Somethings are meant to happen and no matter how much you tried to stop them or make a wall around you so, it cannot come to you but whether you like it or not, you will have to watch them happening and let it make changes around you or within you.
Sometime these changes can be scary and difficult to accept but what if they turn out to be the most beautiful one, something which you always craved for.
Next day morning as per our time table, we assemble in the field for our jogging session. While jogging or should I say walking (especially for me and Asher), we keep talking...
Me: What is your favourite dish?
Asher: (Sarcastic tone and winking at me) Some seems interested in me but I am straight, you know?
Me:(Confused) What?
Asher: (Face palming) I mean....
Me: (Cutting her off in the middle sentence, because I understood what she meant so, immediately speak up. Fumbling with my words feeling embarrassed) Hey! bro, what is this?.. I did not say anything like that. I just wanted to know you... umm like one person knows another or umm like a friend wants to know.
Asher: (Immediately stop walking, initially looking at me with a serious face and then started to laugh out loud) Hahaha, I was just kidding. Ohh my god look at your face all red.
Hearing this, I started feeling little angry and may be a little frown appear on my face because Asher's next word make me realize this...
Asher: (Sobering up, looking at me seriously and stepping back) Well, I guess we should start jogging, right?
Me: You!!
At this moment she started to run and I started to run behind her, for few minutes we played this chase game. While doing so, we keep laughing out loud, however, our moment of happiness got disturbed, hearing a loud voice...
Voice: Hey!!!!!
Hearing this, we stopped the running then, look in the direction of the voice still smiling and there we found our coach standing, looking at us with raise eyebrows plus some other students too are looking at us weirdly. However, before anyone of us could say or do anything, the coach speak up...
Coach: (With hands fold on his chest and raised eyebrows) I guess we all were jogging but looking at you two it seems like we all were playing catch & chase game?
Asher & Me: (In low voice) Sorry sir.
Coach: (While walking away from us, in irritated sound) Huhhh, students these days.
As soon as there was a distance of about one kilometre between the coach and us, Asher suddenly started laughing very loudly and her laughter was so contagious that I could not help but started to laugh like her. Our rest of the time passed just like that, where we two keep smiling or laughing at times and soon the time come for our next adventure activity of the day which is river crossing so, as per coach instructions we start moving towards the are which is forest lookalike.
Upon reaching there, we found a tunnel just hundred meters away from us and a rope is tied between from this one point to another point. Before any one could think of anything else, again the coach make us stand in line and like yesterday we four are standing in the end, relaxing but curiously waiting for what will happen next.
As per coach instructions, the girl who was standing at the first number go and stand on platform which is on some height, from that point only is the starting point of the activity. Well, at first harnessed tied on her body, the with the help of two boys she was literally hanging on the rope in a lay down position in a way that she is looking at the sky and us students. The moment she got settle down in that position, the coach give another step of the instruction...
Coach: Now use your in way to push your body backward through your hands so that it can move towards that ending point.
After listening to the coach, she start doing it and in the beginning it seems to be quite easy but the moment she reached in the middle point, she stopped and start taking some deep breaths. Seeing her like that coach started to boost up her confidence through words...
Coach: Hey, its okay. Do as much as you can, okay?
Hearing this girl just nodded her head in understanding and after that she go a little more ahead but soon she give up and come back. Just like this everybody start doing it, when Michiko's other friends goes to perform that activity, she secretly escaped from there and come to us and literally squeezed Asher in a bear hug.
Asher: (In a little louder voice and while trying to move out from her hug) Aaaaa!! leave me Michiko.
Michiko: (Hugging her more tight, if possible) No way, you are just like teddy. I wish to squeeze you more and more.
Here, we three are seeing this whole scene of love exchange with bright smile on our faces. Well, not three exactly, because when I look towards Carissa, I found her seeing them while rolling her eyes and making irritated faces. Finally, after a minute or two Michiko break the hug, with a big grin on her face and Asher has this big scowl on her face. Seeing both of them like this, unknowingly I chuckled out lightly, which I guess caught their attention immediately because in the next second, Michiko start walking towards me...
Michiko: (With a mischievous smirk on her face) Aren't you smiling too much let me also give you a bear hug.
Me: (While taking my steps back and putting my hands in front of me) No way at all, no no no step back, nahhh I don't want a any kind of hug.
Michiko: (While making a puppy face) Hawww, how come I leave you just like that bro.
Well, after that before I could say or do anything she took me in a extra tight bear hug, literally making me feel suffocated and I hear all three of them falling in chorus laughing session. Here I tried to get out of this hug, but the more I tried to do so, the more she hugged me tighter so, in the end I just give up and stand straight, waiting for her stop hugging me.
However, after a minute Asher come forward and finally save me...
Asher: (Stepping between us and se literally push her back) Okay, now that's enough.
Me: (Taking breaths to calm my racing heartbeats, with shaky voice as if I will be crying in the next moment only) Hmmm thanks, umm I will just come okay?
After saying this, I just turn my body opposite from them and start walking in the same direction to have some 'me' time and to control my emotions, which just want to cry plus shout out loud. After reaching a kilometre ahead, I found a tree and I sit down there.
Mind: Well, I guess some wounds will never heal.
Me: I never knew things which I learned in the young age from father will affect me this much, I understand Michiko was not wrong or her hug was not a bad touch but what can I do father told me physical touches are not good.
Mind: And because of that you feeling dirty & guilty, you are afraid what will father do if by chance, he has caught you in that situation.
Me: Hmmm, I don't want to cry but my eyes are filled with tears, what can I do now?
Mind: (Almost sarcastically) I know but even you know that, not more then a single drop will flow down and by the night you will catch up little cold.
Me: (Smiling lightly) Yeah right.
Mind: Yeah, so now get up and clean your face, especially your eyes from your handkerchief, you don't want to show people how weak are you, right? And now you have to do that activity too, so smile now and face the situation with confidence.
Me: Okay, thanks for being my support system bro.
After this, I got up then wipe of the dust from the butt and later with smile on my face, I walk towards my friends. Upon reaching there, as usual the person who asked about my well being...
Asher: (With worried look and voice filled with concern) Hey are you okay?
Me: (With a smile on my face) Yeah I am fine, just gone pee.
Asher: Okay.
Soon Michiko, come and stand beside me, however, I took two step back as much gracefully as possible... just to make sure I am safe, which I guess got noticed by Michiko and Asher because they exchange some quicks look and what Michiko said next confirmed my doubts.
Michiko: (Looking at her feet, feeling sorry for me) Hey, I am sorry. I shouldn't have hugged you like that, because I know how you feel about physical touch but believe me I did that for fun only. I don't want to hurt you.
Hearing this, with a lot of will power, I take a step ahead towards her and Asher then I said...
Me: (Smiling lightly) Its okay, I can understand. It just that I got scared.
Well, I don't think they heard what I said because I can see shock and surprise evident on their face and who won't be like this, even I am just like that from inside.
Mind: Bro, how could you do this?
Me: I don't know how and why but hearing her, saying sorry and understanding my situations give me this courage to take a step forward. I guess, I trust her honesty.
Mind: Well, whatever it was. You did great, I am proud of you.
Soon our chance to perform the activity, Carissa, Asher, me & Savannah. We stand in this sequence to perform it, both Carissa & Asher complete half of the range then come back then I go ahead. Once the harness tied on me, the coach and other helpers set me in that position then I start doing it. And believe me it wasn't that much easy, because the body weight is pushing me down so, technically through my hands only I have to move forward and backwards but what keeps me going was my adrenaline rush.
Like, others I also completed the half range and come back.
Just like this rest of the five days passed, on daily basis we perform one adventure activity and nothing new as such happened apart from few thing that were...
I started to change slowly, like Vihaa said now I am letting people come near me. My bond with Asher & Michiko started to become strong, even though I am not able to break all of my wall around but still some of them are breaking down. And I guess it just not me, who is feeling the change within myself because I can see how close and comfortable Michiko started to become with us but yeah she still prefer to be with us when Savannah & Carissa are not with us.
Voice: Siya!!!
Voice: Siya:!!
Hearing, someone yelling my name I come out my trance state, then only I realized where I am and with whom I am sitting right now. Well, I am in my father's car, with him on the driver seat and we are going back home, now he is yelling my name because we are in front of our house. Seeing this, I take a deep breath and open the passenger side door then I move towards the back of the car, open the trunk and take out my bags. After that I rang the doorbell, Aunt came and open the door and seeing her my mood got spoiled because, I knew that now an investigation session will start soon.
However, father saved me from the torture from coming behind me and I know that no matter what she won't be questioning me in the presence of father. After a minute we move inside the house, where after taking my shoes off, I start walking towards my room but I immediately stopped hearing granny's voice...
Granny: Siya!!
I turn and look towards her, found her walking in my direction and before I could say anything she just hugged me tightly and I am like...
What The Hell Just Happened....