"You are once again smoking right in the morning." Divya complained as Nandini took a huge drag.

"Not now please."

Divya shook her head and went away from everyone and stood there. She felt lost and alone, it was as if she didn't knew any one of them, all of them were in their own world, and none seemed welcoming at all.

She wondered what had gone wrong, her eyes wandered off in search of Madhav whom she couldn't find anywhere, tired emotionally she sat down, already regretting over this trip.

It was around half an hour later that the bus arrived, and with it, it seemed to have brought about zeal and enthusiasm. Rishi all of a sudden from nowhere came and began pulling everyone into a group, apparently, before moving onto this trip a picture was much needed for who knew if we would ever go for any other trip in future.

Somehow as Divya looked back at Rishi did she realize he had always been that one person in their group with whom she had least conversed, she could never connect with him on so many levels but he had his ways, he had his ways to win their hearts, he had always somehow made them know that he does care for them.

He was one of those who though seemed all rough and tough, but at heart they would be the sweetest of all. For it had all always been him who would live each and every moment as if that was the last and that he wouldn't have the next opportunity to be there.

The boys began gathering around, Kavya and her friends confused where they would stand now, and so was Divya, as Atharva, Dev, Rishi and Sanket began pushing Madhav to the middle of the group. Ignoring them Divya walked upto Simran and Nandini and stood beside Rakshit one of their classmates, there was still commotion behind them and soon she felt a hand on her shoulder, she wanted to turn around and see who could it possibly be but than hear Dev's loud voice in her ear.

"Dev, don't scream right in my ear. Shut up." She reprimanded and before Dev could have replied back to her Atharva once again with the phone in his hand ready to take the picture called out to them as they smiled back at the camera. It was set, this trip was set to begin. Later on when Divya would receive the pictures would she know how that hand on her shoulder that felt so warm wasn't that of Dev rather Madhav's.

*****

"Rishi have you gone mad? I had told you not to mess with me, I don't understand what the hell is your problem" Madhav yelled.

"Bro, you don't have to sulk, okay, I don't understand what's gone in your ass that you have been twisting about since morning." Rishi fought back.

"I had warned you Rishi, dont disturb me, and you Manav not everything is funny okay, so just shut up."

20 minutes. It took Manav, Madhav and Rishi just 20 minutes into the bus to create a ruckus. Divya shook her head and sat back making herself more comfortable, the show on any other day would have been quite entertaining, but right now so early into the morning it didn't seem any fun to her.

"Are dost, Madhav, we are just kidding man, why are you so pissed off?" Manav asked.

"I am not pissed off, you called it upon yourself, why can't you just stay put for sometime, all the while you have to be around dancing I just don't get it." Madhav exclaimed and was about to continue when Divya pitched in.

"Madhav stop, Manav you as well, don't instigate him more, both of you are at fault here, Manav if he doesn't want to eat let him be, you go back to your seat and have your breakfast," She then turned to Madhav and said,

"And you, you don't have to be an ass, you know you need at least 8 hours of sleep then you shouldn't have stayed up the whole night, you have no right to go all cranky on all of us. Sleep if you want to, if not then do whatever it is that you want to do just don't be an ass to everyone here."

None spoke to that, Manav walked back to his seat, Madhav muttered a few curses and went back to sleep, whereas Divya looked beside Madhav towards his friend and smiled back to her apologetically.

She then drew a deep breath and thought, how this was going to be a far more than difficult journey.

*****

True to what Divya had thought the journey had been surely difficult, with Rishi and Madhav again and again fighting over trivial things, spilling the Pohas and then sharing cigarettes as if nothing had happened.

They had taken around 3-4 stops, halting in the name of washroom and then extending it for tea and sutta and a series of Photo sessions. Divya had time and again peacefully walked out of the group when just the boys and Nandini and their friends Rajshri would stand to take pictures, though she was a part of their group she understood certain bonds and their friendship with each other was more closer than with her.

And when they had finally reached the trekking point they were in for a surprise.

"The treck that we were supposed to go for has been closed off because someone has committed suicide there. Hence we are going for the Irshalgad trek, it's a bit tricky but not that difficult."

The boys began fighting how they weren't ready for this and how they should get a refund for the same. With a lot of oh and aahhs the group finally reached a point from where the bus couldn't go any further.

Getting off the bus with their very important essentials they stood in a group, Divya and Nandini clinging to each other along with Simran wondering how long they will have to really walk to finally reach the trekking point.

It was 11:30 am when they finally began walking. Simran and Divya walked ahead as slowly Nadnini began falling behind. At times Divya would stop or walk slowly with Nandini but she found that only hurted her back and waist, she hence began walking at a faster speed and soon the group was divided into three/four groups.

In the very beginning was Madhav and one of the volunteers from the trek as well as their college fest. He would time and again ask Madhav to stop however he seemed to be in a very different hurry as he kept on walking ahead. The second was that of Divya, Simran, Atharva, Dev, and Jignesh, one of Nandini's friends whom time and again Manav, Rishi or even Aman would join and would again fall back.

It took them 2 hours to finally reach the starting point of the trek and the moment each and everyone joined them the group drank some water and began walking again. And this time as well Madhav seemed to be in a very much hurry as he would walk way ahead of others as if he was in a race.

At times Divya felt hurt, for Madhav didn't even speak to her as much as smile at her politely even for a little while. It hurted her even more when he would speak well with his friend Kriti and Rajshree and Nadnini and not her. It made her wonder what would have gone wrong, she wondered did she say anything that would have offended him or something. But then she later on thought none of the conversations that they had were out of the ordinary.

She was sure that Madhav was just being his usual irritated self and hence behaving so. She decided to ignore him right back and enjoy her trip. For she wasn't here for him, but for herself and for her friends.

As they crossed the first base camp and then moved on to the second one and when the path became too difficult for her to walk, Dev would stop for her to come and then extend his hand, guide her where to step on and how to climb up.

Though it wasn't the first time that she was hanging out with Dev, Divya realized how easy it was to be with Dev. You could easily strike a conversation with him, at first though Dev had seemed to be snobbish but the more you would know him you would understand how wonderful a person he was. Though he still irritated her with his little taunts and what not, but still she was happy to have a friend like him. Dev was selfish, but he was nice, nice enough for her to be friends with him until they were friends.

It is said that worst of times make even the enemies as well friends. And though Madhav's friend Kriti wasn't her enemy, Divya couldn't ignore the jab of insecurity and jealousy that she had felt when Madhav had walked up to her when she had got off the taxi, smiled at her, introduced her to everyone and sat beside her in the bus.

At first Divya had thought she wouldn't be able to be friends with her, but it seemed difficult for it was She, and Simran on whom Divya could reply on the most difficult terrains when even Dev, Atharva, Manav and Madhav needed their help or when it was better to help oneself than the others.

And it was so on the slippery terrains when rain would all of a sudden fall on them did Kriti and Divya begin gelling up to each other. Talking about their experiences, what all they liked and laughing on the way Divya cursed Dev and Madhav as they would say something or the other to irritate her.

However when 3 hours later they all reached the highest peak and sat down by the edge looking down as the clouds came up to them and soon turned into a drizzle it all felt worth it.

Divya was seated on the rock watching down and feeling the loud beat of her heart, a serene feeling had washed over her entire body, the air was whisking away her hair at the kissing her face straight. She all of a sudden felt loved and beautiful for what she didn't know, but she was happy.

"This all is so beautiful right?" The familiar voice of Madhav from so close made her startle for a minute. She looked beside her as he sat right there, so close to her their elbows almost brushing each other.

Divya could only nod her head. It still hurt her how ignorant he had behaved with her and then here he was now all of a sudden talking to her, expressing his amusement.

"Divya, come let's go and have some tea." Jignesh called her.

Divya smiled back at him and quickly stood up and walked away leaving Madhav behind, but it was she who knew how much it took within her to not look back and ask him to join them.

The moments when Madhav had acted cold to her, and then all warm, when he had smiled at everyone and ignored her, and when none was there around them and how he had given her his entire attention made Divya realize how it wasn't important for Madhav to have her entire attention all the time. So what she liked him, she loved herself even more than him and for herself she had to put that distance between them, make him realize how it wasn't up to him when he would be a friend to her and when an asshole, even she could make him have the same medicine.

A few minutes later when Divya had once again walked into the small shade along with Jignesh, post taking a few pictures with Nandini, Simran and him she saw Madhav seated there along with the others and the only place that was empty was right beside him. Though it wasn't enough for her to sit, if he and Dev would sit she could easily sit.

She went there and picked up the back and asked Dev to shift a bit, he did as asked, however Madhav refused to shift and said, "Keep the bag there, there is no place for you to sit here, just leave my bag there."

"Divya you come here, we have space here." Jignesh called her to which Divya smiled and walked up to there, their place was congested but they all made a place for her. Divya stared at Madhav who made sure to ignore her the best not even to make eye contact with her.

She just couldn't understand what kind of a person Madhav was, and what was it that made her fall for him, for the Madhav whom she was meeting now wasn't the one whom she had met a year back.