Part 1
A wave of apprehension gnawed at Kavya. She had left her one-and-a-half-year-old son, Nirav, at her mother’s house and hailed a ride share. This was the first time she had entrusted his care to someone else. The thought of being away from him for four days made her heartache.She worried about how much he might cry for her, even though her mother was close to him. Priya’s words echoed in her mind, “Do it for yourself, Kavya. You also need to take a break from your motherly duties.” Priya was right.
Ever since she got pregnant, Kavya’s life had revolved entirely around her baby, leaving no time for herself. Her husband of six years, Harshit, had refused to drop her at the train station, citing an important meeting. She knew, as a senior manager, he could have easily rescheduled it.
But his displeasure at her leaving was clear. Kavya was determined to attend her colleague’s wedding. She needed a break from everything, including Harshit’s house. As she reached the train station, she found Suhail already waiting. He was a fresh graduate, just 22, and looked like a teenager.
Next came Priya with her husband, Matthew. Kavya envied Priya’s chic style and the freedom her husband allowed her. Priya and Matthew had met on Tinder and married. They shared Instagram stories filled with their adventures and Priya’s fashionable outfits.
Even now, Priya wore stylish cotton pyjamas perfect for the train journey. Her luggage bag was twice the size of Kavya’s. Noticing Kavya’s unease, Priya reassured her that everything would be fine. Soon, Ravish joined them. At 28, the same age as Priya, he was their team leader.
Slightly overweight but always supportive. He was the mother hen of the team, never micromanaging them. The train was about to leave, but their last co-passenger hadn’t arrived yet, and he wasn’t answering his phone. The group grew tense, unsure whether to board the train or wait.
Suddenly, they saw a figure sprinting towards them. It was Manikandan, or Mani for short. Like Suhail, he was a fresher. But at 25, he had taken a different path, studying for a diploma and working various jobs before venturing into IT. The team breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Mani was the heartbeat of their team, always bringing fun and energy to the office. His carefree attitude had delayed his graduation. But he remained unapologetically himself. Mani immediately hugged Matthew, chatting like old friends.
Kavya noticed how comfortable Priya’s husband was with her travelling with three men. When Kavya had considered cancelling, it was Priya who had insisted that she come along. Soon, they boarded the train and settled into their seats.
They pulled out a deck of Uno cards and started playing. It quickly led to lots of arguments and laughter. Kavya felt a rush of excitement and nostalgia. It had been over a decade since she travelled by train, as her family usually opted for flights and cars.
Their destination was a small village far from any airport or major station. The closest point was a nature reserve that had recently gained popularity on Instagram. Unable to book direct tickets, they had to leave much earlier than the wedding date.
“Kavya, the train has started, but your mind is still at home,” laughed Priya, noticing her lost expression.
“I don’t know, but I’m getting a bad feeling,” replied Kavya. “Leaving Harshit and Nirav for the first time.”
“It’s okay, Kavya,” said Ravish. “You deserve this break. Don’t worry, they will be fine.”
“It’s just that he doesn’t know I’m going to the resort,” Kavya said quietly. “He thinks we’ll be gone for four days just for the wedding.”
“Why didn’t you tell him?” exclaimed Suhail.
“Well, when I mentioned the wedding, the only thing he asked was what about Nirav,” Kavya explained. “And when I said my mom would take care of him, he got upset that I discussed it with her before him.”
“But still, you should have informed him about the resort,” said Ravish.
Kavya looked at Priya, hoping for a different answer. Priya shrugged, “Well, it was Matthew’s idea to book a resort instead of spending all three days in the village.”
“What should I do?” Kavya asked. “Should I call him and tell him now?”
“Well, technically, you did not mislead him or lie to him. You are going away for the wedding. If he can’t really hold the conversation, you can’t discuss the details with him. I’d say hold it over him instead should the need ever arise,” interjected Mani, who had been quiet until then.
“Well, that is an idea!” added Priya. “I agree sharing this now makes no sense. There will be an argument. You will spoil your mood.”
“What if he finds out?” wondered Kavya out aloud.
“Don’t worry, we won’t post any pictures on Instagram or WhatsApp that have your face in them,” said Priya. “That way, he won’t know anything.”
Kavya bit her lip. It wasn’t a simple thing. Harshit wasn’t the patriarchal type. She remembered how he allowed her to wear sexy dresses and go to clubs with her girlfriends during the early days of their marriage. Even her conservative parents didn’t allow it. He was as open-minded as Matthew.
Also, Harshit often joked that Instagram was like Twitter for people who couldn’t read. He didn’t follow any of her friends, so she felt safe. “Okay, Kavya, I want you to get up and put your hands on your heart to take a pledge,” said Priya. Kavya complied.
Priya started, “Repeat after me: In the next four days, I won’t think about Nirav or Harshit. The only person that will matter is me, and I’ll enjoy it like I’m fresh out of college.”
“Should I?” asked Kavya nervously.
“Of course, you should,” said Mani. “Otherwise, you might as well get off at the next station. What’s the use of going on vacation if you can’t relax and enjoy yourself?”
“I guess it’s too late now,” smiled Kavya.
As she closed her eyes, she felt an energy rush through her body. The word vacation seemed like a luxury. She promised herself that for the next few days, nothing else would matter, and she would enjoy every moment. The dinner trolley came, and everyone was busy eating.
But Kavya was still pondering the fact that she hadn’t informed Harshit. After dinner, she excused herself to the toilet and checked her phone. There were no notifications. She opened WhatsApp and saw that her message “Boarded train. See you” to Harshit had a blue tick. He had read it but hadn’t replied.
She wanted to call her mom, but it was already 10:05, and this was the time Nirav would be too cranky to sleep. Sleeping without his mom for the first time, hearing her voice might only agitate him. Dejected, Kavya went to the door of the railway car.
The cold air hit her face, but there was something about it that made her smile. She decided to stand there until the next station, letting the air clear her mind. While she was lost in her thoughts, she felt a camera flash. She turned to find Mani standing with his phone, grinning at her.
He looked at the screen, and his jaw dropped. “Wow,” he said, looking surprised. Kavya was stunned by his reaction, thinking maybe her picture looked bad. She stood there for some time in silence while Mani admired the photo. Then he showed it to her.
It was perfect! Her hair was flying in the wind, the background blurred due to the speed of the train, and her body was prominently displayed, with her dress highlighting her features. Her face had a melancholy smile that added to her allure. It was a million emotions frozen in time.
“My masterpiece,” said Mani, breaking the trance. Kavya nodded. Ever since they had joined the company, Mani would offer to take pictures of her, edit them, and send them back. She liked how he openly admired her beauty and praised her. He did the same for Priya, so it never felt inappropriate.
“This one needs zero editing. You could hang it in your living room,” he added.
“Thank you, Mani,” said Kavya happily. “You are a good photographer.”
“With a woman as beautiful as you, photography comes naturally,” replied Mani with a wink.
They both returned to their seats, smiling. Mani always knew how to make her smile, both at the office and through messages. Since Harshit often worked late, Kavya would be bored after putting Nirav to bed. Mani would message her around 10:30, and they would chat and laugh.
He always ended by praising her looks. The more she blushed, the more he praised her beauty and femininity, making her evenings pleasant. The group set up their sleepers and began to doze off. As the train passed through a city, mobile internet returned, and she received a notification.
She opened it excitedly, thinking it was Harshit, but it was the photo Mani took with the caption “SAD ANGEL.” Kavya laughed. Mani often called her an “angel,” but his bad English made him type “angel.” She teased him back, asking if it was an acute angle or an obtuse angle.
They all slept and reached the station the next morning. The resort had sent a Jeep for pickup. After a tough one-hour journey through unpaved roads, they reached the resort. It was an amazing place with giant trees surrounding the house and a small river flowing in front.
They had booked two rooms, one for the boys and one for the girls. After the tiring journey, they needed a rest. Around 10 o’clock, they felt refreshed and had breakfast. Since it was off-season, there were no other guests except for a honeymoon couple the owner mentioned were also staying at the resort.
Their first activity was white water rafting. They all went back to their rooms to change. Priya had already bought a UV protection swimsuit jacket and shorts specifically for this trip. Kavya had no choice but to wear a cotton T-shirt and shorts. The boys all wore shorts and T-shirts.
The Jeep took them to the starting point of the river. The rushing sound of the water made Kavya nervous, and she hesitated, but Priya encouraged her to continue. They all donned helmets and life jackets while the instructor briefed them on safety.
Once everyone was in the boat, the instructor took the paddles and began rowing into the river. The rapids were initially gentle, but after a few minutes, they became steep enough to rock the boat. Kavya clutched the boat tightly as water splashed into it.
They approached a narrow and fast section of the river. Kavya attempted to paddle, but the water was rushing too fast for her to manage. The river descended in a big fall, and they dropped at least 20 feet. The boat almost capsized, although the instructor deftly handled it,
But Kavya was thrown out of the raft and into the river while the others somehow held on. Kavya was shocked as she fell into the cold water. It chilled her to the bone. She was trying to thrash as she didn’t know how to swim. She didn’t understand that she wouldn’t drown due to her life jacket.
She was screaming at the top of her lungs due to fear. She tried to grab something to support herself, but the flow of the river quickly carried her away. The instructor called out to relax and calm down, saying that they would very soon hit the calm waters.
They would be able to fish her out without problems, but Kavya did not process any of that. Mani realised that she was badly panicked and jumped into the river to try and calm her down. Aiming himself towards her, he quickly reached her. But in her panicked state, she was thrashing a lot.
He then held her midriff tightly, drawing her attention and whispered, “You can’t drown Kavya; you have a life jacket.” Kavya stopped thrashing, and Mani gave a long sigh as her body finally relaxed. She felt the strength of Mani’s arms as he held her in a strong grip.
Though shivering due to the cold water, she was relieved that Mani had saved her. In that commotion, she didn’t realise that her T-shirt had come up. Mani was grabbing her bare stomach as they floated into calmer waters. When they neared the raft, Mani held on to it.
He helped her get on while pushing her up and then climbing in himself. Once they were inside the raft, she started shivering. The river was a bit placid now, but the instructor called out that there were a few more rapid descents. She started screaming to leave her alone. She doesn’t want to go rafting anymore.
Priya tried to reason by saying that they were in the middle of the forest. There is no option to get off in the middle of nowhere. But the instructor corrected her, saying that there were vantage points where they dropped off quitters. There was a landline to call the main office to send the Jeep.
Mani offered to get down with her. Kavya was relieved that he was ready to be with him. They got down at the vantage point and called the office. The office replied that it would take at least half an hour for the Jeep to reach. It was around 1 pm now.
They removed their life jackets and kept talking. Kavya noticed that this time, Mani was finding it hard to maintain eye contact and kept glancing at her chest. She looked down and realised the cotton T-shirt was clinging to her body, revealing the outline of her bra.
Her midriff was slightly visible because of the wetness of the clothes. She suddenly became aware of her vulnerable state. After a few minutes, Mani said, “You know I showed our pics to my aunt. My aunt looked at you and asked if you were my girlfriend.”
Kavya blushed at his comment and replied, “Really? What did you say?” Mani gave a crooked smile and then continued, “I said she is married and has a kid. But she said you looked so young and hot.” Kavya laughed loudly.
“I said she is also an aged person like you, my other aunty at the office,” joked Mani. Kavya immediately punched his arm, “Do I look like an aunty?” she chided. Mani laughingly stuck his tongue out. Kavya quickly slapped his hand and turned away from him in mock anger.
Mani was still staring at her chest area. “You have a very flat stomach for a mother of a child,” he commented. Kavya started laughing at his statement. “That must be because I don’t eat much,” she remarked. Mani smiled, “Yeah.”
She realised that the conversation was getting weird. “I’m sorry for touching your stomach area back in the river. You were thrashing, and I had no choice,” he apologised.
“It’s okay. The shock of hitting the water coupled with the realisation that I did not know how to swim had stunned me,” she replied meekly. He started giggling. “Did you think that you would sink? You have a life jacket, and the water was hardly 10 feet deep.”
Kavya was confused as to how to reply. “Anyways, thank god you came to the rescue,” Kavya said, patting his shoulder. “Sometimes, Kavya, the best things can be enjoyed if you stop thinking and live in the moment,” Mani said.
Kavya stared at him as if he was narrating one of his philosophy classes in college. “You always say the right thing. It amazes me every time,” she complimented.
Mani laughed. “When I meet you, my ego seems to disappear completely. When I’m around you, everything else seems so small,” he admitted.
She was stunned by his admission and then smiled back sheepishly. “Well, your mind should go astray sometime. So it doesn’t bore you too much,” she teased. Mani gave a sly grin and replied, “Hey, who says it’s boredom? I am extremely fascinated by your beauty. Your humour and your attitude all fascinate me.”
Kavya couldn’t help herself and chuckled. She placed her hand on his thigh. “Yes, you are really interesting to watch. Whenever I see you, I can’t control myself,” Mani added. Kavya instantly took her hand off his thigh and blushed profusely. She didn’t know whether to be flattered or embarrassed.
After a while, they both fell silent. The adrenaline rush of water rescue was almost over. Both of them were feeling cold due to wet clothes, and the breeze made it worse. Each minute passed slowly, and they didn’t know when the Jeep would arrive.
They had no change of clothes, and they couldn’t move away from the vantage point. As she started shivering, Mani instinctively pulled her close and hugged her tight. She felt herself melt into his embrace. He buried his face into her hair and inhaled deeply, smelling the subtle smell of fresh shampoo in her hair.
Kavya closed her eyes, and her senses reawakened as she felt his body pressed against hers. It sent shivers down her spine. Her heart was beating fast, and she could feel her cheeks heating up. She could feel her nipple harden and stiffen under the thin cotton t-shirt. She felt embarrassed. She pulled back a little.
Mani felt uncomfortable when she pulled and said, “I’m sorry, Kavya. But they say that in such situations, people should hug each other to preserve body heat and prevent hypothermia.”
She stared at him blankly, not knowing how to react. She wanted to push him away, but it felt so good being embraced by him. His warmth had engulfed her. “We don’t have to do anything. We can make the most of the situation and live in the moment,” he added, sensing her hesitation.
Kavya bit her lip. She finally nodded and hugged him tightly, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to absorb the moment. After a while, she had a long-forgotten feeling of a raging hard dick pressing against her. She instinctively pressed her pelvis towards his crotch.
