Nikhil looked at Radhika uncertainly, but then grinned
anyways. Radhika pressed down on the gas and the car accelerated.
"With the little speech you gave me, I though you were going
to cross hundred today." Nikhil said after a while. Radhika was just following
the speed limits.
"You have a death wish." Radhika replied laughing. "I am sorry that I can't
help you with that."
"Come on! There's barely any car around! It's a golden
chance to..." He paused to think of a word. "...Explore your adventurous wishes."
Radhika laughed at his poor attempt. "Okay, let's say I
speed-up and we don't reach on the other side safely. What does it have in for
me?" She glanced at him. Nikhil cocked his head in amusement.
"You want to place a bet?" He asked. Radhika shrugged.
"Why not?"
"Fine!" Nikhil waved his hand. "If we don't reach Cornwall
safely, I will..." He scrunched his eyebrows and tapped his chin rhythmically.
Too bad, Radhika missed those facial expressions. "...I will cook you
something." He finally said.
"Cook me something?" Radhika scoffed. "You can cook?"
"Try me!" He grinned.
"Fine! Indian food." She said. "If we do, I owe you a coke."
"Hey! That's not fair!" He exclaimed. "I can buy my own
addiction, thank you very much."
"I was just kidding!" Radhika laughed. "How about you tell
me what I have to do."
"Alright." Nikhil said, his face never losing the bright
grin. "You have to go rock-climbing with me."
"Rock climbing?" Radhika asked, unsure.
"Yes." He said. Radhika stole a glance at his excited face,
uncertainty tingling her heart. Then she thought back to why she was going to
Cornwall in first place. "Alright then." She said finally. "It's a deal."
"Then what are we waiting for baby?" Nikhil straightened up
in his seat. "Let's go!"
Radhika took a deep breath and stepped on the accelerator. She couldn't wipe
the smile off her face as the car zoomed through the road built in the middle
of mountains. There were low hills in the distance and half green half yellow
grass laid across the fields to them like a carpet. Radhika's heart fluttered
as the car sped up. Thankful that no other vehicle seem to cross their path,
she let her foot dare press the pedal beyond hundred. It was like an addiction.
The more you have, the more you want. Slowly, the nervousness faded and she
felt happiness excite her nerves.
"Radhika." His voice was low, as if he was dreading what was
coming. "Slow down."
"Why? Scared?" She said, her eyes still on the road.
"Idiot!" He said with his teeth clenched and a second later,
Radhika realized why. Above them in the sky, a helicopter was making its way
close to them.
"BLACK CAR. PLEASE STOP ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. BLACK
CAR!"
Radhika instantly slowed down on the left side of the road.
"Shit!" She cursed. Nikhil nodded and repeated her word. Then as the helicopter
above started to land, Nikhil turned to her.
"Switch places, hurry up." He said, leaning towards her.
"What?" She asked, flabbergasted.
"My dear, I know it's your favorite word, but let's do the
questions later. Now come on!" He said. Radhika opened her mouth but Nikhil was
already leaning in to move in her seat, so she had no choice but follow his
act. With much difficulty, too many tangled positions, and undesirable amount
of breath compressing, they both finally made it to each other's seat. Radhika
patted her hair as she settled in her seat with a heavy breath. She turned to
look at Nikhil and found him glance at her and then turn to look at the
helicopter, which was making its way to land. For a moment they thought it
would land on the side, but their eyes rounded when they saw it landing right
in front of their car, safe distance away.
"Is this normal?" Radhika whispered, as if the policemen can
hear her even so far away.
"I doubt it." Nikhil said, frowning. They waited as one of
the policemen stepped out of the helicopter and ran towards them with a
walkie-talkie clipped on his waist and a small computer in his hand. Nikhil
rolled down his side of the window as the guy arrived.
"Your name?" He asked in a clipped tone.
"Nikhil Malhotra." Nikhil said coolly. He opened his laptop
and flipped the screen, and closed it back on the keyboard. It was a
touchscreen laptop. After Nikhil spelled out his name for him, he looked at
Radhika. She stared back for a moment before shaking her head.
"Uh, Radhika Shah." She said. She was going to spell it out
for him but Nikhil was already saying it. She bit her lip and sit back.
"Mr. Mal-ho-tara," He read off from his machine. "Are you a
citizen here?"
"I am a permanent resident here." Nikhil replied. He reached
for his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Then showed him two of many card
stored in there: his driver license and his residency card.
"And Miss. Shah?" He asked.
"I am on tour, sir." She said nervously. Her heart was still
beating a rapid rate. Maybe the effect of speeding had still not worn off.
"Your passport and visa please." He said curtly. Radhika
nodded and reached for the purse in the back seat. After everything was checked
and done, and made sure that we were not aliens, he went back to the helicopter
and came back with a piece of paper. Nikhil had to pay the charges on in two
months.
"You have been charged for driving at the speed of hundred
and twenty on a road of seventy five. Two points will be taken away form your
driving license, and this means that your driver license can be revoked if
caught again. Do I make myself clear sir"? He asked. Nikhil nodded in return,
and signed off on the fancy laptop with a smart-pen.
"Well, that went well." Nikhil said with a chuckle as the
helicopter started to take off.
Radhika turned to look at him. He smiled down at her, and
there wasn't much she can do to bit back the smile that followed. A moment later, they both burst out laughing, and Radhika's heart eased along with the atmosphere.
"Thank you." She whispered to him. Nikhil blinked in
acknowledgement, perfectly understanding what she was so greatfull for. Radhika
was glad she didn't have to explain him.
He just understood her too well.
They had reached Cornwall by evening. The sun was low in the
mountains, ready to call it a day in an hour. Cornwall was a peninsula, a piece
of land surrounded by water on three sides. The English Channel and Celtic sea
surround its perimeter. The people of Cornwall speak Cornish language,
something that both Nikhil and Radhika found very fascinating.
"So, where are we staying?" Radhika asked, dragging the
suitcase behind her. They were walking through a market center, which mainly
sold the sea-items. Nikhil led the way through the market, while Radhika
wondered where they were going. They couldn't get the car through because of
narrow streets.
"Just follow me." Nikhil replied.
"As a matter of fact, I have no choice." Radhika replied.
Nikhil turned to her with an amused look.
"You know, you have turned a bit too sassy since yesterday."
Nikhil remarked. Radhika's face turned blank at that. She wished she had kept
her attitude in check. That was on of many factors in her personality. Once she
gets closer to a person, and lets them step inside her personal space, she
turns carefree, and unconscious of what she is saying to them. Most of the
time, unaware of what might offend them.
"Oye!" He said when he saw his face. "I didn't say I didn't
like that."
Radhika glared at him sideways and hitting him with the
elbow, walked ahead.
"Hey!" He said after her. "Do you know where we are going?"
"Nikhil!" Radhika shouted across the sandy land. Nikhil had
stopped by a shop to do something "important" and was left behind. He raised
his hand as he acknowledged her shout and with the bag slung over one shoulder,
he jogged across to her.
"What are we doing here?" She asked, turning to look at the
water field that expanded towards the mountain edges before her. The night was
falling, and the sun had already bid its final good bye. The grey sky reflected
the water, or the grey water reflected he sky, she couldn't determine.
"It's not that hard Einstein." He said, dropping the bag and
taking deep breaths. "We are staying here."
Radhika turned to look at him with the sharpest expression
of anger she could muster. "Stay? Here?" She trailed her eyes around the sandy
area. It was completely empty, and Radhika doubted they would be even permitted
to stay here for five minutes, let alone spend a night. "Is that the empty
stomach talking?"
"Now that you remind me," He said, turning away. He bent
down and started opening his bag. "We should start building the tent. I am
really hungry."
Radhika opened her mouth, but was distracted by the three
men walking through the sand over to where they were standing. They were
standing at the edge of the beach where the concrete two feet wall bordered the
area. One of the man, small and round was walking with a lightened cigarette in
his hand. Behind him, a skinny boy was dragging a crate with a box in it.
Another man was walking along with them. He was a normal size, but with a huge
belly.
"Who are they?" Radhika whispered. Nikhil looked up from his
bag and at the three men. He stood up.
"Hello Mr. Neal. I am Park. I received your secretary's call
this morning. The beach is all yours for two days. And Josh here will help you
with all the little rounds." Park talked straight to the point. Radhika turned
to Nikhil with an expression that could be undermined if termed as shocked.
"Thank you Park, I am glad you could make the arrangements.
I will need two tents set up and fire wood please. Rest, we will take care of
it." Nikhil smiled back.
"YOU RENTED THIS BEACH?" Radhika turned on him as soon as
the three men left their sight. Nikhil hissed at the shrill and flinched away.
"Not really. I didn't rent
it." He said, his tone small and defensive. Radhika glared at him. "I had
already rented it, you joined in late."
"Well, you could have warned me! I didn't even bring any
money that can buy a freaking beach!" She growled.
"I didn't buy a beach! For god's sake woman, what's your problem?
"Nikhil said angrily. The atmosphere that had built up between them since past
forty-eight hours quickly thickened. Radhika stared at him with her mouth
slightly open. Her eyes filled with guilt and something else that Nikhil couldn't
determine.
Nikhil put his palms on his face and rubbed it. How could he
mess this up? He wasn't going to get this chance again! He dropped his hands
and turned to Radhika. She looked away at the ocean and then instantly dropped
her eyes to the ground.
"I am sorry!" She whispered. "And thank you."
Nikhil stepped closer to her. He put his hands on her face
and made her look up at him.
"I know you find this all a bit strange. I am nothing but a
stranger to you." He said to her. He pushed her fringes away from her eyes. "But
trust me, this isn't a burden to me. I am just trying to help you, and be your
friend. I like doing it for you, so just accept it. Okay?"
Radhika nodded. Seemingly hypnotized by his dark, shining eyes
as the night fell over them.
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