The Accurate List - Friends with Confusing Benefits

Next morning was the morning of nuisances, hangover and headaches. Pratham was the first one to wake up, the sunlight from the window was coming directly to him, so he tried to get up but he failed. He thought it was because of the hangover but as his all senses came to him, the reason was a little bit to worry about. Rashi’s been grabbing him like she does with her teddy bear, or for this instance he was the teddy bear for last night. Anyhow he got up with making any noise and went out seeking Aarav, who was lying on the sofa with TV’s remote in his hand.

“Hey dude wake up… I have got a problem.” Pratham tapped him

“What now? You also want to kiss yourself? Go in washroom and kiss mirror, and let others sleep.” Aarav changed his sleeping position scratching his head

“What do you mean by that? Get up!” Pratham poured the vase over him

“Dude that water was sweet. What was it?” Aarav asked tasting the water dripping down his head

“Oh gross, will you just tell me why Rashi is in there, on my bed?” Pratham asked

“You must know that thing well enough; your dad told you about birds and bees, right?” Aarav joked about the situation

“I know way better than you, but how she is here and why I can’t recall anything?” Pratham was confused

“That my dear friend is called, the hangover. And then you won’t also be able to recall that Sonal was also in there last night?” Aarav asked

“No ways, that can’t be true. Please tell me it’s not a fact.” Sonal emerged from Aarav’s room rubbing her eyes

“What you are doing here?” Aarav and Pratham were both in state of shock

“What? Aarav you didn’t remember? When I came here last night banging the door, you told me to go back to my room. I reached there only to see the door locked with my keys inside. So I came back here again and found you dozing off on the sofa so I slept in your room.” She explained

“Ok so that explains why you are here, but why were you banging the door so late? I mean we both slid you under your blanket, right?” Pratham asked

“She was here to kiss you.” Aarav spoke and it was Sonal was counting stars and dodging any eye contact with Pratham

“Yes I was but I didn’t do it, he was looking so cute sleeping like a little baby, I didn’t want him to wake up at that time.” There came Rashi and it was like classic Mexican encounter. Pratham realized both girls came to make out with him last night, Aarav’s head was feeling like it’s been to a metal concert for whole day, Sonal was full of embarrassment neglecting anything coming at her, and Rashi had no idea why everyone was acting weird.

“Well… I have to make a call, so I better go and make it.” Sonal sneaked out of the room

“Take care you two, I am also going.” Rashi followed

“Oh my dear head, please stop spinning. I am never gonna touch that poison again.” Pratham referred to the drinks he had last night.

“Yea for sure, tell yourself that when we will be cheering for Barcelona in an El classico.” Aarav said

“Google up the haunted placed in Goa, we are hitting them tonight to forget all this stuff. Get up!” Pratham sat back closing his eyes catching glimpse of the bizarre night. After a storming session of googling Aarav came up with a name…

“The Three King’s Church, Cuelim Hill.” Aarav said just to realize Pratham was not there, he had left long ago

“Dude where are you? We are going to south goa, cuelim hill.” Aarav called him

“Yea I was just with Rashi coming right up.” Pratham disconnected the call

“Aarav? What was he saying?” Rashi asked assuming it was Aarav only

“Nothing just a place we are going to some place in south goa tonight. You wanna come?” Pratham asked

“Sure, I would love to hang out with you guys.”  Rashi agreed

“So what’s this place we are going to?” Pratham asked Aarav when they reached the suite

“Three King’s Church, it is said to be most haunted place of goa.”

“Wait, did you just said HAUNTED?” Rashi shouted

“Yes, it’s number 10 on my accurate list.” Pratham was in doubt that Rashi will be coming with them anymore after knowing about the place

“You guys go I will stay here and watch movies. Maybe Sonal would like to experience it.” Rashi pushed Sonal to go.

“Wh… Why me?” Sonal blabbered

“Cause you like horror movies and this is the time to live one.” Rashi left for her room

“Ok so, done we are the ones who are gonna meet those legendary kings tonight.” Pratham seemed excited about it.  As the sun kept diving into the Arabian Sea, all of them were collecting essentials for the rest of the night at church.

“I have packed a flashlight, spare batteries, portable charger, and my camera. That’s all I will be needing tonight.” Aarav said

“I have kept, some food, in case any of us will be hungry.” Sonal said

“And I have kept nothing, cause I count on you guys. We will be back in an hour or so.” Pratham laughed about them keeping so much of stuff.

“Yea whatever.” Aarav said locking the door. They drove all the way to the Celium Hill, and the church was uphill so they have to park the car down there only. After the little trekking they reached uphill. The church was small, actually just a house, which was later named as church.

            There was no sign of a human being, only a worn and torn board with the note:

“According to some people this church is a haunted church. It is said that long time ago there were 3 Portuguese kings who lived in Goa. They often used to fight to gain power in the land but as they were tied by the Portuguese diplomacy between rulers policy, they cannot take it up to the people and hence it was between them only. One of the kings (King Holger Alvunger) one day invited the other two kings at his place and poisoned them to death. He himself fell out with the public and committed suicide by consuming poison. King Holger’ s place is the current 3 kings’ church in Goa, where there have been reports of sightings and general unrest.”

Three Kings Church

“What nonsense is this, come on let’s go inside.” Pratham was nowhere sacred as compared to Sonal and Aarav.

“It is really dark, wait let me get the flashlight.” As Aarav turned the light on Sonal screamed

“What was that, we are not even inside the church?” Pratham asked and to that Sonal pointed at the wall where light was falling

“That is just a painting of some king. No need to cry out loud for that.” Aarav calmed her down

“It was staring at me. I swear to the God.” She tried to convince them but ended up in failure. As they moved more inwards, Sonal’s mind started playing all of the tricks which she saw in one movie or another. Once she felt chilly breeze passing by her side, once someone patting her on the shoulder, and saw someone holding a bowl of fruits. But each of them were illusions, breeze was coming from the cracked window, Aarav tapped her to turn and be captured terrorized in the video he was making, and image with the bowl of fruits was a sculpture.

“Wow can you believe it, how quite it is in here.” Pratham was amazed of the silence and just then his phone rang

“Arghhhh!!” this time it was Aarav who shouted and Sonal also joined him

“Chill, it’s my phone. And it’s Rashi… hey dear, yea we reached, yes we are fine. And your best friend, who claimed to watch many movies, is shouting at every moving object. Yea ok we will leave in just 15 minutes, take care.” Pratham reported Rashi as she was worried

“Dude you gotta keep the volume down, I just skipped couple of heartbeats.” Aarav said

“A couple? My heart restarted like a device.” Sonal yelled at him

“Sorry about that, let’s move forward, and visit this whole place and then leave.” Pratham moved

“So this was the dining room where it all happened.” Sonal said pointing to the huge dining table in the middle of the room

“Yea and this must be the kitchen where he mixed the venom.” Aarav moved away with flashlight and Pratham felt Sonal’s hand gripping his arm.

“Hey the bottle is still here look.” As Aarav picked the bottle the door against him slammed making him locked inside, and the dining room went pitch black.

“Aarav? Are you ok? You there?” Sonal started crying while Pratham reached his pocket and grabbed the phone lighting up the room with its light.

“Pratham your arm, its bleeding.” Sonal said with sacred like hell expressions

“Don’t worry it wasn’t any king it was you, you took a hold of me little tighter.” As Pratham said this they both felt someone whispering in the corner. The whisper grew more and more with seconds. Then there were zero degree breezes and the room lit up with candles, food appeared on the table, the whispering turned into audible talk. And out of nowhere the two kings appeared, all blue with poison, third king came from the kitchen serving fruits himself, and as the kitchen door opened, frightened Aarav ran out of it and reached the main gate. Witnessing this Sonal, who was in embrace of Pratham shouted…

“Aarav!” As she uttered these words all three of the kings turned their heads and roared a big laugh and vanished like smoke. Scared by this both of them ran out of the church without even turning back.

“What was all that?” Pratham asked while Sonal was still catching her breath

“I don’t know man, the door got locked from outside, food appeared from nowhere and the king took the bottle from my hand and sprayed it over the fruits, winked at me and then went through the door.” Aarav said panting

“Both of you I am gonna kill you” Sonal started crying

“Woah choose your words carefully. I mistakenly thought the king got into you.” Aarav said at which Sonal laughed a bit and Pratham hugged her trying to make her clam.

            They got out from there, just after Aarav wrote “It’s all true” under the sign board. Pratham took a glance over the watch and was surprised; it had been three hours since Rashi’s call. Time had really gone fast with their encounter with the kings. They reached the hotel, it was quite late and all of them didn’t wanted Rashi to get up and get scared, so Sonal went with the boys to their suite.

“You can go and sleep in my room, I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight. Aarav you also go and take a proper nap.” Pratham offered Sonal his room

“Ok and please don’t try to scare me in the night. I have seen it all today.” Sonal said while going to bed

“Dude you wanna share bed?” Aarav offered back Pratham to which he said no and prepared the sofa. Sonal was having trouble sleeping, whenever she closed her eyes, the church was all that was coming up. Similarly, Pratham was also turning left right on the sofa thinking the same.

“Can I talk for a while, until I feel sleepy?”  Sonal reached Pratham and asked

“Yea for sure. Have a seat.” Pratham sat straight listening to her

“I am really scared of what we encountered today. Whose stupid idea this was?” and she burst into tears.

“Oh I am sorry…” sensing the importance of a hug, he hugged her and patted over her back. It was a while now, she wasn’t letting him go.

“Sorry I kept that long.” She said letting go of him

“No it’s alright you needed that. Want something to drink? My throat is like desert.” Pratham replied with a smile picking up the phone and ordered two beers, which he shouldn’t have done. When the beers came they were in living room on the sofa, and when the last sip was taken they ended up in Pratham’s bedroom.

“That was much needed.” Pratham said and lent over and there met his lips over Sonal’s.

“My wish is finally granted” Sonal said as they get closer and there they were making out with each other. The groom and his bride’s best friend, calling for all sorts of trouble. The morning was going to be rocky and full of flips, as Rashi’s phone buzzed in the mid of the night.

‘Number 10, haunted house done… number 3, lost my virginity…’ Pratham’s text read

Early in the morning walk of shame awaited both of them, for Sonal a big walk to the washroom and for Pratham walk to the living room back to the sofa…

“Who was she?” Rashi stormed in as he sat there imagining things

-The Other Me

The Accurate List - Series Of Awkward Moments

Back at the hotel Rashi was enjoying the pleasure of the spa. The much needed spa for her, as she never took care of herself in that matter. The inner soul was slowly moving towards the ultimate goal, Peace. Eyes closed, without any contact to the outer world; there she was lying on the bench. But this peace wasn’t there for a long stay; next to her there was a guy, talking over the phone quite loudly.

“You know what I got this trip planned for both of us, and now you bounced back from this as you were doing to any outing or dinner I had planned for last couple of weeks.”  He said to someone on the phone with dashing his hopes straight down

“Hey man at least let others enjoy their peace.” Rashi roared at him

“Yea, at least let other’s peace at peace… let it go and let me go. BYE!!!” and bam went his phone to the floor breaking apart into pieces.

“What a jerk.” Rashi spoke to herself and went to her power snap

Later she bumped into that guy again at the pool. This time he seemed quite bit in despair. Ignoring him just because she had been rude to him in the spa room, she dived in the pool. Longer she was in her energy fell down more, and then came a point when she hit a blank spot and fell unconscious, and was drowning.

“Hey there wake up.” Rashi heard some noise in her head

“Am I dead or what?” Rashi asked as she opened her eyes which faced direct sunlight making her vision temporary go all out

“No you are not; you just caught a heatstroke and will be fine in few seconds.” Her vision started to come back and she realized that the one who was talking was the same guy she was ducking out to avoid awkward situation.

“Oh yea I am fine thank you.” Rashi tried to get up

“Yes you are completely fine and before you dodge me anymore, let me introduce myself. I am Ajinkya, I am a doctor and hence the lifeguard there asked me to help figure out what happened to you.”  Ajinkya pointed to the creepy lifeguard

“Aww! Glad I caught your eyes while waking up not his; else I would be sure to be in hell.” Rashi cracked up

“Well he saved your life. Aren’t you being somewhat rude?” Ajinkya gave his hand to Rashi to get her get up

“My name is Rashi, and that’s the way I am.” She signed off with style

“Come let’s grab some orange juice.”

“Oh I am allergic to oranges they short circuits my brain wiring.” Rashi explained

“So that was not any heatstroke, it was miracle of oranges.”

“What do you mean by that?” Rashi asked all confused

“The lotion it was oranges’ pulp, at your spa.” Ajinkya said

“Oh so it wasn’t just me keeping an eye on you, someone was also doing the same. Hmm? Mr. Ajinkya?” Rashi winked

“Call me Jink, all my friends does. So here with your friends?” he asked

“Oh no with my fiancé.” Rashi replied and as she remembered Pratham the world narrowed down to her and Ajinkya and what she was doing, she recalled she wasn’t single anymore and that feeling scared hell out of her.

“I gotta go, forgot something important.” She got up and ran towards her suite

She was confused and would be more confused if she knew that Pratham and Sonal were feeling the exact same thing just few miles away. But unlike Sonal she was not on the receiving end of it and thus it became more of a thing to get mind off. So she went over the reception and called up for the adventure package which was next on her list, yea the long forgotten list for which they all came down to Goa. She got the evening slot, so she called Pratham to inform him.

Spinning the clock back a little, at Aguada Fort, Pratham, who fled from Sonal after that little incident, was with Aarav testing his new camera. His cell rang, and Sonal noticed that he had left it behind. It was Rashi’s call, she let it rang until Rashi disconnected, and then Sonal sneaked into his phone searching for any kind of mess. She was the one who received that obstinate conversation so was just being a curios best friend to Rashi and clearing that Pratham don’t do that usually. And to her surprise she did found a conversation which was much of amazement. Pratham was texting each movement of his to an unknown number. She got furious to know that it was not the Rashi’s number. She waved him the phone.

“What? I told you sorry, why are you making a fuss about it?” Pratham burst at her thinking she called Rashi and told her everything

“Just to be clear I didn’t made any call, Rashi’s call came and I didn’t picked it up either. But by the way, whose number is this?” she asked pointing him the conversation

“Miss Sherlock homes, why don’t you figure it out all by yourself as you figured the texts.” Pratham was getting furious

“Hey there, may I know who is this?” she called up that number and asked putting up the call on speaker mode

“May I know who are you? You don’t sound like Pratham.” A lady questioned back

“Oh mom she’s Sonal, Rashi’s friend remembered.” Pratham intervened

“Oh hi aunty, how are you… your voice is breaking up… call you later…” embarrassed Sonal disconnected the call

“Can I now please get my cell phone back?” Pratham asked

“But why didn’t you saved her number?” Sonal asked handing over the phone

“Why should I save it when I have it memorized?” Pratham answered back calling Rashi

“Oh great two incidents in a day.” Sonal applauded herself

“Hey sorry I missed your call.” Pratham apologized to Rashi over call

“No issues, I just wanted to let you know I will be little late for the dinner as I am going for my next task, water sports. Don’t wait up for me.” Rashi said

“Okies enjoy and take care.” Pratham wished her and disconnected the call

“Wow got some amazing shots, of those babes.” Aarav joined them after quite a bit time which looked like an eternity

“Dude you did got their permission right?” Pratham asked

“Yea for sure, I told them I worked for a magazine and here for an assignment, and they took the bait.”

“That was wicked.” Sonal joined in

“So what’s our plan next?” Aarav asked

“Well Rashi’s gone to her next task. I guess it’s my time also to hit the bar.” Pratham pitched the proposal

“The beer war is on.” Aarav high fived him and Sonal was regretting coming with these guys. They drive back to hotel just only to see Rashi going out for water sports, they greeted her and directly went to the bar…

The Bar where it all happened...

“Dude I am gonna make you so drunk that you won’t be able to spell your own name” Aarav told Pratham

“Wait have you tried drinking before?” Sonal asked

“Yea I did, what do you think I am virgin in this too?” Pratham answered

“What do you mean bro, by in this too?” Aarav pulled his leg

“Bartender two beers and one… what will you have Sonal?” Pratham diverted the talk

“What I am no virgin in this.” She winked back

“Make that three…” Pratham corrected

“Here you go. Just only rule, each of us will continue until he or she can’t spell own name… To Rashi and Pratham… Cheers!!!” Aarav proposed the toast

Started with the pint, they were now gulping bottles. Down to three, Sonal was the first to show some signs of giving up. She had slowed down her speed…

“Looks like we have first eliminator!” Aarav was blissful about it

“What is name?” Pratham asked Sonal

“It’s Sonal you dumb.” She had become quite belligerent now

“And how do you spell it?” Aarav shot another one at her

“It’s spelled… S… O… N… Wait for it, coming up more… A… L… Sonal… losers, bring me another one.” She gulped another sip

“Sharks, I thought I got you.” Aarav patted Sonal

Few minutes later Pratham showed signs, felling off his seat…

“Oops I just slipped.” Pratham got up

“No you didn’t it was the beer inside you.” Aarav laughed at him

“How do you spell your name, dear?” Sonal asked

“Its.. P…” and he puked

“That is gross… and not the way to spell your name bro…” Aarav took him to the washroom and cleaned him up where Pratham told Aarav to text Rashi ‘number 4 gone, drunk and puking...’ so he did the same and seated Pratham back at a sofa.

“It’s all between you and me now.” Sonal said

“Sorry girl I can’t handle two of you on my own.” Aarav replied

“Are you afraid of losing to me?” Sonal taunted

“Bartender put the big one for both of us. Let’s see who finishes it first.” Aarav ordered the full sized beer jug they had in the bar

“Hah… Can you just prepare your excuse already?”

“Save it for later girl.” Aarav said

Pratham was coming back to his conscious watching Sonal and Aarav having a go at the final battle of the night. He was surprised of what Sonal came up with till that moment. And one of the jugs came down empty…

“Told you… ” Aarav exclaimed with joy and Sonal gave up finally she was also a goner. Aarav helped her get up.

“God she has got the stamina.” Pratham said while Sonal was getting dizzy now. They helped her to get to her room, it was dark outside you could surely see some of the stars on the beach of Colva. Passing through the corridors they reached her room. Opened it up, gave her an aspirin in case of hangover, put her to the bed and left.

            Winding back the time where Rashi was supposed to have water sports, she again encountered Ajinkya, she approached him and greeted.

“Hello Doctor, here for jet skiing?” she asked

“Oh hello, miss orange. Yes actually but now I am cursing the second when I thought it would be fun.” He replied

“That is lamest nickname I ever got.” She laughed at the name given by Ajinkya

“Yea I tend to do stupid funny things when I am nervous.” He clarified his situation

“Oh poor doctor is afraid of water?” Rashi cracked up joke on him

“Yes kind of, see once when I was eight…” he was about to tell some story of his but the instructor called them up

“Ok, so who will be riding the ski out of you?” instructor asked

“Wait what we are going on the same ski?” Rashi asked

“Yes here it says Mr. & Mrs. Ajinkya.”

“Oh no, she’s not...” Ajinkya was correcting him but Rashi spoke in between

“I will be riding.” She said

“What are you doing?” Ajinkya whispered

“Helping you out with your fear, as a return for what you did in the noon for me at pool.” She whispered back, and they got geared up. The whole time they were on the ski, Ajinkya was holding tight of Rashi. And Rashi was not even missing a single chance of making him cry out loud.

“That was fun. Let’s do it again.”

“I am not going in again, not without you.”

“Oh Jinks come on, let’s do parasailing this time.” Rashi pulled him towards the parasailing site. After it they went for banana ride, and wind-surfing.

“I had a lot of fun today. Thanks a lot.” Rashi thanked Ajinkya

“No thank you; for insisting me to do all of those things, I would have never done that.” He replied

“Oh wait I got a text, it’s from Pratham… ‘number 4 gone, drunk and puking...’ oh dear god.” Rashi read the text

“Wanna catch some drinks?” Ajinkya sensed a new way of having more conversation

“Surely, let me text him back and we will be a go.” ‘Number 6 gone...’ she sent the text

“So tell me, what was all about you shouting at someone at spa and then that instructor with Mr. & Mrs. Ajinkya?” she asked when they reached the bar

“Oh it was my fiancé, she kept cancelling every trip I planned for, so I came here to Goa to meet her and she don’t have time for that.” Ajinkya replied

Their talk continued for quite long, drink after drink, Rashi never knew if she was getting drunk or not, just guzzling it down. When it got late, they bid good bye and went for own suites.

“Open up that door, you sleepy heads.” Rashi banged the suite of Pratham and Aarav instead of her own

“Coming right through.” Aarav wasn’t asleep watching TV.

“Where is he?” Rashi asked wobbling

“Right there sleeping as if haven’t done it since ages.” Aarav said pointing to his room

“What were you doing? Watching porn? Oh even worse football; I would have joined otherwise… Where is he? Pratham get up, I wanna kiss you. And by the way number 3 done...” she said while walking past by TV. She went inside and fell over Pratham’s left side and fell asleep.

Few minutes later there was someone else knocking the door, Aarav got up and reached for it, it was Sonal’s voice this time…

“Open up the damn door. I want to talk to Pratham.” She was banging the door

“He’s sound asleep, and you should also be sleeping.” Aarav said sensing that Rashi is already in there and she will be embarrassed by the scene thus created.

“I don’t care, wake him up and tell him I wanna kiss him right now.” As the words came out of Sonal’s mouth Aarav was stunned and stoned. Somehow he convinced her and made her go back to her room.

“What’s wrong with everybody, kiss Pratham? Both of them? What a series of awkward moments.” Aarav talked to himself while watching Manchester united receiving trashing from Liverpool.