Chapter Sixty: Jog Falls - Double the Romance, Double the Chaos
The morning after the "love mark" incident, Jay was determined to have a normal day.
No door left open. No early morning Keiran ambushes. No embarrassing moments.
She checked the door three times. Locked it. Checked again.
Keifer watched her from the bed, amused. "You know they're going to find something else to tease us about."
"Not if I can help it."
"You can't help it. It's destiny."
She threw a pillow at him. He caught it, grinning.
---
They emerged to find the group already buzzing.
Percy was leading cheers. "JOG FALLS! ONE OF THE TALLEST WATERFALLS IN INDIA! WE'RE GOING TO GET SOAKED!"
Chethan matched his energy. "I'VE BEEN THERE! IT'S AMAZING! THE MIST, THE RAINBOWS, THE—"
Mithun interrupted calmly. "The water is very powerful. Everyone needs to be careful."
Shreya nodded. "Especially near the edges. It's beautiful but dangerous."
Keiran tugged Jay's sleeve. "Mamma, waterfall?"
"Big waterfall, baby. Very tall. Very loud."
"Rex wants to see!"
"Rex will see."
---
The drive to Jog Falls took a few hours.
The landscape changed—greener, more lush, the air getting mistier as they approached the Western Ghats.
C.N. was researching. "Jog Falls is the second-highest plunge waterfall in India. Four cascades—Raja, Rani, Rover, and Rocket."
Percy gasped. "THERE'S A FALLS NAMED ROVER? LIKE A DOG?"
"Not like a dog."
"BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE A DOG!"
Akshi was already planning. "Shreya, we need photos. LOTS of photos. At every angle."
Shreya laughed. "You always want photos."
"BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS PHOTOGENIC!"
---
They arrived at Jog Falls in the late morning.
The sound hit them first—a roar that vibrated through their chests. Then the mist, cool and refreshing. Then the view.
The waterfall plunged 830 feet into a massive gorge, four distinct cascades thundering down, rainbows dancing in the spray.
Percy's jaw dropped. "OKAY. THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I'VE EVER SEEN."
"You said that at Mysore."
"MYSORE WAS THEN! THIS IS NOW!"
Keiran stared, eyes huge. "Mamma! WATER SO BIG!"
"The biggest waterfall we've seen, baby."
"Rex is SCARED and EXCITED at the same time!"
"Same, Rex. Same."
---
They explored the viewing platforms, taking photos, absorbing the majesty.
The rocks near the edge were wet. Slippery. Dangerous.
Mithun kept a watchful eye. "Everyone stay back from the edge. The mist makes everything slick."
Shreya nodded. "We've had accidents here. People get too close for photos."
Akshi, of course, was trying to get closer for a photo.
Shreya grabbed her arm. "AKSHI! NO!"
"BUT THE LIGHT!"
"THE LIGHT CAN WAIT! YOU CAN'T!"
---
Jay wanted a photo near the railing—not too close to the edge, but with the falls behind her.
She stepped carefully onto a flat rock. Positioned herself.
And then her foot slipped.
The world tilted.
She gasped—
And strong arms caught her around the waist.
Keifer pulled her back against his chest, holding her tight. "I've got you."
She clutched his arms, heart pounding. "I'm okay. I'm okay."
"Don't scare me like that."
"Didn't plan to."
He didn't let go. Just held her, both of them breathing hard.
---
Percy spotted them. "OOOOH! KEIF SAVING JAY! ROMANTIC!"
Honey smacked his arm. "Percy, she almost fell!"
"BUT HE CAUGHT HER! LIKE A MOVIE!"
C.N. nodded approvingly. "Smooth, Keifer. Very smooth."
Jay pulled back slightly, face flushed. "It wasn't smooth. It was terrifying."
"But the CATCH was smooth," Rakii said, already photographing. "The expression, the grip, the—"
"RAKII!"
"What? It's for the wedding slideshow!"
---
They moved to a safer spot, but the teasing had begun.
Percy kept reenacting the moment dramatically. "JAY! I'LL CATCH YOU!" He'd grab Honey around the waist, dip her dramatically.
Honey played along, laughing. "MY HERO!"
Chethan joined in, grabbing Akshi. "AKSHI! I'LL PROTECT YOU FROM THE WET ROCKS!"
Akshi screamed dramatically. "SAVED BY MY HERO!"
Mithun watched them, shaking his head. "Children. All of them."
Shreya laughed. "Let them have fun."
---
They walked further along the path, finding different viewpoints.
The rocks near the edge were still wet. Still dangerous.
Mithun stayed close to Shreya, protective. "Careful here. The moss is thick."
"I see it." She stepped carefully, holding his arm for balance.
Then her foot slipped.
Mithun reacted instantly—arm around her waist, pulling her against him, steadying her.
She clutched his chest, heart racing. "Whoa."
"Got you." His voice was calm, but his eyes were wide.
They stood there for a moment, frozen—him holding her, her pressed against him, both breathing hard.
---
Akshi spotted them.
Her eyes went wide.
Then her face split into the biggest grin imaginable.
"OHHHHH! MIT HUN! SHREYA! SAVING EACH OTHER! HOW ROMANTIC!"
Shreya's face went red. "Akshi—"
"NO! THIS IS PERFECT! DID EVERYONE SEE THAT?"
Percy ran over. "SEE WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?"
"MITHUN CAUGHT SHREYA! LIKE KEIF CAUGHT JAY! DOUBLE ROMANCE!"
Chethan appeared. "THEY'RE IN LOVE!"
Mithun released Shreya quickly, composing himself. "She slipped. I caught her. That's all."
"THAT'S NOT ALL! THAT'S ROMANCE!"
Shreya buried her face in her hands. "Akshi, I will end you."
"YOU'LL HAVE TO CATCH ME FIRST! AND MITHUN CAN'T HELP YOU BECAUSE HE'S TOO BUSY BEING ROMANTIC!"
---
The group descended into chaos.
Percy and Chethan reenacted both moments simultaneously—Percy as Keifer, Chethan as Mithun, both "catching" imaginary women.
Akshi narrated dramatically. "AND THEN KEIF SAID 'I'VE GOT YOU'! AND THEN MITHUN SAID 'GOT YOU'! TWICE THE ROMANCE! TWICE THE DRAMA!"
C.N. was taking notes. "For the archives. This is going in the group chat."
Rakii photographed everything. "The lighting! The expressions! Perfect!"
Keiran, confused but delighted, joined the reenactments with Rex. "REX SAVES GANESHA!" He made Rex catch the falling elephant.
Mithun watched the chaos with an expression of long-suffering patience.
Shreya wanted to die.
---
Jay caught her eye. "Welcome to the club."
Shreya groaned. "They're never going to let us forget this."
"Never. Keiran caught us kissing. Now this. We're bonded by embarrassment."
"Best kind of bonding."
---
Keifer appeared beside Jay. "You okay?"
"I'm fine. You?"
"Fine. But I think Mithun needs rescuing."
They looked at Mithun—surrounded by Akshi, Percy, and Chethan, all demanding he reenact the moment.
"MIT HUN! SHOW US EXACTLY HOW YOU CAUGHT HER!"
"The angle is important for SCIENCE!"
"FOR ROMANCE SCIENCE!"
Mithun sighed. "I simply—" He demonstrated stiffly. "—caught her. That's all."
"NO! MORE DRAMA! LIKE KEIF!"
Keifer winced. "Sorry, Mithun."
Mithun caught his eye. "This is your fault."
"How?"
"You started it."
"By saving my fiancée?"
"Yes. Very inconsiderate."
Keifer almost smiled. "My apologies."
---
Akshi was relentless.
For the rest of the Jog Falls visit, she found ways to bring it up.
"Shreya, careful on these steps! You might need Mithun to catch you!"
"Shreya, watch that puddle! Where's Mithun when you need him?"
"Shreya, the mist is slippery! Good thing you have a personal catcher!"
Shreya's eye twitched. "Akshi."
"Yes?"
"I will push you into the waterfall."
"YOU'D HAVE TO CATCH ME FIRST! AND MITHUN WOULDN'T HELP YOU BECAUSE HE'S TOO BUSY BEING IN LOVE!"
Mithun, from across the viewpoint, sighed audibly.
---
The drive back was even worse.
Akshi sat next to Shreya in the van, narrating the entire day.
"AND THEN MITHUN'S ARM—AROUND HER WAIST—SO SMOOTH!"
"Akshi."
"AND THE WAY THEY LOOKED AT EACH OTHER—LIKE IN A MOVIE!"
"Akshi."
"AND THEN THEY JUST—STOOD THERE—HEARTS BEATING—LOVE IN THE AIR—"
"AKSHI!"
"What?"
"I will tell your mother about the time you—"
"OKAY I'LL STOP."
Silence.
For approximately thirty seconds.
Then Akshi whispered loudly to Percy, "They totally have feelings for each other."
Percy whispered back, "OBVIOUSLY. It's SO obvious."
Shreya put her head in her hands.
Mithun stared out the window, but his ears were red.
---
Jay leaned against Keifer. "This is the best day."
"You almost fell off a cliff."
"And got caught by my handsome fiancé. And watched another romance bloom. Best. Day."
He kissed her forehead. "You're impossible."
"Your impossible."
From the seat behind, Keiran held up Rex. "Rex says today was the best day! Falls and catching and LOVE!"
Ganesha nodded in agreement.
The van erupted in laughter.
Even Shreya smiled.
Even Mithun cracked.
---
That night, at dinner, Akshi raised her glass.
"To Jog Falls! To near-death experiences! To ROMANCE!"
Percy raised his. "TO ROMANCE!"
Chethan raised his. "TO CATCHING PEOPLE!"
C.N. raised his. "To the group chat that's going to EXPLODE tonight!"
Everyone laughed.
Shreya caught Mithun's eye across the table. He almost smiled.
Jay caught Keifer's hand under the table.
This was their life.
Chaotic, embarrassing, romantic, perfect.
---
End of Chapter Sixty