The Irony of Life(Chapter 5)

Day 2

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Abhishek and his friends were supposed to climb the mountain-like structure in the Baara Patthar area with the help of the instructors, it was supposed to be really interesting. Harsh was really fired up.
"You know bro, today I'm going to climb this rock, one day, I'll climb Mount Everest."said Harsh.

"Dude, you cannot climb Mount Everest, no one can, it's like too high. You'll die the first few 100 meters." said Abhishek.

"Newsflash bro, people climb it regularly, don’t you read?"
"I read more than you!"

"I'll kill you!"

"You cannot, not if you climb this mountain…you'll die…and then how will you kill me? Mwahahahahahahaahahaha!!!! That's how you do an evil laugh."

"We'll see about that, I'll climb this mountain before you!"

"We'll see."

"I'll see. Loo-hoo-su-herrr! LOOSSSSSER! PHRRRRTTTT!"

"You know, you look like a dummy when you do that."
"I don’t care! You are going to lose."

"We'll see."

In some time they were about to climb the rock, the guide started giving them instructions on how to do so, it took him at least half an hour to instruct and set them up for climbing, they were set to climb in a queue set order, so Harsh and Abhishek decided to time their climbs, and of course, Prasoon would use the stopwatch.

Harsh completed the climb in just under a minute. Abhishek was set to be the last to climb. Just before he could climb, he saw a group of girls walk towards the area they were sitting in.

He saw the one simple girl in the chirpy group of energetic, talkative , bubbly group of girls and became interested in her stillness and quietness.

How could she be so quiet? her surroundings are all but quiet…

"MR. ABHISHEK!!!! CLIMB!!!!"

"Huh? What? Oh! OK!"

And he started to climb, he set his right hand on the brown face of the rock, trying to find a protruding edge to grab onto, he was almost blind from all the thinking, it was as if he was climbing the rock in Braille. As he grabbed hold of a rock, he started to look for another edge, just a little bit off from the ground to set his left foot onto, he looked around but was unable to concentrate so he felt it, found a crevice and set his foot in it.

This would work just fine.

How can she be so still? So stable? I could never be this way, I am so, so, unsettled.

His left hand found another crevice and he started to climb, it was easier for him than the others as he wasn't even concentrating on the rock.

Those brown eyes, so clear, so soothing, so quiet, so peaceful, so subtle. So innocent. Like me.

He was just about to reach the top.

55 seconds, I am going to win.

He set his hand on the edge of the rock, and just as the instructor was about to pull him up with the other hand, he looked down, to look at the girl once more, she wasn't there in his line of sight, unaware to him, she was just below him, looking up at him, this mistake was going to cost him, as just at that moment  the hand grasping  the ledge slipped and he fell of the rock, back facing the ground, unaware of what was about to happen, he didn't get stiff, maybe because of that and all his protective gear, he hit the ground and suffered only a minor wound. His knee got bruised and it started bleeding.

"HAHAHAHAHAAHA! Loooooooseeeeerrrrr!!!!" cackled Harsh.

The only person concerned about him except the instructors was that girl, all other students were laughing.

Somehow that helped.

At least, she cares.

She ran to him to help him get on his feet, and helped him stand.

A weird smile cut across his face. He looked at her.

"Why is he smiling? Has he hit his head or something?"

Even he didn't know why he was smiling, but his smile had done wonders, she was smiling back at him, and they went off to get some first aid for Abhishek, this turn of events would change his life forever.

Even, he didn't know what was happening, and what was about to happen.

She cares.