A/n: Umm...Hii! Yes I am alive, haha....So here is the chapter

"So how was it?"

"How was what?"

"Your date obviously." Neha smirked knowingly and nodded at Divya, who was caught off-guard by this question.

"D-D-Date?! It wasn't a date. I told you that before."

Neha just rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah, whatever you say." She got up from her bed and took a look at the mirror.

"Freshen up a bit, and don't change." She mumbled addressing her friend.

"Why?"

"We are going out."

"Out? Out where?"

"Don't know. Mr. Jha picked the place. It's some late night restaurant or cafe. Not sure what it is." She finished applying the final touch ups to her natural makeup.

Divya hummed and excused herself to the bathroom.

***

Divya briefed her small adventure to Neha while walking down the street along with her classmates and teachers. It was night time but the city was still alive and bustling.

"Here we are!" Mr Jha announced to the students who perked up expecting a beautiful and sweet restaurant, instead came face to face with a congested and busy dinner place.

Their faces fell and some sighed in frustration. Divya and Neha weren't impressed either but when their stomachs growled in protest, they gave in to its complaints.

She shifted some tables and borrowed extra stools to make a setup for everyone. The teachers decided to take a table away from students so everyone did whatever they wanted. As this dinner was a treat from the teaching staff, the students made sure to make the teacher's wallet cry.

Everyone was practically on their phones, chatting or checking on their social media profile. Divya felt her bladder become heavy and tried to locate a washroom. But aside from the 'STAFF' door she couldn't find the toilet.

She got up and inquired about it from the hectic reception and found out that that restaurant lacked a washroom. She sighed and contemplated another option. She asked for permission from the teachers to go search for a public washroom and turned to Neha, to find that she was no longer at her seat.

Now, unable to control her urge to pee, she decided to choose the available option, that is,

"Twinkle, Ria." She called out to two girls busy on their phones.

Ria hummed indicating that she heard her, without lifting her head. Divya continued," Do you guys wanna join me for a washroom search? It's urgent." She chastised.

Ria got up silently with Twinkle groaning and giving Divya a stink eye. Without a word, the three girls made it to the outside of the stuffy cafe, taking in the open but chilly night air. Being the navigator, Ria steered the girls to a nearby public toilet with the help of the google maps with a half distracted Twinkle dragging behind them.

"It's here." Ria's voice was barely above a whisper but Divya caught on.

"Okay thanks." She excused herself and left the two girls waiting.

"Ugh! My leg hurts! Let's get back." Twinkle complained. Ria rolled her eyes at her childish complaint but didn't move her eyes from the device.

"Are you even listening?"

"We are waiting for Divya." Ria's voice was soft but stern.

"Why should we? It is merely a five minute walk from the restaurant. She can find her way back. Come on!"And without letting Ria speak, Twinkle dragged her to the restaurant, leaving an unsuspecting Divya alone, who was busy relieving herself.

After washing her hands, the short haired girl came out of the stall only to find the two batchmates missing.

"Twinkle? Ria?" She called out but nobody answered. A few passerbys glanced her way, making her feel uncomfortable. She was thankful to have her sling bag with herself, grabbing its straps provided her a sense of comfort. She searched for her phone and dialed Neha's number but the line was busy.

Divya, with her awful sense of direction, decided to retrace her steps back to the restaurant.

'Don't worry. You are just a few minutes away.' She tried to calm her racing heart that picked up speed once she realised she was left alone.

She walked for some time but felt lost. She couldn't find her way back! She felt like crying and started panicking and taking deep breaths. When she steeled her nerves and walked more. She turned to an alley which looked eerie but she could figure out the buildings at the end of it.

'I know these buildings! That is the clothing store we crossed a few minutes ago! I can figure out the restaurant from there.'

As soon as he stepped into the dark alleyway she heard the soft thumps of shoes behind her. When she looked behind, she saw no one. She sighed and moved forward scolding herself for hallucinating things. When she was halfway, she heard the sound again, this time closer. She didn't stop but to calm her screaming mind and instincts, she looked behind through the corner of eyes. What she saw made her heart jump to her throat.

***

"Where were you?"

"What?"

"You heard what I said."

"Wandering."

"Out where?!" Harsh was not having it. Vijay disappeared for over an hour without telling anyone anything and refused to answer his phone.

"Just venturing." Vijay shrugged.

"Oh? That's why you are bathed in coffee? Hmm?! Did you pick a fight somewhere?!"

"What? No! It was just an accident. Now don't bother me, I feel sticky! I just want a shower."

Harsh sucked in his increasing anger and decided to end the conversation," Pack up, we will be leaving first thing in the morning."

Vijay didn't say anything and disappeared in the bathroom. He knew this was coming soon but why was he feeling so bad about it?

After the shower, he packed his luggage and checked his dirty clothes for any excess items. And he did find it. A baby blue colored hanky with coffee stains. Divya's. He jogged back to the bathroom, washed it and dried it.

'Looks like I have to return this today, or I won't have another chance.' He grinned internally, grabbed a sweatshirt and ran out of his room leaving a shouting Harsh behind.

***

When he reached the hotel, he found out that the whole group went to a small night restaurant for dinner. He got the name and jogged to the place. Once he got there, he found a girl arguing on her phone. She looked familiar to him so he stepped forward to have a closer look.

'That's Divya's friend. What was her name? Sneha? Shruti? ..no...Neha! Yes. Neha.'

"Umm... excuse me?" He called out the fuming girl.

Neha tuned and instantly recognised him. She turned to her phone and whispered," Okay, okay, FINE! I'll call you later. Bye mum." She again turned to him, raising her eyebrows.

"Is Divya there?" He pointed out to the congested eating area.

"Yes, why?"

"Can you please call her outside? Tell her it's me."

Neha looked him up and down, then smirked," Sure." she said teasingly.

Neha slid inside the beanery and skipped to her seat, only to find an unavailable Divya.

"Raghav, where is Divya?" He shook his head to no.

"Twinkle?"

"Now what?!"

"What? I was going to ask where Divya was? There was nothing to be so bitchy about it!" Neha sassed. Twinkle was ready to throw hands but Ria answered the question softly.

"Out to the washroom. It's been ten minutes now since we left her...I guess..." She finished herself distracted. Maybe she was playing a game on her phone. But her lack of worry and care made Neha snap.

"AND YOU LEFT HER ALONE?!" Her outburst drew the attention of everyone in the cafe making it pin drop silent.

Without wasting her energy, she first complained to the teachers about this and stomped out to call Divya.

Vijay noticed her troubled face as soon as she stepped out, and the way her eyes worriedly directed at him, he knew it wasn't something good.

"Where is she? " His voice was controlled.

"I don't know! My mom called me so I went to a quieter place to talk. Div-Divya was there! But when it was time to end the- the call... you came and... and.. " Neha was rambling but Vijay understood her.

"Any ideas where she could be? "

Neha took deep breaths and ran her palm to her forehead, "I-uh- I don't know! Ria said something about a nearby public washroom. But- WHY ISN'T SHE PICKING UP?! " Neha grew more anxious as the time went. Vijay knew he had to act fast. He asked Neha to call her other friends and start searching for Divya.

The boys and the teachers, along with a few girls instantly got into work. They formed groups and searched for her in the nearby shops and streets. Ria directed a few people to the place she took Divya to, but found nobody there. Vijay and Neha, on the other hand, searched together for their friend.

Their senses heightened, they looked for something that could give them a sign of Divya, when they heard a small manly grunt and a muffled scream echo through a very dark and long alley. Judging by the voice, it sounded like-

'Divya' they thought in unison.

***