When life happens

The Vicco park visit

There was one spare day before they travelled to the next destination and Jassi came up with the idea of taking Tani to an amusement park to make her forget the depressing stuff that was clearly going on in her mind recently.

Virat bhaiya approved of the idea whole-heartedly.

"I'll take Rishabh, because so long as he's left to Hardik and Neha's devices, they'll go nowhere," said Jassi.

Virat grinned. "Point. You could take all the others, too."

"Take us where?" asked Hardik loudly.

"How nicely he assumes we mean him too, doesn't he?" Jassi asked Virat bhaiya confidentiality.

Virat laughed and said, "Exactly. But strangely enough we'd get bored anywhere without him."

Hardik looked so smug that Jassi wished Virat bhaiya hadn't said this, though it was true.

"Tell Neha, Siri and Tani that we're leaving for Vicco park in an hour," Jassi ordered Hardik.

Hardik went away cheerfully.

............................................................................

Tani was in a lot better mood than yesterday, now that the burden was off her back, partly carried by someone she truly depended on.

The entrance of Vicco Park clearly flashed, Best for 5-13 Years'

"Can anyone tell me why we're going into a park meant for kids half our age?" asked Tani.

"It remains mostly empty, so we'll not be hounded," said Rishabh, falling over himself to offer an explanation to her.

Tani looked at Jassi for confirmation to this logic, and Rishabh's face darkened once again with resentment for Jassi, because he didn't know that Jassi actually wanted to help him.

"Look at that awesome water ride!" shouted Neha, who was as usual in a state of acute excitement.

Jassi, who was acting leader for that day, conceded and went to get the tickets.

As they were getting on the boat, Jassi cleverly manipulated the seating arrangements so that Rishabh was sitting beside Tani, he himself beside Neha, and Hardik beside Kuldeep and Yuzi (in the last seat) so that they could control them before they spoilt Rishabh's chance again.

Tani didn't realise Jassi's intention.

Rishabh suddenly noticed as the others were coming on-board, that Tani looked rather white in the face.

"Is anything wrong?" he asked nervously.

"I don't like the water," said Tani, in a tone very unlike her usual one. "My father....he was drowned."

Rishabh didn't know what to say, he felt so awful for her sake.

"I'm sorry... and you don't have to ride this if you don't want to, I can wait outside with you," he said earnestly.

"It's not your fault, and no, I want to overcome this fear today, I don't think my father would've wanted me to be scared of something like this," said Tani decidedly.

Rishabh felt still more admiration towards her than he already did, and found himself saying, "You know you are so... different...and brave... I know you don't need it, of course, but I'm here for you."

He wondered if he had gone too far, but Tani just stared at him for a moment and said, "I think I...I would like that...thanks."

Rishabh was extremely thrilled to hear that, of course, especially because he had managed to say everything on his own without anyone's help.