Chapter 27 : Boating and Hiking.
After having breakfast they all leave to see the rest of the tourist destinations.. They were walking by a
K: Hey look.. they''re boating..
Al: Wow.. I''ve never been on a boat before..
S: Yeah.. It''ll be fun lets go..
Ay: But our bus would be here anytime.. we gotta go for hiking..
K: Just for a little bit..
S: Yeah lets go...
Ry: Yeah let''s go. Please...
Ay: Ryan you too..
R: What..? Even I like boating..
Ay: Alright fine lets go..
Ayaan and Ryan go to talk to the vendor as the girls were jumping in happiness.. Sofia walked closer
staring at theke as Nick walked upto her..
N: Hey..
S: Yeah...
N: So.. How are you feeling..??
S: Good.. Why are you asking..??
N: Just wanted to know if you like our new surroundings..??
S: Yeah it''s.. It''s beautiful..
N: Yeah... I.. I wanted to ask you...
S: What..??
N: If you''d.. You know.. Like to.... Go boa-
Ay: Sofia...
Ayaan screamed sitting in the boat.. Sofia turned to him and asked what as he signed her toe..
She nced past him and saw Ryan and Kiara already seated in the boat ahead of him..
Ay: C''mon hurry up..
S:Alright I''m Coming...
She screamed from her ce signing him to wait.. She turned back to Nick..
S: Can we continue thister.. I have to go boating and He''s waiting.. And We''ll also kinda miss our
bus.. And you know how cranky Ayaan can get..
N:Y..Yeah.. Of.. Of course..
She jogs towards Ayaan and gets in the boat as he holds out his hand seeing that the boat was
shaking due to the movement... Sofia grabbed his hand and seated down as sheughed at something
he said.. Nick stared at them from his ce as he saw them boat away.. He stood rooted in his ce
when he heard a voice behind him.. He turned to see Aliza standing there..
Al: Why are you standing here.. Don''t you wanna go boating..
N: I... Aa..
Al: C''mon let''s go..
She says dragging him to a boat.. They go around boating for a while as the boats sh with each
other.. They allugh and start running around hitting each others boat like in the electrical cars.. After
a while of pushing around and some sshing of water by the girls they finally get down..
Ay: Alright.. Now done with the boating.. Can we go..??
K: Yes.!!!
They all walk ahead as they reach a bus that would take them to the nearest hiking trail.. There were a
few more people with them on the bus.. The bus stops as they all get down.. They all saw a shop with
special hiking gears and clothes as they all were advised to change their shoes and check their clothes
before going and could buy anything they needed.. The boys already wore shoes so they didn''t change
except some of the girls who wore sandals or heels.. After they were ready they all left together looking
around and admiring the nature..
The whole day went by the same walking , talking and admiring.. Ryan and Kiara got a lot of
opportunities for clicking pictures.. The girls were walking together talking about something as Ayaan
was walking ahead lost in his own thoughts.. Nick and Ryan were talking just behind him.. After a while
Ryan''s eyes fell on Ayaan as he saw him lost and walking in front of them all.. He excused himself and
walked upto Ayaan putting his arms around his shoulder..
R: Hey bro... Why you walkin'' alone..??
A: Nothing.. I was just.... Thinking..
R: About what..??
A: Something..!!
R: You don''t wanna share..??
A: Nothing special.. Really...
R: Is that soo...
They walk silently for a while as Ayaan gets lost in his thoughts again.. After a while Ryan speaks
again..
R: So you wanna talk about it...
Ay: I told you it''s nothing...
R: I wasn''t talking about this.. I meant what is going on between you two..
A: Between.... Who two..??
R: You and... Sofia..
A: There is nothing between us..
R: Oh C''mon.. You can''t lie to me.. You know that...
A: I don''t know what you''re talking about...
R: of course you do.. Look I''m not having this conversation along with Nick because I know.. You two
had some argument and things haven''t been the same since.. But it''s the same between us.. And.. You
don''t need to hide it from me..
A: I''m not hiding anything..
R: Don''t you care about her..??
A: of course I do.. She''s my best friend.. Even if we used to argue all the time.. We still had...
Something..
R: Exactly.. Something.. Something else.. Some spark.. And its still there..
A: What do you mean..??
R: Look I''ve had this conversation with Kiara countless times.. The point is that everyone beside you
two have noticed it.. You guys always had this bond between you two that none of us had.. And right
now when she''s going through all this.. She needs that.. That bond.. You.. Now it''s your choice.. if you
wanna ept it.. Give her the love she deserves.. or just.. bury it deep inside.. hide from it.. neglect it...
Your wish.. But before tou choose.. Just think about her once.. There is nobody who can get throught
her walls like you.. I''m sure there are things that she says to you.. that she doesn''t tell us.. me or Kiara..
That''s because.. The bond.. I''m talking about.. she knows it''s there.. And even if she manages to hide it
from all of us.. She can''t hide it from you.. And you know that too.. Soooo.. Its your choice.. But.. if you
wanna talk.. you know I''m here.. And yeah.. I know even at this moment.. you''re just thinking about
her.. because you''re worried about something or the other..
Ryan stares at Ayaan waiting for his response as he looks away and exhales out..
A: Ok fine.. I am thinking about her.. Cause I''m worried.. I see her everday.. and how much she has
changed.. A few months ago.. we couldn''t go a single day without arguing endlessly... but now.. She
hardly speaks.. Before.. She used to be the heart of the event.. No matter where we go.. what we do..
But now she rarely smiles.. I don''t know how.. But I miss those things.. Us arguing.. fighting endlessly..
herugh.. her smiles... everything..
R: Yeah.. She has fully changed after that...
A: Exactly.. and I just want her to be.. how she used to be.. and I don''t know how that''ll happen..
Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.
R: I do..
He says as Ayaan looks at him questioningly..
A: How.??
R: I just told you like.. an hour long speech about that..
A: What.?
R: YOU''RE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DO THAT.. You can bring the old sofi out of her.. Break the
walls she has made.. You should talk to her..
A: I already did..
R: Then try harder.. Look all I want you to do is.. put your hand on your heart.. and do as it says.. It
won''t lead you wrong.. Think about it...
He says as he gave a pat on his shoulder and walked back towards Nick.. as they all were walking
again.. Ayaans mind was stuck on what Ryan just said.. He was deep in thoughts as all the past
memories yed in his mind.. He remembered all those moment when theyughed.. Fought together..
And also the moments they were there for each other.. shared their pain and hurt.. He always had a
special ce for Sofia in his heart and he realised it more and more with each passing day... Herugh
her arguments and their pointless quarrels all yed in his mind bringing a smile on his face.. And the
moment he realised that her happines was the key for his happiness.. and there wasn''t one without the
other.. His resume of bringing her back grew strong as did his faith in this unnamed feelings..
Later Sofia came by seeing him walk alone..
S: Hey...
She looked at him still lost in his thoughts.. She spoke again a bit louder while shaking her hand in front
of his face.. He came back to his senses looking around as he saw her..
S: Are you ok..
A: Ya.. I am.. fine..
S: Then why are you so lost.. What were you thinking about..?
A: You.
S: Huh.?
A: Y..You know.. Just stuff..
S: Oh..
A: What about you..?
S: What about me..?
A: Are you ok..?
S: Ofcourse I am.. Why does everybody keep asking me that..??
A: You like this ce..
S: Yeah.. It''s.. beautiful..
A: Then you should thank me..
S: Why would I thank you..
A: You didn''t wannae here... I convinced you.. so.. The credit goes to me..
S: You always need the credit for everything.. Don''t you..
A: I deserve it..
S: Yeah right..
She says as they both chuckle ncing at each other..
It was finally Night time and everybody had returned tired and crashed into their beds.. But Ayaanyed
awake in his bed.. Ryan''s words troubled him.. He knew this woulde up but soo soon was what
confused him.. It had been just a while when he had epted that he had some feelings for Sofia and
now he realises that everyone knew it except himself.. He walks out the balcony as the green ins
stretched far in front of him.. The soft wind blew past giving him slight shivers and goosebumps.. He
breathed deeply the scented air around him as his eyes fell on the balcony beside his.. That was the
girls room as a smile stretched on his face..
His mind went back to the memories of the day as he remembered her looking soo captivating in the
beuty of Nature.. All he could think of these days was her.. Either he was very worried about her or just
daydreaming about her.. Sometimes he just wanted to run to her.. While other times he just admired
from afar.. Thinking about hisplicated feelings made himugh as he took out his phone..
The urge to see her grew every moment.. As he couldn''t just barge into the girls room like he would
have at home he just filled his heart with a few picture.. Which were ofcourse not just a few.. But a few
hundred.. After all they had actually spent years with eachother.. He browsed through their pictures..
Many were of them together.. Some of her singles that he had took not so gently without her consent..
Many made himugh loking at the stupid things they did..
He browsed through the childhood folder as a few of her crying pictures came up.. Heughed seeing
her red nose and rosy cheeks.. Herrge ck eyes were lined with tears as he sat beside her being
the reason to make her cry.. Heughed remembering their rivalry throughout the years making it even
harder for him to believe that he actually fell for her.. But then again don''t opposites attract and they
always had the hate chemistry between them maybe it did turn into attraction after a while..
Heughed ncing at the picture again as he nned how to tease her with this.. As of now he hadn''t
had enough of this picture so he set it on his home screen wallpaper.. Heyed back on the bed putting
his phone near his heart closing his eyes.. As the face in the phone reflected in his eyes..
Next morning sofia woke up as her phone started ringing.. Kiara hit her asking to pick it up.. She
groaned taking the phone ncing at the name with one eye open.. She saw Ayaan''s name and
answered the call in a sleepy voice..
S: Yeah...
A: You''re still sleeping..??
S: No I''m dancing...
A: Thene out let''s dance together..
S: What..??
A: I''m waiting outsidee fast..
S: Seriously it''s..... 4 in the morning..
A: I know I have a watch too..
S: Then look at it and go back to sleep..
A: I''m not here to sleep..
S: What do you want..???
A: I already told youe out I''m waiting..
S: You''re serious..??
A: 100%
S: Argh.. Alright..
She said groaning as she stood up from her ce.. She nced out of the balcony and saw it was still
dark.. She huffed angrily while gathering her hair and went out.. She left the room and saw Ayaan
standing in front of the room.. He smiled looking at her as she raised her eyebrow at him.. He kept
staring as she made a weird face waving her hand in front him making he blink as he started smiling
again..
S: What are you starting at..??
A: You..
S: What.??
A: You''re looking really pretty...
S: You''re kidding right.. I like just woke up..
A: I know..
S: I''m sure you didn''t call me here in the middle of the night to tell me that..
A: It''s not the middle of the night.. It''s almost morning..
S: Yeah what ever...
A: C''mon..
S: Where..??
A: Out..
S: Now.. Why..??
A: You''re asking too many questions let''s go..
S: But why.. I haven''t even changed.. Atleast let me grab a shawl..
A: I knew you wouldn''t so I already grabbed one for you..
He passes the shawl in his hand as she puts it around her shoulder following Ayaan who didn''t even
bother to wait for her and was already rushing forward.. She rushed behind him as he grabbed her
hand and dragged her with himself..
In a few minutes they reached the hill top as he sat on the rocks asking her to sit as well.. Due to the
low poption there weren''t many people around.. Ayaan was smiling ahead as Sofia gave him a
puzzled nce..
S: Why are we here again..??
A: Can''t you see the colour change.. We''re here to see the sun rise..
S: The sun rise...
A: Yeah..
He said happily as she smiled seeing his face.. She looked around and actually saw the colour
change.. The cool mourning breeze was adding to the cold as she wrapped her shawl around shivering
a little.. Her whole attention finally went to the scene in front of her.. She could see a smallke at a
distance and the whole ce was surrounded with bushes , tree and flowers of all colours.. She again
looked at the sky that had be a mixed shade of purple orange and red as the light started to peek
through the cold clouds and give them a little warmth.. While observing all this she was oblivious to the
pair of eyes that followed her every movement.. He stared at her as they both admired the beauty in
front if their eyes...
*The End*
-Zareen.