Vedh was humming to himself, hands in his pockets, casually walking away.
Tara frowned. "Where are you going?"
He turned, winked at her, and said, "Packing the luggage for the trip."
Lav snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah — I should get going too." He gave Maya a sarcastic smile. "We're leaving tomorrow around 7 a.m. Be ready."
Vedh added, "You girls should pack too."
The girls exchanged helpless looks — they clearly had no choice now — and walked off to get their bags ready.
By evening, they lit crackers and took lots of pictures, laughing and flinching at every loud blast. The air was filled with noise, light, and shared happiness.
Maya wasn't afraid of most crackers — except the atom bomb.
Lav held one in his hand and called her. "Maya, come light this one."
She stepped back immediately. "Huh? No, no — I can't!"
"Come on," Lav said gently. "It'll be okay. I'm here with you." He held her hand and pulled her a little closer.
Inside, Maya was panicking.
Together they lit it and quickly ran back. The explosion burst loudly.
"Are you crazy?!" Maya laughed, half-scolding him, and playfully slapped his chest. "Such an idiot you are."
Nearby, Vedh asked, "Tara, want to try one?"
Tara widened her eyes. "No thanks."
"We can try together," he offered.
"Nah — nah," she said, shaking her head. Vedh didn't push her, just smiled and let it go.
They lit other crackers instead.
Not just fireworks — but a little hidden love too.
They decided to return to their house. Vedh called Tara and said, "I'll pick you up tomorrow by 9 AM."
"Yeah, yeah okay," Tara replied.
Maya and Lav decided to go to Arunachal Pradesh (Tawang), while Tara and Vedh planned their trip to Karnataka — Gokarna.
Tawang — Arunachal Pradesh
They packed thick sweaters and boots, knowing the cold would be harsh. They took a flight and reached Arunachal Pradesh. After arriving, they checked into a lodge and decided to rest for the night.
The next morning, they left for Sela Pass.
Lav knew Maya would feel cold, so he secretly packed an extra jacket for her in the car trunk. As expected, she soon began shivering in the icy wind. He took out the extra jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.Maya smiled. "You really know me better than I know myself."Lav smiled too.
The mountains stood silent and grand. Lav looked around and said, "Locals and monks believe that if you sit quietly, meditate, and whisper your wish from the heart here in Tawang… it comes true."
Before Maya could react, he simply sat down on the spot, closed his eyes, and started meditating out of nowhere.
Now she sat on a flat rock, legs crossed, eyes closed — trying.
Trying very badly.
Five seconds passed.
Her left eye opened.
Then the right.
"Huh? If you want me to sit quietly and meditate, why did you bring me here? I could've done this at home."
Seeing no one around, she stood up and decided to explore the snow-covered place. Without informing Lav, she wandered off — clicking pictures, touching the snow, and laughing softly to herself.
While roaming, she found a small village path near Sela Pass.
Meanwhile, Lav completed his meditation and looked around.
Maya was gone.
Maya wandered farther than she realized — until it finally hit her that she was lost.
She looked around, turning in a slow circle, then whispered to herself, "I think I'm officially a lost kid."
Just then, something nearby caught her attention — and completely distracted her.
A tall, oddly shaped rock stood ahead. It looked ancient — smooth on one side, carved by wind on the other. Curious, she leaned against it and lifted her phone.
"Okay, this is a cool selfie spot," she said, snapping a picture.
"Don't touch that."
The sudden voice startled her. She turned. An old villager stood behind her, eyes sharp.
"You don't belong here," he said sternly. "How could you touch that stone?"
"I—I didn't know," Maya replied quickly. "I was just walking. It looked nice, so I took a picture."
Within seconds, four or five villagers gathered around her. One grabbed her jacket sleeve. Another raised his voice. Panic rose in her chest.
"What's happening? I didn't do anything!" she protested.
The elder spoke again, voice heavy. "That rock is sacred. If disturbed, it awakens the spirit and brings misfortune to the village. Only those born here may touch it. Outsiders are forbidden."
Maya's heart started racing. "I'm sorry — I didn't know. I swear."
"If outsiders break the rule," one man said harshly, "they must answer for it."
They began pulling her along.
"Hey — wait! Let go!" Maya struggled.
"Leave her."
Lav's voice cut through the noise. He stepped in fast, positioning himself between her and the villagers.
"Where are you taking her?" he demanded.
The villagers didn't step back.
One of them pulled Maya a little harder, and she winced.
The elder repeated the rule, his tone firmer this time, almost offended. "She touched what she shouldn't have. Rules are rules."
Lav held his gaze. "It was a mistake."
"Mistakes also carry consequences here," the old man replied coldly.
For a moment, no one moved. The air felt tight. Even the wind seemed to pause.
Maya swallowed. "Lav…" she whispered under her breath.
Lav exhaled slowly, then pulled the elder slightly aside. The other villagers watched closely, suspicious. He spoke in a low voice and slipped some money into the elder's hand — not flashy, not forceful — just deliberate.
"She didn't mean disrespect," Lav said calmly. "She's not from here. Let this end without turning it ugly."
The elder didn't react immediately. He looked at the money… then at Maya… then back at Lav. Seconds stretched painfully long.
One of the villagers muttered, "We shouldn't let this go."
For a moment, it truly felt like the answer would be no.
Then the elder closed his fist slowly over the money and gave a reluctant nod.
"Fine," he said at last.
The villagers loosened their hold and stepped back.
"Take her," the old man said sternly. "And tell her never to come back to this place again."
Lav didn't waste another second — he took Maya's cold hand and led her away without another word.
Maya didn't speak for a while after they left the village path. Her fingers were still wrapped tightly around Lav's hand, colder than the snow around them. Her usual bold, sarcastic energy was gone — replaced by quiet shock.
"I… I'm really sorry," she said at last, voice small. "I didn't think it was serious. I thought it was just a rock."
Lav glanced at her and slowed his steps. "Hey. Breathe first," he said gently.
"They were actually going to take me somewhere," she continued, words rushing now. "What if you didn't come? I should've told you before walking off. I always do this — I don't think and just go."
Lav stopped and turned fully toward her. "Maya. Look at me."
She did — eyes still shaken.
"You're safe. Nothing happened. That's what matters."
"But it almost did," she whispered.
"Almost doesn't count," he said softly. "You learned. That's enough."
She let out a shaky breath. "I really messed up."
He gave a small reassuring smile. "You got curious. That's not a crime. Disappearing without telling me — that's the only part I didn't like."
A faint smile finally appeared on her face.
"Next time," he added lightly, "at least kidnap me with you when you go exploring."
She huffed a tiny laugh — and the fear slowly melted away.