TC of KG - Chapter Sixteen

"Every unfortunate event does not give rise to lawsuit."

12:30 Midnight, Bed    
   

An exchange of texts between KKG and Priya

You asleep, Khushi?

Nope I'm just playing golf in the middle of a sand storm in Antarctica.

Good you're awake, I have a plan.

Just on a dull note- IT'S 12 'O CLOCK IN THE EFFING NIGHT.

But I'm warning you it's probably illegal in all the countries of the world.

Illegal? What are you on about Priya?

I thought you liked sneaking around?

I have awakened a monster.

How good are you in climbing walls?

What?

It's a good thing Arnav's going to play a match outside.

What? Again.

It's all perfect really. Tell your parents you'll be sleeping over at my place tomorrow.

What? Again. Again.

I'll have the battle strategy ready by morning. Sleep tight.

It's not like as if I exist or anything but seriously, WHAT?

Ta!            

8:00 AM, College Bus.

"So are you going to tell me what we're going to do?" I asked the minute I spotted her sitting in our
usual last seat.

"Patience, my little cub, patience."

I'll show her patience, by chewing her off like a nice little cub.

"Come on Priya, the suspense is killing me."

"Do you trust me?"

16 hours later

12:00 MidNight, Priya's bed.

Never trust Priya. Ever. That girl's singular aim in life is to kill me and/or send me to jail. I mean, does one actually need a friend? We can always do without one, right?

The impossibly long list of reasons why KKG DOES NOT need a BFF.

1. They will get you killed.

2. They will ditch you.

3. They will laugh at your misfortunes.

4. They will leave you in empty hall ways. Alone. When they know you don't like the dark.

5. They will ask you to enjoy yourself while doing all of the above.

The impossibly long list of reasons why KKG DOES need a BFF

1. They will get you important information.

2. They will help you climb walls.

3. They know how to talk to mean bitchy people.

4. They make awesome plans.

5. They make life interesting.

I can't believe I did all that. Someone should seriously just make my life into a movie. 
Seriously. It can be called 'The Dramatic Drama of a Drama Queen'.

I guess I should start at the beginning.

After a regular day of classes, Priya and I met outside the college grounds.

"Did you bring your toothbrush?"

"Yes."

"PJ?"

"Yes."

"Your diary?"

"Yes."

"Last question, how the hell did you fit all that in your bag?"

"Skill." I replied duly, still apprehensive about her- quote unquote- 'Master Plan'.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Priya."

"Chill, What could possibly go wrong?"

Oh, I don't know. We could END UP IN JAIL. No biggie.

I gave a raised eyebrow in response.

"Right, everything. But why fear when Priya's here?"

After many eye rolls and plausible death scenarios, we finally ended up in Priya's house. It was nice and cosy. Big but not too big. Nicely decorated but not too lavish. State of the art and yet traditional.

"Wow, looks like some interior decorator designed this house."

"She did, my sister. She does interior designing."

"Impressive."

After a frantic phone call with my mother assuring her that I was very much in Priya's house and not in a bar drinking my life away, we settled on Priya's bed and chocked out the finer details of the Master Plan.

"See nobody's allowed to see the Target without Arnav's consent. And obviously that's next to impossible."

Yes we now refer to Anjalie as The Target. Priya goes the whole way when it comes to the dramatics.

"So you decided sneaking into their security system is the next best thing?" I fail to see the logic, I really do.

"Yes, to sum it up."

"You're barking mad."

"Look, you want information and I want to have fun. It's a win-win situation. Besides The Raizadas will never press charges on me. They'll probably tell my mom, but never put me in jail."

"Now let me go bring out the cat-suits."

"WHAT?"

"Kidding Khushi. The look on your face. Oh my God."

Time- 9:30 PM
Master Plan- Stage 1: Sneak out of the house.

*Tip Toe Tip toe*

*Crash into pillar* (KKG)

*swearing* (Priya)

*Tip Toe Tip Toe*

*Door goes creek*

*cringe* (KKG)

*swearing* (Priya)

*Tip Toe Tip Toe*

*Jump off the wall and fall into mud* (KKG)

*swearing* (Priya)

Stage 1- Success.

Time- 9:45 PM
Stage 2- Ride Motorcycle to The Raizada House.

Priya- Vroom Vroom, Lets Paarrtyyy. 1000 KMS/HR

KKG-AHHH! I AM GOING TO DIEEE.

Stage 2- Success.

Time- 10:00 PM
Stage 3- Meeting With Anjalie Singh Raizada.

This is where things get complicated. When I first heard Miss Raizada's name, I expected her to
be a certain way. To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. Not only was I surprised, but so was Priya, whose known the Raizada family her entire life.

After our death defying stunt on the motorcycle. Priya and I stood in front of the gates of Shantivan.

"So what now?" I asked sardonically.

"We type in the security code and then it's open sesame."

"Then what?"

"The usual."

At that point I was ready to strangle her. No joke.

"We throw stones at her window."

"Why the hell will she let us in?"

"Gut feeling."

Great I've pretty much risked getting jailed all because of a queasy feeling in the stomach which could very well have been due to the extra samosa we had during dinner. Lovely.

After many pleas of insanity that radiated from Priya, we grabbed half a dozen pebbles from the garden and chucked them towards what we presumed to be Miss Raizada's bedroom.

One. Two.  

"Is she deaf?"

"Last time I checked, no."

Three. Four.

"Does she hibernate?"

"She more of a kitty cat than a bear cub."

Five.

"This isn't working."

Six.

"OUCH. Will you girls quit it? I was having a perfectly nice dream before you interrupted me."

And there she stood in her all-too-expensive night wear and hair braided in a perfect French plait.
Anjalie Singh Raizada.

"Hey there Anj." Priya said, as if this was perfectly normal occurrence.

"Is that you Priya?"

"The one only and of course Khushi."

"Khushi Kumari Gupta?" Anjalie asked, her tone slightly surprised. That's the only proper reaction she has expressed- mild state of surprise. Woopie, how do I always meet the crazy ones?

"Come on up, I'll just open the door. HP is probably snoring his life away." Her light giggle filled the night air.

And so yes after more tip-toeing and nearly clumsy falls we were perched on Anjalie's bed staring awkwardly at each other.

My wandering eyes took in the crutch placed against the wall and slightly widened.

Anjalie must have noted my expression because she immediately said, "I was a little reckless few month ago. But I'm fine now, just a little limp."Her giggle once again filled the room.

After another round of awkward silence, she finally sighed and spoke up.

"Hello Khushi, my brother had a lot to say about you."

My cheeks instantly pinked.

"um.. I assure you I'm not half as bad."

"He didn't do justice actually, you look even more pretty in real."

I'm pretty sure my mouth dropped open in utter shock. Priya gave me a knowing smile and her ever raised eye-brows. Stupid smug best friends are SO yesterday.

"Let's cut to the chase Anj, we're here to know about Shyam and you."

If that caught her off guard, she didn't show it.

"And why would I tell my best friend's baby sister and a total stranger about my personal life?" Okay she wasn't a complete a bimbo.

"Because your personal life aka Shyam and your brother Arnav seems to be very interested in my best friend and that, I'm afraid, really doesn't sit well with me."

At that point I took out my virtual pompoms and started doing a virtual jig. Go Priya, Go Priya, Go Priya.

"So Chotte is bugging you ladies?" She gave an exaggerated eye roll.  "He should really start to get it in that thick skull of his that I'm very much elder to him and can therefore have my own fu*k ups. Okay then girls, go on. I'm in a very revealing mood tonight."

Well that was easy.

She must have noted the Today-is-Christmas look on my face and so immediately amended.

"Not too revealing though."

"Did you and Shyam share a history?" Priya asked tentatively.

"Yes we did."

"Is that why Arnav hates him?" I prodded along.

"More or less."

"You're not being very revealing." I said accusingly.

"Oh but that's because you aren't asking the right questions." She answered off headedly looking at her phone. I was beginning to like her less and less.

"Why does Ar' I mean what does Shyam want with me?"

"How should I know that?"

Priya looked like she was ready to strangle her. Anjalie was cool, too cool. I mean we just barged into her house in the middle of the night and she was acting like as if this was the most normal thing in the world.

"Look Anjalie, this Shyam guy is creeping us out. If you aren't going to tell us anything, then fine.
We'll ask the man himself."

We got up.

The change in her demeanor was instantaneous. Ha bitch take that!

"Wait."

And cue half smirk half smile.

"We're waiting." I said, giving her a perfectly raised eyebrow.

"I'll make you girls a deal. I will tell you my story.. if.."

The ever intimidating 'if'. God I hated it.

".. if Khushi promises to have dinner with Arnav and I tomorrow."

"Done." Priya answered for me.

What the eff? That's all I had to do? Have dinner with them? Well that was easy. Again. I like it when things go my way.

She gave a satisfied nod.

"My brother likes to think I am a perfect angel."

Okay?

"Well I am not."

Okay? Okay?

"Err.. That's all nice Anjalie.. But.." Priya started, with a 'I-Think-She's-Loopy' expression firmly in place.

"I am not finished.. I thought you girls wanted to know about Shyam?"

Beggars can't really be choosers. So we sat down, albeit a little gingerly.

"Right so. About six months ago, I was really into adventure sports. Rock climbing, sky diving, bunging jumping.."

Bet Mr I-will-keep-everyone-safe-'cause-I-own-the-damn-word had a problem with that.

"..That's where I met Shyam. Tall, handsome and adventurous. It was the perfect fairy tale. Arnav.. Arnav he never really understood why I did what I did. Shyam was the only one who did and he became my instant muse. We spent every waking minute together. Climbing mountains or chilling in the bar, he was the only companion I had. We were never really romantically involved. But one night we had few too many drinks and with raging hormones, you can guess what happened. In any case his fiancee found us and well then things went out of control."

Priya and I audibly gasped. Fiancee?

"He cheated on his fiancee? Did you know?" I probed.

"The thing is, I never bothered asking him about his personal life and he didn't either. So I wasn't really affected by that news. But all actions have consequences however unknowing they may be. Shyam and I got in his bike to try and stop her but then well we were both drunk and we ended up crashing.. well that explains my broken leg.."

And I thought my life was dramatic. It isn't even in the same zip code as dramatic compared to Anjali's.

"Now.. Arnav.. Arnav was convinced it was a planned sabotage. Being the nosy person he is decided to make it his mission to probe into Shyam's life, which I never did."

"Then?" I asked with waited breathe.

"Then you have to ask him. His problem with Shyam is none of my concern. You know how guys are. For all I know it could be due to the silly game they play."

So yes that was it. That was the great 'Master Plan'. Psh. Where's a movie camera when you need one?

This time walked out of the front door. Thank God. I was already bruising on my elbow from all the innumerable falls.

So now I sit on Priya's bed trying to gather my racing thoughts. And then this text message came.

We need to talk. Alone.

Shit. He's going to kill me. 

CHAPTER 17

INDEX