5

The sun had already begun its slow descent behind the mountain peaks, casting a golden-orange hue over the narrow forest trail. The rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds filled the calm air, while a cool breeze swept across the path-refreshing but also hinting at the approaching chill of evening.

Everyone had broken into smaller groups, scattered ahead, laughing, clicking photos, and enjoying the scenic beauty around. Vani and Anushka were still trailing behind, walking at a slower pace. Their faces glowed with joy, even if their legs had started to protest the long hike.

"Vani... I'm so tired. Let's just sit for five minutes, please," Anushka pleaded, dragging her feet as she looked around for a rock or log to rest on.

"Anu, we just rested a while ago. And look-it's already starting to get dark. If we stop now, we'll be stuck climbing in the dark," Vani said firmly but gently, adjusting the strap of her bag.

Anushka sighed dramatically. "Fine... but if I faint, you'll carry me."

They continued along the narrow trail, winding through trees and uneven stones, the shadows stretching longer with each step.

Suddenly-"Ahh!"

Anushka's foot slipped on a loose stone. Her body tilted backward, and before she could even process what was happening, strong arms caught her just in time.

Startled, she blinked and looked up-straight into the eyes of a guy she hadn't even realized was behind them.

It was Uttar.

He had been walking up the path with two of his friends when he noticed the two girls ahead. His reflexes kicked in just in time to catch Anushka before she hit the ground.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice calm but concerned.

Anushka couldn't speak. For a moment, she just stared at him, completely lost-not in shock, but in something else entirely. She had never seen him this close before. The evening light lit up the side of his face like a movie scene, and she didn't know why her heart suddenly started beating faster.

He looked toward Vani, a bit confused by the silence. "Is she alright?"

Vani rushed over, gripping Anushka's hand. "Anu! Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm okay," Anushka mumbled, though her face was still red-whether from embarrassment or something else, she didn't know.

But as she took a step forward, a sharp pain shot up her ankle. "Aah! Vani, it hurts-I can't walk..."

"Arey kya hua?" Vani helped her sit on a large rock beside the trail. "Let me see."

Anushka winced as she moved her foot slightly.

"Looks like a minor sprain. Nothing too serious," Vani said after examining it. "But you definitely shouldn't walk on this for too long."

Uttar stepped closer, his brows furrowed. "Need help? We can carry your bags. And if you support her, you both should manage. It's not too far from here."

"Seriously? That'd be a big help-thank you!" Vani smiled, appreciating the offer.

Aman, who had been quietly observing the scene, stepped forward and picked up one of the backpacks without a word. Uttar grabbed the other.

"Ready?" Vani asked Anushka, kneeling beside her.

Anushka nodded, still looking a little embarrassed.

"Okay, put your arm around my shoulders-yeah, like that. Lean on me."

With effort, they began moving again. Vani supported Anushka, while Uttar and Aman walked ahead with the bags. The trail was quieter now, the other groups already out of sight. The light was fading quickly, and the forest had taken on a magical glow-dusky, peaceful, and a little haunting.

Anushka glanced at Uttar walking ahead. "Thanks," she said softly.

He turned slightly, gave a small nod, and said, "Be careful next time. The mountains can surprise you."

Anushka gave a small smile and looked at Vani, who winked at her teasingly.

"Falling in style, huh?" Vani whispered.

"Shut up," Anushka muttered, blushing again.

Everyone finally reached the resting spot just as the sky melted into shades of warm orange. The golden light spilled over the mountaintops, and a cool breeze rustled through the pine trees.

Anushka carefully settled herself on a rock, gently adjusting her foot, while Vani dropped the bags beside her with an exhausted sigh and flopped down on the ground.

Aman strolled in a few seconds later, casually placing the bag he had helped carry near them.

"Bas? Thoda sa trek aur thak gayi?" he smirked, brushing nonexistent dust from his shoulder like a hero returning from battle.

Vani gave him a side glance. " Ik bag uthane pe itna hero mat bano. "

Aman raised an eyebrow. " Mein to bas itna keh raha tha... ki thoda stamina aur hota toh aap akele bhi manage kar leti. Aur ab help krne ke bad ik thanks bhi ni mil rha . "

She folded her arms. "Acha to mahashya , iske liye thanks chahiye ya statue?"

Aman grinned. "Statue ni... par ek chota sa thankyou hi kafi h ."

Before Vani could roast him further, Uttar walked over, casually sipping from his water bottle. "Maine bhi toh bas bag uthaya tha, mujhe thank you mil gaya... Aman , tumse kya paap ho gaya?"

Vani turned to Uttar with a sugary smile. "Exactly. Tumne silently help kiya, bina overacting ke. So thank you only to you. Isne to poore raste poori book likh di hai, apni tareefo ki. Sir sard ho gaya."

Aman placed a hand over his heart. "Dil ko choo gayi yeh line. Help bhi ki, aur insult bhi free."

Arush wandered over, still munching on a biscuit. "Bhai, yeh tum dono ka pehla conversation tha? Toh agle teen din ke liye popcorn ready rakhna padega."

Ishan adjusted his cap and chuckled. "Iski to adat hai nayi bat thodi hai... "

Aman sat down beside a tree, shaking his head dramatically. "Main toh bas madad karne aaya tha. Par yahaan toh sarcasm ke arrows chal rahe hain."

Vani didn't even look at him. "Next time madad karne se pehle, attitude kam kar lena."

Everyone laughed again. Even Anushka couldn't hold back this time.

Uttar leaned closer to Aman with a smirk, whispering, "Bhai next time, bas bag uthana. Zubaan mat chalana."

Aman rolled his eyes and looked at the fading sun. "Yeh duniya meri goodness ke laayak nahi."

Arush broke into a dramatic gasp. "Wah Aman bhai... itni beizzati ke baad bhi zinda ho?"

Ishan chuckled again. "Bro... agar yeh fight na hoti, toh trek ka asli maza kaise aata?"

Arush stood up, brushing his palms. "Chalo sab drama kings, tents bhi lagane h andhera hone se pehle ."

And with that, the group, full of banter and energy, moved ahead-trudging into the next stretch of the trail, the mountains echoing softly with their laughter.

Everyone was busy trying to fix their tents.

Vani, too, was struggling, staring at the tangled mess of fabric and poles, trying to figure out how it was supposed to come together.

Just then, Aman walked over, hands in pockets and a smirk on his face.

"Need some help?" he asked casually.

Vani gave him a sharp look. "Tumhe kya main pagal lagti hoon?"

Aman raised an eyebrow. "Ab poochh rahi ho to bata deta hoon, thodi si ho to waise..."

Vani picked up the hammer and pointed it at him. "Tum jao, yahaan se. Nahi to yeh haathoda is keel se pehle tumhe thok dega."

Aman burst out laughing. "Alright, alright, chill. I'll go fix my own tent before this turns into a crime scene."

He walked away, still chuckling.

A few feet away, Anushka was fumbling with her tent pegs. Uttar noticed and walked up to her.

"Need some help?" he asked.

"Ha, actually... I'm confused how to do it," Anushka admitted with a sheepish smile.

"It's your first time trekking and camping in the mountains?" he guessed.

"Ha. Padhai ki wajah se kabhi time hi nahi mila," she replied.

"Hmm. Okay," he nodded, helping her set up the tent. "Done. By the way, how's your leg?"

"It's still paining a bit... but I'll apply something soon," she said.

"Alright. Take care," he said, giving her a reassuring smile before walking back to his own tent.

"Thank you," she said softly, with a shy smile.

Back at her tent, Vani tried once more to secure a pole, but this time hit her own hand with the hammer. She winced in pain.

Aman, who had been watching from a distance, walked back with a smug look.

"Maine kaha tha na, help le lo. Ab lag gayi na?" he teased.

"Hato, ab wahan se," he said, gently moving her aside.

In a matter of minutes, he fixed the tent like a pro.

"Lo, ho gaya. Is baar thank you nahi bologi toh bhi chalega," he said with a grin.

Then he handed her a hanky. "Yeh lo. Kuch laga lena. Wound chhoti hai, but it can cause infection. "

Vani stared at him for a second, surprised by the mix of care and sarcasm.

He turned to leave when she called out, "Ruko... woh, thank you."

Aman turned back dramatically. "Acha! Ab madam ko thank you bhi bolna aata hai?"

Vani folded her arms. "Haan, kabhi kabhi kuch log help ache se kar dete hain... toh kehna padta hai."

Aman stepped closer. "Waise tumhara thank you thoda late aaya... par chalo, chalega."

"Late aaya par man se ," Vani said, tilting her head.

"man se?" Aman smirked. " lagta h dimag pe chhot lagi hai hath pe nahi ."

Vani laughed. "Tum jao yahan se. Warna thank you wapas le lungi."

They both chuckled, the tension fading into an easy silence.

Without saying more, they turned and walked to their respective tents, the fading sunlight casting a soft golden hue over the campsite.

They had finally finished pitching their tents. Hands sore, clothes dusty, but spirits high. A quiet sense of accomplishment lingered in the air.

But hunger was louder than everything else now.

Thankfully, food was arranged at the site. Everyone gathered in a rough circle, settling on rocks and sleeping mats to eat under the vast, open sky. Crickets chirped in the background, blending with the soft rustle of the mountain breeze.

After dinner, someone suggested a campfire. The idea lit up everyone's faces. Twigs, dry leaves, and logs were quickly collected, and soon, a warm fire crackled at the center of the campsite, its glow painting golden light on everyone's tired faces.

Vani returned with a bunch of water bottles in her arms. She handed one to Anushka, another to Aman, and distributed the rest among the group.

Aman, distracted by a conversation with Arush, took the bottle absentmindedly. "Thanks," he muttered, uncapping it and taking a long, refreshing sip.

Then-chaos.

The drink touched his tongue, and within a second, Aman started coughing violently. Sprite burst out of his mouth and nose like a fizzy volcano.

"Phhhhrrr- kya tha yeh!" he sputtered, bent over, wiping his face on his sleeve.

Everyone turned toward him, wide-eyed.

Vani was already clutching her stomach, laughing uncontrollably. "Cold drink thi!" she gasped between fits of laughter. "Tumne hi toh kaha tha-help karne pe special treatment chahiye. Toh lo, mil gaya!"

Aman stared at the bottle, then at her, betrayed. "Sprite?! Who the hell puts Sprite in a water bottle?!"

Arush doubled over with laughter. "Special treatment toh badi mast thi, bhai! Vani, tumne toh mujhe bhi peeche chhod gayi prank mein. Aaj se tum meri team mein!"

The whole group roared with laughter.

"Bhai, tumne cold drink ki jagah fire extinguisher pee liya tha kya?!" someone shouted from the back.

Even Anushka was in tears. "Tumhara reaction priceless tha! Kaash kisi ne video bana li hoti," she said, wiping her eyes.

Aman narrowed his eyes at Vani, who calmly sipped from her real water bottle. "Tum logon ka toh main... main dekh lunga!" he declared dramatically.

Vani smirked. "Bas tumhi special the, Aman. Treatment bhi exclusive mila."

Aman stood up, still soaked and scowling playfully. He pointed a finger at her like a movie villain. "Badla milega... aur aisa milega ki tum apna Sprite prank bhool jaogi."

Vani raised an eyebrow. "Challenge accepted."

From the other side of the fire, someone called out, "Kya baat hai! Trekking trip hai ya prank war chal raha hai?"

More laughter erupted as the group shifted toward lighter topics-ghost stories, school memories, and mountain myths. But Aman stayed unusually quiet, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

He wasn't done yet.

Meanwhile, Vani leaned toward Anushka and whispered, "Aman ka reaction na... highlight of the night!"

Anushka giggled. "I swear! Par ab sambhal ke rehna-badla toh zaroor lega."

Vani grinned. "Main ready hoon."

As night fell over the mountains, a soft hush settled around the group. The stars peeked through a blanket of clouds, and the fire crackled in the middle of their circle, casting flickering shadows on everyone's faces. Someone suggested playing a game - something to shake off the stillness of the evening.

"Let's make it interesting," arush said, grinning. "Whoever loses has to go into the forest and find the treasure we hid earlier. Alone."

Excitement buzzed through the group, mixed with a nervous thrill. Earlier that day, during a hike, they'd buried a small box in the forest as part of a challenge. Now, in the dark, with the forest whispering nearby, the stakes felt real.

Teams were quickly formed, drawn at random. By chance - or so it seemed - Aman and Vani ended up as partners. Anushka teased vani, laughing at how they always ended up paired together.

Vani raised an eyebrow at Aman.

"Don't mess this up. I'm not going treasure hunting in the middle of the night with wolves around."

Aman just smiled, his expression unreadable.

What no one knew was that this wasn't just luck. Aman had planned everything.

He hadn't forgotten the prank Vani played on him a few minutes back - sprite in a water bottle .

Now was his perfect chance.

As the game progressed, Aman made tiny, convincing mistakes. He answered questions too quickly, chose the wrong paths, fumbled easy challenges - all without raising suspicion. Vani grew increasingly frustrated.

"Seriously?" she whispered during the final round. "That was the easiest clue. How did you miss that?"

Aman scratched his head and gave her a sheepish look.

"I guess I panicked under pressure."

And just like that - they lost.

Cheers erupted around the fire.

"Into the woods you go!" someone laughed, handing them a flashlight and a map.

"Don't get eaten!" another teased.

Vani looked at Aman, clearly unconvinced.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

He grinned, not confirming or denying.

"Come on, partner. Adventure awaits."

With the flashlight flickering slightly and only a paper map to guide them, the two stepped beyond the treeline. The forest felt different at night - alive in a quieter, more ancient way. Crickets chirped in the underbrush, and every snap of a twig underfoot made Vani flinch.

As they disappeared deeper into the woods, the sounds of the group faded behind them, replaced by rustling leaves and the soft rustle of wind through the trees. Unbeknownst to Vani, this night was more than just a game or a punishment - it was the beginning of something unexpected.

The jungle trail was quiet, almost too quiet. The only sounds were the crunch of dry leaves under their boots and the occasional rustle of the cold breeze through the trees. Vani and Aman walked side by side, flashlights in hand, surrounded by thick shadows and a sky full of stars peeking through the canopy.

Unbeknownst to Vani, Aman had already set things in motion with Arush and Ishan to give her a little "revenge surprise."

Suddenly, Vani's torch flickered and then completely shut off.

"Kya hua isse?" she muttered, tapping the side of the flashlight.

"Lagta hai tumhari tarah dar gayi," Aman said, grinning.

Vani rolled her eyes. "Main koi darti-varti nahi hu, samjhe?"

"Oh ho, itni himmat!" Aman smirked. "Toh chalo dekhte hain jungle kitni himmat test karta hai."

Then, without warning, Aman subtly turned off his own torch and shoved it into his back pocket. He blinked around in mock confusion.

"Arre yaar, meri torch bhi bandh ho gayi. Lagta hai battery dead ho gayi," he said with fake frustration.

Vani glanced at him, a little annoyed now. "Kya timing hai! Ab kya karein?"

"Pata nahi," Aman shrugged dramatically. "Chalo, wapas chalte hain. Andhere mein kuch dikh nahi raha."

But before she could respond, Aman slowly stepped back-and disappeared into the darkness.

Vani turned around. "Aman? ... Aman, ye koi mazaak hai kya?"

No response.

Her voice grew more urgent. "Aman? Dekho, main mazaak mein bhi itna nahi ghabrati... par seriously, bolo na!"

Leaves rustled behind her. She whipped around. Nothing.

Suddenly, two figures-Arush and Ishan-jumped out from the bushes with loud growls, masks made from torn leaves and jackets, shouting like ghosts.

"Bhooooot!" they screamed.

Vani barely had time to gasp before her legs gave way. With a faint gasp, she slumped to the ground-unconscious.

Aman rushed out from the side where he was hiding and saw her lying motionless. His laughter died mid-chuckle.

"Vani? Vani!" He quickly knelt beside her, lifting her gently and propping her against a tree trunk.

"Vani utho... itna bhi nahi darana tha yaar," he said, lightly patting her cheeks.

"Yrrr agar mar gayi toh? Main to bol dunga Aman ne maara hai," Arush said, half serious, half panicking.

"Pagal hai kya?" Ishan hissed. "Itne se koi marta hai kya? Beshosh ho gayi hai bas."

"Lekin yeh prank kuch zyada heavy ho gaya," Aman muttered, his brows furrowed.

After a few tense minutes, Vani stirred. She blinked, groaned slightly, and sat up with Aman's help.

"Vani? Arey, tum theek ho na?" Aman asked, clearly guilty now.

"Kya... hua?" she mumbled, rubbing her forehead.

Aman glanced nervously at Ishan and Arush. "Woh... actually... prank tha thoda sa. Tumhe daraana tha bas... mazaaq mein."

Vani's eyes widened. She sat up straighter, her voice rising. "Tum logon ka dimaag kharab ho gaya hai kya?! Jungle ke beech mein, bina light ke, aise darana?! Agar kuch ho jaata toh?!"

Arush raised his hands. "Mujhe to Aman kheech ke laya tha, main toh bechara actor tha!"

"Actor?" Vani glared. "Ruko zara, tumhara award main abhi deti hoon."

Just then, the only functioning torch-Arush's-flickered once and died.

They froze.

"Arre yeh kya hua?" Arush smacked it, but the light refused to return.

Ishan checked his pockets. "Mere paas bhi kuch nahi. Sab torches gayi."

A hush fell over the group.

"Great," Aman muttered. "No torches, no GPS, and full darkness. Ab kya karein?"

"Walk in the dark, genius," Vani snapped. "Jungle mein treasure dhoondhne aaye the, ab andheron mein regret dhoondh rahe ho."

Aman tried to lighten the mood. "Tum to kehti thi kisi se nahi darti. Toh ab toh maze karna chahiye na?"

Vani gave him a slow look. "Tumhe toh main baad mein bataungi. Special treatment milega, yaad rakhna."

Aman grinned nervously. "Uh-oh."

Vani turned to Arush. "Aur tum. Ruko zara. Tumhara toh double treatment hoga."

"Arey Vani, meri maa... mujhe toh Aman kheech ke laya tha," Arush pleaded, stepping back.

"Nahi, nahi. Ab sabko equal mila hai, toh tum bhi bhugto," she said with mock sweetness.

Ishan chuckled. "Lagta hai ab revenge ka badla reverse hone wala hai."

The group slowly began walking back toward camp, feeling their way through the darkness, bumping into trees and each other.

"Mujhe lag raha hai yeh jungle prank war ban gaya hai," Aman whispered to Ish

an.

"War toh tab banega jab Vani sach mein badla legi," Ishan replied. "Tab ka asli show hoga."

From behind, Vani's voice floated calmly but ominously: "Aur show main hi direct karungi. So stay tuned, boys."

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