Just as requested, the willow house reappeared before Drishti at five twenty-five.

"Guys, we need a house cheer. Any suggestions?" Divya asked her house members.

Rajat thought for a minute. "Have you guys heard the song, we will we will rock you?" receiving a number of 'yes' he carried on. "We can start like that song. We will we will something."

"We will we will crush you like a scrambled egg, never let you cheer again." Divya tried using the idea Rajat had given.

They discussed for a while and finally came up with a decent cheer that was sure to be used later on. They took their attendance and joined the rest of the houses in front of the podium ready for their hike. Once all of the day packs, cups, ankle weights were distributed, the camp coordinator took a step up the makeshift stage to announce the start of the hike.

"Welcome back campers. It's time to finally start our annual camp viva night hike!"

like a bomb, the campers erupted in a round of cheers and smiles. Who wouldn't be excited? After all, this was one of the most awaited events of S.P.A.C.E. It was a test of strength, perseverance, mental power and of course the winning group gets to plan speech day for the year. The most important was going to be the test of comradery between the students, teachers, alumni and everyone present. Whether it was enough for them to finish this quest. It was finally time to test the limits of animosity, friendship and an individual's willpower.

The next 12 long hours were going to be long but a night worthwhile. A night that was about to change a few perspectives of some people.

---broken promises---

Drishti sighed as she ran a hand through her soft brown locks. She spared a glance to her right where rakshit was walking with her. Since the start of the hike, he had been trying to talk to her. Using her house or a student as an excuse made it easier to avoid him.

Now that they were both in line walking behind all the students as willow was now the last in the row, there was no escape.

"So..." he started.

"So." she echoed.

He scratched the nape of his neck nervously thinking how to start. "You went MIA after the...whatever happened at the command post."

"I am a housemaster. I had to look after my house." she shrugged.

"Clearly, you don't like addressing the elephant in the room." rakshit stared her down until she relented. As a counsellor, he knew that it was better to slowly gain the trust of someone before they started talking. But in this case, the sweet talk wasn't going to work.

"Fine. what do you want to ask?" She consciously slowed her pace to create a large gap between the students and herself.

He adjusted the bag strap on his shoulder and hesitated before deciding to just bite the bullet. "Am I your friend?"

"Rather blunt don't you think?" she muttered, taking her water bottle from her backpack. She took a swing to find a way to delay further questions.

"You are rather evasive. don't you think?" he countered, bringing up her behaviour from the last few weeks. "For what it's worth. I will figure it out either way."

Drishti chuckled at his failed attempt to rile her up. She slipped her bottle into her backpack again and shook her head. "Is that supposed to impress me? cause it didn't in the slightest."

Rakshit spluttered at the implications and immediately stepped a little away from her. "N-no. I'm just saying."

"You would have by now if you could," she said. She didn't bother with the obvious way he reacted to a simple playful jab. "But, to answer your question, I don't have any friends. I don't want any friends."

He schooled the hurt look. All this while he had been thinking they were friends, if not more than just colleagues. "Okay. That was not what I was expecting," he fell silent thinking of a way to address her lack of interactions outside work. "Can I ask why?"

Drishti sighed inwardly. "Will you take no for an answer?"

"I would but I really want to know and help you overcome your reticent attitude. Bottling things up only causes more suffering."

"One, I don't bottle things up. I am fine. Two, I am not suffering or causing myself misery," she said quietly. "But if you are so insistent then fine. Yes, something did happen but I'm over it."

Rakshit smiled a little at her admission. "I respect your privacy and I am sure you have worked on it over the years. But you are hurting yourself. you don't see it 'cause you are used to it. it feels normal."

"Really?" she growled at him. She stopped walking and pulled his forearm back roughly with an angry glare. "Not wanting to open up is not a problem. I don't need you to psychoanalyze me. That's not your job!" she yelled, gaining the attention of some of the students at the back of the group who were not cheering.

Noticing the strange looks from the students, she let go of his arm but kept the glare. Rakshit gave them a nod to continue with the trail. They didn't need to be told twice as they realised the drama was over.

Rakshit gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder to diminish some of the frustration. He had already sensed this coming. He had years of experience with students like her. Some worse, some better. The one common factor was getting upset or angry when they had to face the fact they were hurting themselves as a result of their actions.

He could see where the problem rested. She refused to allow any form of emotional connection to anyone. Probably out of the fear of getting hurt and insecurities as a result of something that happened. She had gotten so used to using evasion as a defence mechanism that it was a habit, a normal reaction to anytime it got too heavy.

There was also some truth to what she said. She needed a friend who could help her break down the walls built around herself. Not someone analyzing and judging her for her methods of coping. No one had the right to judge someone else.

Drishti shrugging off his hand snapped him out of his stupor. "You're right. It's not my job to judge. I am sorry. I just wanna help you with what you have already done to yourself."

Drishti whirled around cutting off the hand he was attempting to use to grab her shoulder. "Help with what? There is nothing for you to fix."

"Refusing to open up. Evading a topic that is personal. Being defensive. Not wanting to let anyone close or rely on anyone. These are little behaviours that contribute to creating what we call a reticent person."

"Shut up." she barked.

"I know you said friends will leave eventually but that's not how it works. Not everyone leaves once they have served a purpose. If there are conditions, it's not friendship."

"That's rich coming from the counsellor who only talks to students and teachers for school-related things," she scoffed. "I've been here for a while and I know you barely hang out with anyone other than myself. Any other exchanges you have are mostly school-related. So then tell me rakshit, how would you know what friendship and its value is?"

Rakshit was taken aback by the question. "I-i...you are pretty observant," he said dumbly.

"Yay, congratulations to me," she rolled her eyes. "Answer the question. You seem to be very knowledgeable about how humans should have friends and be emotionally available to people."

"Well, I have a best friend. His name is Romi. We have been friends since we were ten. I don't have to tell him how I'm feeling, he just knows. I can tell him things that my parents won't understand. We have our own inside jokes that kids use to tease us about in middle school," he chuckled. "Most importantly, he is always there for me when I need him."

A loose thread on the hem of her shirt caught her attention and she started playing with it. "How is it like to have a friend?" she asked meekly. The answer was more than she had expected.

Raskshit smiled at her interest. He was finally making a breakthrough. "If you had asked this question to the students, they would have laughed."

"Just answer the question," she said, getting impatient.

"My house never felt like something I could call home. I am not close to my parents and at that age, it was tough. But I had him to fall back on. He made me feel better and not alone. I can share my problems and he gets it. He knows me better than I know myself."

"That still doesn't answer my question."

"Having a friend is having a home," he said simply.

"I hope I don't look like a hobo to you," Drishti snorted. "I have a home too. With two amazing parents who did a damn good job at raising me. They can listen to my problems and I can fall back on them."

"Exactly. You can but you didn't. That's why you are like that. If you did, then this is not how you would have turned out," he spoke again before she could retaliate. "Look, I am not saying that you are some anti-social zombie. I'm just telling you that it's not too late to start opening up. It's okay to let someone in. someone who you can rely on to piece you back together when you are broken. Someone who understands your silence. And that person won't need to be a therapist to know if you are hurt or not."

"I had someone like that. Then I screwed up and lost her," she mumbled to herself. She could sense a breakdown on its way. Not now. Please. Not now.

"That will only happen when you let someone in," he continued, having not heard what she muttered. "just look around..."

"I already lost that person."

Rakshit stopped in his tracks but she carried on walking as if nothing happened. He could've sworn he heard a crack in her voice. His mind left that alone and focussed on the raw pain in those five words. "I am sorry for your loss Drishti."

Drishti stopped hiking so abruptly that his front slammed into her back. He backed away immediately and waited for her to say something. When she didn't, he came in front of her and almost wished he didn't. How he went from an experienced counsellor with the best teaching methods to a mess of incoherent syllabus, he didn't know.

Her expression was torn between anger and grief bordering horror. "She is not dead."

Then what do you mean lost?  "she wouldn't... "

"Rakshit, please stop." she pleaded. All the irritation dissipated and was now replaced by pain and sadness.

Rakshit nodded respecting her wish and deciding it was enough for today. They continued walking behind the group in silence. As silent as it could be with their own voices in their head.

Everything he said was accurate. Drishti was not emotionally open to anyone, even her parents. After Divya, her best friend left, everything changed. she never made friends, thinking they would leave her one day too. The first few years were the toughest. She had seen the irreversible finality of someone ceasing to be. She wasn't dead but she wasn't here to confirm the belief of her living either.

Since that day, Drishti had not left her room other than when she needed to go to school or have meals. She laid there staring at the ceiling, eyes misting over. Whenever her parents came to check on her, she ignored them or pulled the covers over and pretended to be sleeping.

But eventually, she stopped pretending. Eventually, she did fall asleep. And in her dreams, everything was back to normal.

Her father picks her and Divya up from school, bringing them to the park, returning home to a frustrated vidya who had to wipe the chocolate off their face. At night her mother kissed them goodnight, tucked them in and waited till they fell into deep slumber before leaving the room.

Sometimes it was them playing in the park with their parents during the weekends. On the hot and sunny days, they went to the beach near their house. They built horrible sand castles, that the older couple would smile and say looked good. When their mother nodded off, they discreetly covered her in the sand. She would wake up and chase them around until they were worn out. Once they returned home and were done with their showers, Vidya would put them down for bed. As they drifted off, she tiptoed out of the room and switched off the light.

That's where her perfect paradise ended.

Once the lights went out, her own eyes were assaulted by the reality of waking up to the fact that they were just memories.

Tears stung her eyes and she wished this was still a nightmare she would wake from any minute. Her sister would be bouncing on her stomach to wake up. After that, she would drag her to the living room to watch power rangers.

It never happened.

As she grew older, the place for solace changed from the shared bedroom to the one upstairs connected to the terrace. Watching the skies at night alone didn't feel right but they made her forget what was missing. Her inability to express her feelings transformed her into the adult she is today.

Drishti quietly wiped the tears that had fallen as she recalled the sour memory. She looked at her students who were taking a break by the clearing and dropped her bag near a tree. Rakshit had left her to give her some space and everyone else was too busy to notice her silent tears and trembling form. Her knees gave out and she slid to the ground and curled herself into a ball to regain composure without the realisation of her mind breaking.

It was funny how the world continued its own race when her life had hit such a sudden standpoint.

---broken promises---

With the boys walking a little in front of them, Ragini decides to clear her confusion from the previous day with her best friend. She didn't seem like herself even before she went to talk to lakshya. Her best friend's intuition told her it had something to do with Harshad hurting Drishti. She understood the anger towards their teacher and it seemed even less likely that she would have helped. Then again, they weren't monsters. There was no way they were going to sit back and watch Harshad mess with someone else.

Ragini carefully threaded her hand with her rockstar and she gladly returned the gesture. "What's up Jaan?" the rockstar asked, already knowing where this was going. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"To the fact that I am the only one that can tolerate your shenanigans."

"But that's your job."

"No, it's not. I'm a pianist and a student of space. My job is to study, get good grades and get a job."

Divya smiled smugly. "Yeah but you have more fun when it is."

"Don't use the Danvers sister's line on me," Ragini grumbled, hitting her on the shoulder lightly. "And in true Alex Danvers fashion, I am asking you what happened after the whole thing while playing truth or dare yesterday."

Divya breathed slowly through her nose. "I was hoping you would have forgotten about it by now."

"Fat chance rock star. Now spill."

"I was just confused. I mean I was pissed at Miss Sharma for whatever she said. Then we helped her. I felt angry, in fact, at Harshad for hurting her. We are the midnight spirits, we don't help people we have grudges against."

"You're not monsters. We would help anyone who needed it. He was practically about to disembody her hand, of course, we would have jumped."

"Okay but that aside, why did I feel the need to protect her?" she looked up at Ragini, wishing she would have the answer for the question that's been eating at her since yesterday. "I stood up for her and literally infront of her. I've never done that before. It's usually just a punch and then leaving."

"I know," Ragini nodded. "I don't know why exactly. What I do know is that you're a good person. You saw him hurting someone so you got back at him. Harshad hasn't exactly been just an everyday guy. He screwed with me, you and twinkle. Doing what you did seems logical to me."

Divya considered the possibility. "I guess you are right. I hate that guy. Maybe seeing him do that to someone else infront of me, wasn't the best move of his. God, I really hate him."

Ragini squeezed her hand she was still holding as they strolled behind their friends. "You care about the people you love and he messed with them, as you say it. On top of that, he literally tried to hurt someone else. No one would stand for that."

Divya leaned her head on her as Ragini threw her arm over her hunched shoulders, holding her tightly. "I wanted to throw him off the building that day."

"I wanted to snap his neck when I found out he was behind the bromine incident," in a move surprising both of them she clenched her fist so hard, she could feel the sweat in her body. "Bloody idiot."

Divya ran a hand over the cramped fingers. "Relax, breathe. I am fine and he has gotten his due credit. He fled this morning."

"I know. I know. Seeing you in that ambulance took my ability to think straight away."

"Yeah I figured, that's why you didn't protest with this plan," she chuckled. "It's kinda cute."

"It makes me feel guilty. Is that bad?" Ragini asked, finally voicing her thoughts since she found out he fled. Her guilt was only getting worse. Now it was just a constant buzz in the back of her skull, sometimes getting worse, others barely noticeable, but always there.

"No! Never. You are Ragini Khanna, the kindest person I know. You cried over the death of that squirrel you found in the backyard and you had never seen it before that. Not to mention, holding a funeral for it. If you don't feel bad then there is something wrong."

"So it's okay to be guilty?"

"Yeah and the first step to overcoming it is to forgive yourself," Ragini felt a thumb swipe at the tears she didn't realise had fallen. "You are a good person. Guilt is always going to be something you feel."

Ragini squeezed her hand, grateful to her for being there. They didn't need words to understand the mutual appreciation. Walking while blanketed in comfortable silence they continued the hike.

Shortly after they arrived at the first checkpoint and the boys started bombing her with questions about the truce she had called.

"So, after lucky left with the idiot, I sat down by the same tree," she started. "I was looking at the stars. She wanted to go back to camp but of course, I refused..."

"Stubborn," Ragini mumbled.

Divya, wisely, ignored her and carried on narrating the incidents of last night. "She even threatened to drag me away back to the campsite."

"She has a sprained wrist." Shikar interrupted.

"Yes, that's what I said. Then we sat in silence for a while before she said sorry for thinking we are murderers because Shahid tried to see if he could fly..."

"It was a suicide attempt.'' Lakshya started cutting her off again.

Divya shot a glare at the three of them. "Do you want to know or not?" They nodded their heads and waited for her to finish. "We talked about how she was the first to apologise and then about what she said in the locker room. I didn't tell her why I chose the wall instead or her face as a target. Which begs the question, did she want me to punch her face? But anyway, I thanked her for helping in the bromine incident. I called her by accident and was apparently mumbling something I can't remember. Then we came back and called a truce."

"Wait let me get this straight. She apologised for assuming we were murderers. Then you thanked her for saving you but refused to tell her about what happened in your head during the locker room incident. Now we have called a truce because the scores are settled?" Ragini summarised their conversation since it started.

"Yep, that's about it. It felt kinda weird too."

"I'll say." shikar sniggered.

"To be honest, I don't think she is half as bad as Harshad," Lakshya added as an afterthought. The youngest two agreed while Ragini facepalmed.

"I've been trying to say that for weeks. It took one of us almost dying for you to realise that?!"

"You're exaggerating the dying part," Divya tried defending herself only to receive a pointed look from the three of them. "Fine, it was a close call. Yish you guys are drama queens."

Lakshya breathed in and went back to the topic at hand. "You have been saying we should leave her alone. Not that she was good. But she seems to be pretty aloof from the school. She doesn't have many interactions other than Mr Shergill. She is harmless."

"She probably has an issue connecting and getting used to a new environment." Ragini shrugged.

"I still think it's kind of weird. We've been called crazy, demons, devils and all that other stuff. No one has apologised." Divya said amusement evident in her vocals.

"Well, no one has called us murders before." Shikar reminded them.

Ragini started packing up their bags noting that they only had a few minutes before the hike resumed. "So she is the first person who has interacted with us more than any other teacher. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is... I actually don't know. Maybe that someone has looked past our bully nature and said sorry for giving a wrong judgement," Divya shook her head. "There is something different about her. She is not scared of us. Not scared shitless at least."

"She crashed into your car, you pranked her, She pissed you off, then saved you and we saved her from Harshad. Thank you and sorries are done. And a truce has been called. That's pretty much the whole ordeal with her."

"Ragini, she knows about," Divya lowered her voice so only the four of them could hear. "Shahid. The only person that knows and didn't walk around eggshells with you. Maybe it's because she forgot or maybe she has a brain after all that knows how to react to a situation. So yes she is different."

Ragini narrowed her eyes at her best friend and slowly a smile crept onto her face.

"What?"

"Oh my god!" she shouted and covered her mouth. "Miss Sharma is growing on you."

Divya rolled her eyes at the enthusiasm. "She is not. I'm just saying she can actually be an ally and we don't have to hold a grudge."

"I'm with Ragini on this one," Lakshya announced. He changed his position to stand beside Ragini and ruffled Divya's hair. "Looks like Divi has the ability to be friendly."

"Shikar?" Divya asked. She turned to him but he wasn't paying heed to the conversation. Instead, he was staring at the deep corner of the students. "What are you looking at? Found a cute girl." the question getting all three of their attention.

"No," he said immediately. "But if she is really growing on you, I think you should head over," he flicked his thumb in her direction. "She might need some help."

When they got a closer look, they realised what was happening. "I think it's a breakdown of sorts," Ragini confirmed. "I am going over."

"Should we tell Mr Shergill?" Lakshya asked as Ragini started to make her way over.

Shikar shook his head. He had been one of the students who were behind and saw the argument between them. He didn't know what happened exactly. Yet, it was enough to know Drishti wouldn't want to see the counsellor at this moment. "I don't think she wants to. I was at the back just now. I think they got into an argument. Plus telling anyone would bring her into the spotlight."

"Well, she is our housemaster and class parent. We can't just leave her like that," Lakshya said, looking around for someone to help. They didn't know what was happening and it was probably better if it was handled by an adult. "I'll go get Ms Andrews." he started walking but Divya halted him.

"She's got this. I don't think overcrowding will help either."

Just as she was about to make her way to the vulnerable teacher, Ms Andrews called Ragini over. "Ragini, would you mind checking on the first aid kits? You were the only one who went for the course last semester."

Ragini sighed and came back to where her friends were waiting and gave Divya an apologetic hug.

Divya was confused but accepted it. "Did you forget something? 'Cause, we can get your bag."

"No, I didn't forget anything. And I am sorry Jaan. I think you are going to have to take this one."

"What? Why me?" she asked, taking a step back like a deer caught in headlights.

"Ms Andrews needs me. And these two are not so...good at it... and they look intimidating," she added after a moment.

The brother gasped and covered their mouths as if it was the most offensive thing they had ever heard. "We do not. How can you say such a thing? I thought we were friends, Ragini."

Ragini rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the guitarist. "Please. I can't go and she really needs help. I can see her shaking like a twig caught in a sandstorm."

Divya took a long stare at the teacher before sighing. "Fine but you owe one. Caramel frappe with McNuggets on you after camp."

"I Promise, bukkhad." She intertwined their pinky. "Try not to be so blunt and hard."

"I thought you liked that I called a spade a spade."

"I do but there is a time and place for that. Something you seem to forget a lot of times."

"Jeez, give me some credit. I am experienced, remember?" she joked pointing to shikar. "I got this."

"I was right. She is growing on you." she winked.

"I will stab you, Ragini Khanna, if you repeat that rubbish sentence again."

The pianist decided to challenge her best friend knowing she wouldn't even lay a finger on her let alone a knife near her. "Like it or not she has grown on you," she said, jabbing a finger in her chest. She wasn't blind or dumb. The teacher was the first authoritative figure that Divya has not tried to get kicked out or do anything in the forest.

"Run." Divya nudged her as a warning and she left to mere ms Andrews had called her.

"If you guys start moving, don't bother telling the teachers. I'll see you guys at the next checkpoint."

"Got it. We will try to buy time."

"Relax shikar, it's not like I will get lost with her in the jungle."

A/N: Don't forget to R&R!