The morning of the trip started with pure chaos.
Packing? A disaster.
Last-minute bathroom breaks? Too many to count.
And of course, the great car debate.
"I'm driving," Shumaila declared, snatching the keys to Car 1 before anyone could argue.
"Absolutely not," Siddarth protested. "I value my life."
"Shut up and get in, coward," she shot back, sliding into the driver's seat.
Meanwhile, at Car 2, Hamza casually twirled his set of keys. "I'll drive. Unless one of you wants to take over?"
"Nope!" Sneha said quickly. "Not after what happened last time."
Hamza smirked. "Oh, come on. I only ran one red light."
"AND ALMOST KILLED US!" Akansha yelled from the back seat.
Aarav chuckled. "Let's just hope you two don't turn this into a competition."
Spoiler alert: They absolutely did.
It started off peacefully enough.
That lasted five minutes.
"Is Hamza trying to overtake us?" Komal asked from the passenger seat, looking through the side mirror.
Shumaila's eyes narrowed. "Oh, he thinks he's fast? Watch this."
She pressed on the accelerator, and suddenly, Car 1 was zooming ahead.
Back in Car 2, Sneha gripped her seat. "Hamza. Don't."
Hamza smirked. "Too late."
What followed was a full-blown car chase.
Rudra screamed from Car 1: "SHUMAILA, WE DON'T HAVE LIFE INSURANCE!"
Akansha yelled from Car 2: "HAMZA, I WILL SUE YOU IF I DIE!"
Siddarth had his hands pressed against the dashboard. "SHUMAILA, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD—"
"Relax, Siddarth," she said smoothly. "I got this."
Komal was laughing way too much to be concerned.
Hamza, meanwhile, was matching her energy, smirking every time he caught up beside her.
It was neck and neck until they finally reached a highway food stall, where Sneha screamed, "STOPPP!"
Both cars skidded to a dramatic halt.
Everyone got out, looking at each other like survivors of war.
"Never. Again," Rudra muttered, wobbling toward the food stall.
"Shumaila," Siddarth said, holding his chest. "You're insane."
She grinned. "And yet, we won."
Hamza smirked from the other side. "Only because I let you."
She rolled her eyes. "Keep telling yourself that."
The group ordered chai and snacks, finally getting a moment to relax.
As Shumaila stood near the stall, a random guy approached her.
"Hey," he said, flashing a grin. "Haven't seen you around before. You from the city?"
Shumaila raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm from Mars. Here on a visa."
Komal snorted.
The guy laughed. "Feisty. I like it. How about I—"
Before he could finish, Hamza stepped up beside her.
"She's not interested," he said casually, but his voice held an undeniable edge.
The guy glanced at him, then at Shumaila. "You two together?"
Shumaila opened her mouth to say no, but Hamza beat her to it.
"Yes."
She whipped her head around. "Excuse me?!"
"Just go with it," he muttered under his breath.
The guy raised his hands. "Alright, alright. No problem."
As soon as he left, Shumaila turned to Hamza, glaring. "What was that?"
Hamza shrugged, taking a sip of his chai. "Didn't like his vibe."
She scoffed. "And you think I needed saving?"
He smirked. "No. I just wanted to mess with you."
She groaned. "Unbelievable."
When they finally reached the resort, everyone was in awe. The lakefront view was breathtaking, the cabins cozy and inviting.
Everything seemed perfect.
Until they checked in.
"There's been a room mix-up," the receptionist informed them.
"What kind of mix-up?" Sneha asked.
"We had originally booked group rooms, but due to a system error, we only have two-person rooms available."
The group went silent.
Then Rudra, grinning like a devil, suddenly suggested, "Welp. Guess we gotta pair up."
Roommates:
Shumaila & Hamza - Because Rudra snuck in and changed the assignments.
Komal & Siddarth - The fake-dating duo forced into close quarters.
Sneha & Akansha - The safe duo.
Rudra & Aarav - The mischievous duo.
....
"No. Nope. Not happening," Shumaila declared, crossing her arms. "Absolutely not."
"Too late," Rudra smirked, holding up the room keys.
Hamza looked far too amused at her frustration.
"Think of it as a bonding experience," he said, grabbing his bag.
She shot him a deadly glare. "I will throw you into the lake too!."
He grinned. "I'll swim back."
The group explored the resort, walking along the lake.
"This place is beautiful," Akansha admitted.
Aarav, walking beside her, smirked. "You mean like me?"
She rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I'm tolerating you."
Meanwhile, Siddarth couldn't stop side-eyeing Komal.
"You look nervous," Komal teased. "Afraid to share a room with me?"
Siddarth scoffed. "Afraid? Please. I just feel bad for you."
"Oh really?" she smirked. "We'll see."
As night fell, everyone retired to their rooms.
Inside their shared space, Shumaila stomped in first, throwing her bag on the bed.
Hamza followed, calm and unbothered.
The tension in the room was unbearable.
Shumaila went to freshen up. When she came back, Hamza was standing by the window, lost in thought.
She paused, watching him for a second longer than she should have.
Then, as if sensing her, he turned around.
Their eyes locked.
For a moment, neither moved. Neither spoke.
Just unspoken words and rising tension between them.