Trip time!!!
Yes, that's what had everyone excited. There was only a week left. The five of us gave our names as expected and payed the amount without a due. Nice. But we something that we hadn't been expecting, was awaiting us.

"I can't wait! I can't wait! I can't wait to breathe and bathe!" Megha was humming all along.
"You've been humming this from a week Megha... can you stop?" Sebastian asked, literally pleading.
But it seemed like Megha was in her own world, because she never stopped humming.
"Guess she didn't hear it." I said.
"Yeah. What a drag!" Ashok joined in.
One week passed in a jiffy.
Trip day. Everyone assembled at the grounds. We departed on time. The real shock was when we saw Megha with some other guy. She was sitting super close to him, and they were holding hands. Plus, we hadn't seen Maya in the week we had been waiting for the trip.

"She's had a crush on that guy since the first day of college and liking you was a pretence." Maya popped up out of nowhere and said this to me. She seemed irritated about something.
"Where did you vanish off to last week?"
"Spying." She replied.
"Spying on whom?" Sebastian became curious.
"Out little love maiden Megha." That was her answer.
"No wonder you know a lot about her." I added.
"Ofcourse. I started spying because I thought she had some plan of wooing you away from me, but I ended up discovering this."
"Woo me away from you?" I was pleasantly surprised that she had grown so possessive of me.
"U-u-h, never mind." She said, blushing with embarrassment.
"You look cute." With that compliment I set out find seats for the both of us. She took the clue and came and sat next to me. Short drive, and we arrived our destination in five hours. Tropical forests. Camping trip. Exciting adventures. I could hardly control my adrenaline. All the way to the destination, Maya slept on my shoulder. I grew to like her hanging on to me, that it started feeling weird if she wasn't around me.

We all got down the bus and waited for Megha and her new found boyfriend to come down too. But it seems they had already gone onto the forest. By the time we found them, they had already set up their tent and we enjoying the sounds of nature.

"I wish I could do the same." Maya prodded me.
"Are you complaining?" I asked her.
She tried to leave me because of the question, but I caught her hand, pulled her towards me. We were so close. It could have well been a kiss. But we knew it wasnt the time. So none of us took the lead.
Recovering, we set out to put a tent of our own. I called Ashok and Sebastian to explain them that I'd wanted to be with Maya, but those two already understood it.

Budding romance is fun. It could be yours or your friends, but its such a warm feeling. Me and Maya, Megha and that guy. We wished to see it through to the end.

The first two days were a blast. Maya and I had complete privacy, and she would cuddle up with me every night. We both knew we loved each other, but neither of us had the courage to open up. But Megha was bold. We heard she had confessed her love to Kenta (Kenta was his name. We came to know that from the roll calls.) and that he had accepted. Official lovebirds they were. And we were still unofficial, but soon to be. Soon, didn't know when.

There was a small beach by the forest's edge, and Maya and I decided to go there the third day. We woke up early, and went. But we were beat. Megha and Kenta were already there, smooching. As you might have already guessed, Maya made us change places, so she took me almost a kilometer off the coast and we had fun. In the end, she cuddled up beside me, and we sat there watching the ocean and gulls and palms.

I finally decided. I was gonna confess to her. I decided to do it the next day, which happened to be her birthday. How came to know it was her birthday? Let's continue. That night, she ws totally tired from all the fun we had at the beach, she literally passed out after dinner. After tucking her up under the blanket, I went to the beach to collect shells. I wans going to make a necklace of pearls and shells, gift it to her and then confess. Unexpectedly, I met Kenta.

"You must be Jin. I'm Kenta!" Followed by a shake hand.
"She must have told you all about me, huh brother?" I asked him.
"Totally bro. I can she her attempts were successful. You've changed quite a bit. Oh, if you're wondering how I know you, I'm from the science stream too, just the next section to yours."
"Figures you know me so well. Ill give half the credits to Megha though." I said.
"So would I!" He agreed.
"So, what brings you here?" I asked him.
"Tomorrow happens to be Megha's birthday." Saying that, he showed a ruby red pearl, embedded in a ring. "I'm going to gift her this." he said.
"And you're here for?" he asked me after a short pause.
"Tomorrow is Maya's birthday too. Im going to confess to her after gifting her the necklace I make out of these pearls and shells." I showed the pearls I had collected that day and the shells I had come to collect. He helped me collect them all. After a while, he left.
"Goodnight brother. I hope you and Maya have a nice future together."
"Wish you the same Kenta!" Emily wished him back. Thats when it struck me.
"Hey bro, wanna join our group. Youre already my ferried after speaking for so long and helping me, so might as well join!" I suggested.
"Sure, why not? It'll be a pleasant surprise to Megha on her birthday too!! She's been a bit sad about not being able to spend time with you guys on this trip." Kenta replied.
"Good choice bro. We'll break this news to them after you gift this to her and I confess to Megha!"
"Sure brother, and goodnight!!" Kenta left after that.
I stayed for an hour more and finished the necklace. I carefully brought it back to tent and placed it carefully inside my bag so as to not damage it. I couldn't sleep, so I waited for dawn to break. Finally, after what seemed ages of waiting, it dawned. Maya woke up around 7:00 and I was right beside her to give her a hug after waking up.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" I wished her.
"Let me show you something romantic." I asked to wait outside the tent for me for a bit. I took the necklace, hid it in my trousers' pocket and took her to the beach. It was a pleasant day.

Kenta was already there, almost ready to gift her the ring.
"Is this what you wanted to show me, that too, on my birthday??" She growled at me.
"Patience my dear, patience." I said. She watched Kenta gift Megha the ring and they went into a kiss again.
"I'm out of here!" Maya tried to leave the scene, but this time, once again I caught her by her hand and pulled her close to me. Her hand was on my heart.
"Its beating so fast!" She whispered.
"That is because..... I... I-I-I love you!" I said. I finally did it.
Her face turned beet red. She was cute as hell. I took out the necklace I had carefully crafted for her and ornamented her myself. She couldn't control her tears.
Once again, I looked her into the eye, and this time without any stammering, I said:
"I love you, Maya!"
"Took you long enough dummy!" She said, with her voice shaking with happiness. Before she made a move to kiss, she said "I love you too, Jin!" ... and we kissed. It was long and wet. She had literally cried of happiness.
Everyone cheered for us. Finally, after everyone calmed down, I told everyone that Kenta belongs into our group now.
Deadly pause.
"You... aren't kidding right?" Megha asked me.
Kenta took her by her cheeks and said, "Absolutely not. Bro isn't kidding!"
"Bro, huh. Bro! Fine!!" Maya said.
She signalled Megha to come to a side. What they spoke there, nobody will ever know. I tried to ask, but she pushed the topic away saying "Girls' secret!" Well, all's well that ends well.
Maya and Megha became BFFs, so did I and Kenta. Same stream, and a precious girl. Didn't take us long to become best friends.
"Shall we go to the beach together tomorrow??" Maya asked me, while Megha stood there waiting for my answer.
"Sure, I don't see why not!" They both were excited and ran off together somewhere. Im guessing they went to Kenta. Well, I wouldn't blame them. The trip was almost coming to an end. Two days left.

The next morning, all the six of us (Kenta, me, Maya, Megha, Ashok and Sebastian. Just counting to make sure!!) went to the beach together. All of us had a lot of fun. Almost by afternoon, every one were tired. Ashok and Sebastian left to prepare lunch. Megha and Kenta went to collect some twigs for campfire and some fruits. Since I and Maya had prepared for dinner last night, we stayed back.

"I really didn't think you'd confess. You gave me a pleasant surprise!" Maya told me. Every time she spoke about that topic, I could see that happiness in her eyes. That in turn, made me happy.

"Well, I feared somebody would take you away i didn't confess, so I did it." I replied.
She smiled, and before pulling me in to a kiss, she said:
"I'm yours to keep!"
By the time Ashok came to call us, Maya had fallen asleep while hugging me. I slowly carried her over. She woke up halfway, and realising she was being carried, kissed my cheek and held her head close my chest.
"Your heart still beats so fast!" She whispered.
"Only for you, and because you're close!" I replied.
She giggled. Lunch time. We arrived just as things were about done being prepared. What happened after that, flew by like wind. Last thing we know, we were boarding the bus back home. Same seating, except Kenta and Megha joined us this time.
Trip back home was fun.
"You've changed me quite a bit!!" I told Maya.
"That's my job!!" She said.
Leaning a bit back, I looked at Megha and said:
"Thank you!!"
Both Kenta and Megha gave me a smile of approval.
"Visits to the library will be more fun now!! And walking all the way to the bus-stop!" I said.
"Grown addicted to my touch??" Maya asked.
"Probably!"
"Too embarrassed to even accept!" With that, she hugged me tighter and fell asleep.
Life was starting to get brighter day by day. Before I drifted to sleep while resting my head on Maya's (she was leaning on my shoulder and slept while hugging me) I said a silent prayer asking things to remain the same.

© Jeevan