||The Forbidden Ends|| -Uptd pg 27- - Page 17

After reaching the camp, Ashi and Yuvi, along with all the other students, got down from the bus.

''Hello everyone.'' A short man, in his late 30s, with short black hair and a pair of glasses spoke up. His voice was shrill, but it demanded authority. ''I am Mr. Verma, and I am the head of your forest trip.'' The corner of his mouth twitched, as if he was trying to smile. He had sunken cheekbones, and he had a face that looked like it can't stop frowning.

''Hello sir.'' Students murmured.

''We will wait for the seniors' coach to come. But, till then, I'd ask all of you to get yourself into two groups. Girls. And boys. And set up your tents respectively. Now, you all must know how to set up a tent, right?'' He spoke in such a way that even the thought of saying 'no' couldn't cross your mind.

Besides, I don't need to know how to make tents. Ashi smirked.

Yuvi looked at her with a questioning glance, and she shrugged. ''What?''

He shook his head, and muttered. ''Weirdo.''

''Psycho.'' Ashi snorted back.

He rolled his eyes as Mr. Verma went on about campfires. He was feeling uneasy here. His mind kept darting back to all those visions, those dreams. He looked around and drank in the aroma, the muskiness and the wild odours. There was something that attracted him to the forest, there was no denying it. If only he knew what, and what did those dreams mean?

''Yuvraj Dev?'' Mr. Verma's voice snapped him out of it, and he nodded. ''Yes, sir?''

''Did you even hear a word I just said?''

''Err.'' He was about to lie and say 'yes', but Mr. Verma looked at her so coldly, he looked away and shook his head.

''What do you think I'm doing, here? Whatever I'm saying, it's for your own good. If I just told you the directions, and you didn't pay attention, you'd be the one who will get lost in the jungle, not me.'' His voice changed, and turned savagely menacing. Ashi's head jerked up as she looked at him, spitting curses at Yuvi.

''Excuse me, sir.'' Ashi intervened, and Yuvi shot her a 'What-are-you-up-to?' look. ''I'm sorry, but you cannot talk to anyone like that.''

''And you will teach me how to behave, miss-?''

''Anvesha Banerjee Ray.'' She fixed him with a glare, and his expression slightly changed as he recalled the surname ' Banerjee Ray'. His mouth curled back in ' was that fear?

''Get to work, guys. I want everyone out there making their own tents.'' He looked at the senior coach arriving, and started walking to it with a grim determined look on his face.

Yuvi rolled his eyes. ''What was that for, wacko?''

Ashi gave him a pretentious annoyed look. ''I helped you, psycho. I deserve a 'thank you', if nothing else.''

''Yeah, thank you.'' He grunted. ''I could have taken care of him by myself, you know?''

''Sure. Sure. And I can climb a ladder up to the moon.'' She snorted. Her expression changed as she looked at Karan, surrounded by a group of 2-3 boys. Her mind reflected back to her decision to talk to him, to find out more about him. ''I'll see you later.'' She muttered to Yuvi, and started walking towards Karan.

Yuvi watched her go with a growing uneasy expression. She tapped Karan lightly on the shoulder, and asked him if they could have a word .. alone?

--

''I want you, Aarav.''

Stupid me. Stupid stupid me.

Thank god the horns had blasted off that second, and he'd seemed to have forgotten everything about it, since he never touched that topic again.

But he had looked at her with an uneasy expression. For the whole trip afterwards, he hadn't said a word. He had avoided her gaze, only meeting it with a narrowed eyes and a 'you-are-crazy' look.

She felt this urge to chuckle. She had planned to lure him, to seduce him, and now she couldn't even talk to him. And to top it all, Aarav thought she's crazy? The wolf thought that the vampire is crazy.

Before she could stop it, a hysterical giggle escaped her mouth.

Aarav's head jerked up and he looked at her. She met his gaze and smiled warmly. He returned the smile warily, and started to look away.

''Erm, Aarav?''

''What?'' He said, turning around to look at her, again.

She felt sort-of uneasy with his dark brown eyes looking back at her, and she fumbled around with her purse. ''I, I'm sorry.''

Sorry? What the hell was wrong with you, Natasha? This is NOT what you came here for, remember?

''About the whole fake relationship thing?'' He asked. And she nodded, still not quite meeting his gaze.

He laughed. ''That's okay, Natasha. That was totally crazy of you, but that's fine.''

She looked up, smiling. ''So, you forgive me?''

He shrugged. ''I guess. But trust me, you got me there. I was literally taken aback.''

She relaxed back on her seat. ''Pfft. In that case, you are easy to fool around with.''

''Excuse me?'' He raised an eyebrow at her. ''Why did you do that, anyway?''

''I-'' She shook her head. ''Like I said, I was just pulling a prank. And your expressions-'' She started laughing. Her laughter sounded like bells chiming.

''Well, I guess any seedha-saadha bhola-bhaala insaan would do that if someone tries to daalo haat on their izzat like that.''

''Daalo haat on your izzat?'' She frowned. ''And you call me a dramebaaz.''

''That you are.'' He said matter-of-factly.

''Whatever.'' She rolled her eyes.

What was she doing? She had planned to be all over him. But look at her now.

She shook her head.

Well, maybe she should start this off as friends, you know? And then slowly lure him in. And after that..

Hand him over to them?

No. She couldn't do that. She looked at Aarav sitting next to her, suddenly feeling guilt conscious. She couldn't hand him over to them.

But did she have a choice?

A loud blonk of horn cut her thoughts short. She looked outside. They had reached the jungle.

Students began to get out of the bus, and Natasha followed quietly. They had come to an awkward silent standstill yet again.

She jumped out of the bus, and looked around. And she got the biggest shock she could have imagined. She saw him. One of them. Standing there with an undecipherable expression on his face. Though, his eyes looked cold and steel, like always. And his mouth was set in a straight firm line, like always. His cheekbones were sunken up, like always. His nose was tilted up, in an aura of authority, like always. He started walking towards the students.

As soon as Aarav got down, he quickly raised a hand forward in order to shake hands with him. ''Hi, I'm Mr. Verma. The in-charge of the forest trip.'' He spoke crisply.

Originally posted by: matwamango

I loved Natasha and Aarav's interaction. She so has a major crush on him. Can't wait for the next installment. Top Job Akku. The boys are a little mean calling out names and that but the whole descriptive feel flows well through out your story telling