chapter 86

    " Here", the guy said with a smile as he helped Vibha with the bag.      Vibha returned the courtesy smile unaware of the sulking eyes fixated on their interaction.      " Do you need that one as well?", he asked pointing at the bag besides .      " It's fine I'll  -", before she could even complete he already had it down for her . " Thanks bro-", she said taking it from him.     " My Pleasure .", he smiled again and left .        Vibha didn't linger on the encounter, not as much Aarushi atleast who was still glued to her seat.      " Want me to carry you as well along with the bags?", Vibha teased as she took the bags . Aarushi snatched hers from Vibha and got up walking past the bewildered Vibha who was totally clueless of anything she did to offend her girlfriend.      She got off and walked over to the two of her friends quarrelling over what they should buy .    " I want drumsticks! ( Shenga ) "     " I am telling you cucumber tastes better. "    " Arushi you tell! ", Niharika immediately clung to Aarushi asking her to side with her opinion.     " What?", her irritated tone was clearly audible but neither focused on that.     " She keeps saying we should get cucumber instead of drumstick. They taste better -"   " Is she paying for you?", Aarushi asked earning a surprised reaction from both her audience.    " Damn- they say it right- you end up taking your partner's personality if you stay together for too long.", Prisha's comment only earned her two frowns.       " Where's Sneha?"    " Washroom.", Prisha answered and Aarushi left them to their argument with an excuse of going to search for Sneha.       Vibha came over to them searching for Aarushi , " Where's Aaru?"       " Washroom."      Vibha nodded and was about to leave when Niharika stopped her .    " Something happened between you two?", her tone indicated that she definitely had a hint to something.      " Nothing. I'll go find her. ", Vibha waved it off and Niharika too didn't bother stretching it.      " Bro-", Prisha stopped her again with an even serious expression.     " What do you think is better ? Cucumber or drumstick?", her tone though serious unlike her question only earned her 'I'll kill you' look from Vibha.        Aarushi instead of heading to search for Sneha just stood midway staring at the vendors sitting by the roadside.      Did I overreact?            He was just helping her; I wasn't.      I couldn't have expected her to climb the handle and get it down anyways. That was just random stranger helping her. But I- I just can't help thinking about that .     He looked like he was intrested in her. The way his eyes were - but no. He didn't even introduce himself or try to get any closer or extend any friendship. Maybe he was just being a kind stranger?      Also , it ain't like it was Vibha's fault by any means. She didn't even do anything then why am I pissed at her?   .  Aarushi thumped her leg in an unsteady rhythm of her jumbled thoughts. Her hands folded in front of her chest in a tensed manner as she looked around aimlessly.     Vibha noticed her disturbed state and walked over quietly to her side not breaking her trance.      I shouldn't have behaved that way. It was unreasonable.     " Ughh how will I explain this to Vibha now", Aarushi grumbled to herself unaware of her girlfriend standing right besides to hear that.     " Explain what to Vibha?", she asked as she leaned closer . Aarushi flinched as she heard the voice . Her steps stumbled backwards as she established a distance of good 3 steps between them.      Vibha once again raised her eyebrow to stress her question while Aarushi simply stared at her like a child caught stealing candies who had no better excuse than make up stories of a candy ghost possessing her to commit that crime.        " What is it love ? What did you want to tell me ?", Vibha asked again ,in a more gentle voice this time  as she closed the distance between them pulling her closer with one hand wrapped around her shoulder.       " Come on babe, what-", before Vibha could stress it further Aarushi's phone rang.          Aarushi used the excuse to get out of Vibha's hold as she walked a bit away .     " Come on . Let's head back , they are calling for us.", Aarushi said as lead ahead with Vibha tailing her from the distance .      " I told you she went to washroom where did you go to find her? Down the mountain?", Prisha taunted the moment she saw the two approach in a distance.      Neither bothered answering her . Niharika gave Aarushi a concerned look which the other only answered with an assuring smile.    " Or did you guys use washroom and going to find her as an excuse to -", Prisha teased them again joining all five fingers of her both hands into a kissing gesture.      " You have a death wish?", Aarushi threatened sending her death glares.     " I didn't know you can switch vocabulary with just a kiss-",  Vibha headlocked her before she could attend anymore nonsense that would piss Aarushi further.     " Bro- Stop I don't have choking kink-", she coughed and tapped Vibha's arm as the other dragged her away by her neck.       Sneha shook her head neither surprised nor expecting any better.     " Let's go. ", Niharika nudged them to follow and the three walked behind them.       After the authorities were done with the ticket checking and counting heads they entered through the small passing into a walkthrough that had a tunnel like look just that it was made of nets and creepers growing all over it.       " Let's take a selfie as memory.", Niharika suggested pulling out her phone.     " Keep those drumsticks aside.", Sneha suggested but Niharika insisted on wanting them in the frame as well.     After the selfie they resumed walking with Niharika already getting to edit it for the story.     " Do that later. Not like you can even post it with the condition of network here .", Aarushi told her but Niharika was adamant on doing it while walking and eating simultaneously. She just waved them to go ahead.     " I am already in love with the mother nature.", Aarushi commented as they stepped out of the walk through onto the mud road. She stopped a while to cherish the view around. Sneha agreed with a nod of head pulling out her phone for quick pictures.     " Screw these nasty children of mother nature!", came an irritated voice . Both turned to Niharika who looked like she lost the battle to some baby monkey and had given up her drumsticks rather than putting up a fight with the little creature.          The two had a hearty laugh as they watched her stomp her feet and come stand by their side.     " Typical younger bro behaviour.", Prisha joked as she traced her way back to them after having escaped Vibha's hold. Realising neither laughed at her joke she went ahead to explain it, " That lil fella prolly thought you were his elder sister. "     It was her own laugh that was loud , definitely not louder than Niharika 's death glare.       " Let's get out of here already. ", she complained dragging Sneha along and gesturing Aarushi to follow as well.       Horses tied on either sides with their owners approaching each passenger to ask if they needed rides. There were hand pulled rickshaws and a vendors everywhere. Besides fruits from the forests , they also sold other tourist necessities and accessories like hats , scarfs , googles , water bottles,  binoculars and similar stuff.      Aarushi walked slowly observing each of the articles being sold.      " Want to buy something?" , Vibha asked as she peeped over her shoulders.     " I was thinking of buying those tiny amlas . But  I am afraid of the monkeys. Don't want to end up like Niharika. ", she said with a chuckle.      " Let's get it then. I'll hold. No worries. ", Vibha said as she bought one.          Aarushi took bite of one amla and her face twitched at the sourness.     " Cute .", Vibha commented snapping a photo of her girl.     Aarushi tried to block the camera with one hand .     " You are murdering your tastebuds!", Prisha said as she gave Aarushi a horrified look.     Vibha held the amla packet in front of Aarushi . " Hold this.", she instructed Aarushi as she grabbed a few and chased after Prisha.     " Come here . I'll make sure your cause of death in report is amla. ", she said as she caught up with the other forcefully stuffing a few amlas in her mouth.     Prisha coughed as she spat them out . " Yuckkk", she stuck her tongue out with a tortured puppy look.     " Cute. ", Niharika commented from a distance as she snapped a photo of the girl.     " I swear you are dying with me, Miss. specs!", Prisha threatened grabbing a few amlas from Aarushi and chasing after Niharika.       " Slow down you two. You might trip over the tracks!", Sneha warned them but they were long gone to hear anything.       Vibha went back to Aarushi and took the packet from her hand.      Aarushi offered one to Vibha but the other just shook her head no.     " You eat my Queen. I will hold it for you. ", she said as she even took Aarushi's phone from her, " Eat comfortably my Queen."         Aarushi took another one and held it in front of Vibha's mouth.      " I-"     " You won't?", Aarushi asked without even giving her time to protest.      " Can I ever refuse you for anything?", she asked helplessly and opened her mouth to let her girl feed her.       Vibha's face underwent a whole range of disgust transitioned to tortured expression as she forced a smile through it.      " This is what they call smile through pain. ", Niharika taunted as she came back to them with Prisha following after coughing.      " What happened to her?", Aarushi was the only one , genuinely concerned for the coughing girl.       " Her stamina is worse than her mouth.", Niharika replied smirking at the panting girl. " You look like a dog.", she mocked Prisha as the other reached them. " Better than you monkey who leaps around with power of four legs combined in two. ", she replied still catching her breath.     Aarushi shook her head at the bickering still offered Prisha some water, " Sit at the side for a while and drink. "      " I swear bro - you got a perfect wife right there. She's literally living goddess. She's -",        Niharika grabbed the bottle from her hand, aggressively screwed open its cap and shoved it in Prisha's mouth.     She tried to babble something but it only came out as muffled whining. Eventually Sneha had to pull Niharika away so she doesn't kill the other .     That really didn't discourage Prisha from unnecessarily using her mouth.      " I swear to god I have never seen such a jealous lady before. I can't beleive you attacked me just because I complimented someone else. Didn't knew you were this possessive. ", Prisha started the moment she got the chance to speak.       " I am telling you, don't you stop me. I will for real murder this girl  -",       " Enjoying yourselves?", A voice interrupted them and all the five heads turned to the source abondoning their current actions.     " Yes mam.", there was unison in the voice despite the difference in tone.       " And I thought I was the only snail in the group. ", she said walking along with them.     " Let me carry it for you mam. You walk comfortably.", Prisha offered taking the bag from the lady.      " Ayy. It's fine it's really fine. " , she tried to refuse but Prisha had already snatched it and was off ahead.     " As if she ever listens to anyone.", Niharika mumbled yet the madam hearing her chuckled along.     " Did you guys click any pictures?", she asked and Prisha came back showing her camera .     " When did you click these?", Aarushi asked amazed at the candid pics of her and Sneha looking around, her and Vibha eating amla and those of Niharika struggling with the baby monkey and also those of her own reaction to the amla which seemed to be clicked by Niharika.        " That's called talent.", she boasted.       " You all clicked without me ?", the teacher asked and everyone immediately assembled around her for a group photo .     Prisha handed the camera to a tourist and joined along .     " Thank you. ", they thanked the stranger as they got the camera back .     " That's nice one . Send me as well once we get home. ", teacher said .     " Yes mam."     " Now let's going before they start cursing on our name. We are the only ones so far behind.", she said making them move ahead .     " How are we going to have the stay mam?", Sneha asked and the teacher looked as if she was in deep thought for a while before answering," There are around 100 students if I am not wrong and we only have the railway quarters so I think it's  5 students and 1 teacher per room. "    " We are already 5 . You stay with us mam. ", Aarushi suggested and the teacher smiled.    " Yes mam. You stay with us. Please.", Niharika joined in persuading her.     " Okay okay. I will stay with you guys. But let me warn you, I snore very loudly. Then don't complain. ", she said laughing at her own statement.      " No no it's fine." ,  they said and Prisha added , " Anyways half of us sleep like a log . "     Niharika tossed an empty shell at her.       " I didn't even take your name . Why the hell are you offended!? "    They all laughed as the two got into bickering again.     They were on the tracks and Aarushi and Niharika decided to walk on the rails with Vibha and Sneha holding their hands respectively to make sure they don't fall.      " Girls be careful. ", Teacher yelled from behind worried about them fooling ahead.      " Keep jumping like monkeys and fall face flat!",  Prisha yelled after her earning a smack on her arm  from the teacher , " Mind your tongue!"       Finally they reached their designated rooms and after keeping their belongings and freshening up everyone was asked to assemble in the front yard.      " So everyone. As you all know we are here for tree plantation drive ....", the principal had just begun his speech and Prisha her complaining, "Why the hell are we even planting trees in a jungle!? Ain't it same as gifting penguins in Antartica a freezer?"     " Will you die if you keep your mouth shut for a while?", Niharika taunted side eyeing her , fortunately also silencing her for a while.           "As you must have guessed will be working in pairs . So everyone come pick a chit and the people with same number will be the pairs. So come ahead one by one and find your partners. After that you may go have breakfast and then come collect the saplings then we will head out together for the mission. ", the instructions completed and everyone dispersed erupting into random chatters.      Soon enough all the students and teachers each held a coloured chit with number and again there was a chaos of everyone going around looking for their partner.     " What's yours?", Sneha asked as she displayed her " 4 " in front of Aarushi. " 17 ", Aarushi replied and immediately turned to Vibha who looked least intrested so she just handed it to Aarushi to check.    " What?", Vibha asked as she saw the disappointed expression on her face.    " 24", Aarushi answered handing it back to her.    " Awww, so my baby is sad she ain't paired with me?", Vibha teased as she got closer to hug the other. " Shut up.", Aarushi pushed her away visibly sulking yet refused to give in to Vibha's teasing.     " Hey, are you 24?"  Â