Disclaimer: I don't even suggest anyone get the idea that I own or even dream of owning FY, cause very unfortunately it isn't possible or true…( sob sob sniff sob)

A/N: some impossible things though are possible, especially in fictions… so if yer thinking… hmmm, that's strange or what the hell is going on, or even hey that's physically impossible, that can't be here… well it is… so that's why it is all in the mind…

Again, strange things are meant to be strange
You'll see… Domo.

CHAPTER 20:
Off to the fest at last.

With a month of practice they were ready and Arwen was very pleased with the result. The day to takeoff for the four-day fest finally came and they were all as excited as they could get.

Mitsukake had taken the responsibility of taking the second group to the fest in his car, while Arwen was driving the first group consisting of herself, Anya, Tasuki, Julian, Hori and Chichiri in her Scorpio.

They had to start off early but after three stops for breaks and lunch they arrived at the inn that they were supposed to be staying at.
Separating in the hallway, the girls went to their private rooms and the guys left to theirs.

When Arwen went to wake them up the next morning the guys were sleeping like babies.
NAH! Like logs rather. But the trip was very tiring.

When everyone gathered at in the lobby to head to breakfast, she explained the plan for the four days.
It was fun when they did get to the fest. All that had been promised was there. They had a lot to explore.

Arwen and Anya seemed to know a handful of Indian languages and they kept forgetting the gang and chattered away in those languages as if they were back in India already.

They discovered all sorts of fun things to do there.
Just watching the various people talk was a pass time. But then the Indian culture seemed to be vast. There were a lot of things there that were even new to Arwen and Anya who were the resident tour guides.

They had just stumbled upon the Chaat items of The north (1)and were having fun eating when Arwen suddenly exclaimed loudly making the gang either jump out of their skins or choke on their really hot and spicy food.

"RAHUL!" she got off her seat in a flash.
At this call a really tall guy clad in a complete Deep blue get up, Jeans and jacket and a white tee, having brown hair and matching eyes turned around, but then he seemed shocked more than surprise.

That didn't stop him from calling out her name with a lot of happiness either. He hurried to her as she literally ran to him. "Nadya."
All of the gang gaped openly as she literally jumped onto him and hung from his neck to hug him. But the guy was no less. As easy as breathing was to him he lifted her off the ground and hugged her tight.

Uniformly the gang turned to look at Anya who was busy with her bhel Puri, ( a chaat dish in India).(2)

"What? Don't look at me. I don't know that guy either. I'm just as shocked as you!" she shrugged.

They turned back to Arwen who was back on the ground now but still in a hug with the guy.
The temperature was rising for both Tasuki and Julian as they watched.

"Rahul! Thumri kemo aacho? Thum yahan keise? Ithne din baad dekh rahi hoon. Ooh, bahut miss kiya thume." Rahul smiled and tightened his hug.

"Amri bala Ache. Kaimcho? Main yahan pad raha hoon. Ph.D kar raha hoon naa Genetics me. Fest ke liye doston ke saat aya hoon. Aur thum yahan keise. Maine tho socha thum US ya India me padh rahi hogi."

Again the gang turned to Anya, but then she was already nodding. "I refuse to do something as low as that."
"Come on Anya. We have to know."
"No." she said flatly.
"Anya please. We want to know how that guy is related to her, what they're talking seems like fun. Please." After a lot of compulsion she gave in and started the translation without missing a beat of the conversation.

"Fine. He's Rahul. She asked him Thumri kemo aacho? That's Bengali. Meaning, how are you. She asked him what he was doing here. It's been a long time since I've seen you and I miss you so much. He hugged her tighter and said Amri bala ache. Also Bengali meaning I'm fine. Kaimcho is Gujarati meaning how are you?-"

"Seems to be a lot of languages around in one conversation don't you think?"
"Shut-up and let me continue. Well he says, I'm studying here, I'm doing my PhD here in genetics. I've come here for the fest with my friends. What about you I though you'd either be in the US or India studying. And he's still talking."

"Well. Main bhi Yahan pad rahi hoon, Astro kar rahi hoon UT me. Apne doston he saat aai." She nodded to the gang and he glanced at them as she continued, " Par Rahul tum to muje bhool gaye. Phir keise. US me apne 100000 girlfriends ke saat mujhe keise yaad rakhoge?"

"Thume keise bhool sakta hoon meri jaan? Thum tho mere sab kuuch ho." He laughed, "Khandala ke baad thume keise bhool sakta hoon?"
"Come on Rahul! Maine jaan booj kar nahi giri naa thumpar. Galathi tha."

"Par keise giri, wow. Bhool nahi sakta! Kabhi bi. Prithvi kitne gusse me tha na?" she laughed sweetly at this.
Anya was having a running translation here as well.

"I'm studying here too. She said and nodded to us, he looked at us then she said, but Rahul you forgot me, but why not, living in the Us with your 100000 girl friends how will you remember me? then he said, how can I forget you my love? You are literally everything to me. he laughed and then continued, after Khandala how can I forget you? By the way Khandala is a hill station in India where people go for vacations. She said, come on Rahul, I didn't mean to fall on you purposefully, it was a mistake. Then he said, but how you fell, wow, I can't forget it at all, Prithvi was so angry at that wasn't he? She laughed at this and just finished asking him to come over to meet us and they're walking here right now."

The gang snapped out of it and got back to their food in a hurry as the two walked to them.
"Hey guys," Arwen smiled as she literally parked Rahul in front of them and glued herself to his side, "This is My cousin Rahul and he's also one of my closest friends. Rahul this is my dear Gang. Actually our gang. Hori, Anya, Tasuki, Julian, Tory, Mitsukake, Shouka, Ruby, Taka, Miaka, Chichiri, Nuriko."

He nodded to each of them and smiled at which the girls seemed to have become pretty breathless as from this close up they didn't miss that he was down right handsome.

This seemed to annoy Tory and Taka, and surprised Julian and Hori.
"Ya'll forgive if I don't get all yer name rite at the first attempt." He said apologetically and then turned to Arwen, "How long will ya be here doll? Maybe I could chill out with ya guys, ya seem a merry lot," he grinned.

She seemed to be ecstatic at this and reeled out all their plans at this.
"K cool. Call me here an I'll drop by the place later and maybe we could go out and catch old days in memories and maybe make out later?" he grinned.

"Rahul I told you not in front of others idiot." She hissed turning red.
"Of course we won't make out in front of others. Private okay?" he got a good hard blow to his stomach but he laughed even more and hugged her as he took her a few feet away to talk.

Tasuki seemed rather a bit too cool for it but Julian was fuming when he saw Arwen give Rahul a kiss on his cheek before he left, or that's what Hori noticed as he continued to watch the reactions of these two guys from the day he noticed the truth himself.
"So what do ya guys think about him?" Arwen sat down looking as happy as possible.

"Well. He seems a cool dude. Cute and smart alecky westerner with an accent. Fit for ya. Why you gonna marry him after our decision is it?" Nuriko smirked but she choked on the water hearing the reply.

"Maybe I will. He might just propose to me any day. The guy actually loves me you know."
Julian's was the same condition as Nuriko. Tasuki dropped his spoon with a clatter, Hori's Pepsi was down his shirt and Anya was staring at Arwen as if the world had come to an end.

"What?" Tory blinked.
"I was just kidding you guys! Sheesh!" she nodded amused as she handed Julian a glass of water to wash down his Pav-baaji.(3)
"It's a shock coming from you that's all." Hori nodded wiping his shirt with a wet tissue.
"Maybe too true too ya know. Ya can never know what will happen later." She shrugged,

"I think it might not be him for you Arwen," Hori objected, "he's seems too out of hand for you."
"Well that maybe too. But you know too well what I think about relationships when it comes to me."

"What's the story with this guy anyway?"
"Well he's my Cousin-cousin. In Indian culture…my mother's sister's son is supposed to be the guy I marry. You know. But none of us believe in it. You know what'll happen if there are some defective gene's in the heir. But then… we're really close friends. Like my brother is to me. What I can't tell him I tell Rahul. He was born in the US and moved to India when he was ten. He stayed in India with me till I was 13 then we moved to the US because of Daddy's work then he stayed there with me till I was 16 then I came here and we got split up. But you know what's most peculiar… his parents and mine made contact yes but then I was never given any opportunity to keep in touch with him. Dad always said something else and kept me away from him. I wonder why?"

"Well he seems nice enough. What's his full name?"
"Rahul Oberoi."

"Arwen isn't your mother's family Indian?"
"See My mom doesn't have her own sister. Only cousin. And she ended up having a love marriage unlike arranged marriages. Uncle is also American…but he's Anglo. Meaning he's an American Indian as well by birth. But damn he is as cute as my father." Arwen nodded amused. "What I love about Rahul is that he always took perfect care of me when Prithvi wasn't there. He managed to have an equal balance between studies and fun. He did the same for me. You know there wasn't one time he got a single B. straight A's throughout school even college."

"Ask her about the fall incident." Tasuki leant to Anya casually and whispered into her ear.
Arwen looked at him suspiciously as she helped herself to his Pepsi. "What?"
"Ari… Khandala me Kya hua?" Arwen turned red at once.

"Uh nothing. Hum tho-" she was cut short by Nuriko.
"In English please."

"Well. You see, we used to vacation together, and we went to Khandala once. We were looking down a Viewpoint once. Someone accidentally fell on me and I Pushed Rahul who was standing in front of me, talking to me, down a small cliff. He landed there with a crash only unfortunately I landed up falling right on top of him as well. And you know unfortunately…. What…we… accidentally kissed." She busied herself in Tasuki's Pepsi. As the others stared surprised.

Tasuki whispered loud enough for her alone to hear, "Fortunately for him you mean."
Arwen just gazed at him speechless, he merely shrugged.

"What was that about Prithvi being angry?"
"Who is Prithvi by the way?" Taka interrupted.

"He's my big brother. Two years older than me doing his Engineering in The Us at Michigan University. Well he saw this and he was fuming. He refused to let me anywhere near Rahul for the next two years till he left. He almost beat up Rahul who was pulling my leg with the accident. And I think he managed to give Rahul a broken jaw as well. But then I managed to convince him before he could break Rahul into any more bits." She laughed sweetly partly only because she was watching Tasuki holding his own jaw in somewhat horror, trying to imagine the effect of the punch from her brother.

Talking about things on lighter note the day went by and they went back to the inn.

That evening Tasuki went to decide on the feelings that were coursing through his mind right then. He felt he needed to find out why he was feeling the way he was when he was with Arwen. Why it was like this only with her and if it was really about her.

Anya, who was watching him from the balcony, took the time he stood under one of the many trees around to join him.

"Mr. Tasuki." Surprised he turned around. "Oh Anya, Hi. Wassup?"
"Well… I really wanted to talk to you about something if it's okay with you." she said hesitantly.
"Sure but what's it about?"
"Could we walk?" he nodded and she began,
"That night you brought Ari home in the rain…what really happened there?"

"Well Anya. That's a good question. Something I've wanted to find out myself. I just found her that way there and I couldn't think of anything else but bringing her back home. I tried to find out the next day too but she just wouldn't tell me. I have no idea what she's hiding from me as well." He replied with all his mind set on keeping his promise to Arwen.

"Oh." She sounded disappointed, "I thought you might. I've been worrying about it ever since that night, I even tried talking to her but you know her she just won't open her mouth about it. Once she makes up her mind she won't open her mouth," she was genuinely worried. "But are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I know how you feel. That girl has been worrying me ever since. But I promise you Anya. I'll be there to keep her safe if anything happens. So ease up. Don't worry about it." This was indeed a little comforting to her.

"But you too have been a tad bit too busy to worry about her haven't you?"
"What?"

"Being with the brilliant gentleman all the time and everything."
"Mr. Hori? He's a really good friend. He's been helping me out with all my calculations and studies; I can see how lucky you are to live with him in the same apartment. But then… why do you say that?"

"It's nothing really. I wouldn't really know that. He's been spending a lot lesser time with Ari and I than usual for some reason that's all." He shrugged, saying this a little coldly.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I'll see that he spends more time with the two of you from now. I'm really sorry you feel this way Mr. Tasuki." She said a little sadly. Tasuki began to feel a little bad at this before he could say anything else she cut him off.

"Well Mr. Tasuki. I must be off or else Arwen will be after my head for leaving with out telling anyone." She nodded. "have a good night."
Tasuki couldn't say or do anything. Feeling worse than he did when he came out for the walk he went back in as well.
Anya was shocked at the new revelation. It made her sad to know this was because of her.
She also felt she was getting a bit too close to him for her own good.

Oh well that's what I have to do then Mr. Hori. Please forgive me.

Same things are meant to be and different things different, so basically( again) its the same difference….
(1) Chaat is pronounced ch-aa-t elongated 'a' in chat these are dishes found mainly in north India, very very expansive in variety, which are very delicious sweet, spicy, hot and sour… usuall available on roadsides…( these are said to be more tasty than even the most hygienic and high class hotels… and restaurants and just as hygienic rest assured )

(2)&(3) Behl puri and paav baaji are other chaat items, both hot and spicy

thanks a lot people, those who read my stuff till now, you guys made me realize where I stand…. The response is wonderful seeing that it is merel the first story I've written and there is so much scope for improvement…. Thanks… keep reading and reviewing…

Domo…