June’ 2002,
Austin, Travis County, Texas.
Aryan arrived in Austin at the right time. He phoned Jenny before boarding his flight for sending a word to pick him at the airport.
Jenny didn’t show up at the Bergstrom Airport, Aryan had waited for more than half hour. He wasn’t startled as he knew something like this would happen. He dialed on Jenny’s number to have a check over his headway to the airport but he was hapless, the call went unanswered. He dialed in for couple of more times yet again he was out of luck. His phone screen flashed momentarily and he read out the message loud in his mind, “I’ve just started; will be there in an hour. Pardon chum”
One hour Aryan thought and he looked around in the lounge to help his bump with a spot. He dumped the duffle and neck pillow aside; ensconced himself on a couch with his legs wide opened and hands in his laps untethered. He lay his back snuggly on the cushioned splat and shut his eyes. Just a few minutes later, he heard a beautiful voice, “Excuse me”, a girl vocalized standing right in front him. Aryan intuited it to be familiar vocals, he veered his noggin up to see the unknown.
“Oh you, you… ah… Ms… ” he tried to recollect the picture of her from his memory. She is the same girl next to me on the flight he finally figured her out.
“Felicity,” she introduced herself.
He paused for a second, “yes please, anything I can help you with?” he asked in a dubious tone.
“Actually, it’s the other way around” she said, “I’ve come up here to help you, handsome”
“Sorry?” Aryan had absolutely no clue of what she was talking about.
“Yes! Here,” She pulled out the billboard from her tote, “you slipped it on the air stairs” she said.
“My goodness. Thank you very much, you spared me a great deal of work. This has all my substantial cards and other essentials,” he repeatedly thanked her, “Oh! I am sorry,” he cleared the seat by his side on the couch, “Please have a seat,” he said.
“Sure,” she responded, “let me help myself”
“You know, it means a lot to me. I can’t thank you enough Felicity,” he heaved, “This ID,” he lay hold on the card, “It’s the access to the laboratory at the college. Believe me you have no idea of the consequences if I had lost the card”
“I know,” she chuckled, “the adamant UTA and its regulations”
“Hey, how do you know?” I am not so foolish to acknowledge the fact that she had already read through the details on my ID. It is just that I’d liked to be bent upon asking her. She’s is enticing Aryan said to himself.
“Because I belong to the same college,”
Oopsy! I am stumped Aryan murmured, “How strange, we were seated next to each other for couple of hours and we didn’t know that we go to the same college” he said and swiveled on his interior monologue, Seriously Aryan? Did you mean it? You doze off like a toddler.
“Yeah It is,” She bobbed her head.
Jenny Calling…
“If you don’t mind. I have to take this” he said and answered the call. Aryan learned that Jenny arrived at the airport and was waiting right outside the arrival arena.
“Felicity, I have got to go now. My friend has arrived,” he said picking up his baggage, “we should catch up sometime again at the University, cool?”
“Oh you bet!”
“Would you like to share with me your number?”
Aryan saved her contact and walked into the arrival stand. He finally got into his car and they drove back to their denizen. The clique intended for a sojourn to a resort at high noon on the same day.
“So, Pooja is leaving us for Canada,”
“Yep!” Jenny answered, “I haven’t got much details on whys,”
“Uh-huh,” Aryan heaved adjusting the backrest angle of his seat.
They reached at the apartment early dawn. Thanks to the clear roads, Aryan muttered as he hopped down the car. He dialed Rekha soon after he stepped inside his bedchamber, the line kept ringing.
Aryan caught the sight of the ambience and realized that all the chattels, patulous duds, knapsack, lap robe and other things were all installed in the place where they belonged. He looked around and everything in the home seemed to be exquisite to him. Although Jenny’s house was in the same city, more often than not, he stayed with Aryan. He had been living at the place since Aryan left for his hometown. Jenny preserved cleanliness, he eked out living only in a salubrious milieu. When Aryan glanced at the digs that explained everything and all he could do was to be all smiles.
One shouldn’t be staggered when Jenny’s home. The aura that hygienic ambience has per se is why I feel a little comatose and the bed, it kept pleasing. I have got three odd hours before we leave for the resort. Feels like to knock a nap. Aryan spoke with his inner voice.
Aryan shut his eyes, Jenny kicked him out of the bed. “Don’t you dare to be yawny? I don’t give a shit if you are knackered, get your arse wheeling. We should be leaving early; have got a couple of errands before us driving to the resort”
Power and Pelf 