butt, his sight catches something that turns his life upside down. There in the distance, he spots a girl, who could give an apsara (celestial nymph) a run for her money. The golden locks flowing smoothly in the cool breeze, luscious lips highlighted by the bright shade of pink, a smile to kill for, any sane man would have fallen for. Tarun was no different. He keeps looking at her for a considerable time.

They say you can feel that when someone is staring at you. Jenny feels the same alien feeling and she looks around for her admirer and from the corner of her eye she sees a skinny boy, probably in his mid – twenties witha burning cigarette in his hand, standing dumbstruck. Their eyes meet for a brief time, he dumbstruck by her beauty, she feeling little grossed out by his constant staring.

She breaks the eye contact first, he still keeps his eyes glued on her, for looking away seems disastrous; what if she moves away and he may never find her. So engrossed Tarun is in her beauty that he doesn't notice that the ember in his finished cigarette is dangerously close to burning his finger.

Love is truly painful. The ember reaches his hand and Tarun feels and painful burn in his finger and jerks his hand to throw the cigarette butt. He examines his finger with a grimace in his face. 'That's going to leave a mark' he thinks as he lowers his hand and turns his head again back to Jenny, 'but not as long lasting as her beauty' he puts the soothing touch on his heart and his finger. He doesnt take his eyes away from her even as he walks towards his friends, who right now are busy searching for him.

"Dude you brought joints right?" Rajesh asks the moment Tarun joins them.

"F**k the joints man. I think I am in love here" replies Tarun, who clearly now is in trance.

"What?"

"See that girl in black top and denim shorts by the railing. I think I am in love with her dude"

"Really? Well then go talk to her"

"I think she is a bit out of your league man" Neeraj interrupts.

Tarun doesn't even bother to reply him and heads straight towards Jenny, to talk with her not before giving Neeraj the finger as a reply, without even turning back.

Jennifer, a 23 year old bubbly girl from Mumbai working in call-centre is on a small break from her hectic life back home. With single mother and a brother at her home, Jennifer's father left her mother for another woman when she was just a six year old girl and her brother was a crawling 8 month old infant. She saw her mother her mother struggle to provide her and her brother a decent livelihood from her grandmother's care. So from a young age she developed opportunistic traits and lot of responsibility for her age. She used to forgo playing with her peers to take care of her brother so that the burden on her grandmother and her mother would be less. Having sacrificed a lot in her young age, she became determined to enjoy her life to her fullest after she graduated from her college with flying colours. Beause of those responsibilites she overtook on herself, she never had the time for a relationship. Little was she to know that the trip to Matheran was going to be a turning point in her life.

Tarun approaches Jenny with a confidence in his gait and butterflies in his stomach. 'What if she already has a boyfriend. Clearly a girl this beautiful will have a boyfriend.' With this thought his walk towards her slows down. 'But then again if she had a boyfriend, he would be clearly by his side. She is alone here, that means she is single.' And with this thought he gains back his confidence and approaches her.

Jenny looks at her admirer approaching her. She tucks a loose strand of hair fluttering through her face away, which has its own stunning and intoxicating grace.

"Hi, I am Tarun from Mumbai. I saw you from that corner and had to come and appreciate you on your beauty." Saying that, Tarun turns and walk's away without looking back, hoping his trick would work.

"Excuse me." Jenny calls him out. 'Yes!!' Tarun exclaims to himself and turns back to face Jenny, who is now approaching Tarun.

"I saw you looking at me, but I never thought you will have the courage to approach me."

"I am different that way"

"Are you flirting with me?"

"That depends on whether it's working or not. If it's working then I definitely am, otherwise not."

"You think it might work on me but it doesn't work"

"Then tell me what would work on you" Tarun replies with a deadly confidence in his words.

At that moment, Jenny breaks out a mild laughter, while tucking another loose strand back to her. Looks like she found someone who is actually brave enough to approach her, that to in a wildly flirty manner.

"How come you are this confident. I might have a boyfriend."

"In cricket, bowlers aim for that three stumps, even though a batsman is standing in front of it with a bat."

"That.... is a cheesy pickup line" Jenny cocks her head to the side.

"You do that once more and I might propose you for marriage right here right now." Tarun confides to Jenny.

"Well I am impressed. I am Jenny, also from Mumbai and single." Jenny extends her hand. Tarun meets her hand with a confident shake.

"Nice name" Tarun speaks up while they retract their hands to their respective pockets.

"Thank you. I assume you are also on vacation." Jenny asks, though it doesn't seem like a question. "Yeah. The two guys who are looking at us with a bewilderment in their faces behind us, are my friends." Tarun points over his shoulder. Jenny leans around and waves to Rajesh and Neeraj. They reply with a similar wave. "Three bachelor boys huh. Lot of drinking I suppose?" Jenny points out the usual. "Wont lie to you, there was some drinking involved last night." Tarun replies, trying to paint somewhat decent picture.

"Say what are you doing tonight?" Tarun asks her out.

"I don't know" Jenny plays along.

"Well I suppose a dinner with me then." Tarun suggests her.

" I guess that won't be that bad. Where are we going? And what about your friends?" Jenny asks, hoping they might get some alone time.

"They can take care of themselves" Tarun replies, not wanting them to tag along.

"I am Rajesh" Rajesh interrupts. Tarun never expected Rajesh to come about his side. "And I am Neeraj" Neeraj introduces himself while plopping out of Tarun's shoulder on the other side.

Though a little surprised and taken aback, Jenny keeps her composure and introduces herself to the other two member of the gang.

"Well I suppose you guys will be breaking out for dinner." Rajesh enquires Tarun. "Can we tag along?" Neeraj asks Jenny with wide grin. "Yes and NO" Tarun replies the no part with a command.

"Geez relax man, I was just kidding" Neeraj calms Tarun down. Meanwhile Tarun and Rajesh whisper to each other and Rajesh slips the spare room key to Tarun, masking the process with a handshake.

The duo bid adieu to the new-formed couple and head to their lodge for a quiet dinner and some blow time where as the couple spend some more time at the sunset point, taking in the mesmerizing view for a couple minutes more.