November’ 2002,
Midtown, Manhattan Borough, NY.

He arrived at his hometown airport and hired a taxi to drive home. Fifteen minutes and I should reach the destination Aryan said to himself updating every minute on his target distance. As the clock ticked down, the shadow of fear grew in him like that of one on a mid-day summer. It was at time very early in the morning that even a single organism didn’t throb their cells and nerves. He could hear the rhythm of the footsteps of a person jogging on the footpath. The car slowly took a turn into the long narrowed street. Aryan found his house gates wide opened, the porch shred with people, appeared to come and go. As he was driven close, he caught glimpse of huge crowd. He broke down into tears instantly, he was propelled to contend with the culmination of the real pain in his heart. He couldn’t withstand himself looking down the street as he neared the porch. He asked the driver to slow down. While the car was decelerating he heard three women talk something sober.

One of them said, “Wasn’t he any good till yesterday? It took me by quite a surprise. I believed he was recovering under his medication.” Aryan climbed down the car and pinned his ears to the natter of the women.

“Yes! I was on same minds with you. It is evident that good people who does good deeds are taken away early by the god. My deepest condolences and more power to the family. May his soul rest in peace,” the other women added.

After Aryan heard the women talk, he lost his consciousness. The taxi driver caught hold and took him inside the car. He grabbed the bottle of water from the knapsack bottle pocket and spattered on his face.

“Sir, are you fine? I understand your pain but it is the truth you have to accept and digest. I don’t say you should not feel sad for the loss of a member in your family but I am only suggesting you to be strong enough to take care of your dearest ones who love you as much you love them,” the driver helped Aryan with his hankie, “Everyone in this world will have to go through this, one day or the other. I was in your shoes a few years ago when I lost everyone in my life. Yes, everyone at once but then I learned to live with the pain and tears except burying them in my heart. Not letting them fly away but assuming my family is always with me, watching me whatever I do, wherever they are. That is just life, it is inevitable. I suppose you need some medicine for your dehydration.” He handed him over oral rehydration solution powder. “Please have it before leaving. You might feel nauseous anytime from now if you don’t have it. That might really worry your family while you are just arriving to your home” He advised.

Aryan agreed with taxi driver as he felt his words were sensible. He mixed the powder in the bottle of water and said, “I don’t know who you are and… ”

The driver stepped in, “You can call me by my name, Akbar Farrukhsiyar” he said.

“Akbar, I would really wanted to have an extended conversation with you but I am not in a position to spare time. Have this fifteen-thousand bucks and here is my card,” Aryan slipped out a visiting card and handed it to the driver, “Reach out to me anytime for any help, if you wish to” he said and hotfooted into the porch.

---

The love of my life. He taught me everything that all life is about, left me alone. Aryan seemed to take control over his mind but he failed at every attempt and made a spell of shedding tears. He tried and the pain only grew much than before as he approached the coffin inside the house. As he continued to walk down, every moment that he spent with Dayanand had started to reel in his mind. He was more than a father, more than a mother, more than a friend, more than my very own life.

The loss of him had thrown Aryan in to an utter desolation. He spent his whole of childhood growing younger under him. He stayed and spent all the time, in excess amount of time he had spent with Rekha. Vivek was in no picture to him for various reasons he couldn’t be sensible about. He exited the vestibule and stepped inside the hallway, the ambiance convulsed him to the hilt mentally. Rekha and others wailed all through their heart for the lamented Dayanand. No sooner Aryan came into being at the spot than his mother noticed his arrival and hurtled towards him. “Aryan…” She sniveled, “He left us alone”

He drew the snot rag to wipe his tears and dabbed on Rekha’s eyes, “…but I am only suggesting you to be strong enough to take care of your dearest ones who love you as much you love them…” He harked back to the locution from Akbar.

He plodded with her to the cadaver of Dayanand. In a husky voice, he heard a man talking to his senses “So you finally have come to see me, my king” Aryan looked vacantly on Dayanand’s countenance, “I feared that I’d be consigned to the pyre in your absence” and the voice dampened out.

“My king. You are the king Nemo, you are the true king” Erelong he heard the voice a second time. “I bequeathed everything I could to the family and you will bequest the same. Time has come for me to depart, I believe you will do the justice to the legacy of JAPMI”

Aryan broke down yet again, “You are not dead Nemo, come on wake up. These people are senseless idiots. They put you here in the casket and started weeping. They don’t care to ask you if you are here,” he bawled and buried his head in his palms, “Nemo I am talking to you. We both know, you are talking to me and I heard you. Please Nemo for the love of god, wake up. Nemo come back, please come back,” he descended on to his knees under the force of his own weight.

Aryan was blind and deaf in the dark, he showed a reckless lack of cognizance to the surroundings. He was devastated to an extent that he reckoned he was in a séance.

Dayanand was tantamount to a king in the city. He lived a life which won all the hearts in the locality and at the JAPMI in particular. A most disturbed and broken heart could make a better living after sharing the empathy with him. He was a compassionate human and was available as a helping hand for the need. He believed in equality for all and a blue collar worker at JAPMI would have his highest respect, hard work and smart work were rewarded affluently. They loved him for being that public figure. Aryan knew this only from his mother. He had never seen in person but it was evident to him with the huge crowd pouring in, and made it obvious on how special he was to each of them who were attending the funeral to offer their due respect to the legend and their condolences to the family.

The rich and the poor strive to render the cremation or inhumation a lavishness. One steadfast rationale was the unswerving credence in afterlife and the need for honoring the perished. The weather was windy with dark clouds. Night fell early on a summer evening due to an expected rainfall in the later night. The obsequies had started around 18:00 hours and it definitely was the greatest ever done to any person in the city. There were no authoritative figures on the attendance but it was extensively believed that the humongous congregation of mourners in recent years was seen in the streets of Midtown Manhattan. The eulogy and funeral hymns from such a huge crowd would have caught Dayanand’s attention, if he were alive, to make him perceive the fruitful innings he had lived. It nearly took more than couple of hours for the mob and family to reach the private crematorium though it was a few miles away from the house.

It was around 22:00 Hrs. by the time the family and the companions offered their last rites. The head of the family thanked the significant others who made it to the funeral. All of them attendees except the kinsfolk left the place for the day.

The family along with retainers were sitting in the lobby busy talking about Dayanand while Aryan went to his grandpa’s room where he was lying all those months in his absence. He felt guilty for he hadn’t come to see him during his last days. He called to his mind the talk he did with him a week ago on the phone.

I had seen from my mind’s eye the tears rolling down from his eyes when he expressed his love while he was talking to me. He couldn’t still believe that Dayanand was no more in his life. In a jiffy he noticed a portrait of Dayanand piggybacking him in his childhood hanging on the wall. He moved in the direction to reach out for it. Abruptly the sky was lit by lightening’s, the thunderstorm rumbled in the tranquil atmosphere. The wild blue yonder turned into vivid black, the angry wind smacked on the windows and the haul up splintered the clear float glass. The portrait was knocked out of the place and thrown in to disarray by the gust. Aryan walked towards the window and caught the glimpse of oozing weather. His hair was tousled by the heavy winds and then he heard the gravelly tone once again, “My king you know I won’t be able to come back again to see each other, talk and play like we did before. My life has come to an end, I came back to make a final revelation. I am not dead because of my dreaded lurgy but I died with an affliction. I was murdered, I was enforced to meet the death”

Aryan was trembled in trepidation when he heard the divulgence of the unexpected fact of Dayanand’s murder. He had reservations with his psyche and didn’t licensed himself plummeting in a phantasm. Is it a dream or Is Nemo really talking to me? Aryan questioned himself. He was entangled in delusions, he pressed his hands to the sides of skull, and he was wobbling. He tend to lose his balance off the feet. He tumbled on to the ground dribbling, “Mama…” he yelped and lay unconscious.

“My king,” the voice set forth, “Justice to the JAPMI,” the voice reverberated on the word, “Justice” followed by “JAPMI”. Aryan by then was insentient.

November’ 2002,
Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

The Juveniles were unprepared for a long day due to series of assignments in tandem. It was on their eighth day and they had already started to return to their denizen after early dusk. They fell flat in keeping track of time and the daylight as it persisted till twenty-one or twenty-two hours made it more fractious. The young men were too tired to carry themselves to the dinner and both of them had decided to flake out. Aryan heard a phone ringing, ascending in sound. He muted the phone and turned a deaf ear to the next calls.

She is her. I could talk to her at the Frühstück and I know she would understand me. I will make the odds work for her and she will endorse me. Good night dear.

The first call went unanswered and the phone began to ring for the second time but this time it was Rekha. He took no notice of the contact as he shut his eyes and ignored all calls thereafter from Rekha as well. In no time, he was lost in his subconscious, sleeping tight with the suit on him unremoved.

Early in the morning when he woke up, he was terrified to see several calls from Rekha and Vivek. They wouldn’t usually call him no more than twice unless there had to be a dire communication. It took him in a blue funk when he found out many calls were missed after mid night. He was in an intact apprehension when he tapped the call toggle on the contact. He couldn’t digress looking for answers on what might had happened while the call was being connected, he counted back from twenty till Rekha answered him. “Hello… Mama” He said in a haste. “Honey, come home, the sooner you can. Keep me posted on your layovers, will talk again” and the line went dead.

He was left in aghast and it ceased his thinking. His only train was to make it to home as fast as he can. He booked the next available flight to his hometown. He reached the airport before the scheduled time and was waiting for his flight sitting in the lounge. There were kinds of different obstreperous perceptions reeling in his mind which he couldn’t digest while he was compelled delving in them.

He had always found deficient in deciphering the drift of the uncanny that has an influence on his notions that are entangled with the events already happening with the close relations. It seemed supernatural but at the same time, he believed that it was his mind drawing conclusions by augmenting them with compelling reasons.

A couple of months ago Rekha informed Aryan about his grandpa’s health condition. Dayanand’s indisposition had gradually left him in his infirmity yet he carried himself as fit as a fiddle. He had been under medication for more than fifteen years. Aryan’s mind enforced him to dwell on the hunch that his grandpa was going to die or maybe dead by then. He pulled out all the stops to get off the tangent and kept trying to be in peace till he found out the truth.

November’ 2002,
Austin, Travis County, Texas.

Aryan and Jenny were dispatched with a bundle of application forms to their respective residencies. Jenny arrived at Aryan’s location in the morning and they perused to make a sense out of the requirements. They were asked to furnish the personal details and submit at the head-quarters on any day by mail or in person before they are embarked in the program. The day had finally arrived until the lazy rump of both the guys had to move out of inertia.

.

.

7) You will not leave the company in the middle of your internship. However, only after completing first two months, you can be granted leave for a maximum of ten business days, during the entire program.

8) Failing to observe the rules and policies, you will be dismissed from the university without being offered any degree.

.

.

I hereby confirm that I have read and understood the terms and conditions of the program. I ______________ signing with the highest knowledge of the above rules, failing to follow any of the above mentioned, I will be responsible for myself and wholeheartedly carry on the consequences.

Aryan and Jenny had signed the document yet Jenny gaped his eyes and continued to study the instructions over and over again, Aryan looked at Jenny, “What are you brooding over?” he asked.

Jenny lacked in his certainty and asked, “Why do we have to do this?”

“Every penny is sponsored by them, for six months, hospitality, travel and misc. were all reserved for us and to our convenience. These formalities are obvious with any company when they are primed to dispense a seamless expedition”, Aryan replied, “even our industry has similar procedures, we did quite a good number of interns”.

“Argh! We should have done it at the JAPMI” Jenny said. “Jenny you forget the fact that JAPMI is not an automobile manufacturing industry,” Aryan reminded, “Its automotive parts manufacturing industry. I reckon you were lost in the renaissance of our training but truth is, Justin was being kind and assisted us with the design. If JAPMI is a car manufacturing centre I would have agreed with you for various reasons”

“I get the drift,” Jenny said, “When should we leave to the airport?”

“Flight is in the early mornings…” Aryan dragged the docket on the work table, “It’s at 01:00 hrs” he said exposing the flight tickets to Jenny, “We will leave soon after 23:00 Hrs”

“I will catch up with you at the airport. I should be leaving now, Mama has her errands, and I have to make it to attend them” Jenny said and asked, “Where’s the family?”

“Yep! It’s just mama. Nemo is under the weather again, Dad has to stay back to look after him. She is on the way and I am undecided if I have to pick her up at the airport or look after my operations”

“Well I suggest you to go”

“She insists me to stay back and she will drive her way, as she says” he paused for a few seconds and said, “I will do check with her again when she rings me up after arriving”

“Alright! I am leaving, Seeya” Jenny said and he disappeared. Aryan disposed his weight on to a couch for a nap.

It did appear that Aryan was confident with the policies and standard operating procedures of the principal assembly plant. He was subtly skeptical on what he read on his last document before signing the page but he ramparted the uneasiness caused by his pensiveness. Although it did make him to find his complacency but it didn’t last in its longevity.

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00:05 Hrs, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, Texas.

Jenny’s family and the kin have all arrived at the airport to send him off on his first international trip. In the case of Aryan it was only his mama. The absence of his beloved, Dayanand and Vivek couldn’t tender him any warmth. He recollected the rationales and comprehended on Dayanand’s indisposition. He appeared gloomy not until Rekha uplifted his spirits with a peck on his cheek. Before the kiss waned out he was alarmed by the quiver of phone in the inside pocket of his blue jean jacket. He gazed on to his phone and read a message to himself Have a safe flight. Talk to me soon. Although Rekha realized the arrival of the message neither Aryan nor Rekha cared to talk about it.

Both the young men bid byes to their families and rolled into the baggage deposit arena inside the foyer. “Dude, how do you know if a girl is interested in you,” Aryan asked, “I mean a next girl? Did Saryu ever tell you anything about it?” Jenny was asked as they stood in the queue at the counter.

“Yeah, she did tell me something,” Jenny said and continued, “If you and a girl are holding the same rail on a flight of stairs or on the same course anywhere else and ambling towards each other. Firstly, if she had happened to flicker her eyes, up and down… up and down… you know… with her head erected then she is very much into you. When I say very much, I mean she might just be that woman who’d like a tequila in a sea breeze on the shore. They take pleasure in those opportunities and they do look for them. Secondly, if she looks into your eyes intermittently. She likes you, maybe she is fond of you and would like talking to know more of you but would never entrench the courage to break the ice because of her modesty,” Aryan interjected, “My kind of people,” he muttered and Jenny continued, “So it’s a pain in the neck for you to take the lead. Sooner or later, it drives your relationship based on your understanding with each other. Third, the moment these girls realize that you are gazing at them, the droop their heads or might just look away and that means you will have to read between the lines my friend” Jenny gesticulated with his fingers.

Aryan reiterated his words and gestures. He looked at his palm closing his thumb and little finger and made an effort to read between the rests of the three fingers. “Oops. That’s a mouthful of reading” Aryan grinned.

“… and the last tip,” Jenny said, “It’s better to ask woman to know what a woman likes,” he winked, “by the by, we should keep travelling as a passionate hobby, maybe from now on,” Jenny digressed from the matter at hand.

Jenny didn’t make any sense to Aryan and he asked, “What do you mean?”

“To your right! Right now,” Jenny emphasized, “Right now”. Aryan obliged with him and turned right producing an unwitting glimpse to see a girl in violet and pink embedded cocktail. She was fashioned in Fishtail Braid hair style and the girly stiletto boots, “My Gosh! I love the hair and the boots” Aryan whispered. She was very beautiful and drew everyone’s attention at the check in baggage counter. While both of them were gawking at her, the lady at the counter signed Jenny as it was his time to drop in the luggage. Soon after they were checked in, they looked out for her at the same spot only to acknowledge that she had disappeared in a wink of an eye.

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17:00 Hrs, Neckarsulm, Germany.

Aryan and Jenny arrived at the aparthotel, “Hello mama”, he said on the phone entering into the Inn reserved for him, “I just stepped in, the flight was good. I am fine and everything is perfect”.

“Good to hear honey, did you find time to eat on something?” Rekha asked. “Yes, I had food on the flight” he replied.

“You have a lot of time. Freshen up and go out to a restaurant. It’s not gonna get dark until early midnight, buy some good food,” she insisted and suggested places.

Rekha was born in Germany and her stay in the country was for a brief period yet she had very good picture of the food and places.

“Okay mama, I will take care of myself, you don’t wanna lose sleep. I will call you again, love you.” They hung up on the call.

The first thing they did at the airport was to get hands on the cell phone. They made a request to the management to fetch them phones as soon as they stepped in the country. Jenny called his mother at the airport itself, he spoke for less than five minutes and was waiting with a bated breath to talk to Saryu. They were picked up by a company official and in a short time they found themselves in the AUDI limousine. Jenny ceased on his hanker and dialled on Saryu contact.

The call had started as soon as he got into the limousine and it didn’t end after their entry into their Inn. Aryan wondered what drags under a spell when one is fallen in love.

“Saryu leave him alone for a minute,” Aryan was to the hilt in his voice mocking Jenny. He indicated the fig sign and sprinted out of the room as Saryu was uninformed about Aryan’s acknowledgment of their affair of the heart. Left alone in the room Aryan reminded himself of the message he received at the airport, talk to me soon before jenny arrived in any moment, he quickly reached for his cell phone and dialled a number unlisted on his phonebook.

“I missed you,” she said, “I was waiting for your call. You mentioned it would take nine odd hours. I should be receiving a call by 19 hrs on my clock and its 22”, she took a long pause.

“Hello, are you there?” Aryan supposed that the call went dead, “Hello…” he checked for one more time.

“Where are you? How was the flight? Is everything fine with you?” questions started pouring like those continuous bullets fired out of a heavy machine gun.

“I am sorry,” he tried to assuage her discontentment, “it took some time for us to reach the hotel and finish the formalities. It’s late or early, I am talking to you,” Yet again a silence on the call and Aryan discerned her quietude as her dispiritedness. Is it the problem with a girl? Or is it the problem itself is a girl? Aryan asked himself. He took advantage of the long silence on the call to look for answers. They want the things to be done, if they be in want of it, No matter what they want it to be done. On the odd occasions they don’t pay a heed to the practical reasons. He decided to give voice to his intentions, “Honey, let me tell you some interesting facts. The girls conduct might get on guys wick at times and who should be understanding whom is a moot case. Isn’t it? Is it the man’s obligation to be in agreement with the woman or is it the other way around? You know what? King Menelaus hadn’t understood Helen of troy and that lead to a war, Paris had understood Helen of troy and there was still the war. If Helen of troy would have wrapped her mind around either of them and taken her call, there would not had been a war at all. The Greek mythology evinced a lead on the debatable case yet since centuries it had always been the man who agreed and he will always do it,” Aryan kept talking and there was still no response. Aryan thought, how do you yield to their comportment? With Love. Show them the love, the care and nothing else. A girl is looking for either of them. She’s gonna take time to get back on her heels, but it works.

They spoke for an hour and couldn’t hang up on the call until Jenny came into the sight, “I’ll have to go, Jenny has come,” Aryan said, “I will call again in time. You have my word. Take care”.

Jenny has come along with an officer, “Aryan, facilities manager has invited you for the breakfast tomorrow at 09:30 hrs. You will pay a visit to the workplace and the company along with him,” he said.

“Wird pünktlich sein, will be on time,” Aryan replied to him.

“Danke Herr,” he smiled and left the place.

“Jenny, mama suggested a restaurant nearby. Mexican-Italian food, get ready,” Aryan said and he nodded.

October’ 2002,
Austin, Travis County, Texas.

“How was it?” Aryan’s forehead puckered, “too much of grill, is it so?” he asked as he noticed Jenny’s eyelids drooped.

“It was not bad,” Jenny spoken in hushed voice, “you should be fine. Good luck”

Aryan… Aryan…. A professor walked towards him, “Aryan, it’s your turn. Meet them in Room No. 203” he motioned his hand towards the entryway. “Nail it,” Jenny shook his hand with him.

Aryan trembled in apprehension and walked in lack of harmony. He entered in the room and found three foreigners in their professional suits. “Are you this guy, Mr. Aryan?” one of them who was seated in between the other two sounded in strong vocals. His voice reverberated in Aryan’s ears for more than a short while as he marched so as to near the desk. He looked to Aryan as though the man may had withheld a dictatorial regime in his past, he gave the impression that he must be a strict rep from the company. He didn’t care to smile when Aryan entered the room and glanced at him. He’s got full length thick beard and thick moustache; his hair side parted. He kept his eyes locked at Aryan through his large sized rimless frame spectacles with his right eyebrow lifted up, partly closing his left eye, his mouth snapped shut. His dark complexion made him look no better in any manner. His bewildered look cut the bag of scariness in Aryan eventually spilling over like the overflowing water from a fully filled glass. While the aged man grabbed his full attention, the other two reps were in an undisguised forced smiles. “Please be seated Aryan”, one of the other two reps gestured his hand towards the chair. Aryan was placed at his ease with his pleased utterance.

“We would like to quickly wind this up boy,” the aged man began in his strong vocals, “I have got couple of questions for you and if you get it right. We will comply with you in listening further on your project details” He said and turned to his right to look at his colleague, “Patrick, proceed” he said.

“What is the most important feature to be considered before going for the design of a sports car engine? And also tell me why?”

Aryan couldn’t follow up on Patrick’s question at first. He was pre-occupied by several other thoughts in his mind leaving no space for his presence before the interviewer. He closed his eyes for a long breath.

“Hello Sir, Are we doing this?” the voice from the aged man brought him back to consciousness.

Aryan abruptly began, “A sports car should be able to accelerate swiftly without any dwindle in the rate. In addition, it is required to have a car with an effective response throttle performance. It’s known to us patently that if the vehicle is heavier, then we would require more power to accelerate the load. For sports cars though, we require more power and less heavy vehicle. I mean we require a limit over the weight for the engine. Thus helping us to generate rapid accelerations with the available power suitable for racing cars. So the important feature to be considered for building a racing car is the power to weight ratio.” He said without a nag in his free flow of thoughts.

The rep on the left side of aged man followed, “Alright, how do you deal with the ratio?” he asked in an optimistic tone looking for answers round the corner of Aryan’s lips.

“A quick answer would be to use lightweight materials like alloys” Aryan answered in his stern voice, “we could just use the aluminum alloys for the cylinder heads. The weight of the car engine would be reduced significantly” he chewed his bottom lips for a sec, “and to raise the power to weight ratio, we have the turbo chargers” Aryan widened his cheeks revealing a genuine smile after delivering his final words.

“Would you like to present us with your design Aryan,” Patrick asked. “Just hold on for a minute or two” the aged man pressed the alarm to call in the attendant. “I am gonna call Jenny in here. I was informed that you both had worked together on the model. I would like it if you presented it together as well” the aged man talked and Aryan obliged to his courteousness.

---

Aryan began to convince the reps that he is the right candidature the company members were looking for. He and Jenny nailed down every moot point during the course of demonstration, the reps were under the obligation of the young men’s sagaciousness.

“… So the most important consideration in my model is the center of gravity (COG) keeping it as low as possible. Now why and how is this important? If we look into the picture” Aryan pointed the laser on the projector screen, “Engine is the heaviest component in the car and it is mandatory to consider the mounting of the engine inside the car because of its inherent effects on the center of gravity. For a perfect racing car we require the COG to be as low as possible because it essentially helps us to transfer the weight from the outside wheels into the inside wheel especially while cornering allowing the drive a safe drive in turning”

“How do we keep the COG low” the aged man spoke, “Jenny you may want to answer?” he asked laying his eyes on him.

“Sure”, Jenny said and took a step forward, “Look for the cylinder layout configuration. We have multiple layouts, as we require a low and flat engine to meet our requirements. It is wise to consider the boxer engines” Jenny made no gaffe.

All the reps nodded in concordance with the boys’ demonstration and an approved look on the visage of the three reps was transparent. Aryan took the charge over and continued, “So, our primary goal in this project is to fabricate a high-performance sports car design which can not only increase acceleration control but also contributes to the handling ability of the sports car resulting in safer car and fun drive which attracts more buyers”

“Congratulations, High-quality and admirable stuff,” the three of them joined their hands together for commending, “we are totally convinced and impressed with your skills, capabilities, and passion for the work.” Patrick uttered.

The aged man looked over to the head of Dept. as he, along with the other two rose from their seats, “Sir,” he said, “Wrap up the material and see that it is delivered to my office at the head-quarters. Let’s discuss the proceedings with the DIA”, they wend their way into the Chamber of the DIA. The three men spoke highly about Aryan and Jenny that made the DIA and the head of the department feel contended.

Aryan and Jenny stood inside the chamber alongside. The aged man looked at the men and spoke, “So Aryan and Jenny, you both will have to visit the company in Germany for a six-month period as an internship candidates. As per the MOU, the entire program will be sponsored by the company. Your hospitality, travel and any other requirements will be taken care of as well,” he casted his eyes back on the DIA, “We will let you know in a short while about the visit” he said.

Aryan couldn’t have asked for more. He was absolutely empty minded when the aged man was talking about the deal and program. Rekha always told him to be him, self-dependent individual. That day, he felt he’s half accomplished for what he was.

Aryan and Jenny took leave and made their way back to their classroom. They kept walking until a voice from behind stalled their ingression. Both of them turned to see the head of dept. “Great of you guys, it is so mesmerizing. The university deserves to have smart people like you who would afford and bring a change. Once again congratulations to both of you and I wish you all the success” he said, “I will let you know more about the details of your tour in a week or so, till them keep in touch”

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After a week and half time, Aryan received a mail from one of the three company reps:

Dear Aryan,

Congratulations again! We are happy to invite you to our AUDI principal assembly plant located in Neckarsulm, Germany. Please find the flight tickets and other important documents with information on your arrival date, hospitality, and travel attached with this mail. I will be your advising executive hereafter. Should you be having any queries don’t hesitate to write back. Looking forward to meeting you soon here in Germany.

Regards

Lorenz Whittington.

July’ 2002,
Downtown, Manhattan Borough (NY City), NY.

It was the ninteenth day at work. Past eighteen days were intense and they lived up to the schedule by the sweat of brows. They never felt the heaviness because they knew they were in the pursuit to peg away the Holy Grail. It’s the same engross that kept the juveniles handle themselves every day. They started at 9’o clock in the mornings and ended it by either 5 or 6’0 clock in the evenings, it was just like that of typical job hours. Sometimes, they stayed for long hours till late midnight. Justin Amell tuned out to be a source for stupefaction to Aryan and Jenny. He was incessant and never caved in for diversions. He took pleasure, as he promised, to give tutoring even at a long stretch in the day.

It occurred to the crowd that an eminent pedagogue Justin would have been had he taken up teaching as a profession. Aryan and Jenny to the hilt were impressed with his edge over every talking point in the subject.

On the nineteenth day, the flock were left in amazement. Never had they ever envisaged that they would catch up with the pace of Justin, not at least in short time. After a brief period, they did transpose their perceptions as they finally consummated an artefact worth to wax-lyrical about.

“It wouldn’t have been possible without you,” Aryan said to Justin gazing into the monitor in the laboratory, “it wouldn’t have been possible without you”, he repeated.

“Master, great job” Justin was enlivened when he looked at the simulation results on the ANSYS GUI, “It’s your execution buddy, and I was just a supporter. This chassis for the car,” he paused thinking deeply about the results on the screen, “your car’s gonna throw you in the limelight if you’d be successful in bringing the design to live as we see it” he said, “Look at the aerodynamics, the flow around the rims of the car, and the total transmission efficiency,” he read out the numbers on the screen, “99.121%. Great execution”, he slapped the armrest with his right fist and got up from the seat, “Aryan, Boy! Have you been into automobiles before? It might just seem to be a stupid question to be asked in the first place because you own the industry but by the evidence of your age, I am nudged forward to ask you”

“It’s not been a long while since I indulged in the subject. A year and half or so,” He responded, “and Justin, coming to these results should help us with endurance and efficiency scores. They together compose around thirty percent of the competitions total score, isn’t it?” he asked.

“True that,” Justin walked towards the bookrack, “The car’s fuel efficiency and the Endurance Event will be appraised in simultaneity” he grabbed a docket out of the rack and he continued walking back to his seat, “The efficiency, as you know it, manifests the tuned abilities of the car. The event is on a middle ground as the efficiency and endurance scores will be gauged from the same heat.

“How about the refueling?” Jenny queried.

“Isn’t licensed chum. No refueling during an endurance heat,” he handed the docket over to Aryan, “this has rule book for the competition and other useful material which will guide you through your next steps. For now buddies, let’s get ourselves dinner”

Aryan, at that very moment, felt that they we chummy rather than being more of cordial or obliging that they had been in lately. Aryan’s prior experience, the acquaintance stemmed in through the driving sports cars since his puberty was to be a pivotal element for the fact in the results. The group was optimistic in fabricating the car in due time if they continued with the same pace. When one is plodding up the hill, it only gets harder and harder as one continues the ascent and this was no different with Aryan’s. Aryan and Jenny liked to be positive and they just hoped for the best to see them.

---

On retirement eve of one of the head employee, the workers of the unit had arranged for a farewell dinner. Justin was to attend the adieu so he left Aryan and Jenny after joining them for a light dinner at the JAPMI Restaurant inside the Industry premises. Both of them were seated in the atrium outside the restaurant studying the aura.

“Missing you,” a messaged popped up on Jenny’s phone. “Me too,” he replied in no time, “I am with Aryan. I would have had you in my arms virtually otherwise. XOXO” he texted another message.

“In your arms? Under the light of zillion stars? Don’t you think they would know that we are in love,” she reverted in an absolute sarcastic tone.

“Honey! I don’t use it for an excuse but Aryan is right here. You may wanna talk?” he made it look convincing.

“I know you Sweet pie. You don’t want me to have a good time?” She questioned.

“Have good time by bullying me? So sick, you do this all the time and vex me of it” Jenny erased the message and made an amendment, “Have good time by bullying me? You love it, don’t you? Huh! Anything you need. Lots of love” He punched on the send button.

“Do you expect me apologize? Damn you! Alright, have a good time and much love to both of you” she sent kisses and hearts.

“From both of us as well. Have a good night sleep, will talk soon” he sent only the hearts back and pocketed the kisses. “By the by, forgot to mention, waiting for an invite into your dreams. You know what we gonna do. Don’t you? XOXO” He sent an immediate message following the previous one.

Jenny received a message but it was blank. He smiled and pecked on the phone as it did conveyed him the intentions of Saryu.

Aryan and Jenny returned back to the guest house in the late night. Aryan put on lounge set and Jenny wore the pyjamas. Each occupied a single seater couch placed poles apart in the hall room, while Aryan flipped the pages skimming the headlines from the evening newspaper, “That was awesome. I couldn’t believe we just did it”, Jenny gingered up in the house voicing out loud, “whoa! We did it” he continued exhilarating.

“Well hold on to your butt Jenny. You gonna get spanked and you might lose it off of you if you don’t bung up on your voice right now”

“Alright, but dude I have to ask you”, Jenny adjusted his throat, “In the last eighteen days, it was mouthful and you know,” he paused and approached in the area of a worktable, “At odd times I did feel pressurised and also I have asked to myself, why should I do this? What would I get if I do it? I had no answer, what would yours be?” he asked glancing at the portraits on the wall.

“I don’t feel I am working because this is what I love and this is my passion,” Aryan said folding the newspaper, “I flunked in my high schooling. Nothing excited me, literally nothing. I did choose to follow my heart. I started to race and that gave me an immense pleasure. I contended all through my high schooling and won all of them. I melt it down into my senior secondary schooling as well. In those heyday’s, as I felt, on a weekend, Nemo approached me to broach the subject on my graduate schooling. You know what he had to say? ‘If you love cars my king, you get into UTA and do the Automobile engineering. I wish to see you at UTA, would you be willing keep up with my hankering?’ I loved Nemo right from my birth, I would do anything it takes to make him happy. I kept my nose to the grindstone toiling myself at every hour, when it’s all done I got in. Then you knew what happened with us. Before I could have lost out from my tracks, she changed the new me and made me realize why and what for I was at the UTA”

“Who is that She?” Jenny quickly asked Aryan stumping right on the money and fogging up on his thoughts by interrupting him on the go. Aryan came to a standstill, pulled his socks up to regain consciousness for a control over the moment, he heaved and said, “My mother” Aryan believed he flimflammed Jenny and cautiously latched the door. He didn’t wanted to take any more chances and he absconded into a new direction, “I love this car and stuff just as you like and love Saryu”

Jenny was jerked off soon after he heard the appellation. He took his eyes off the portraits and gyrated to look in the eyes of Aryan knitting his brows. Aryan looking fixedly at Jenny questioned him, “what have you got to say my friend?” he winked to make it less windy, “You don’t get bored talking hours with her on the phone. You enjoy her companionship. You love Saryu and so does she. Just like it Jenny, just like that, I love this and that’s why I do; I don’t have to do it for anybody”

Jenny came to conclusion that he was no more in a liberty to defend himself. He conceded and asked, “How do you know that we are in love with each other,”

Aryan said, “Ah! I had my arrow in the dark,” and squeezed his eyes bursting his laugh out loud.

“Fuck your arrow”, Jenny giggled.

“You know what dude. You were terrible at stashing your love affair” Aryan said displaying his palms and fingers splayed, “Common on. Let’s talk some facts. I was sitting right in front of you at the coffee table and you were texting uninterrupted and your blush, my goodness it was just unabating. You assumed that I would never know but thanks to Pooja darling. It doesn’t mean I would have never figured that out by myself because dude, you snore the name Saryu a loud and you peck in public places” he pointed fingers at Jenny.

“Well it’s all in the love dear,” Jenny played it down.

“… and that’s why you are terrible at stashing your love affair,” he reminded Jenny of his previous remark.

“Alright! Saryu and I were having a hard time discussing on the subject of how we should divulge on the matter to you but I am happy that Pooja had done it by herself”

“Well she did it on the same day,” Aryan fetched his satchel and unzipped it. He opened the e-mail on his laptop to find himself in a total flabbergast. “Gosh! Looks like it’s another bird” he said it aloud and puffed the air out. “What’s the news?” Jenny rushed towards Aryan and gazed in to the laptop screen.

Dear Aryan and Jenny,

Both of you men have done a great job. Please continue with this design, the head of the department have agreed and granted permission to induct you for the apprenticeship in Germany. We will have an interview with the Automotive Company when you arrive at the university after the summer break. Please be successful in furnishing the complete design by the time when we meet in person.

Good luck and Cheers

Griffiths Mathew

Dean International Affairs (DIA)

“This is sort of stupefying,” Jenny requested for a clear validation on the email.

“Do you remember the company from Germany with which our university has signed an MOU, lately?”

“Yes I do,” Jenny replied. “We have got a chance to showcase our model to the company. DIA has granted us the permission,” Aryan won his heart.

“That’s awesome. I never knew that you were hitting on that apprenticeship,” Jenny uttered in his mild concussion, “how we arrived at this?” he asked.

“To be honest, I lead the design to its crown yesterday and I sent it to them after brunch,” Aryan said, “They were okay with the model and requested us to finish the design by our summer break. In fact, I was never hitting on them. A week ago when I was on our university website I found this and made up my mind to try our luck.”

“… and it turns out the lady luck is on our side,” Jenny added. “Not by my side though, it’s appropriate on you” Aryan reconstructed his remark.

Jenny drew his lower lip in between his teeth and gave a lopsided grin, “This is good news to hear, so we have a new assignment due after some success,” Jenny said.

“Yeah bud”, Aryan said sliding his laptop back into the satchel. “We have got some serious work due from tomorrow” They both walked into their chambers for a good night slumber.

July’ 2002,
Downtown, Manhattan Borough (NY City), NY.

It was 6’o clock in the morning. Bonny and Couthy inside the rooms, Aryan could only hear the sounds of chirping birds perched on the bough in the garden. He went out into the veranda, and had happened to see scads of plants and saplings; the house was hemmed in by the greenery. A table encircled by four chairs arranged in order were seen in the patio. There was a way outstretched from the bedroom balcony into the patio giving access to the table and chairs. On to the right along the pathway, there is a swing two-hundred meters away and three-hundred meters to the left, there was a Grecian lazy-L swimming pool. As Aryan stood in the veranda gazing at the turf he was interrupted as he heard a voice fast approaching. He turned in the direction of sound of voice to see Jenny trudging towards him. “How’s the guest house?” he asked Jenny resting his both hands on his waist looking into the clear sky.

“I have no words”, Jenny replied, “completely different from the city life, an awesome stay out”.

“Yes it is. This is a special place to Nemo, he took a great deal before he designed this place for his repose. It’s all his brain work that panned out in the construction of a supreme house. He comes here every now and then to take rest whenever he feels like to have a break from the company aches and busy ambience”

“You are lucky to have him”, he buffed on Aryan’s chest, “oh yes. Sure I am,” he replied instantly. “Okay, we should be leaving to the industry by 09:00 hrs. We have to meet the automation head. It’s apparently one and half miles or so from here, and we will have to grab a bicycle. That’s how we take a delight and pleasure in the nature riding down the way to the company. I already feel exotic, you feel me?” he asked. Jenny smiled and they both wend their way back into the bedroom.

“Why is the industry established here in this area”, Jenny asked as they walked, “Manufacturing industries are usually established in the city outskirts, reasons are many maybe pollution, barren area, cheap prices for land likewise. Our industry is in the outer border of the city although the entrance gate is opened into the city. It’s an interesting view from a bird’s eye, that’s why we are here in midst of these dense trees” Aryan made it obvious to him.

---

“Good morning, Welcome Aryan,” an associate received the young men with a genuine smile, “didn’t expect millionaires to ride bikes”, he commented.

“Good morning,” Aryan smiled back and replied, “Cars can never be bikes dear friend, and ain’t a millionaire,”

The associate agreed and widened his cheeks to smile heart fully out, “Please make yourself comfortable, the head is on his way,” he said and took leave.

Aryan engaged himself reading The Times while Jenny embarked on studying the room to kill time. The head was sternly punctual and it saved the guys from waiting longer than usual. “Hello Aryan! I am Justin Amell, head of the automation department”, a tall guy in the age group of half of forty to early thirty with a height ostensibly six foot appeared in neatly dressed grey pinstripe suit jacket with a notch lapel and centre vent. There should be a six-pack in there Jenny was in soliloquy, girls would go aww looking at the physique. The man has got backcombed classy hairstyle and a trimmed long stubble beard. His face was longer than wide with the jaws narrower than the cheekbones making himself look like an absolute professional on his part. He introduced himself and continued, “It’s a great pleasure meeting a youngster like you. I have heard a lot good things about you, Aryan”.

“Pleasure is all mine, Mr. Justin”, Aryan sent out the positive vibes “I am excited to work with you. My mama kept telling me lately, how impeccable your research activities are here at JAPMI. Making the industry raise the bar in its standards”

“I am delighted to have it to hear as you say”, he continued, “I am looking forward to work with you as well”

They talked for a while. Justin tattled bunch of his stories from childhood. Aryan understood him as a whip-smart individual diligent in his vocation preserved in dignity and integrity, as Justin described him from early adolescence to mid young adulthood. One utterance which pleased Aryan the most was when he said, “I have done my Under Graduation from U. of Berkely and a Masters graduate from Stanford”. Aryan intervened him almost instantly, “that’s fantastic,” he paused, “Mr. Justin Amell, your alma mater can implicilty say a lot more than anything to be said explicitly”, he said and Jenny added, “Truth is, a few minutes ago I was wondering, how a man at your age has earned a head position. Now I get it clarified, vividly” he continued, “we are really excited to get trained under your supervision”

“Fair enough. Let’s get started with the piece of business. Would you like to tell me why you may want to have this training?” he asked.

Aryan replied, “We both are planning to design a car for the SAE competition. We haven’t got any team yet but I am confident that we will be acquiring solid support from the university. It has commendable statistics. We just wanted to learn the basics, may be for a month from now and eventually by the start of the junior year we will push ourselves to work in materializing the competencies from the training. That’s our plan for now”

Justin never let the smile go away on his visage, “If you have ordered a sports car to be ready for your competition. Our engineers would have worked on it for a month and you’ll have it delivered with no effort from your side. Despite your affluent authorities the passion you carry towards your domain demonstrates your accrued interest in learning from the scratch. It shows what an individual you are. Great of you Aryan, I am happy to see you as who you are”, he said. “Thank you so much for your kind words Justin. It’s so modest of you to say” Aryan replied.

Flapping his suit jacket, “When do you think we should start?” Justin enquired and buttoned it up.

Before Aryan has voiced out Jenny finished answering the question, “Tomorrow 09:00 hrs, sharp. We would like to hang in here, inside the industry for today to acclimate ourselves with the ambience”.

“Sounds right! Jenny” Justin widened his lips, “you guys carry on”, he shook his hands with the young men, “my assistant will walk you through hereafter. I will be available for couple of more hours at the office just in case if you need me” he said and left the chamber dialling a number on his cell phone.

June’ 2002,
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, Travis County, Texas.

“So… we are finally here for a bidding adieu”, Jenny Said as they all came to a halt at the entrance of the departures.

“Don’t remind me of it Jenny,” Pooja said “I already started to miss you guys”

The airport looked busy on a week day, few of them strolled and a few others gone hell-for-leather. It appeared there were more number of people inside the premises than the airport could have accommodated. Saryu kept herself engaged in running after a toddler wandering in the area not so far away from the earshot of the conversations of her friends.

“upsy-daisy,” Saryu exclaimed as the toddler fell on to his knees and kept attempting to rise up.

“Cutie pie,” Mruna said as the toddler tickled her fancy with his little footsteps, “So what are you guys planning after this”, she asked casting her eyes back on Aryan and Jenny.

“I am going back home,” Aryan answered her, “Nemo isn’t well. I would be taking the training at JAPMI R&D.”

“Well that sounds really good, working for your own firm” Mruna said.

“Not really. Seem like I am utilizing them and the resources,” Aryan uttered.

“When are you leaving?” Saryu joined the conversation after the little toddler went away with his mommy, “and Jenny, you?” She asked.

“I am leaving tomorrow morning,” Aryan said and Jenny followed, “Haven’t planned anything yet but It occurs to me that I might have to go with Aryan to his hometown ” Jenny said, “What say?” he enquired with Aryan.

Aryan spanked him, “will go by the evening flight,” he said, “Pooja seems to brood over something she may not want to share it. Are you here with us?” he asked and strode a step forward towards to her.

“Hush,” she puffed out, “I am just being attentive at your talking” she said coyly.

“Just kidding, take good care of yourself, okay?” he said. “Keep in touch Poo,” Jenny added. “I am really wanting to see you next time, hope it will not be too late”, said Mruna and brushed her lips on her cheeks, “Good luck with everything,” Saryu stirred within earshot and whispered, “thank you for all that you had done. You know what I mean. Love you dear”

Good afternoon passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 737 to Frankfurt. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately in a minute time. Thank you.

All of them hugged her at once as the lady announcer voiced her words out, “All the very best dear,” was the last word they exchanged before they all bid the first bye in the home country.

---

Good afternoon passengers. This is your captain speaking. I welcome everyone on board. We are currently cruising at an altitude of twenty-three-thousand feet at an airspeed of four-hundred miles per hour. The local time is 15:25 hrs. The weather looks good and with the tailwind on…

Hearing to the captain, Pooja slipped her hand inside the knapsack on the cabin cabbage and drew out the daily record book. She placed the bag back in where it belonged and uncapped the fountain pen.

I felt sorry for Mruna. My guess was correct though, Aryan wouldn’t have accepted her. Now I understand the whys and that clears my mind. I would have stopped her but I shackled up on my instincts because she was and is more than a friend. When she withheld the conviction and lay her trust in me to help her, there were no grounds on asking her to step back. Why should I ask her to refrain when she wants to give it a try? I wouldn’t want to stop her freedom of joy, after all we have just one life. I had made up my mind to help her through the journey maybe a sojourn, as I conceived, and I will be forever on my mark to save if anything absurd abutted on her, during or after the course of the action.

Now the question comes, how are they going to see and talk to each other hereafter? How would they be going at carrying forward their amity? Will there be any disparity be seen in the deportments towards each other? Well, I could write them as many as I can. Be that as it may, I would be never worried for an answer to all those questions not because I am not the one who was in the tracks of Mruna but because of my acquaintance with her and the comradeship we maintained thus far.

Aryan, Jenny, Mruna, Saryu. The four personalities were to the hilt disparate from every other that I met in my life up and till this point in time. Fortunately, we shared the stereotype like two peas in a pod. Each of them understands each other perceptions and respect them as well. Leaving me behind, when I talk of those four dazzling stars, each of them has the vivid vision of the things they take charge over. They tend to be intelligent and practical rather than being intense in emotions and feelings, well they have the threshold. They knew how much to carry and there’s nothing negative remark in here.

Mruna didn’t feel bad for what had happened to her with Aryan. She was sad for losing at something that she believed she could get but not all your tries are wins. She knew this tactically and thus she recovered herself in a matter of time. In fact, we all of them had drowned swigging seven different kinds of spirits. Mruna started her first drink the same night. Not because she had left with the clinker after she fired the first love in her blossoms but she did it for the word I gave to others that day afternoon. She cheered Aryan, well, crazy woman! They both tripped the light fantastic and at times the others bopped as well. We squeezed the late dusk of the day, one darn hell of a night. They gifted me with the most memorable day of my life.

I feel so strange right now as I remember on one incident about that night. It explicitly proved that the same path is not always a success route to everybody. While it depends on several other factors, one factor from the night could be is it depends on how one would plan their journey. The best lesson I learned, don’t chase the same path for success looking at the succeeded. Sometimes it might just not suit you and you may end up heavy-hearted. It is much better to follow your heart than to chase people; you are the king/queen for your kingdom of life; don’t settle in the kingdom, go on to build an empire.”

Mruna capped on her pen and breathed out. She then lay her back in the seat with her eyes closed, “Good God,” she said to herself.

Volente Beach Water Park, 11:00 Hrs

“Yes, what is it?” Pooja asked Jenny.

“It’s Saryu. I love her and it timely seems that I should be able to cease the window of opportunity tonight” Jenny finally disclosed his premeditation to Pooja, “and for it to happen, I need your help”

Although Pooja has got time with her to make a manoeuvre for Mruna, after Jenny made the request, on a cruise control she found herself a licence to Jenny’s and Mruna’s requests out of the blue, “Okay boy, I know what to be done. You get the surprise to her on its feet, I will look into the proceedings and will inform you at the right time” Pooja gave a manly look to Jenny.

As they walked into the room, Pooja voiced out in the midway, “So, it occurs to me that you too want me to stow away the matter at hand from the others, isn’t it?”

“You are too good,” Jenny said followed by a low-five, “but wait… why did you just say also?” Jenny tried to cross-question, “you know what; never mind. Let’s get this done” he said before Pooja answered his dubiosity.

---

When Jenny and Pooja arrived back into the suite, unlike Mruna Jenny dealt the subject in erelong. In advance of others had any questions to Jenny, he misdirected them to the thread of Mruna’s interest on Spirits. Everyone took it as gospel in the same.

“So, let’s get back for lunch after an hour and then we go out for a ride on the yacht to Starnes Island,” Aryan informed the girls and they nodded their heads to sign yes. Jenny disappeared in a puff of smoke and Aryan followed after taking a gander over Pooja’s countenance.

“You look unrelaxed, have you got any worry?” Aryan asked Jenny.

“Not really,” he replied instantly and he asked, “the poker chips?”

“I’ve got them. It’s in the knapsack” Aryan pointed at the bag lying on the couch inside the suite “so it is that receptionist woman, eh?” he questioned back.

“Woah! Stop you there my friend. No digressions, It’s literally nothing. I’m just famished,” Jenny replied and hotfooted to the cloakroom.

---

All of them met an hour later for lunch. They indulged consummately in merrymaking. Mightily scoffing, shackling in mirth through and through till they reached the nth degree in jollification that Pooja would remember for whole of her lifetime. Aryan ate Scallop Piccata. It reminded him Shalini’s absence. He wallowed in every ounce of it casting his mind back in time. Jenny’s humor touch added up as a complementary dessert to the luncheon.

“Mruna is a shopaholic,” Jenny said “the guy who’s gonna marry you should be a millionaire”

Mruna appeared skeptical, she casted an eye on Pooja to learn if Jenny’s comment had anything to do with her. In little time she dispelled her dubiety, she said to herself that Jenny might have spurred it out of the moment and to which she replied “Oh yeah I do a lot shopping. Guess what,” Mruna sipped her chicken soup and continued “I shop with my money, I never went around looking on for a helping hand to get the new duds”

“True that, I just realized that you have a credit card,” Jenny mocked Mruna.

“Saryu, do you know something,” Jenny tried his first shot without a trial, “I just read this, a lot can happen over a cup of coffee, why don’t we try it in the evening and see?”

“Oh dear! Forget, it will never happen with me,” Saryu replied.

“Buy why?” Jenny asked in uncertainty.

“I always prefer tea over coffee,” Saryu mocked Jenny and in fact, Mruna had bust a gut as it evened out Jenny’s mock.

They finished the lunch by 13:00 hrs. It nearly took over an hour to reach the harbour. The day travel plan was to go on for a round trip from the harbour to Starnes island by the yacht and then drive back to the hotel by early-mid night.

From the resorts restaurant to the boarding point of the yacht it was full of fun filled roller coaster period of travelling for the group. They reserved a yacht for the sojourn.

---

The group was all set for the cruise. While other were in recce Aryan was setting up the platform for the poker. Pooja signed Jenny to follow her to the rear end of the yacht. Jenny concurred with her and they both met.

“Jenny, here is how we do it. First, give me your suite keys,” Pooja stretched her hand out.

“Alright, here you go, what’s next.” Jenny handed over the keys to Pooja.

“This is the key to ours,” she handed over it to Jenny and continued “its 15:00 hrs. It would be around 21:30 by the time we reach our resort. Soon after you get down, hurry up and lurk in the balcony; rest is all for you to decide on how you wanted to go”

Jenny showed thumbs up as he lucidly envisaged his discernment and squinched up himself on what he is going to do, “alright, this looks perfect and by the by why do you need the keys?” Jenny asked.

“Mr. Intelligent where should Mruna and I have to stay?” Pooja slapped a comment on Jenny inane question which left him with no other skeptics.

“Oh Sorry! I am vacillating and so pretty much dumbfounded,” He shrugged, “How should I take the lead? Please baby, I am tensed,” Jenny solicited for the first time ever in their comradeship. When you love, you have to be audacious on these ramifications. Not just a tweak but you should be prepared for a drastic revamp Jenny uttered in a low tone while Pooja was digging for more thoughts.

“Alright!,” She pinched her fingers in the air and said, “Go get your hands on her feet and impetrate to love you,” Pooja gave it a burl to let her soul cavort for a minute with the hoax on him but then she ceased immediately tumbling to that Jenny’s being serious about his ask. Ruffling his hair, she gracefully poured in suggestions.

“Great, I will be on it,” Jenny said in a delirium and left the spot.

Pooja signed Mruna asking to see her at the rear end, the place where she guided Jenny. Mruna arrived in no time as much excited as Jenny. After all both of them were running in the same phase of life at that present.

“Your requested private hour is at the delivery miss,” Pooja galvanized and fired the imagination of Mruna, “The keys to Aryan’s room” and she made the same plan, the one she briefed Jenny, intelligible to Mruna. Bingo! Kill two birds with one stone. One plan works out for both the excited one sided lovers, as of now She appreciated herself for the way she chipped in dispensing the proposition. Unlike Jenny, there were no other questions from Mruna. She kept her patience alive and prepared herself for the show. They both headed back to their seats.

They sat down at the table for the Poker game. Aryan was sitting opposite to Jenny and with Saryu on his right, Pooja and Mruna on his left respectively.

Sitting with his legs crossed, ankle-on-knee, “So maidens, get ready to bow down to the prince of poker,” Jenny said buoying up his hands in the air with his chin up.

Saryu looked at Jenny, “Aha! We will better bow down to the king who is at the poles apart” and she gesticulated with her brows at Aryan.

Jenny scoffed and said, “Texas Hold’em it is,” he shuffled the cards and floated two cards each.

Pre-flop Round:

Saryu plays small blind – $20, Aryan – big blind – $40, Pooja, Mruna, Jenny – called.

Saryu tried to bluff, she called $40 and raised $50. “Pot size is now $90,” Jenny voiced out.

Flop Round:

Aryan called $90. Pooja, Mruna and Jenny called. Pot size was still $90, “and let the three community cards show their faces,” Pooja drew the cards and fixed up the deck.

The game continued for over an hour. The cool breeze hitting you all over in the middle of the river; I am sitting comfortably on top of the yacht, playing my favourite game, drinking my favourite wine. I am much excited than any time before, I am loving it. Pooja was lost in her own thoughts.

---

They finally reached the hotel at 21:00 hrs as per the itinerary. Mruna tread like a scalded cat towards Aryan’s room. Pooja sagaciously changed her mind and asked Jenny to walk along with her in to their room so that Mruna shouldn’t have to raise any question about Jenny sneaking into their dig. Into the bargain, Pooja sent Saryu and Aryan to order dinner. Jenny was deployed in Saryu’s room while Pooja stealthily left the suite soon after she acknowledged that Mruna set herself in the Aryan’s room. By the time Aryan and Saryu had arrived both the one-sided psyched up lovers were hot to trot.

Aryan bid bye to Saryu and entered his room. He was knocked sideways on spotting Mruna lying in the bed, “Oh sorry! Never mind” he said as he thought he might have intruded into the girl’s suite.

“Aryan, you belong here,” Mruna hollered as she took a heed on Aryan egressing, “this is your room. She made it plain”

“So why am I seeing you here,” he asked with a bleach look in a perplexed voice.

Mruna unbuttoned her parka jacket, “Because you are going to meet the unexpected,” she said in Dionysia tone.

“Uh-huh, what’s up? Are you gonna go naked?” he asked playing it in his way.

“Not so fast dude,” Mruna ascended from the bed and cropped up moving towards Aryan, “It is something… something I can’t tell you but at the same time I can’t let my heart recede on the business anymore, I’d like to let it talk to you today and you’ll lend me your ears,” She said.

“What gentleman, what for are you here?” Saryu asked Jenny after finding him in her room.

“Nothing much, I just sneaked in looking for something intangible,” Jenny replied flexing minute by minute yet moving heaven and earth to hold onto his nerves.

“Oh darling, what is it?” Aryan asked while Mruna moved closer and closer as the seconds rolled on.

“Something intangible? What?” Saryu questioned back Jenny to which he replied, “I have to talk to you, tell you something about ….” he paused and took a deep breathe.

Mruna gently raised head to line up her eyes with Aryan’s at an obtuse contact angle, “I am in love with you; will you be my beau?” She asked.

Jenny hesitated to continue but he presided over to accrue enough courage and spouted, “… Saryu, do you love me?” Jenny asked with all the hope, “I would feel ashamed if I do perpetuate any further. I have told you how I felt for you, how I look at you, how I am when you are with me. I have been doing that since a long time now. I believe that it wouldn’t have been reached thus far if it was not you who subtly encouraged my undivided attention at you. I stand here right now with the revelations on my feelings for you, it is your choice to either invite me or let me go. What you’d like to say?”

“Tell me Aryan,” Mruna asked. She kept asking repeatedly until she heard him speak an answer to her proffer, “tell me what it is, I will be positive about anything you say”

“But Jenny,” Saryu was stuck in her tracks. She was on the blink impuissant to articulate her standpoint on the proposal. She said “but Jenny…” for one more time, “but Jenny… Jenny…” she kept saying the appellation.

Aryan lay his eyeballs off of her loosing focus and dropping the upper eyelids. He appeared withdrawn with a frown physiognomy. He volte-faced and plonked still for a minute. He suspired heavily and turned back grabbing her waist close to his body, Mruna could feel the puff of air. He locked his eyes with hers and said, “Darlene, I love you. Okay? But pardon, don’t mistake it for that love you want me to give you”

He was deeply skeptical whether if he had made any sense to her and he enquired, “Did I make it clear?” He took off himself from holding her waist and ensconced on the bed and continued, “I love you like I love Jenny but I can’t make love to you like I make it to my wife, when or if I get married. I would never ever look at you that way”

“What do you mean?” She exclaimed in her disappointment, “Don’t I look good as your girlfriend? What’s wrong with me?”

“Darling, again, it has nothing to do with your physique,” He took the edge off and he signed her to sit by his side but Mruna brushed it away, “It is just that I don’t have feelings for you. I felt you as my friend, like a true friend and not an inch more than that,” he made himself unambiguous to her.

“Alright. So you whacked it up, end of story”, She said and started walking to the exit of the room, “I am sorry, I have expected more of you in my life”, she unlocked the doorknob, “how naïve I was, I shouldn’t have been,” she pulled the door open, turned back to look at him, “let’s just forget what happened these twenty minutes in our lives and let it perish right here, between us” She said and left the room shutting the door.

Mad as a hatter. It will evanesce after a little while. Take care Darlene. Aryan smiled.

“I understand Saryu,” Jenny said in an utterly low voice clearly conveying his loss of the last hope, “I understand, I don’t want to trouble you anymore”, Jenny said and started walking away from her before she uttered her answer.

“Jenny,” Saryu call stopped him at the exit of the door, “I am no good in elocution and to let open my love? Oops! Helpless. I am still stuck at figuring out to give words to my love and to tell you that I want to be yours”

Jenny looked back and couldn’t give credence to what Saryu had said. In a prompt and eagerness, he expeditiously approached her for a hug but he stopped momentarily standing an inch away from her, “I am having a special moment with you. I am gonna hug you, this time, as my lover,” he said and paused anticipating to glean over his memory lane to construct few more sentences to manifest his love but as he failed, “I have nothing more to say, just hug me” he said and hugged her airtight.

Knock on the door…

Jenny was in the swoon and heard not a thing, Saryu came to sentience and wellied Jenny’s foot, “One of those girls might have come,” she said, “there is a knock on the door.” Jenny was brought back into the present by her. He instantly flumped himself on the couch while Saryu left to open the door.

“Jenny, you are here?” Mruna sounded mysterious with his presence, Thank Pooja! I am happy that you are here. Otherwise, oh god… Mruna said to herself.

“Couple were busy in my room,” he voiced out. Jenny never knew of Mruna’s presence in his room as Pooja build a mammoth fortress between one another and yet the mocking was so accidentally coincidental that drove Mruna on tenterhooks, “So you know, I had to drop by here” Jenny finished.

Mruna blinked her eyes and brooded over her withheld perception. She simmered down and without an inkling of fret on her face she retired from the room and walked straight into the portico. Neither Jenny nor Saryu cared to ask Mruna if anything was wrong. They both indulged in staring at each other; reading each other minds and talking with their eyes, up until to the point in time where Pooja interjected their locked eyes. After a little contemplation, Pooja sensed that Saryu has fallen for Jenny. “Hello lovers, wake up,” Pooja said pinching her fingers in the thin air, “its dinner time,” She sounded out loud.

Saryu was baffled after hearing to Pooja calling them lovers, “What? How do you know?” Saryu questioned, “Were you peeping through the keyhole? Cheater” Jenny stepped up on the go and unravelled the setup of Pooja.

“You are a freak,” said Saryu, “Where is Mruna, did you guys see her?” Pooja asked, raising a doubt in Saryu and Jenny’s heads. An intelligent Pooja evened out the thoughts by saying, “She said she would be gone out to look at the pool”

“Oh yeah, she’s resting there in the portico”, Said Saryu pointing at Mruna who was standing still leaning on the side wall in the balcony with both her hands on the support rods.

“You may wanna get back to your business, if you know what I mean,” Pooja knocked over the romantic aroma to make them remain back in the room so that she could learn on how Mruna’s manifestation of her love had panned out.

“What’s it babes?” She asked approaching Mruna, “Did he sweep you off of your feet?” She solicited for answers.

“Probably a banana peel would have done the job,” Mruna recovered herself by then. Pooja perceived the upshot in the one liner from Mruna, “Babes, few things are just not for us” She consoled her. “True that. Let’s get drunk first” Mruna cheered her up. “I love you for this,” Pooja hugged her and they proceeded in pursuit of getting high.

June’ 2002,
Volente Beach Water Park, Travis County, Texas

“Have I gone astray in finding the missing girl?” Aryan asked looking at Mruna and Saryu.

“You don’t have to, she will show up in fifteen minutes” Mruna replied “by the by when did you arrive?”

“In the morning,” he answered “so why wait here? Let’s check in”

“We are done with it and waiting for Poo,” Saryu said “you guys should go and finish the procedures, will come along with Poo as soon as she shows up”

“Alight,” Jenny said.

They both walked towards the reception for the registration. They approached a women with vulcanite black hair, standing on her stilettoes, holding a pen in her right hand and answering the phone call. Her pencil thin sharp eyebrows eased down gently on to her elfin nose. Her carafe shaped waist enclosed in a velvet voguish pink colored top could not make anyone take their eyes off her. As her Mexican-pink coloured fingernails ran through her scalp, bunch of hair plunged onto the honey glow face to dawdle on her wee lips.

Receptionists represents the face of the company. Maybe that is the why, we find the face winsome. Aryan murmured but Jenny didn’t pay any heed over the comment.

As Aryan and Jenny approached her at a slow pace, they drew her attention. She placed the receiver back and noticed their arrival. She flickered her thick long eyelashes, with a pleasing smile, showing the luminous white teeth having given a positive vibe she asked, “Excuse me? How may I help you?”

The dulcet voice delivered her elegant and enchanting personality she posessed. Finally after one of the celebrations of being alive ceased to continue, they lay their hands on the keys to their suite.

“Dude! These damsels, they do have a second privilege,” Jenny said “The Beauty”.

“Hahaha, I do agree to an extent,” Aryan retorted following him while both were dragging their trolleys in the corridor, “what’s the first one?”

“Dude!” he forestalled his walk and turned towards Aryan with a smug look, “Being the girl,” he said. That’s when Aryan perceived that they had reached their suite.

“It’s unfair but it hammers away for now and forever until there comes an end to the time”, Jenny said as they continued walking into their suite.

“It’s unfair? That’s a moot point” Aryan argued, “The beauty is subjective. It solely depends on how we see it, the receptionist might have been charming to us but that’s not the case with every other bloke, we never know” he said wryly and continued, “that brings us to pen down the conclusion that every girl is beautiful”

“Enlightened,” Jenny said and mocked, “But I am just wondering if you are graduating in pscycology of love”

Before Aryan comported, Ding! A message popped up on his phone she has come, will be upstairs in minutes.

Knock the door before you leave to your room, we will show up he sent a reply to the message.

Few minutes later, Aryan and Jenny found a girl with long layered, textured curly hair. The fibre like very soft thin material in helical structure flapped like the wings of a butterfly in the puff of air. Her pixie’s nose and fallen lips brought the emptiness close to the mind and heart. The intense blue upturned eyes sends an invite for an invincible affection to the hearts of hombres.

“Look at you Babes, how are you?” Aryan asked nearing at Pooja.

Delighted with his presence she replied, “I am fine. When did you come back?” She asked with the Duchenne smile.

“Today, in the morning” he answered her, “Heard that you are leaving us in a short while. What’s up with that?” he asked.

“Yeah Aryan. Daddy has got a new job in the Canada based Celluloid pharmaceutical laboratory. He will be working there at the lab in formulating and testing a drug to cure a dangerous health issue Schizophrenia, dad has got expertise in the same. The management have asked him for his presence in the running project. So we should be going” She said.

“But why now? Aren’t you in the middle of your graduation,” he enquired.

“Dad did check on the Universities that accepts a transfer student and he found one. He holds dual citizenship and that actually gave a leap. Also, there is no extended family in here to take care of me. So I decided moving along with the family,”

In a tone of disappointment dispelling his buoyancy in haste, “Great, fair enough,” he said having no other choice in convincing her to stay back.

After a short reinstitution, the girls left to their suite. While Saryu went into use the loo, “Pooja come with me, please” Mruna walked along with her out into the balcony.

Pooja was perplexed when she clasped her carpal and yanked, “What is it?” she catechized.

“Want you to do me a favour” Mruna asked.

Her nose and forehead rumpled “Shoot it” she said with her lips pursed together.

Mruna’s expressions hardened, “I want Aryan and me alone in a room for half hour,” she winced in her voice.

“I guess you are obsessed after watching too much of it yesterday night. Take control over your nerves baby doll” she said remaining baffled with what Mruna asked.

The contortion coasted unto Mruna, “What do you mean,” She asked unintelligibly on what Pooja was referring to. Pooja answered, “you know exactly what I mean, honeycomb, don’t you?” she tried insinuating.

“Argh! Queen of London. Don’t think too much, I don’t mean what you think I mean”

Pooja replied “So you mean, what I mean for what I thought you mean is not what you mean”

“Shut up girl. Yet again, I don’t mean anything that you think I mean. The bottom line is I want to propose Aryan tonight” she finally revealed her intentions on what she meant.

“Hey!” Pooja was tickled in pink, “but how do you want me to help you out?” she delved in for a tip-off.

“How should I do it is what I am asking you. Nothing strikes my stupid little brain. I am very lousy in these issues and yet he drives me crazy. I am on my last legs every single day when I forbid to open up my heart to Aryan” she continued to appear in her coyness whenever she uttered the name, Aryan. A blush wriggled up her face.

“Okay, Gotcha! Let’s get outta here for now. I will think of a plan and let you know. Buy me sometime” Pooja assured her.

“… and this will stay with us, you swear” Mruna said as they walked out of the balcony and made their way into the room. “You have my word gal” Pooja dabbed her shoulder.

---

When they arrived insides the suite they found Aryan and Jenny in their aleatory conversation with Saryu. They were abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Pooja and Mruna, “What’s up?” Jenny queried them as they ingress into the room after having sufficiently lengthy confabulation.

“Oh yeah, it is this thing that Mruna is …” Pooja seemed to make an attempt to scare the hell outta Mruna but she promptly wafted the subject “…that Mruna is interested in Spirits this time”, she gazed at Mruna and said, “Honey, maybe a Tequila or a Pisco or a Mezcal” she then looked back at Jenny and Aryan and continued, “She felt nervous to parade her tenderness all of sudden. Let’s get her high tonight, shouldn’t we?”

“Oh sure we should. Yay, Mruna,” everyone showered their excitement. Jenny in leaden steps walked towards her. He extended and poured in few words, “Come on girl. Sure you should be interested. Will have most out of it. Wait for tonight” he wrapped his arms partly around her shoulder.

“Pooja, out with me,” this time, it was Jenny who hauled Pooja into the balcony.

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”