"So who all are ready to walk back down?" Dev asked.

"I, Divya and Kriti, we are coming Nandini and Rajshri are going with Aman to the other point." Simran answered.

It was 4 pm and ideally they were going to trek back down however Aman, Jignesh, Nandini and Rajshri wanted to check the highest point to which there was a different path.

Divya herself wanted to join them however she could feel the soft pain of cramps that had started building up in her lower back, she thought it was better to go back downstairs than to walk herself into more pain.

"You wanted to come with us right?" Jinesh whispered beside her.

"Yeah but I am not feeling a little well, I would rather go back down."

"You sure, anything serious?"

'Na, you guys go ahead,"

And with that Aman and the group began walking up, whereas Divya, Simran, Kriti, Atharva, Dev, Madhav, Manav and Rishi began walking down to the base camp.

The path walking up had felt difficult, however now that they had begun walking back downstairs it seemed that walking up was much better than walking down as at times they would have to crawl on their buts, hold onto each other's hand even to stand still or best just let the wetland let them slide down.

Though sliding down had been fun, it had only made their clothes dirty. Around half an hour into the journey they came across a waterfall, Divya walked ahead to it and began washing away the mud on her shoes pants and her jacket. She then washed her face and could feel the hotness on her face subsiding slowly.

The rest as well joined her as surprisingly this time Madhav was at the back whilst the rest of the group was walking ahead, especially Divya who made sure to stay away from him and only with Kriti and Simran.

"I knew Divya would do this. I won't be surprised if whilst going up as well she would have wanted to come here to wash her face." Madhav commented as soon as he saw everyone washing their respective shoes and joined them as well.

"Well what's wrong with that? It's the natural water, even I washed my face while going up" Kriti commented as she shrugged her shoulders and the three - Divya, Simran and her began walking ahead.

"Dev, we are going ahead, you guys join us when you are done." Divya yelled back as Dev asked them to be careful.

Slowly and steadily the three girls began walking ahead, the air around them had grown chilled and Divya could feel her hands going cold. Helping each other they had just come out into a clearing when Simran stopped.

"Shit my shoes have completely gone."

"Why dont you remove the sole? I am sure there is a covering at the end, let's try to make it to the last point with that, we can walk slowly." Divya suggested as Kriti and Simran agreed and began walking.

They had just taken a few steps ahead when the boys walked up to them. Simran explained her situation as they as well suggested what Divya had said and walked ahead leaving the girls behind.

But it wasn't just the girls who were behind but as well Madhav who was finding it difficult to make his way down.

Divya ignored him and began walking along with Simran, but somewhere to the point, she had somehow deviated her path from that of Simran's and Kriti's and was walking on her own when it began raining.

She stood there trying to pull up her jacket over her head when Madhav walked up to her and helped her. Surprised all she could say was thank you. She waited for him to say something, but he didn't, she saw around them there were a few other tourists and Simran and Kriti were walking ahead of them and the boys had already gone far ahead.

She rubbed her hands that were getting more cold with the increasing wind and rain and was about to walk ahead when Madhav spoke,

"My hands have started shivering look.' he brought his left hand right in front of her it was all red and shivering, for a faint moment it reminded her of the time in Mussoorie when Madhav had back then came up to her and told her about his shivering hand, it reminded her how foolish she was to give him her gloves and how she had let him dive his hand in her pockets hold on to her warmer hands until his warmed up.

But this time she was in her senses and mad at him, for she said, "What's new in that, you know that you get cold easily, then you should have bought a warmer windcheater or taken precaution, it's all your fault." with that said she began walking ahead.

Pissed with him for how he was behaving with her. All the while since morning he had ignored her. He had not as much as glanced at her and now here he was complaining to her about feeling cold. What was she to do? Smile back at him, nurse him?

She was internally cursing him when all of a sudden he came up to her and took hold of her hand and whispered into her ear.

"You know I can easily walk up the mountains, but I am not well versed with getting down, it's very difficult for me."

Divya only nodded her head, She was all nervous and her heart was beating so loudly, thank god for the jacket that her face was hidden from him for she was sure that she was blushing like anything.

All that little moment seemed like a dream as he held her hand, for a moment she couldn't believe he was really beside her holding her hand.

When Divya didn't say anything, Madhav held onto her hand tightly and pulled her along with him as they began running, she wanted to stop him, pull back her hand embarrassed as they passed Simran and Kriti, worried that the boys would see them, but he wouldn't let go off her.

They soon began walking again as rough terrain came, and Madhav said, "It seems my bacha is upset with me. I haven't spoken with my bacha since morning."

The moment the words were out of his mouth Divya's Heart stopped beating, she couldn't speak and waited for him to continue, as much as she wanted to think that she was the one to whom he was referring to, Divya knew it wasn't the case.

"I am talking about Anu, I was supposed to do a video call with him today, he had already called me twice but I was not able to answer his call, now he must be pissed."

And all Divya could do was nod her head.

"He has once again sent me a list of toys that he wants, demanding me to get them or not to come back at all." Madhav continued.

"How is everyone back home? Uncle Aunty, your sister and Anu."

"All of them are good, Mom has found herself a new hobby and dad's busy with business, Anu has started spending a lot of time with me now, and di is pregnant again, we are a bit scared but as well happy."

"I am sure she will be fine. Congratulations." Divya looked up and smiled. It was then she realized it had stopped raining.

Madhav nodded his head and let go of her hand, as he had to shift a bit in order to walk down. The two of them came into a clearing again where the boys were waiting for all of them and it was as if they had came out of a dream, the loss of Madhav's hand in her made her feel sad, she didn't knew what kind of a conversation was that, but it seemed that was what Madhav was to her.

Someone with whom she could talk about things that were very intimate, there were things that they said to each other only because they had an understanding that they can say that to each other, there were things that they did for each other because they knew they could do that for them. She wasn't sure for how long this understanding would last, but she hoped that it would last for a long while. She hoped that whenever they would meet they could talk about their families, their worries, their pain, their achievements and insecurities just the way they did now.

"Ohh bhai, Divya you look exactly like a parrot in that jacket, all parrot green." Dev commented. It was then that everyone began looking at her, in fact it was right than she as well realized that the color resembled so much to that of a parrot.

"Yeah, any problem?"

"Guys, Divya knows the in and around of places like these, she lives in Borivali as it is very much near to mountains, look how comfortably she is walking back down. It must be a familiar path for her." Madhav teased.

Dev, Atharva, Manav and Rishi along with Simran and Kriti waited patiently for Divya to say something, however all she did was glared at him, as he smiled back at her cheekily and began walking ahead.

"Bro yeh kuch nahi boli?" Rishi said.

"It's okay Rishi, Madhav ki bakwas ki aadat ho gayi hai, do one thing ignore him."

A few minutes later the group reached the second base camp, the moment they reached there the boys began litting their cigarettes. Divya though was done with the whole passive smoking there was no other space to sit other than between Madhav and Dev who were sharing the same cigarette, with a deep breath of fresh air she walked up to them and sat down.

Dev began playing a few good romantic songs when Rishi asked her,

"Divya smoke?"

"Rishi, how many times do I have to tell you that I don't smoke, nor am I going to smoke."

"Then how come you are sitting here?" Dev asked,

"Are Divya has become a pro now with regards to Passive smoking this is nothing for her." Madhav said as Divya shook her head agreeingly she couldn't help but feel irritated as Dev sang in his off-tuned voice. However, in the second song into the jam she herself found singing the lyrics of the iconic songs from Om Shanti Om. Soon even Madhav joined the two as if competing with Dev singing loudly in Divya's ears.

Dev had just played the song Aankho mein teri and Madhav and Divya were singing the lyrics with the flow swinging their heads and legs while sitting on the wooden log completely immersed into it, however when the lyrics

Aayi aisi raat hai jo Bohat khush-naseeb hai

Chaahe jisse door se duniya Vo mere kareeb hai

Kitna kuch kehna hai Fir bhi hai dil mein sawaal kaheen

Sapnon mein jo roz kaha hai wo phir se kahun Ya nahee

Came, Divya went a little silent, it was as if the song was speaking her words, it was as if the two of them were confessing to each other. She quickly stood from there and walked away. She couldn't walk back into the same stanza again, she had to be in reality. This was no bollywood movie, she didn't wanted to create yet another mistake like that on her iv.

She didn't wanted to flow away with her feelings just like that, for after a lot of difficulties she had finally came back to her senses.

"OHH Striii suno." Dev yelled at her, turning around she found him smiling at her as he said, "Wait for us even we are coming"

The troop once again began walking down, the path few minutes into it became so difficult that right in the beginning was the volunteer, than Atharva, than Manav, followed by Dev, than Divya behind her was Simran who was helped by Kriti and behind them was Madhav who was taking his own sweet time to come down,

In the beginning, Divya would direct Simran and than as well Madhav as to what way would be more easier however Madhav was finding it extremely difficult to walk down, hence she waited for him and asked him to take hold of her hand however he ignore her and tried being heroic and fell right on his bum.

Divya couldn't help but laugh her ass off. She legit sat down all the way laughing along with Madhav and the others.

"I mean Madhav any trip without you falling on your ass is incomplete right. I had told you to hold my hand but no."

"Will you stop laughing now, I find it difficult to get down okay, I am trying." He nagged.

"OHH Madhav, that's why she was helping you," Dev said.

Madhav looked at laughing Divya who was shaking her head at his stubbornness as he said, "Yeah right, as it is this isnt new for Divya she must be completely used to it. Right Divya?"

"What do you mean?" Atharva asked.

"Are don't you know Borivali mein sare raste aise hi toh hai, aadhe se jyada time to yeh national park bethi rehti hai. And aadha time Gorai beach. Toh aise aade thede raston ki toh aadat hai hi."

Divya glared at him and began walking, leaving Madhav to fend for himself. Throughout the next journey, Dev would keep on yelling ohh streee whenever anyone stopped for a longer while, while Madhav would ask Divya if her daily route as well had such slopes, if the building in which she lived was on a mountain as well or if she even lived in a mountain,

Divya, though irritated with his comments, decided it was better to ignore him rather than to instigate him with any further replies. However when even after some time Madhav hasn't shut up Manav spoke up,

"Madhav she isnt even bothered by it, why are you wasting your energy, better shut up."

It must have been just 3 sec for which Madhav had been silent and then he began targeting Simran.

"Simran, what happened to your shoes, do you as well have a route like that of Divya's home?"

Divya turned around and glared at him. She wished he would fall down once again this time such that his trap would go shut. However Madhav had something more for her.

"Yaar simran, Divya is such a bitch of a friend she didn't even tell you that we would be going on such a bad road, I mean if I would have known that this is how it would be like I would have told you to get strong shoes, and see now she isnt even helping you out:

"Yaar Aunty, why are you after Divya? Divya yaar isko attention de de yaar," Dev exclaimed.

"I didn't knew Madhav Khandelwal used such tactics to get people's attention, Madhav tu na bol hi mat, terko attention mil jayega."

"Yaar Simran dekh ab tu aur mein bat kar rahe hai still she has a problem."

Luckily none of them said anything and just kept on walking ahead, a few minutes later Madhav once again called out to Simran and said "Yaar Simran tell us how are you doing, you still havent started talking man, we all aren't that bad that we won't talk to you. Yes Divya can be bad at times but not us."

"See Simran what I mean is, Vooah." The whole group turned around to see Madhav once again on his ass.

"I don't understand, Madhav, why do you even open your mouth to speak, can't you just shut up and walk?" Divya exclaimed. Though she wanted him to fall down she was worried now whether he was okay.

"Why are you jealous if he is speaking to me Divya?" Simran teased.

"Ha Divya Why are you jealous?" Dev and the rest questioned,

She turned around to look at Madhav who was smiling at her his eyebrows raised.

"Why would I be jealous, speak all you want to, just keep me, my name and my house and its path out of the conversation."

"Arey but its just similar to this road right." Madhav exclaimed.

"Did anyone ask you to speak to me?" Divya questioned.

The entire group guffawed as they walked down. In the next half an hour they were back to the base camp.

Madhav and the rest of the boys stopped a car as they all got in to move towards their bus. All of them were tired and nowhere in the mood to walk or talk.

On reaching the bus the boys went ahead first to get changed, as Atharva walked out of the bus he walked upto Divya and said,

"Listen We have asked the bus driver to shift the rear view mirror. One of us will be down and no one will be there in the bus, you girls can close the window and get changed. If you need anything do let us know." He then walked back to where Rishi and Dev were standing. As he walked away Divya smiled subconsciously, where each one of these guys had some or the other side, Atharva had this one.

He was the more mature, more understanding one, someone with whom you would be comfortable with many things, he had always understood what could make his girl- friends more comfortable or what would be right for them. And somewhere not just them but even the boys. However he was as well one of the most observing person someone from whom it would be very difficult to hide things,

"Yaar Divya." Madhav's voice brought her back to reality as she saw him struggling with Water bottle.

"Give it to me, I'll help you, do you need facewash?"

"Do you have one?"

"Wait up, is everyone done?" Madhav nodded his head as Divya went inside the bus and got her face wash she then helped Madhav with washing his face, though earlier when she had met Madhav she had felt as if she was meeting a completely different person, but now that she had spent the entire day with him, she could still see the same Madhav right there.

"Done?"

"Yeah, Thanks." Divya nodded her head and went up to change her clothes.

An hour later they all began their return journey. This time again Madhav was seated with his friend, however this time he was all silent and even sleeping. But Divya couldn't sleep as the realization kept on haunting her, no matter what and how much she lied to herself, she couldn't help but realize that she liked Madhav.

She opened her eyes only to find Madhav looking at her, beside her Nandini sleeping peacefully, Manav, Dev, Rishi, Jignesh and others were playing some game, and for a moment she wondered for how long was he staring at her. What if someone would have seen him? However seeing the was he was seated anyone would think that he was sleeping and not staring at her,

Divya raised her eyebrows asking him what it was. To which he slightly shook his head in a no, and he himself raised his eyebrows asking her what was it she as well nodded her head no, for sometime they kept on doing that, with Madhav's eyes still on her, and hers on his. When she couldnt take it anymore she smiled at him and closed her eyes.

The next time she had opened her eyes they had reached Dadar, Madhav was seeing off his friend while Aman was seated beside her staring at her.

"Aur didi ki haal chal sab thik?" Aman asked.

"Dhang se baat karni hai toh thik hai varna merko sone de."

"You know I still feel you and Madhav look really good together." Divya looked at him as if he was kidding her but he seemed serious, she didn't say anything and just nodded, she didn't knew what was it that she should be saying to this,

"But you deserve better than him as well, I am telling you Divya, crack your IPS exam, go there in Jaipur and rule that state and its government and then let's screw his ass."

"Just because you all want to screw his ass, why should I pass the IPS exam?" Divya asked,

"You are the smartest one here."

"Yeah right how convenient."

"Aree Didi, -"

"Noo, I am not interested," Divya stopped him right in his sentence as she shook her head.

This was how it had always been with Aman, he was that one person who made her realize what the world looked at her like, what was somehow good for her, and always encouraging her. Somewhere when she would speak with him, it would always turn into a conversation like that between two siblings, always something that was filled with care, with him irritating her, and ensuring that she was fine.

It reminded her how when things between her and Madhav had gone bad and the boys had ganged up on her, and had claimed that she shouldn't have confessed her feelings to him, it was just him who had said that she had done the right thing,

She could still remember what he had said, "There is nothing wrong in confessing your love for someone, if I like someone that doesnt mean I am doing some crime, I just admire that person, I just love him and that's beautiful and I want them to know that. To be honest if someone would have told me that they loved me or had feelings for me, I would be so happy and grateful to them, for they liked me at a time when I wasn't even confident about loving myself."

There was a peaceful silence between them as Rajshri reprimanded Madhav as to why he was so silent until his friend was there and now has all of a sudden become so chatty, the two of them had a eye contact, but Madhav quickly averted his eyes and began speaking with the rest of the group. That slight moment disturbed Divya however she ignored it and turned to Aman and said,

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For understanding me when none understood nor even me. The feelings that I have for Madhav had been so overwhelming that I had to let him know. I know the way I told him was not right, and I might just regret it later on, but I won't regret the fact that I told him that I liked him just because of you. So thanks, Thanks for giving me courage to keep my belief in what I did,"

"NO problem, Bas voh IPS clear kar dena." Before Divya could reply to him the bus came to a halt. They had reached Hinduja.

******

"So who all are coming to Jhunka bhakar?" Manav asked.

Dev, Atharva, along with Kavya's friends decided to call it a night, whereas Nandini, Divya, Madhav, Manav, Rishi and Aman decided to go to Jhunka bhakar have something and then to call it a night.

Madhav however wanted something light to eat hence he went for a sandwich while Rishi gave an order of 2 triple schezwan friend rice and a pav bhaji for Aman.

The group seated themselves on the table. The same table two years back used to be filled with so many things it gave them all a huge nostalgia. They wondered for how long would this place be like this, would they even be able to sit like this have food, while Rishi would go about yelling the uncle their usual order, where Madhav would come and crib over his Diet, where Nandini would yell at Aman for irritating her, where Manav would talk about his films and Atharva and Dev yelling at him to stop talking while she would sit there soaking all in until Madhav would open his mouth and say something that would irritate her,

It reminded her of the first time they had sat together like this at Kalam's with him fussing over the dosa. She finally got to know the nerve ending love story of Madhav and Dosa but now all that seems such a distant memory.

"Ab kal office." Manav said,

"Yeah but first we need to get that mouse out of your house," Madhav said,

"My roommate said that nalayak mouse is already out of the house so we can go there peacefully."

Divya and Nandini kept on staring at Manav for how casually he called the mouse Nalayak and him going out of the house as if it were a human.

She could never understand the mechanics of Manav, that was how he had always been, full of enthusiasm, full of energy, surprises and a complete bollywood movie.

As they ate their food, Madhav sat there conversing with them Rishi and Manav cribbing over their jobs the next day,

They had just done with the dinner and were supposed to pay when Divya received a call she passed her wallet to Nandini and asked her to make the payment and excused herself to take the call,

It seemed as if it was a long call as when she came back they all were already picking their bags, Manav had already gone to get his scooty and Madhav was saying his byes to everyone,

Divya was still in a daze when he came up to her and shook hands with her.

"Bye, now let's meet next year," Divya couldn't say anything as he wrapped her in a hug, that hug felt so warm yet as if they were saying a final bye, she wanted to oppose him, tell that they would meet again, that she was planning to come to jaipur that they wouldn't really have to wait till the next year to meet again, but she couldn't say anything, she just nodded her head, wrapped her hands around his slim waist and let the warmth cover her being,

It was a very small hug for she didn't even knew when it began and when it ended, and with that Madhav went ahead, he didn't even looked back her while she waited for him to say something, but nothing, he just got on the scooty behind Manav and sped off.

A year back when Divya had bid him bye she had hoped to meet him again after a day, on a monday, but they had met after a year, and now that he was going off again she didn't knew what to take of it, would she ever meet him again, would she ever know what was it that Madhav felt about her, would they even be friends?

She didnt had answers to so many questions, but for now she knew a few things,

Madhav was like that of a beautiful season that had came to her life, he was there in her life for 3 months a duration of which any wonderful season lasts, those three months Madhav gave her best of memories, he gave her a story that she would remember for a long time, he made her love herself, he fought with her he made her discover so many new things about herself, and when the season changed, he went away, time and again like how every season changes Madhav would come back to her life she knew that, at least until they had same group of friends until than, and each time they would bring out a different side of each other.

As she walked back home that night she realized how things worked in life. So many people come into our life, they leave so many impressions on us, a few leave us with beautiful memories and the others with bad, but each one of them have to leave for their purpose in our life would be fulfilled by then.

Divya didn't know what was Madhav's reason for existence in her life, not now at least, maybe she would know 10 years or 20 years down the lane, but for now it was time to bid him bye. Surely it would take time, surely she would miss him a lot, it would feel like she had lost something so important, but all the memories that she had with him, the little promise to meet again was worth saying that Last Good Bye that night.

At least now she wouldn't regret having not said a proper bye to him, she had a proper memory of it unlike the faint one that she had a year back. She was happy for that, and hoped that somehow they would meet again. She would love to know what was left for them after their Last GoodBye.

                                                                                                THE END