★★★

Aria's Pov

Me and Zian stood in the middle of the laundry room with puzzled faces reading our next clue.

I am your best friend during sorrows and happiness and when you are alone you spend your time with me, there you'll find peace. (3)

"What type of place is this?" Zian muttered trying to understand what the clue meant.

I stare at the clue, trying to process the clue. Where do I spend most of my time? It's always playing games on the phone or reading boo...

Wait, books.

My eyes immediately widened in realization and looked up at Zian whose face was mirroring mine.

"BOOKS," we said at the same time and were surprised that we thought the same thing at the same time. Then all of a sudden Zian gave me a smile and nodded his head.

"Books means library, we have to go search in a library," Zian say and I nod as we ran out of the laundry room and bumped into Ranbir and his team along with Varun and his team.

Zian, Ranbir, and Varun stared at each other for some seconds and immediately started running to the opposite side of the room where the library was.

I ran behind them along with the other two teams. Kiya and Inaya were still absent, maybe they were busy searching for us or maybe still searching for the clue, who knows?

I saw as the three best friends ran towards the library bumping into each other and the people around.

I laughed as Varun bumped into a small boy who then looked at him with a frown while keeping his hands on his waist. He looked really cute.

We reached the library and immediately spit. Everyone started looking at different places and I went to the Science section searching for any type of clue or what the prize would be.

As I was looking everywhere, I looked at the top of a shelf and there was a hidden wooden box along with the same paper we got clues before. I instantly knew that that was our winning prize.

I tried reaching it, but I couldn't, I again tried hard but due to my height, I couldn't reach the top. I immediately searched for Zian and I saw him searching at the far end in a corner.

"Zian," I called out to him and he immediately looked at me. His eyes were wide in surprise, maybe because it was the first time, I called him by this name.

He then came running towards me when I pointed at a shelf above, his face instantly lightens up and he reached for the box and the paper.

On the paper 'Winner' was written while inside the box, there was another paper with 'Extra Points' written on it and I instantly knew that these points would be added at the end of our camp on our bio which will later on help in increasing the chances of winning the title of 'Best Camper'.

Then we ran towards Akshay sir who was waiting for everyone in the lobby. I looked behind us, Ranbir and Varun had a smile on their faces even though they have lost. I can tell they are happy for Zian.

"Congratulations you two," Akshay sir says and looks around confused. "Where are the rest of the members?" He asks and I was about to tell him some lie that they had an urgency and they went to the washroom but Zian beat me into it.

"They left in the middle of the game sir; they weren't even in half the part of the game," Zian says smoothly with a sincere smile that won't raise any questions or doubts even if Akshay sir will hear the truth that it was we who left them and went on for search.

"Oh, I see, well, they both would be disqualified then." Akshay sir says and my eyes widen. I look at Zian who had a secret smile playing on his lips. He is happy with them getting disqualified?

I shake my head at him and thanked Akshay sir to go and search where Inaya actually is.

As I was about to exit the door, someone called me. Or more specifically Zian called me.

"Aria," the words rolled out smoothly from his tongue making me shiver for unknown reason as he walked over to me. I just stood there and observed him, waiting for him to continue what her want to say.

He gave me a nervous smile and scratched the back of his neck. He is definitely nervous. "I actually wanted to apologize to you," he says and I looked at him surprised and shocked.

Did he...did he just apologize...to me?

"What for?" I uttered the words still in shock and he sighed.

"You know, for behaving so rudely with you before, actually I had a bad day yesterday, and everyone was pissing me off, and when you came and bumped into me at the airport, I got a little angry." He said sincerely and I watched him with hooded eyes, he means each and every word he said.

"It's okay. I understand," I say and he smiles at me as we stood there silently just staring at each other.

"Uhm, I should go now." He says nodding his head towards his friends.

"Uh yes," I say not knowing what to say to him. I was all of a sudden nervous in front of him.

"Okay then, I'll see you later?" He asks and I once again got surprised that he wanted to meet me again and that he maybe enjoyed my company.

"Definitely," I say and he smiled. And that's when I stopped breathing. He looks so good, so handsome when he smiles especially when he is giving genuine smiles and meant them.

With a final nod at me, he turned and walked towards his friends. His friends, especially Varun and Aarav were giving me some knowing, teasing smiles as Zian walks towards them.

I wonder what they are smiling about.

I went back to my given room shared with Kiya. God, I don't want to face her after such a good day with Zian. I was debating whether or not to go inside the room when I spotted Inaya and she was coming towards me and she looked...angry.

"What the hell Aria?" She yelled and I raised my brows. What the fuck is wrong with her?

"Listen Inaya, what happened was..." I tried to explain to her why me and Zian left her but she cut me off.

"I don't care what happened, what actually matters is that you left me alone with that bitch Kiya and you went and enjoyed your time with Zian, and on top of that you told Akshay, sir, that we disappeared in between, when in fact it was you and Zian who left us and went ahead, not even caring to call us." She yelled at me and I felt a little sad for her.

Due to Zian, they both got scolded by Akshay sir even when they weren't at fault.

But then maybe Zian did it to save himself from these two. They were always clinging to him and that made him sick and for some twisted reason even I didn't like when they cling to him like a leech. So, I decided to go with Zian's words and what he had said to Sir.

"We searched for you Inaya, we really did, but you and Kiya all of a sudden got disappeared and also all the other teams were already winning and we didn't want to lose so we went ahead without waiting for you," I lied smoothly without any hesitation and I was myself shocked that I can lie so perfectly. I should apply for an acting class.

"I thought you were a good person Aria, but I was wrong, very wrong, you're a self-centered person who only cares for herself, that's why you didn't care to call us and went away with Zian, alone." She argued back.

Is she angry with me because I didn't call her back in the game or is, she angry that I got to spend the entire time with Zian? This girl is really weird.

"Look I said sorry, we didn't plan to leave you alone there, but you two were seriously missing when we found our next clue, so Zian said that we should get going," I say and her eyes widened.

"It was Zian who said to leave us alone and continue the game?" Inaya asked in disbelief and I nodded nervously. I hate to bring him in the middle of our argument but he was the sole reason to start it in the first place, so I don't really care.

"Why are you blaming it on him? He can never do this to me." She asked and fold her arms ready to start another argument but I was really not in the mood for that. She is seriously pissing me off.

"Listen here Inaya, I don't care what you think about me, or what Zian thinks about you, I seriously don't care. So, I suggest go and fuck off because I'm saying it again, it was not my fault and you can go and confirm it with Zian, and do me a favor, don't talk to me again." I say and turn the door knob without giving her a second glance I entered the room.

God why do I get stuck with such assholes. The one person I thought was good and can be my friend turned out to be an 'A' grade Bitch and the other boy who I thought was an Asshole was actually a big softy at heart and apologized to me for his behavior.

When they say to keep your distance from the people who are too good with you, they said it right. They can turn out to be evil while the evil turns out to be a savior. And I couldn't agree more.

★★★

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