The next day we sat in our bus and went back home. We played UNO and cards, gossiped, had fun and usual stuff. Shared more absurd and silly yet funny stories, looked at our pictures.
This trip was indeed fun and I definately don't regret comming here. I surely enjoyed this and loved every second of it. Also there were so unexpected moments like them asking me to join them in the photograph, the room beside us partying and my personal favourite was the whole garden incident.
I read once that it is in unexpected moments that you truly uncover what's behind a smiling face. What I saw behind Aarush's smiling face was an insecure, scared, overthinking teenager. Far from the adult world and far from a child's world. He seemed lost somehow. Like a traveller standing in middle of a long road. Starring at the both ends. One he left long ago and one he is moving towards. Wondering is the journey gonna be worth it? Will I really be where I want to be? Is this all pointless?
Somewhere along the road, somewhere deep on our hearts, somewhere in between the sea and the shore, somewhere in middle of the journey, all of us have been there. And I still I am there too. Wondering what's the purpose of this existence. And that question mark, that puzzled feeling seems to be unwavering bugging and eating us from the inside. But I know somewhere in middle of that uncertainty I will find the answer I am looking for. And I hope he feels the same way. I hope he understands that it's not the result that matters but the work we put in it, the realisations we make along the way.
I was sitting in my room, lost in my own train of thoughts. Wondering and wondering. When my phone buzzed.
Of course it was our food obsessed group chat. I opened it up. Aarush was going crazy sharing reels after reels and memes after memes. Followed by a message by Rudraksh saying stop blowing up my phone you idiot. And Siddhant's crying laughing emoji and skull emoji. And the funniest was Kartik's message that read 'Guys I don't have insta.' followed by crying emoji.
I was dying laughing when I saw Rudraksh's message saying 'Did something crazy happen on your trips.'
'Hey guys let's meet up at the cafe.'
'Yeah sure.'
'Oh, Chandni and I will share the location for you.'
'Let's meet at four.'
'Done.'
'Done.'
Just than I ran to take permission from mummy.
"Hey, mummy can I go out to meet my friends at four?"
"Okay but where are you going?"
"A cafe."
"Who are you going to meet."
"Janhavi, Shivangi and Kaveri."
"Oh, the girls you stayed with."
"Okay, till when will you be back?"
"An hour or two I guess, I am not sure."
"Okay, don't be out till late "
"Okay mummy."
"If you feel unsafe call me right away."
"Chill mummy I am not going at a war."
"The world out their is cruel and you are so innocent."
"Fine."
****************
It was three forty five and I was ready to leave.
"I am leaving."
"Okay."
The cafe wasn't far from our home, just like a ten to fifteen minutes walk. I had lied to Mummy about whom I was going to meet. I just didn't want her to think that I am a part of all guys group except me. You know she can be quite paranoid.
I entered the cafe and saw Manan sitting with Kartik. Both of them were talking about something. I hooped on an empty chair. Minutes later Siddhanth and Rudraksh came.
"Aarush is always late."
"That too when his house is just two streets away."
It was at four fifteen did he casaulay stroll into the cafe.
"Took you long enough."
"Being a pizza guy must be really busy, huh!"
"Come on!"
"So what's your crazy story?"
"I have one. So Radhika, Alice, Gaurika and Rishita were staying in the room beside mine. I was with Shivangi, Janhavi and Kaveri. It was about ten thirty or eleven when we heard loud, I mean painfully loud music blasting from their room. Soon Suhani ma'am came. And she started loudly knocking on their door. And when they opened up they were high on drugs. Can you believe it?"
"What happened next."
"We came out of our room and saw that their room was dirty and smelled like Weed and Vape. Soon other teachers came. I don't know much about the aftermath but their parents came to pick them early the following morning."
"When did this happen?"
"At the first night."
"It's still unbelievable they did that."
"Well, atleast they will get suspended and we wouldn't need to deal with them for a few days."
"Yeah!"
"I have one too." Started Rudraksh "So me, Siddhanth, Manan and Kartik were in the same room. And Sumit, Harsh, Rohit and Jatin were in the room in front of ours. And after dinner, they started loudly arguing. Normal stuff. But Daksh went to their door and started banging it and loudly calling Sumit."
"Then Sumit opened up and Daksh started telling him to shut the hell up."
"And Sumit in turn started arguing with them, in minutes they were throwing punches at each other."
"What then?"
"His whole group joined up and before we could have known it their was a full on fight."
"Of course we were busy enjoying everything from the window."
"A few minutes later Raghav sir came and handled the situation."
"Mine isn't that big. We just did a few prank calls. One of which Chandni picked up. But how did you get to know it was me?"
"Oh your voice gave you away."
"Damn! But it was fun we even called a few teachers. Raghav sir and Arjun sir didn't pick up. Tanishq sir said wrong number and ended the call."
"What did you say in the call?"
"We pretended as if we were calling our pizza delivery boy."
"That must have been fun."
"You bet!"