7 Chapter 7.

"Oh, god we are moving towards a hill station or a heat station," I said looking at the scorching heat from my window. We were travelling since 1 am and it was already 12 pm the next day. There was no sign of snow, instead, we were passing through the sparse xerophytes with the meandering Ganga and then her headstreams. We stopped at Devprayag where Alakananda originating from Satopanth and Bhagirathi from Gangotri glacier meet forming our mythical Ganga, the ghats of whom witnessed the history of many kingdoms and were worshipped from centuries. The sight was majestic with slow blowing wind, the bluish colour of the streams and the bright sun overhead.

...

It was around 7.30 pm finally we reached Joshimath, the place at the bank of Alaknanda where Adi Shankaracharya established the foundation stone for the revival of Hinduism.

"So, girls you besotted here in the car till we book the hotel," Raj said and moved out of the car. We three were discussing something when suddenly Neha shout " Oh shit, look at that car". We turned back and found that a car was stuck at the edge of the road and was just behind us. A little mistake would result in an accident.

"Let's get out of here," Neha said.

We all moved out and what I experience was more devastating. It was very cold outside and my hands and legs felt numb. So finally after travelling for hours, we can hope for the shiver we were eagerly waiting for.

....

Next day

"So what's the plan for today?" Pragya asked looking at everyone.

"I think we should visit some local places for today as we are already late," Biki said still rubbing his eyes.

"Then let's go, " Raj said.

It was around 11 a.m already and we all were still in our respective bed. We managed to wake up by noon, cooked our breakfast. Biki carried a cylinder with him, which made our trip even more luscious, sometimes with a cup of soup or sometimes with Biki's special maggie.

"So, we are leaving for a hot spring??" I asked.

"Yes, I heard there is a spring in Tapovan, around 15km from here," Biki said.

We leave for Tapovan. We enjoyed them too although the place was not according to the way we thought. It was like any other rugged mountain with grasses and the same meandering river with bhabbar tracts. The spring too although was there could be seen in traces. However, one must say the entire buggyal was amazing.

It was already twilight, we came back to our hotel. Pragya and Raj never let any opportunity to tease me with Biki and somehow I was liking all those teasings.

"Where are they Biki??" I asked surprisingly as Biki was alone in the room.

"They left us to be together," he said holding my waist.

"I think we should go there, what will they think, "I said.

" Let them think but right now let's grab the opportunity baby," he said still coming closer to me.

The only thing that clicked my mind at that time was what Biki said that morning, to make love in a destination like this. I closed my eyes and what I felt for the next few minutes were his frigid hands and the warmth of his body.

"Look they'll laugh but don't worry they are my own people, just be comfortable," Biki said trying to make me comfortable.

"ok, I said " and smiled although I was thinking about how to behave now. Things felt awkward for a few minutes but what I did next was unpredictable. I got drunk with Neha and started rolling over the floor. I even slapped Biki, kicked Prakrit and punched Tarun's belly. I don't know why I did that but its all ended with a sink full of vomit.

........

So, finally, we were about to visit Auli, the skiing destination of India, full of coniferous and oak forests, surrounded by the Nanda Devi and Nar Parvat mountains. The place was like the gown of snow white.

"No, am going in it," Neha said looking at the cable car as she was acrophobic. She even cried and we all are just trying to make her comfortable. We played with the snow for a few hours. We clicked a dozen pictures. I was very happy when suddenly a thought struck my mind "Is this something permanent in my life, will it gonna stay? why I am moving so fast with him, after all, he is just a stranger".

I don't know why this thought flickered in my mind but it kept knocking again and again. And somewhere my brain was answering "No, it will not gonna stay. Just be prepared for the blow. Just don't let yourself go deeper into it."

But that was probably too late for me to listen to my brain. I just left them all and tried to come back as soon as possible. The thoughts were raising the waves of melancholy within me.

"What happened are you sad" Biki asked me.

"No, "and I tried to smile.

"Oh, my cute little shoni" and he hugged me. His hug was more them enough to rescue me from the ocean of that fear at that time. The day in Auli was an unforgettable day.

Auli was my first trip with someone I love. It inked another page in my life with tiny dots of friendship, love and fear. At one point I was very happy to have him in my life, to be so close to him and at another point I was scared about the mere future which might take away this fervour forever. But it felt amazing to open my eyes at morning and found him beside me, kissing my forehead, to fall asleep in his lap, to hold his hand and move ahead. To get drunk and hugged him tightly.

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