Happy Reading, Tulips

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The morning sun hadn’t even peeked fully over the horizon when the Rajput household buzzed with a flurry of activity. Somewhere between the clatter of utensils in the kitchen and the echo of doors opening and closing, a tornado named Sanyukta tore through her bedroom, half-dressed and half-packed.

"Maa! Have you seen my black cap? The one that doesn’t make me look like a bubblegum disaster?" she yelled, her voice sharp with urgency.

"Ask your brother! He had it yesterday!" came her mother’s tired reply from the kitchen.

Almost as if on cue, her younger brother, Abhinandan, scampered into her room, his grin bright and annoying. He wore the very cap she was looking for.

"Didi, take me with you! I’ll be so quiet, you’ll forget I exist! And I promise I won’t eat everyone’s lunch this time," he said, clutching her duffel bag like it was his ticket to freedom.

Sanyukta snatched the cap off his head and pulled it down over her ponytail with a sigh. "First of all, you broke the water slide last year. Second, no. Go to school like a normal human."

He pouted. "You’re no fun."

Just then, Abhishek appeared, lounging against the doorway with his arms folded. His gaze flicked to her overstuffed duffel, and he raised an eyebrow. "You sure you’re going to JungleQuest and not Mars? Even astronauts travel lighter."

Sanyukta groaned, trying to force her bag’s zip closed with all her might. "You can zip it or zip it. Your choice."

He chuckled but said nothing more as she grabbed her charger, earbuds, notebooks she probably wouldn’t need, and a suspiciously large packet of banana chips.

Her phone buzzed. A message from Vinay:

Camp cancelled. Surprise math test today. Dress accordingly. RIP.

She stared at the screen, lips thinning into a line. "That little... idiot!"

With an angry flick, she tossed the phone aside and stormed out of her room, muttering death threats under her breath. Downstairs, her mother handed her a tiffin box and a water bottle, while her father stood by the door, smiling at her usual morning drama.

As she stepped outside, the school bus honked near the corner, students already crowding near the entrance with their backpacks and excitement.

Inside, Vinay and Abhinav were sprawled on a double seat near the back, trading jokes and sipping juice. Abhishek, wearing a senior volunteer T-shirt and a whistle around his neck, stood at the front, trying to maintain order.

"Find your seats and please refrain from throwing your classmates out the window. That includes emotional damage," he said.

As Sanyukta climbed in, Vinay patted the seat next to him. "Reserved for royalty. Specifically grumpy ones."

She rolled her eyes. "Can I change seats? I’d rather sit next to a cactus."

"Cactus can’t tease you like I can," he replied, winking.

"Fate," Abhinav sighed from the seat ahead of them. "Or karma. Don’t kill each other before breakfast."

The ride was a whirlwind of morning chatter, raucous laughter, and someone trying to play Punjabi beats on a flute.

The bus screeched to a halt at the foot of the hills. A large wooden arch with the words "Welcome to JungleQuest Adventure Camp " greeted them.

Instructors in fluorescent vests welcomed the group. Students poured out, buzzing with excitement, inhaling the crisp mountain air.

Teams were quickly formed. As if by divine mischief, Vinay, Sanyukta, Abhishek, and Abhinav all landed in Team Tiger.

"The universe clearly hates me," Sanyukta muttered.

"No, no, it just ships us," Vinay whispered.

She gave him a look. He grinned.

The first activity was the rope course. Sanyukta strapped on her harness with shaky fingers.

"You’ll do great," Abhishek said encouragingly.

"Don’t fall," Vinay added. "Though I’m sure the earth would appreciate a royal visit."

She shoved him. He laughed, climbing up the ladder with an exaggerated groan. Halfway across the rope bridge, he swung dramatically.

"Still alive! And cooler than ever!"

Sanyukta rolled her eyes, but a smile crept up anyway.

Later, during the tug-of-war, Team Tiger faced Team Panther. The game was intense. Sanyukta and Vinay were pulling with all their strength.

"Come on, firecracker! Show that warrior blood!" Vinay cheered.

On impulse, she let go of the rope just as he pulled. He stumbled back and fell into the mud.

"Oops," she said innocently.

Vinay, covered in brown sludge, looked up with mock betrayal. "You’re a monster."

"You’re welcome."

By noon, exhaustion had replaced excitement. Students sat in little groups, tearing into their lunches, gossiping, and trying to out-eat each other.

Sanyukta, however, sat at the edge of the clearing, her back against a tree, a sandwich untouched.

She stared at the forest trail ahead, distant and quiet.

Abhishek noticed first. "Something’s up," he muttered to Abhinav.

Vinay returned from the water tent, bottle in hand. He spotted her immediately. Her shoulders hunched, head down. No witty remarks. No sarcastic jabs. Just... silence.

Without a word, he walked over and plopped down next to her.

"You okay, firecracker?"

She didn’t answer. Then she exhaled. "Didn’t sleep much. Maybe I’m just... off."

"You mean human?" he said, offering his juice box. She took it.

"Even Sanyukta 2.0 needs charging."

She looked at him, finally. "You talk too much."

"Only when you go quiet. It freaks me out."

She smiled faintly.

"I’m scared sometimes," she admitted. "Of messing up. Of being... too much. Or not enough."

He listened quietly.

"I don’t always want to be the strong one. Sometimes I want someone to notice when I’m not."

Vinay leaned closer.

"I notice," he said softly.

And in that hush, with the forest wind brushing past and the chaos of students behind them, something shifted.

Not everything had to be loud to be real. Some truths lived in the quiet.

Their fingers brushed briefly.

Neither pulled away.

It wasn’t love yet. But it was something.

And maybe that something was worth coming to JungleQuest for.

The buzz of post-lunch energy settled over the JungleQuest Adventure Camp like a wave of caffeine. Birds chirped high in the treetops, a breeze stirred the foliage, and teams clustered near the instructors who were now whistling for attention. It was time for the forest maze treasure hunt, the most anticipated activity of the day.

Tall trees loomed in every direction, their canopies casting fluttering shadows onto the damp trail below. Rain from the previous day had left the earth soft, giving a satisfying squish with every step. Overhead, sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a dreamy mosaic of gold and green.

Sanyukta adjusted her cap, squinting toward the trail ahead. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the earlier rope climb, but her eyes were sharp, ready. Vinay, ever the bundle of mischief and chatter, nudged her arm playfully.

"Hope you didn’t eat too much," he teased. "You’ll need that brilliant brain of yours for decoding forest clues."

She scoffed. "If anyone needs babysitting through clues, it's you. You once called a compass 'the spinny-thing'."

Vinay clutched his chest. "Ouch. That memory was supposed to be buried."

Abhishek walked up, his team leader badge swinging from his lanyard. He held a sealed envelope in his hand. "Team Tigers, gather round! First clue incoming. Remember: no cheating, no phone use, and stick together. That means no vanishing into the woods over arguments."

Vinay leaned closer to Sanyukta and stage-whispered, "What if we redefine 'together' as a concept?"

"Try not to get eaten by a bear," she retorted.

Abhishek passed over the envelope. Sanyukta tore it open.

"I hold stories but no pages. I reflect but say nothing. Seek where water shows your face."

Vinay scratched his chin. "Drinking fountain by the watchtower. Obvious."

"River," Sanyukta said, already turning toward the right trail. "You reflect in water, not plumbing."

Abhinav, behind them with his ever-present trail mix, offered, "Could be both. Or a forest ghost."

Sanyukta led them toward the creek, grumbling about loud, confident idiots. Vinay trailed behind, muttering about how she'd apologise when he was right.

They reached the creek where a mossy rock jutted over the water. Sanyukta crouched, spotted a faint carving, and pried open a gap beneath the slab, another envelope.

She stood, victorious. "Score one for team logic."

Vinay sighed. "You mean lucky guess."

As they progressed through the maze, the riddles became trickier. Each envelope led them deeper into the forest. The trees grew denser, the path narrower. By the fourth clue, the rest of the team had wandered ahead on an alternate route, and it took a few minutes before either Sanyukta or Vinay noticed they were utterly alone.

"Where's Bhaiya?" Sanyukta asked, spinning around.

Vinay paused. No voices. No clue markers. Just trees.

"We’re not lost," he declared, stepping forward. "We’re just... solo adventurers."

"Lost," she deadpanned.

He pointed toward a trail. "This way. Trust me."

"I’d rather trust a king with directions," she muttered, referencing a forest lion.

They stumbled onward, the trail winding in deceptive loops. The silence between them thickened. Not hostile, but... unspoken. Until a sudden rustling sent them both leaping back.

A squirrel darted across the path, pausing long enough to twitch its nose at them before darting again.

"Oh my god! What was that?" Sanyukta gasped, grabbing Vinay's sleeve.

Vinay howled with laughter. "A killer squirrel! I’m too young to die!"

Sanyukta tried to look stern but ended up giggling. The absurdity was too much. Both of them sank onto a nearby rock, catching their breath through shared laughter.

Around them, the forest stretched out in serene majesty. The soft hum of insects, the rustle of leaves, the occasional chirp of a bird. It was quiet here, a different kind of quiet. Not awkward. Not pressured. Just... still.

Vinay tossed a pebble into a thicket.

"You always act like you hate me," he said, not looking at her. "But you’d be bored without me, wouldn’t you?"

She didn’t answer immediately.

Then, without turning, she murmured, "Don’t let it get to your head."

But when he looked at her, her smile was soft, genuine. It lingered.

They eventually found their way back, guided by Abhinav’s distant voice calling their names. There were a few eye-rolls from Abhishek, some mock scolding, and jokes from classmates about "enemies eloping in the jungle." Sanyukta ignored them.

But Vinay? He walked just a little taller.

The school bus rumbled down the road at dusk, rocking gently with each turn. The sun dipped below the hills, casting golden streaks against the windows. Inside, most students had given in to sleep or quiet chatter.

Vinay sat by the window, earbuds in, one song on loop. Sanyukta, exhausted, had flopped next to him, still complaining faintly about mud on her shoes. She shifted as she slept, leaning sideways.

And then, slowly, her head came to rest on his shoulder.

Vinay froze.

Across the aisle, Abhinav blinked, then gave him a smirk and a raised eyebrow. Vinay glared, holding a finger to his lips. Not. A. Word.

Abhinav nodded sagely, though his smirk widened.

Vinay sat completely still, terrified to breathe. But slowly, he relaxed. Her warmth against his shoulder felt... nice. Her breathing was steady. She murmured something in her sleep, but didn’t stir.

He turned slightly, just enough to see her face, relaxed, peaceful. No sarcasm. No snark.

Just her.

He looked out the window again. For the first time that day, he said nothing.

By the time Sanyukta reached home, the stars were peeking through the clouds. Her chhoti maa opened the door and gave her one look before ushering her inside.

"You look like you fought a jungle war."

"Sort of did," Sanyukta yawned, tugging off her cap.

Dinner passed quickly. She recounted bits of the trip, the rope climb, the tug-of-war, and Abhinav losing his shoe in the lake. But she skipped over the forest maze. Skipped the squirrel. Skipped the bus ride.

Her room was dim and quiet as she changed into her pyjamas. She sat at her desk, pulling her journal close. The pages smelled faintly of pen ink and eucalyptus.

She began to write:

"Today, we got lost in the woods. Vinay was... Vinay. Loud, silly, annoying. But he didn’t leave. Even when we were lost, he stayed. He laughed when I freaked over a squirrel. And somehow, it made me laugh, too. I needed that. I think I forgot how it felt to just laugh like that. I won't tell him, obviously. He’ll never let it go. But maybe... it wasn’t that bad. The forest was quiet. It made me think."

She paused.

"Also... the bus ride back. I won’t write that part. But I’ll remember it."

Across town, Vinay lay on his bed, scrolling through the dozens of photos everyone had sent. He stopped at the group shot from the start of the maze.

Everyone was smiling. But his gaze went to the edge of the frame.

Sanyukta, arms crossed, mid-laugh at something out of sight.

He zoomed in.

Smiled.

And quietly saved the image to his favourites.

Sometimes, the best memories aren’t the loudest. They’re the ones you carry home in silence, tucked between the pages of a day well lived.

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OMG… the pieces are finally falling into place, right?
But hold up, don’t expect their love story just yet! 😏
Do you want to jump into the romance now,
or are you ready to enjoy the thrill of their fiery banter a bit longer?
Because trust me, I’m saving their romantic spark for the perfect moment. 🔥💥

And hey, for early spoilers & updates, come hang out with me on Instagram: drg_noblestic