Chaits tried comforting Priti as much as he could… he made sure that Ramu chacha drove the car. Then he dropped Amit at college hostel and proceeded on to his home.
The first thing he did as he reached home was to call up Priti to know that she’s at home and safe. Then he called up others to see that they all had reached safely.
After that he went to sleep but it was a disturbing sleep with all events deliriously posing in his dreams. He woke up to his phone that rang shrill.
“Chaits… Thanks for what you did yesterday” It was Priti calling him, “I want to meet you can you meet me in college library?’
“I’ll be there exactly at 10:30 am”
“Ok I’ll leave my home as soon as you are ready. I’ll pick you up on my way”
‘Priti seems to be disturbed’, Chaits was analysing her concerned voice. It was natural after what happened. But then she sounded frightened and that was bad. She cannot live with fear in her mind ‘I need to get her out of the fear or it’ll ruin her’
Even as he got ready he heard his phone ring again, it was Priti calling him, “Hey! Chaits, I’m reaching your place in 5 minutes please be ready “she sounded a bit frantic now Chaits grabbed the phone and locked the door. He rushed down the stairs and waited for Priti to turn up.
Priti’s car came rushing fast on the busy road and screeched to a halt near Chaits. Chaits looked at her but she was looking in her rear-view mirror… scared… Finally she heaved a sigh of relief as a car whooshed away beside her.
He knocked on the window and Priti realized that he was still standing on the road. She unlocked the door and looked much relaxed as Chaits sat next to her.
Chaits looked at her. She was still tense. Her hands shivering and there was a shine of thin sweat on her forehead and temples. But she still looked beautiful and glamorous. She was wearing a black T-shirt over royal blue jeans over which a pink jacket hung loose.
“What happened Pinky?” he was a bit surprised as Priti did not give her mock anger reaction notifying her name was Priti… “You seem to be scared out of your wits”
“Scared? Who me?’ said Priti to hide her fear, “No way I’m not scared”
“Then tell me a thing” Priti looked at his smiling face, “the A/c in this car at this moment is really chilling,” Chaits slowly moved his finger on her forehead and showed her the finger wet from her perspiration “why are you sweating in such a cool place like this?”
Priti looked at him knowing she could no longer put on a brave feat in front of Chaits and said, “I thought that car was following me…”
Chaits looked at her for a moment and burst out laughing and then started humming “Gabbar Singh Yeh keh Gaya – Jo Darr Gaya So Marr Gaya” and Priti looked at him in mock anger and wrinkled her nose to tease him ‘Wow!’ thought Chaits, she looks even prettier when she makes faces’
“Well, Priti” said Chaits and was interrupted…
“Thank you – for once calling me by my correct name” said Priti
“You have to get out of this fear whatever had to happen, happened yesterday – today is a new day. Come out of it else you would live a scared life – learn to fight it – you’re my friend…”
Priti looked at him and nodded obediently, “But Chaits – wait – why are you getting out of the car?”
“We are not going to library. I’m getting my bike. You are parking your car here and we are going for a long ride on my bike.”
“Wait till I park my car” Priti begged scared…
“Nothing’s going to happen to a brave girl like you. I’m going upstairs to get keys to my bike and a spare helmet for you. You park your car there and wait for me here” said Chaits and vanished up the stairs even before Priti could open up her mouth to say something.
Priti parked her car and tensely waited for Chaits to come down. Every car that passed – she looked at it suspiciously. For some reason of any car slowed down – she was ready to hit the panic button and run. Finally she could bear it no longer – she turned and starred climbing the steps. She was about to knock when Chaits opened the door struggling with two helmets and the key to the door with his riding jacket on his arm…
“Good. You came up – I was about to call you – could you please hold these till I lock the door?”
A relieved Priti meekly took the helmets in her hand and patiently waited for Chaits to lock the door and they came down the steps together…
She was sitting riding pillion on Chaits bike for first time and was feeling comfortable and safe. He rode at normal speed and drove into a petrol pump “Full Tank” he commanded to the attendant in style…
As they rode out of town beautiful landscapes were in sight. It was a beautiful sight with lush green cultivated fields on either side till your sight reached with mountains and hills decorating the horizon.
“Pinky… will you stop shuffling on your seat? We both would fall and be lying on road if you do it. Is anything wrong with the seat? At least tell me when you want to shuffle” said an irritated Chaits as Priti shuffled again and he glanced at rear view mirror. He could see Priti looking terrified at two cars that were following them in the rear-view mirror.
“No! It is okay” murmured Priti with concern and Chaits laughed again “Now don’t tell me that these two cars are following us because they are…”
Priti looked at Chaits with horror, “They’ve been following us since we left petrol pump – how can you laugh when the situation is so grave?”
“Pinky, this is a main road leading to highway – you are aware that this road will merge with highway that runs all the way to Mumbai and they may be travelling to Mumbai for some business – what’s the problem?”
“I still have my doubts” said Priti
Chaits looked up at the sky for help and smiled. He remembered an old saying which is widely used in Hindi movies, ‘Poison kills Poison.’
‘Hmmm – let me scare her some other way to take her mind away from those cars… C’mon Chaits time to be a Cooooool Rider’
“What are you murmuring to yourself?”
“Nothing – I think Pinky you have a point it seems they are following us…”
Priti was taken aback that even Chaits felt what her instincts were pointing at and looked at Chaits through the mirror, “What are you going to do?”
“Well” said Chaits in a cheerful tone, “I’m going to show them that they are not following a normal college kid – but they are trying to follow the best bike racer in this country – brace yourself – hold on…”
“Chaits what are you trying to do?” Priti almost screamed in fear as Chaits accelerated and the bike was now almost flying on the road… for a second Priti clung to Chaits like his skin for the fear of speed lifting off her off the bike – she looked at the fast movement of the fields and trees which disappeared even as they loomed ahead. Her heartbeats had reached a crescendo and she looked wide eyed as Chaits deftly negotiated the road…
After about half an hours’ crazy drive, Chaits suddenly put on the brake and the bike screeched and skidded… Chaits took a left turn as almost 90 degrees and raced on a dirt track up the hill and Priti clung to him holding on for her dear life.
Soon they reached on top where it was flatter and no curves. Chaits rode fast till they reached the cliff that faced the main road and screeched to a halt. Chaits looked in the mirror and saw trembling Priti get off. She was still trembling as Chaits pulled his bike on the stand…
“Whew! Thank God I I’m safe” Priti shouted scared as well as thrilled at Chaits’ speed and looked at Chaits who was looking at the main road where they had taken a turn to reach this hill top. He could see the main road touching the highway few meters ahead, “Chaits! What are you looking at?”
“Any moment now” Chaits whispered
“What?” asked Priti looking down at the main road “are you looking toward the road for? We reached here so fast my head is still dizzy”
Chaits looked at Priti and smiled. His idea of scaring Priti with his speed had worked… she had forgotten about the two cars that had been following them.
“There – they are now taking the turn” he said pointing at the road and Priti remembered the cars that had been following them… The cars came up to the turn they had taken to reach the hilltop even as Priti watched breathlessly. They just passed on to the main highway junction – paused for a moment and then took the turn and sped toward Mumbai.
“See!” said Chaits looking at Priti, “didn’t I tell you that they seem to be travelling to Mumbai – why will they follow college kids like us?”
“Sorry” said Priti avoiding eye to eye contact with Chaits, “I don’t know why I’ve a feeling that Lucky and his friends are following me…”
“Look at me – Pinky” said Chaits firmly, “Forget Lucky – he doesn’t have guts in him – especially when he knows that you are my friend in my core group”
“What about Vicky and his friends?”
“Forget them as well – if they had guts to face me and our group – we’d have had a fight in Go Bananas – instead of fighting, they ran away knowing they’d have been in hospital with broken bones…”
Priti thought for a moment and pondered over the sequence in Go Bananas… her mind agreed to what Chaits said but her instincts still rang panic bells…
“Pinky” said Chaits, “One thing that I did not understand – what actually did happen at Go Bananas? Why did Lucky say that someone – meaning you ought to remember that you are his girlfriend?”
“It’s a long story” said Priti almost in tears and related the school memories to Chaits. She was now feeling relieved and safe with Chaits around. As she came to the end of story till what happened at Go Bananas – she could not stop her tears that were now overflowing from her beautiful face.
Chaits looked at her with concern and slowly put his hand over her shoulders to comfort – her- she put her arms around Chaits and wept – Chaits did not say a word – he wanted her to cry and release her tensions out.
Finally – she controlled herself and smiled at Chaits, “Thank you – you helped me to get this burden off my mind”
“My pleasure – Pinky” said Chaits
“Stop calling me Pinky” said Priti in mock anger, “my name is Priti” and Chaits smiled because Priti was now OK.
“Can’t help it” said Chaits, “my mind is so accustomed to calling you Pinky – it becomes almost impossible for me to remember calling you Priti…”
“You can call me Pinky – but on one condition- It’s got to be only when it’s you & me or with our group…”
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