The view is worth the bumpy ride. The soft breeze, the roads filled with greenery on both sides. I don't think I ever want this road to end. The music playing from the speakers inside the minibus adds to the atmosphere. I enjoy the breeze and let it fan my hair, not bothering that my hair is most likely to be ruined. 

Few local people set up their stalls along the path and I tried to capture as much of their lives as I could. I could distinctly smell the wet mud and I couldn't get enough of it. The bus stops at the beginning of the foothills. 

"Guys, get down. The road is going to be bumpy from here. It's not safe to sit atop the bus," Ria says getting off the bus. 

Uff!

"Sure," I say, and go to set up the camera securely on the bus so that it can record the journey upward.  I strap it in place and take the tripod down with us. 

"Come on, sit here," offers Naina. 

I walk up to her and was about to sit when my phone chimes. 

Derek: Hey. 

Shit! What happened now? Did dad know what happened? What will he say?

Did he figure out what happened? 

Oh no. I'm doomed. 

"Nessss. Vanesssaaaa," someone yells.

I shake my head to look at who was calling me.

"Nessie. What happened?" Naina asks getting up. 

"Is everyone settled?" Ria asks getting on the bus.

I hurriedly nod my head and sit down beside her. After a chorus of 'Yes's, the bus revs to life.

"What happened?" she asks again, shaking me.

"Nothing," I say, looking away. 

"Here come sit by the window. You will feel better," she says getting up. 

I end up playing twister. while exchanging seats.

"Thank you," I say as we settle down. 

"Now be honest. What happened?" her voice seems concerned and I always share things with her. At least most of the things. 

I sigh and whisper "Derek texted me," 

"Okay, so what's to panic in that?"

"He doesn't usually text me. Maybe dad found out and he wanted to warn me? Remember what happened this summer?" I cross my fingers to control my emotions and try not to break them. 

I take in quick breaths, to avoid panicking. 

My mind flashes by to what happened this summer. 

*******

"Congratulations Miss Vanessa, you are hired for this internship," says the HR from TLC who was interviewing me and a smile immediately forms on my face. 

"Thank you so much!" I exclaim in delight as I walk over to shake his hand. 

"Once the whole process is done, You will be given your offer letter. Will be looking forward to working with you at TLC," 

"Thank you," I smile and I exit the interview room. 

"So how did it go?" asks Naina who is standing outside waiting for me. 

"I got it!" I yell, jumping up and down. 

 "That's amazing. I got it too. We can now spend the whole summer together,"

"I hope so," I say dejected as reality finally dawns on me.

"What do you mean?" 

"It's at a travel company and my dad most likely won't allow me to travel outside the city let alone another state." 

"But this is such an amazing opportunity, we can try convincing him. Can't we? And maybe they won't ask us to travel outside the city" 

Oh, girl you don't know how is he.

"I hope so but we can surely try," I say trying not to sound too dejected. 

"But I'm glad you got it,"

"I wouldn't have even applied if not for you," I say hugging her. 

"You are welcome," she says hugging me back. 

As we walk back to our dorm rooms, I think of a backup plan. Our college is lined with trees and the soft breeze calms my nerves. I see students everywhere preparing for the interviews.  It's the end of the year and seniors are preparing for their job interviews while we juniors are preparing for internships. 

"Now if your dad won't let us go, what do we do?" she asks walking in front of me. 

"I don' know. Maybe, maybe... Urgh, I don't think there is a maybe," I say tightening my grip on my backpack. I hate how much dad still controls my life. I didn't want to loose my temper and soon cross my fingers. 

"Come on Ness. I'm sure we can think of a way," 

We reach our dorm room. I think of every possibility. Asking my lecturers to convince them because they actually like me. Or maybe...

"What if we sneak out, without telling your dad," Naina suggests in a low whisper as we enter our room. 

"Are you crazy?" I ask looking at her in bewilderment as I take off my bag and put it in my cupboard. 

"No think about it, you can tell your dad you have summer term to improve your grades and we can go to the internship,"

"But he will scold me if I say I need to improve my grades,"

"Is that better or missing the amazing Internship,"

"But what if he finds out?"

"Ummm... can't we ask someone to help us,"

"Wh--"

Quit playing games with my heart...

A phone call interrupts our conversation or more like Caleb's call. I set a special ringtone for his call. 

"Oh great!" mutters Naina, as I answer my call. 

"Heyyyyy Calebbb!" I answer. 

"Hey, baby girl. How have you been?"

"I'm fine. How about you?"

"You called her yesterday you moron, what do you think will happen to her in one day," Naina yells snatching the phone from my hand.

"Nainaaaa. Give me the phone," I yell. 

I could hear muffled laughter from the other end. He seems to be enjoying it. 

"Okay fine," she says handing me the phone after I threaten to throw out her teddy - Mr Bear.  Very creative, right!?

I put it on speaker because Naina would either way not stop yelling, might as well make him suffer. 

"So what's up? Did you crack the interview?" he asks.

"Yessss. I got it," I say in a monotone. 

"But she won't be coming because she is scared of her daddy," Naina chimes in. 

"What? Why?" he asks and Naina recollects what we discussed some time back. 

"Ness, you should go for this internship. It's such a good one. Plus I think you can deceive your dad if someone he trusts helps you,"

"He kinda trusts only my brother. I don't think my brother would help me," I say when suddenly I remember one particular night. 

"Are you sure, you can't get him on your side?" Naina asks, sitting beside me on the bed. 

"Or blackmail him to get on my side," I say. 

"There is the Ness I know. What do you have in mind?" Caleb says on the phone. 

"Nothing big, just a promise to not spill his secret if he keeps mine," I say, with an evil smile on my face. 

"I'm pretty sure you are laughing like a certain disney villain again," Caleb says, laughing. 

"Dude, she had that smile and was going to laugh. You ruined it!"  Naina yells. 

"Honestly the old name suited you better," he says laughing like a maniac.

"You promised you won't call me that!" I yell on the phone.

"I'm not baby girl. I'm not. But you are one smart woman. I hope you know that,"

"I don't think anyone would ever say that except you," I say laughing. 

"Good. Only I should know this side of you. Keep fooling others," he says, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice. 

"Sure babe," I say laughing. 

"If you love birds are done, let's think of a plan?" Naina interrupts. 

"Sorry, I have a class now. Gotta go. But tell me the plan later. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Bye Nessie. Love you!"

"Love you, Caleb. Bye," I whisper, smiling. 

"Sooooo. How are going to blackmail him?"Naina asks with her eyes full of curiosity. 

"Nothing big. I just have something that he'd never want my dad to know?"

"Umm, what is it?"

"Just a small secret. He told me not to tell that to dad, I won't tell. I'll just tell him I'm going to do this internship and ask him not to tell dad and ensure dad won't know about it at any cost,"

"But would he?"

"Oh, he would. I know something else about this kidnapping and if I tell him what I know, he will definitely help me,"

"Okay call him!" she says excitedly with pure joy in her eyes. 

"You have a fetish for danger?"

"Ugh, shut up and call him," she says embarrassed. 

"Oh my god, you actually have a --"

She throws a pillow on my face muffling my voice. 

"I don't have a Fetish for danger. I like adventure, thrill, bad boys with tattoos and beasts for motorbikes. Not whatever you have in your mind,"

"I never had anything in mind," I say suppressing a laugh. 

"Whatever call him now," she says throwing another pillow my way. 

 I take in deep breaths and calm myself before I dial his number. 

"Hey Vanessa," comes a bored voice from the other end. 

"Hello brother. How are you?"

"I'm good, how about you? How are your classes going on?"

"Great. I actually got an internship at TLC. I was wonder--"

"That's amazing. That's a nice company. You should do it," he cuts me off. 

Eh? He is saying this? Is he alright?

"But what if dad finds out?" I ask timidly. 

"Umm well....,"

"So I'll lie to him, but I don't want you to tell him anything if he asks you," I say boldly. 

Where did I get the strength to tell this? I mentally slap myself and hope he won't go running and tell dad. 

"Okay. As long as you don't tell what happened back then," 

How is it that he is actually agreeing?

"Eh? Wait, you are agreeing? What happened?"

"Sis, I know this is like a dream for you. I probably didn't do anything all those years back to help you, doesn't mean I won't let you do what you want,"

Tears form in my eyes and for once they were tears of happiness. I didn't even know how to respond. 

"Umm-- thank you?"

"It's okay. What will you tell dad though?"

"That I have to do a summer term here, "I answer in a whisper unable to still believe what he just told me. 

This is the closest we've ever been. Not just after mom died but since forever. 

"Oh, he will probably scold you for that. But it's believable. Stay safe and text me the details of your internship" he answers.

"Thank you. Could you keep an eye on dad for me?"

"Sure. Either way, I'm heading home for the vacation. But remember our deal" 

"Yes. Thank you!"

"It's okay. Have fun. Take care. Bye!" he says and cuts the call.

*************

"Nessssss!" I am being shaken violently while someone called out to me.

"Umm yes," I say shaking my head. 

 "I said you got another message, is it from Derek?" Naina asks looking at me with concern etched on her face. 

"Hmm" I say looking at my phone. 

Sure enough there is another text. 

Derek: Where exactly are you?

"Maybe he wanted to check on you. He is after all your brother" Naina says ask I show her the message. 

"I highly doubt that!"

"Why don't you just try talking to him?"

"Sure. I'll do that once we reach our hotel,"

"But what deal did you make with him? It wasn't he who kidnapped you, was it?" she asks curiously. 

"No. It wasn't him. But I was trying to find out who kidnapped me and one thing led to another and I found out something he'd never want dad to know," I answer as I recall the deal we made four years back. 

"What was it ?" she asks. 

"Something dangerous!" I say, smirking. 

"Oh! tell me,"

"You sure have a fetish for danger," I say, laughing at her impatient tone. 

"I don't!" she yells back. 

"So what are you guys talking about?" Adarsh asks poking me from the seat behind us. 

"Ouch!" I yelp.

"Ooppsie!" he says, grinning.  

I roll my eyes at him and say, "Well, we were talking about her fetish for danger,"  while pointing at Naina's now red face. 

He hoots and others soon join us. Naina soon becomes the hot topic for discussion and I stop when she threatens to tell others the deal I made with the devil. And the devil being Caleb. 

"Team we are here. Come on," yells Ria and we get off the bus. We were travelling for about three hours and it finally felt nice to stretch my legs. 

 I see Sid climbing up the bus to retrieve the camera and give him a nod asking if he is okay. 

He nods back with a smile and I quickly take in my surroundings. 

SNOW! It actually snowed. 

"Oh my God!  Nainaa, there is actual snow here!" I exclaim and bend to pick up some snow. It felt so cold, moist and soggy. I couldn't get enough of it. 

"I know. I hate it!" she answers. 

A devious plan soon forms in my mind. I innocently pick up some snow, make it into a ball and hurl it her way. 

"Nessss!" comes her stern voice but I ignore it as usual and throw another ball at her. Careful, not to hit her face. We still have to shoot the program. 

Adarsh didn't want to 'ruin' his clothes and instead took photos of us. 

Naina soon takes her revenge by dumping snow in my shirt and I swear there is nothing worse than this. 

It is freezing like Elsa's snow castle in here and the cold does bother me. I look at her with the stinkiest glare I could and throw snowballs at her. I miss at end up hitting Hitesh, who has a mischievous glint in his eyes and joins us in our little game. 

After about ten minutes, Ria comes back. 

"Folks, I brought the tickets, let the journey begin!" she says handing us our tickets. 

"What happened to you guys," she asks after giving us another look. 

"Snow!" I say carefully not to annoy her. 

"Well, you won't be on the camera so no issues. But you may fall sick do you have a spare?" she asks.

"Ummm,"

"I have one, I'll give it," Naina says before I could finish my sentence. 

"Okay, hurry up. There are changing rooms there," she says pointing towards the washrooms. 

I mouth her thanks and Ria turns around. I quickly change into a loose white sweater. 

"We have to walk a little further to get in the cable cars and once atop we can do see the snow viewpoint. We will have to shoot a few scenes at the top and the journey too." Ria says as I walk back to join the team. 

After a short walk, where the view is beautiful with the magnificent snow-clad mountains, the deserted area, the silence except for the sound of birds chirping. We are still at the bottom of the ropeway so the mountains weren't visible clearly, we reach the entrance of the ride.

"Divide in three's and let's begin," Ria says. 

Adarsh, Naina and I go in one of the cable cars while Sid, Ria and Hitesh follow in the other one. They wanted the co- hosts in the same cable car. 

The view from the cable car is mesmerizing. I could see the Nainital lake and how big it actually is, the local flea market and how small the people looked from here, the shops by the road, the greenery which never fails to amaze me, the depths of the valley which scared me and the snow-clad mountains which stole my heart. 

I realise how insignificant everything seems from here. Like a whisper in a windstorm. 

Maybe that's how we can stop stressing - by looking at the bigger picture. 

A/N

Hey guys. So long time no see?

How are you all? Hope you are staying safe and taking the necessary precautions. 

Stay home and stay safe. Hope you like this chapter, if you do, please do drop a comment. 

Until the next update. 

Lots of love,
       ~ LV.