GONDOLA, GULMARG

Next day, early in the morning the group left intending an eventful day.

It's a 3 hour drive from Kishtwar to Srinagar through Sinthan top while they plan to stop by at all the notable locations.

They opted for 2 vehicles...SUV & Jeep as they had lots of shopping to do & one vehicle would not suffice.

In other words, specifically Teja's
..Kashmir should be savoured in open and not through a single window so what's better than a topless Jeep.

Vittal is before them in the SUV guiding the path, the remaining four are in the Jeep, with Adhvik steering the wheels.

The best friends are having a blast at the backseat as Arshad turned on the music & Adhvik unbolted the roof and the doors, unleashing them to the icey mountains and blue valleys.

Every passerby took a look at the beautiful girls with admiration which turns into grim seeing the dashing but dangerous boys at the front.

Arshad felt relaxed & calm.

As Kabir said, it was much needed for both of them especially after the last few hectic months.

The IT fiasco is taken care of & their schedules are managed by the C.E.O. himself. The cool climate and warm people here helped in letting go off their brewed steam.

He glanced at Adhvik who's thoroughly enjoying driving through the Sinthan top, a beautiful snowy mountain pass connecting the capital to Kishtwar in Chenab valley.

He then looked at the girls through the rear view mirror who are having the time of their visit by singing, screaming, munching, purely enjoying the expedition to the fullest without any inhibitions or hesitations.

Because they knew if anyone had to reach them, they would have to deal with the boys first, which is horrendous.

Though one is his boss's sister & the other is a pure headache, still they are his responsibility. They trust him & he would keep it intact by hook or crook.

Wish every boy feels the same for the girls whether they are family or not ... World would have been a even better place.

Relishing the sceneries, they didn't even know when they reached Gulmarg. As it's October, the meadows of Gulmarg are fully covered with fresh white snow.

The five changed into the ski suits, put their belongings in the car & went for the adventures.

First, they had Gondola cable car ride which dropped them at Aparwath peak. By a pony ride, they took amazing pictures at the Aparwath lake, the frozen lake situated between the twin peaks, came back & had a skiing competition which Adhvik aced.

The group is on the way to the paragliding & the boys are behind the girls when they saw a couple aside posing a bit too intimately for the pictures.

"Sab kuch bahar karega tho andar kya karega?", Vittal's comment makes Arshad chuckle.

Even Adhvik couldn't help the sarcastic smile hearing the truth.

Adhvik believes some moments should be private either it's with family or friends or a couple, that's when they would value something to the heart. Not everything has to be out, some moments are meant just for the people in it & not for the world to know.

"Nonsense", muttering, he rushes to take the girls away. He doesn't want them to see those idiotic scenes.

The five move onto Paragliding where two are strapping up whereas Teja & Arshad stand aside, Adhvik went to take the tickets,

"Haarsh aren't you joining?", Teja asks him excited.

He simply says, "No".

"Kyun? Dar lag raha hein?", she probes.

He quickly denies, "Nahi"

"Tho?", she just couldn't stop her enquiry.

What should he say? Ugh!

"Sachi batana tumhe dar lag raha hein right?" ,she affirms it with a smile.

"Meine abhi kuch khaya hein. I can't do it now", he said half truth & she's intelligent enough to catch it.

"Jhuta", before she teases more, she hears Nandu whining.

"Bunny",Teja looks at her, "Why are we not gliding together?"

She whined again because she's sceptical as it's been a long time since she did the activity so if her friend joins, she would make it easy & fun.

But Teja's reply makes her disappointed.

"Nah.If I do paragliding then that will be only with..My Guy!", she reveals dreamily to which Nandu makes a face, Vittal snorts & Arshad snaps his head at her.

"Better luck in next life then", Teja didn't like her cousin's remark and the chortle of the other two.

She stands up ready to retort, "Nah. Kuch saal bad mein apni dream guy ke saath aasman mein uchalthi hu tab thum, thum aur thum sab yahi neeche se hame dekhke bahot pachtaoge"

She avows pointing each one of them while they snort,

"Pachtaoge se yaad aya...Nandu you remember when she was in Trichy she had this spunky dork admirer in school who used to be her puppy, he even got her phone number when noone would even dare to ask her out atleast for a coffee", Vittal asks Nandana while Teja's smile lessen.

Nandana pipes in remembering the incident, it was during their class 9, "Ha ha. Hamare Rajinikanth ko kaise bhul sakthe hein? Phone calls mein half of the time usike baare mein batha thi.One day, he followed her till home even gave little hearts & a cute greeting card to her."

She teasingly says but Nandana never liked that period where Teja's family had to transfer an year for Trichy on deputation. While working on an important racket, Vijay got deputed to Narcotics for which he had to shift his base to south. He couldn't leave his family behind so he decided to relocate with them.

When Nandana got the news, she immediately went to pursue Vijay to let Teja stay with her but he just couldn't live without his beloved daughter as he didn't know when his case would be complete. He somehow convinced her & they moved to Trichy.

Adhvik went for abroad a year before while Teja, the following year which left Nandana alone. They cried missing each other though they used to talk daily.

Teja's ability to easily adapt to the situations made her cope up better than Nandana who felt alone by her brother & bestfriend.

Her mother tried to cheer her up though she herself was missing her best friend but to no avail. Kabir unable to see his daughter & wife sad called Vijay who understood the friend's state, wrapped his work asap & returned to Delhi.

That day was one of the memorable days for Nandana as an apology for making her cry Vijay brought Nandana, a fine flute from Tanjore, her musical tool, along with lots of Cadburys.

Nandana came back from her thoughts hearing Vittal, "For which Mamu rewarded him with hard legs next day that he couldn't stand for a week"

"After which he was banished from the school & the city", Nandana completed the tale but Teja objects, "But Appa didn't do it. They got transferred"

"Acha mujhe nai pata ki transfers aise raath hi raath achanak se bhi hotha hein", Vittal mockingly questions.

Teja sulks at their teasing,

"That's because he's a dork just like you. Yaar you aren't getting it", she flay her arms, "Rajkumari ko paane keliye Maharaj ki sare parikshayen jeethni padthi hein aur kabhi kabhi Raja se bhi takrana padtha hein tabhi unko yeh Rajkumari milegi. Samjhi?"

She preaches moving here and there that even the supporters couldn't stop listening & looking at her.

"Itna bade bade baatein kyun kar rahi hein? Easily bolo ki he must have a death wish", Vittal's simplification made them laugh.

While Teja ignoring all the eyes, supports her speech seriously, "Marke jeethne walon ko baazigar kehthe hein V"

And they burst into laughter including herself.

But the group is very well aware of how vigilant her family, especially her father, is about the only baby girl of the house.

Just then Adhvik joins them zipping up the topic.

He is an elder brother & he strictly acts as one.

He never encouraged the 'boy's talk' even the girls never needed to have a serious one too though they are blue blooded , morals & ethics stand above for them. They mingled with all but they both were and are always enough for eachother so they didn't find the need to look out for affection in others.

The best friends enjoy their life as it is with their families, friends & food.

Teja goes to tightly fix the straps of Nandana, she could understand Nandana's fear but she's adamant on her wish,

"For now, don't be sad Cadbury. I will buy you a lot of Cadburys. Now go & fly alone", her best friend smiles first but the last word makes her glare at her while she casually goes & slomps beside Arshad who shakes his head.

She might be a carefree girl but not a careless one.

After having lunch, the infamous Wazwan, a 32 dish platter and Kahwa, a traditional tea, they are off to the capital.

SRINAGAR

The group already explored Srinagar so the main purpose they are here is to shop. As tomorrow is the festival, the streets are bustling with preperations. Unlike in other places, Kashmir celebrates Vijayadashami on 5th day of puja.

Their mothers provided them with long lists of items which they sorted and split up according to markets they need to go.

Though Geetha and Lalitha settled far from their native, they made sure to incorporate it's touch in their daily routine.

The mornings in Awadh and Verma household begin with Kashmiri Tea or Noon chai or kafaw.

Pooja rooms are filled with the lavender or sandalwood essence, their children have paper machie articrafts in their rooms & Srinagar carpets in the chambers.

Adhvik is with the girls as they first went to Residency road to buy dogra jewellery & the authentic spices.

They are at Aromatics & herbs store where Teja bought essential oils, incense sticks & Kashmiri green tea. Adhvik is at the billing counter when he saw some of the selected items are kept aside.

He noticed the lavender oils, and specially the musk incense sticks Teja brought last time which his father & he liked their aroma a lot in the isolated one's.

"You need to include those", he reminded the biller.

Just then Teja comes, "Billing hogaya?"

"Mam told us to make the bill seperate Sir.",the biller informed Adhvik who turned to Teja with a questioning gaze.

"Wo cheezein Awadh keliye tha aur ye wala mereliye ",she explains and asks the boy taking her wallet, "Kitna hua?"

Before the biller says the amount, he hears Adhvik, "Make a single bill for everything"

"No..", Teja's words are halted with his look.

The biller does what he's asked of and tells the total amount while Adhvik gives him the cash.

Taking the shoppers, Adhvik asks without looking at her, "Where for next?"

"Polo view", she vaguely mumbles the market name they are headed to as she saw him already exiting.

She's acquainted of the fact that whenever Adhvik is with Nandana & her, he is the one who takes care of the monetory but those things are for her home & not for herself.

Shaking her head, they moved to next store where Teja brought paper machie articraft which she adores, a pashmina shawl for her father.

She likes to decorate her room with machie articraft.

Adhvik was with them all the time carrying the jute bags & paying the bills.

It was already 5:00 in the evening & Arshad after his own purchasing, was standing near the Jeep when he saw Nandana struggling with the shoppers alone,

"Where are others?", he asked helping her with the bags.

"Bhai ke baare mein pata nai. V aur Bunny kuch lene gaye the"

"Aur kya kharidna hein?", he hisses dumping all the shoppers in the boot which is full and some were even on the seats, "Hame late ho rahi hein. We need to reach Kistwer atleast by 8. Can you tell her to speeden up?"

Nandana shows a bag she's holding, "She's smart. She left her bag & phone with me."

Arshad gets irritated but what could he do? Even Adhvik went somewhere so they had no option other than to wait.

It's been nearly 30 minutes & Nandana couldn't wait more.

"Let's go back"

"Ha? We can't."

"Vittal is with Bunny.He will bring them. There's no sense in waiting here. It's getting late & we need to plan for tomorrow also." Nandana reasoned but Arshad couldn't move without informing Adhvik.

He tried to call twice but Adhvik isn't responding.

Seeing his tension, she requests, "I am tired Arshad I can't wait more. Take me home"

Usually, she would bear it but the tiredness is too much that it's showing on her face & voice.

They are all exhausted with the morning adventures and the latter roaming.

Arshad looked at her. Her wellness is his responsibility. Even Adhvik would tell him to take care of his sister.

Sighing, he decides to oblige her but he calls one last time to Adhvik before they begin the return journey but gaining no response, he messages him about Nandana's condition & their departure.

Nandana thought Vittal is with Teja so she calls him to inform but it said unreachable so she too messages him to bring back Adhvik & Bunny as they are leaving.

But what they both didn't know was Adhvik had his phone in their car itself while Teja & Vittal parted ways as she went some other way & Vittal already messaged Teja that he is returning to Kishtwar that's why his network is unreachable.

Picture tho abhi baki hein Mera dosth...

They left the leads to themselves. Now...?