"where were you three?" Miss Jain asked.

The three girls stood there with their heads low, pinching their fingers and palm, for no matter how disappointed they were with their act of stupidness, they found themselves having this weird urge to laugh.

For Divya since her school till now the only things in life that she had been reprimanded for by her teachers at school was for non-payment of fees, she was never disciplined for being undisciplined, and now that they were here being disciplined it was a completely different experience for her. She was feeling sad, happy and even wondered why would one react so much to such a small matter. Other than that, there was Madhav wrapped in his shawl like that of those old Sharma Ji uncles from head to toe peeking through the door of his room as if trying to gather as much information to gossip about this fight that was going on amongst his Neighbour. Then there was Aman on the farther end of the corridor along with Atharva as well trying to listen to the conversation while pretending to look for a network. Divya was just thinking about how one would not laugh at this and trying to think of all the wrong things that she had done when Ms. Jain Slapped Nandini.

"What do you think of yourself, couldn't you have come out when Simran had called?" the Girls thought that this would be all however there came another slap, " what do you think I would have answered to your parents if something were to happen to you?"

She then asked Natasha, "do you know how scared I was as to where my girls might have gone this late at night if they were okay or not?" as the words sank into them, Divya felt guilty and bad for what they had done. This was really wrong. The moment the ruckus had happened they should have gone to their room from the back door, or maybe just stayed there, they weren't doing anything wrong, they were just seated there talking and maybe drinking a bit. However, as soon as Ms. Jain said that and Nandini began to say something she gave her yet another slap. At that moment Divya held her hands tightly waiting for Natasha and her turn to come however Ms. Jain just shook her head and expressed how disappointed she was and shoved them all into their room.

Divya heard Ms. Jain scolded the others as she went to her room and closed it. On the other hand here the girls couldn't help themselves anymore and began laughing, surprising their voice as much as possible. Divya thought about how shameless she was, but then decided she would wallow in her guilt, later on, right now she would just enjoy this experience as well.

As the girls got settled, there was a call on her phone, it was Atharva, "Did ma'am go?"

"Yes," Divya replied. "Okay, then should we all come there?" Divya replied yet another yes as she felt her head paining a bit. Soon the room began to flood in, it felt as if the room had grown quite small all of a sudden. She had just sat back in the bed when her phone rang again, this time it was Madhav.

"Did ma'am go?" he asked, Divya let out a chuckle and said, "yeah a long time ago, in fact, Atharva and Aman are already here, where are you?"

"Oh, I am just coming to open the door."

However, by the time Divya could even stand up and walk up to the door Madhav was already there. He entered, as Atharva began explaining what was to be told at home even before Miss Jain would call their parents. Divya wondered why the boys were getting hyper when it wasn't even their problem, she was about to pout in her point when Atharva shut her up and said, "I believe this is my responsibility, if I wouldn't have gone and retaliated this wouldn't have happened, please let me handle this."

The girls nodded their head as they all sat there in silence for some while, however, they all began laughing as Nandini Said, "but yaar I think those juniors should be taught a lesson, because of them I had to bear three slaps, Matlab tum dono ke hisse ka bhi merko kahana pada."

Though the problem was solved, for now, Divya knew the next day was going to be anything but normal.

*******

The next morning when Divya woke up she had a terrible headache. To say she had a good night's sleep would be a sham. Throughout the night she had been thinking of various things, and by the time she could have actually slept there was a call on her phone that woke her up, and now here she was standing in front of the washroom, her hair like that of a birds nest, eye puffy and a good hangover. She could feel her parched throat however didn't know what to do. She wanted to go back to sleep but was quite reluctant at the same time. She then decided it was better to get ready first and then think of what was to be done.

After a long hot shower when Divya walked out of the washroom Simran was up to, while the other three were still asleep.

"dude, what's the plan for today?" Simran asked.

"I don't know, nor do I have guts to go ahead and talk about it to Ma'am," Divya said however the way Simran looked at her she knew that soon the two of them would be out knocking on their door and just like that Divya went out along with Simran and their tour operator to knock on the door of their professor. Divya had very much expected the Professor to taunt her or say something, but the worst thing that happened was she completely ignored her and talked with the operator and Simran instead. This made Divya feel even more guilty, but Divya was never the one to express what she felt, she didn't know what was it that should be done that would ease things out. She didn't want to end this trip on such a crappy note.

However, it was decided that they all will be leaving for shopping by 10:30 for the ones who wanted to the other could stay back. Divya went off to inform the boys about this to the boys, but it seemed that it was quite a bad idea as she was greeted by Atharva in nothing but just a towel.

"I am sorry, you get ready I will come later on." Divya stuttered and was about to leave when he stopped her and asked what she wanted to say.

"Maam has said that we have to get ready by 10:30 and the checkout is at 11:30 so we have to be ready by then."

"Alright, I will let them know, thanks." With a smile, Divya went back to her room and packed her things as everyone else began to wake up. About an hour or so later one by one everyone went off to get their breakfast, As Divya saw Mis Jain and Ms. Tawadia walking out of the dining area and having their breakfast at the patio trying to ignore the troop as much as possible. with a deep breath, Divya looked at the breakfast that was laid out for them. She couldn't eat those heavy aloo puris or the bread butter she rather settled for the cornflakes and milk. Her head was aching badly and all that she wanted to do was go off to sleep.

She went and sat on the table beside Simran and began playing with her food when Manav, Madhav, and dev came and joined them. She looked up at Natasha and smiled as the latter smiled back.

"So Natasha have you got your doubt cleared?" Manav asked.

"I never had any doubt it was you guys who did." Natasha said as Divya shook her head and said, "I don't believe this Manav you are bringing that conversation here on the breakfast table...any which ways Ms. Jain is pissed, in the morning she wouldn't even look at me, while I asked her the questions she replied to Simran."

Divya huffed and took a bite of those that tasted fewer cornflakes when Madhav asked, "what else did she say?"

"Nothing." A pin-drop silence fell around as Rishi came and pointed at Natasha and said to Divya, "Oh shit Divya you know last night when we all went back to our room and we had a few drinks again, Manav and Dev..."

"I know Rishi, I know everything, it was me whom Atharva woke up in the middle of the night to take her in the room, it was me who had to bear her punches because Atharva and you guys took away her drink, it was me who had to listen to her nonstop chatter of how Manav wondered if girls had two holes in their vagina, to which she said three, and then Madhav even confirmed and then the three of you jumped off towards him to know the explanation as to why... now please don't repeat that topic again I have heard a lot of it already."

The table fell into huge laughter which Divya shushed for even a slight voice was giving her a painful headache. She thought it would be better to eat something greasy and was about to get some Toast when Madhav asked, "I can't eat these toasts, does anyone want them?" Divya volunteered as Madhav passed the plate to her as he went off to talk to Aman about something. Everyone was done with their Breakfast and even Miss Jain and Tawadia had come back into the room, when Aman, Madhav, Manav along with Dev, Nandini, and Divya walked up to them to apologize.

Surely it didn't go well as Manav Managed to upset Miss Tawadia even more, though none understood it, Divya looked at Nandini and thought that this was going to be a long day as well. She thought it would be better to talk to the professor later on when things would cool down a bit.

It was around 12 in the noon when the group was taking pictures, Divya wasn't really in the mood for it with her headache and rather preferred to take pictures rather than posing herself for one. However, Madhav pulled her up with him and said, "come let's take pictures." She was about to stand beside him for a regular pose when he said, "I don't want to take a picture like this... how about candids? "

Divya thought for a bit, and said, "Okay let's just give each other a few high fives, they nodded at Atharva however they missed all of them, while Madhav went off to check the pictures, Divya slid her hand into her jacket and found a bottle of double mint as an idea struck her.

"Madhav, Atharva I have an idea. Atharva you keep on taking pictures, and Madhav comes to stand here." She then explained to him how she would offer him the double mint to which he would stretch his hand, but then, later on, realize it was empty and acted quite dramatically and tilted their hands upside down. The clicks up till here were done but Divya didn't realize how to end it and was about to walk off to Atharva when Madhav pulled her quickly towards him asked Atharva to click the picture as he stepped ahead to hit Divya, taken aback she was about to fall down when Madhav helped her quickly and explained the ending of how he would try to hit her but she would cover-up. While they acted on it Atahrva yelled,

"dude if you guys want the pictures to come good at least stand in the frame." The two smiled sheepishly at him, quite enjoying all the things that they were doing as the last picture was taken.

"This I am going to turn into the best picture story," Divya said.

"Na, this is the best part of the IV." The two laughed at each other and went off to two separate ways, Divya Quite ecstatic to narrate the whole situation to the girls.

******

"Oh, my God House of candies!" Divya yelled and bounced in her place as Dev, Dhaval, and Madhav looked at her suspiciously.

"I don't have money." The two said at the same time and took a step back. Divya pouted at them and said, "oh well I Have, please come with me, my treat."

"you sure you are treating us?" Dev and Madhav asked as they crossed the road, with Divya pulling onto Madhav's hand. About 20 min later the group walked out with Madhav, Divya, and Dev having a lollipop in their hand and Divya's hand filled with bags of half kgs of candies which Dev was already eyeing.

As they all got settled into the bus they were on their way to Rishikesh. This time Divya decided to sit on the seat where Madhav sat at the beginning of the trip with Her seat being occupied by Dev. She was so sleepy and was about to give in to it when her phone rang. After a lot of struggles, she dived into her bag and retrieved her phone, and smiled bright seeing the name on the screen. Quickly answering the call she said,

"And I was wondering when you were going to call me."

"I knew you would miss me, how is it going? Any new hotties?" Divya found herself looking at Madhav, but she knew better than to mention this to Parth. He would never let her live a day without being teased.

"No I don't think so, days and nights have been busy having fun. Ohh shit you won't believe I have already had my fill of old monk, Vodka, and whiskey... Parth it tastes so yum, I wonder why I haven't had it before?!" Divya whispered, yelled, and then squealed, grabbing almost everyone's attention. Nadini looked at her and asked who it was to which she mouthed Parth as the latter smiled at her and said, "tell him I am saying hi."

At the mention of him, Divya could see the way the heads turned up to her as everyone tried to listen to as much of the conversation as possible.

"Ahh haa, How is your hangover then, but yes Divya don't mix your drinks...for god's sake," Parth said, for the first time She heard him this worried and serious. "Um, I already did."

She chuckled as she heard him curse and then laughing as well saying how she had finally grown up. She wondered what had gotten into him, however decided to ignore it. the two kept on talking for quite a while with Parth telling all the preparations that were going around, the two of them were in a heated conversation with Divya laughing about when Madhav called her,

"Divya please check this caption." Divya looked at her phone and then at Madhav's and then at him. "you want it to be done now?" the way Madhav nodded his head she realized it was better to get down with it.

"Parth just a moment." Keeping her phone between her ears and shoulders she looked at the caption and suggested a few changes while on the other side Parth was continuously taunting her how now that she had new friends why would one bother to talk with the old ones.

"Madhav, my earphones are in your bag, can you please pass them?"Divya asked, to which Madhav denied completely and went off to sleep.

"what's wrong with that guy?" Parth asked.

"do you think I would know about it? anyways, I tell you what, since the time I am here I haven't opened the book that you gave me. Parth it seems I found a good company."

There was silence for a while and Divya wondered if the call had got cut but it wasn't so. She called out Parth's name to which he said, "yeah I am here, it's just that I am listening to the way you are saying it. you sound happy."

"I am, it seems like I can find myself, someone with whom I can enjoy crack jokes, have conversations that are funny, act funny, fight with... other than you, it's fun Parth. Each day here I have some of the other fights with Dev. I, and Madhav; We have the deepest of conversation and then end up irritating the hell out of each other, and then after some time we are as well looking after each other. I and Aman get on each other's nerves, Manav and I are getting to know each other, Rishi is being friendly...and the girls, I have never had this kind of time with anyone. I am so glad I came here. Maybe this time I don't need the book to hide behind."

Divya said and looked at Madhav who was already looking at her.

"I am so happy for you, just enjoy all the days that are there, I am waiting for you here... then we will have our kind of fun... though I don't miss you much, you can surely miss me more." The two laughed and then hung up the call. It seemed like they had already been talking for about an hour now. Divya closed her eyes and let the sleep take over her. And the next time that she woke up, Atharva was already playing Namo Namha, the roads were filled with deities of Shiva, there were railway containers on the roadside that were being reused for the purpose of decoration and many more things.

They were finally in Rishikesh, the Yoga capital of the world, the city of sages.