Chapter 23: The Trip.


    After a few seconds she had calmed down as Ayaan moved her away wiping her tears.. He kept his


    hand on hers as she looked down..


    A: Are you ok..?


    S: Yeah… I’m sorry I..


    A: You don’t need to apologize.. I care about you.. And I just want you to be ok.. If you have a problem..


    Share it.. I know all this is too much for you.. So you can’t keep all of it in.. You have to-


    He was interrupted when they heard somemotion in the living room..


    S: I think they’re home..


    She says as gave a nod.. they both got up from their ce and went downstairs towards their friends..


    Sofia stepped down as she felt someone rushing to her as she was pushed backward with the force but


    then bnced herself.. She recognized it was Kiara and Saw Ryan standing there too..


    K: Sofi sofi sofi…. I’m soo happy..


    S: Well that’s nice.. What’s the special reason..??


    K: We’ve got a new photography contact.. There’s this new magazine and they hired us to do some


    seasonal photographs.. And guess what..?


    S: What.?


    K: We need to go to the nearest hill station for that.. It’s gonna be soo cool.. Literally.. We’re gonna


    have soo much fun..


    S: Yeah..?!! congrattions..


    K: Yes.. Yes.. Yes.


    She squeals happily hugging Sofia again while hooping around.. Ayaanughed and then nced back


    towards Ryan who was having a bored expression on his face.. He lifted his brows questioningly at him


    as he rolled his eyes pointing towards Kiara..


    R: I’ve been going through this the whole ride home..


    R+A: Girls…


    They say togetherughing as the girls roll their eyes at them..


    S: It’s great news.. You guys can have a lot of fun..


    K: You.?? No no no.. Not you.. We.. We are gonna have a lot of fun..


    S: We.?


    K: Yeah.. Do you think I’m gonna leave you here..?


    S: You mean we all are going.?


    K: Yes.. I mean thepany is gonna give tickets for us both and you guys cane along.. We can


    have a lot of fun..


    S: That’s not such a great idea Kiara..


    K: Why not.. It’s a wonderful idea..


    S: I really don’t wanna go any where..


    K: Oh c’mon sofi please.. There’s soo much we can do there.. Please please..


    S: Kiara-


    K: Please please please…


    S: Kiara stop it.! I said no..


    She says loudly out of irritation startling them all.. She rushed up the stairs stomping her feet.. As they


    all stared after her still shocked by her behavior..


    R: Whoa… what just happened here..?


    K: she just.. Screamed at me..


    She squeaked sadly..


    R: What happened to her..?? She never reacted like this before..


    A: don’t worry.. She’s just worried.. She’ll be fine..


    K: But.. would she agree.. to go on the trip.?


    A: Don’t worry.. I’ll convince her..


    K: And it will also be better for her.. A change in the surrounding..


    A: Yeah.. I was thinking the same thing.. She needs to get out of this ce.. Everything here has soo


    many memories.. As long as she stays here I don’t think she can get out of this pain..


    R: Yeah.. It’s ok.. We’ll all convince her to go.. Somehow..


    K: Yes.!!


    They all decide as Kiara gives an excited nod.. They all then sit on couch talking as Nick and Aliza join


    them as well.. On the other side Sofia rushed up to the room and shut the door close.. She moved to


    her bed and fell on it.. She stared at the ceiling as whatever happened downstairs came in her mind..


    She sat up on the bed while holding her head in her hands..


    She looked up and around the room while wiping face.. She didn’t understand what was happening


    with her and why she used to get so upset suddenly.. She knew she overreacted down stairs and


    shouldn’t have screamed at Kiara.. But she suddenly felt so angry that she couldn’t keep it in.. She was


    feeling more and more disturbed everyday.. As much as she tried to let go she just couldn’t..


    She stood from her bed and paced around the room as the whole day passes in front of her eyes..


    After a few moments she felt suffocated in the room and walked out to the balcony that was on the right


    of the bed.. She walked out of the door as the cool breeze brushed past her as she breathed in feeling


    herself calm in the fresh air.. She kept her hands on the railing while leaning on it and started at the


    green nts and colorful flowers in the back yard.. She smiled at them and continued with her


    thoughts..


    In the hall all of them were sitting on the couch.. After a while Aliza volunteered to cook and Ryan to


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    help her.. They left to the kitchen as the three of them were left sitting on the couch.. Ayaan was


    worried about Sofia after she left angrily.. He kept thinking as his eyes wandered towards the stairs and


    his mind to Sofia.. He waited hoping for her toe down but when she didn’t return after all this time


    his tension increased as he decided to go check himself.. He stood up suddenly making them both look


    at him..


    K: What happened Ayaan..?


    R: You going somewhere..?


    A: I… I wanna go to… The bathroom.. I’ll be back in a moment…


    He said leaving from there as they both started after him puzzled.. He ran up the stairs and straight to


    her room.. He paused in front of the room and breathed in pushing the door open.. The room was


    empty so he assumed her to be in the bathroom.. As his eyes feel on the bathroom door and saw it


    locked from the outside he realized she wasn''t there.. Then if she wasn’t in the bathroom there was


    only one other ce for her to be.. He walked towards the balcony door that was covered by thin white


    and purple satin curtains..


    He walked in to see her standing with her arms resting on the railing.. He stood beside her while


    keeping his arms on it too.. She didn’t turn but he knew she was aware of his presence as he saw her


    stiffen for a moment and then rx.. They both stood there in silence for a while which was then


    broken by Sofia..


    S: You Know I won''t-


    A: Come with us..??


    S: If you know then why are you here..??


    A: I will persuade you.. I''m quite persuasive you know..


    S: And what are you nning to do exactly..??


    A: Talk you into going.. Maybe ckmail or threaten you.. I can even kidnap you on the day of the trip..


    She chukled listening to his options.. As he raised his brow giving a questioning look while smiling..


    S: Really..??


    A: Yeah.. Well your lucky you get to choose which one..


    S: And what if I choose none..??


    A: Then I''d have to choose on your behalf..


    He says as they bothugh.. She looks down as her smile drops..


    S: Ayaan I... I.. don''t think I should...


    A: Ok wait... Wait for a moment.. Listen to me first... I know you don''t wanna go anywhere.. you''re


    scared what happened today will happen again.. But you can''t let it control you.. your past.. it''s gone..


    You have to focus on the future now.. I''m not asking much but please just give it a chance.. Maybe you


    will feel better.. Maybe this is the thing you need.. To move on.. I don''t want to force you.. but I don''t


    want you to stay here locked up in this room forever.. Just give it a chance..


    S: What if it all happens again..?? I wanna move on.. To let go.. But.. These nightmare.. I can''t control


    any of this.. And.. I don''t want them to See Me like this.. They already have a lot to deal with.. I don''t


    wanna put mine too.. What if all this happens there too.. These nightmares.. These sudden attacks...??


    She says looking away as Ayaan moved a few steps closer keeping his hand on hers that was on the


    railing..


    A: I''ll be there.. with you.. whatever it is.. we''ll deal with it.. Together.. You don''t have to worry about it.. I


    promised to take care of you and I will.. And look.. If you don''t like it there.. I''ll bring you home myself.. I


    promise.. You don''t have deal with it alone.. I''ll always be with you by your side.. no matter what..


    He said staring into her eyes.. She looked at him as she felt a different peace in her heart.. She knew


    he meant what he said every word of it.. she could see it in his eyes.. His words made her believe.. She


    believed on his trust.. Cause she knew.. He was always there.. To hold her.. Pick her when she fell..


    Take care of her.. Bring her out of the darkness when she felt it would consume her.. He was always


    there and will be.. She trusted him.. And hearing him say it made her feel stronger.. She still wasn''t


    sure about the trip but being with him she knew she didn''t have to worry.. She stared in his eyes that


    held soo many emotions that she couldn''t think of anything else.. and got lost in them..


    Their little moment was broken as Nick came calling for Sofia..


    N: C''mon Sofi dinner''s-


    He paused when he saw them together as they both saw him and moved a few steps back as Ayaan


    took his hand off..


    N:Ayaan... What are you doing here..??


    A:I.. Just came by to check up on her.. And was trying to convince her toe along with us..


    N: Soo.. did she agree..??


    He shrugged and signed towards Sofia telling him to ask her himself.. Nick looked at her who was still


    avoiding their eyes..


    N: You shoulde it would be nice.. A change in the surrounding..


    A:Yeah.. I was telling her the same thing.. Anyway you were saying something.. when you came..


    N:Oh yeah.. I came to call you both for dinner.. It''s ready..


    A:Yeah.. Well that''s nice.. I''m starving.. Let''s go then..


    S:Yeah let''s go..


    She said as Ayaan signed her to go first.. She smiled walking ahead and the boys followed.. They


    came out of the balcony and were leaving the room when Kiara barged in..


    K: How long does it take..?? I''m starving...


    A: It''s been hardly a minute..


    K: For you..


    She said sarcastically making them chuckle.. Her eyes fell on Sofia as her face became neutral..


    K:Lets go..


    She told them and turned to leave..


    S:Kiara..


    She called making Kiara stop in her ce.. She walked upto Kiara and kept her hand on Kiara''s


    shoulder turning her around..


    S:I... I wanted to apologize to you.. For whatever happened earlier.. I overreacted down stairs and.. I


    shouldn''t have screamed.. But.. I don''t know what came over me.. I just felt so angry and it all came out


    on you.. I''mso sorry..


    K: It''s OK sofi.. I''m not mad at you.. I just thought everyone could get their minds off of it.. We all could


    have fun.. But it''s ok.. I know it''s difficult for you.. what you''re going through.. I don''t wanna force you..


    It''s entirely your choice.. If you wannae..


    S:I.. I''ll....


    She hesitates a bit thinking about it as she turned her head towards Ayaan who was looking at her


    expectantly.. She took a deep breath and decided to agree just for her friends..


    S: I''lle with you guys..


    K: Really..??


    S: Yes.. After all you''re not going to go leaving me here all alone.. So it''s better I tag along..


    K:Ofcourse I won''t.. Yayyyy..!!!


    She eximed happily jumping and hugged her while twirling her around.. Sofia also smiled seeing her


    friends happy.. It didn''t matter anymore if she was wrong or right.. But what mattered is that her friends


    were happy.. They had done a lot for her and now this is the least she could do.. Kiara let her go still


    cheering happily.. Sofia lifted her head as her eyes met with Ayaan who had a proud smile on his face..


    Her smile brightened looking at him as he gave a tight blink at her indicating that what she did was


    right.. She felt at ease as they stared at each other but she was suddenly dragged by her over excited


    bestie downstairs to give every one the good new.. They stumbled down the stairs in a hurry as the


    boys followed behind them..


    *The End*


    -Zareen.