Flashback           

            Yash asked Abhimanyu to join him and Shilpa on a trip to Vagamon and Kumararkom the next morning. He said Jyoti who was also interested in the trip could ride on his motorcycle. It would be fun to go motorbiking together on hilly terrain. Yash asked Ram if he should arrange a bike for him to which he said he would rather study for pretests. Abhimanyu immediately agreed as he loved mountains. He was all for adventure trips. Yash told Abhimanyu not to worry about hotel bookings and that he will take care of it. He said his night stay was on him and it was a surprise. Abhimanyu never jumped to pay for anything. He always liked to underplay when it came to money matters. He knew Yash came from a rich family, and he thought it was okay if he paid for him as a friend.

               Saturday morning, they waited for girls in canteen with borrowed helmets for them. When they arrived in tiny shorts, Yash told them that they were going motorbiking to a hill station first and then to backwaters in Kumarakom where they checked in late afternoon. He has checked the weather forecast for Vagamon and it showed low temperatures with wind but luckily no rain. He said although he loved them in shorts, they will have to go back to change into full length jeans and get warm hoodies. Also they wouldn't like to get scratches on their legs from the rocks on mountains and stones that often rolled down the hills.

               Girls returned to canteen after changing. Yash hanged Abhimanyu's and his backpack from the hooks on his bike. The girls sat with their backpacks on them. Vagamon was approximately 100 km from their college. They took SH40 to Vagamon village. It took them three hours to reach there with coffee/tea, water, rest and restroom breaks. They went exploring the hilly terrain after lunch at a roadside restaurant. The hill station was breathtaking with tea gardens and deep valleys. They enjoyed the cool breeze carrying the aroma of spices as they drove along the winding roads. The road was metaled in most places but it was muddy at many others. Riding motorbikes on lots of curves, hilly inclines, tight corners and winding corners felt like one hella roller coaster ride. They throttled from time to time to enjoy the mountain curves. They couldn't get enough of the scenic beauty and stunning landscapes. They got down at the viewpoint on top of the mountain to watch mist clad mountains that looked gorgeous. They clicked a lot of pictures and had some refreshments there before heading to Kumarakom.

              By the time they hit relatively less hilly region of the beautiful valley it was already 5 pm. Kumarakom backwaters was more than two and a half hours drive from there. Yash had plans to enjoy the evening in hotel as they had to check out at 11 am next day. Now, they were going to reach a lot later than he wanted, but he thought that biking in hills was worth the time it took. On way to Kumarakom, they met with a huge traffic jam. They learnt that an accident had taken place and work to clear the road was taking long as the roads were narrow. They had to shut down their engines and relax by the road side to wait for the traffic to start moving again. It was 8:30 in the clock when they reached the gates of the hotel where Yash had booked rooms for them.

              All had their mouth hung open in surprise except Yash when they entered the five star Kumarakom Lake Paradise. It was the finest luxury heritage resort in India, nestled on the serene banks of the Vembanad lake. It was a big pristine colonial property that looked amazingly beautiful and tranquil with coconut groves and beautiful villas overlooking the fresh water lake. They all couldn't stop admiring the beautiful resort and looked forward to see it in daylight.

Abhimanyu: This is a huge surprise. You must have shelled out a lot of money for us to stay here.

Yash: Anything for friends. He said with all the modesty.

Jyoti: Oh My God! This is so beautiful!

Shilpa: I can't wait to see the rooms! She said excitedly.

Yash: We are lucky. The rooms I booked were the last two available. This resort is fully packed in this season. Do you know Prince Charles stayed here?

Shilpa, Jyoti and Abhimanyu: Wow! Really!

Abhimanyu: What's the occasion, Yash? You got all of us to this beautiful place.

Yash: None. Seriously. Just wanted to come here with my friends.

Shilpa and Jyoti: Thank you, Yash.

Abhimanyu: Thank you.

Girls quickly walk to the reception in lobby with their backpacks. Yash unhooks the backpacks on his bike and gives Abhimanyu his.

Abhimanyu: You could have taken money from me if you were booking rooms in a five-star.

Yash: It's not like you were going to pay from your pocket. Any money you gave would have been your dad's. I am aware that your dad's pockets aren't deep enough to pay for your stay in a luxurious hotel. It's more than what you get for a month's expenditure.

Abhimanyu gulped saliva in his throat at his dad being mentioned so poor.

Abhimanyu: Still..

Yash: Would you have agreed to come if I told we will stay in a world class resort?

Abhimanyu: No.

Yash: That's why. I wanted you to come here with me. I booked two luxury pavilion rooms and they are not laced along lake like those expensive villas that you see. They are the cheapest rooms here and I got them at a decent price considering how beautiful this resort is. He said soaking the beautiful view of resort.

Yash: Let's go in. Girls must be waiting for us to check in. Then we have to go for dinner also.

Abhimanyu: I'm already starving.

             Yash checks in one room and Shilpa in the other. Receptionist gives the key to guest room 102 to Shilpa and 108 to Yash.

Shilpa: Where are we going for dinner?

Yash: We are already very late for dinner. We didn't even have a proper lunch today. There is no time to change and freshen up now. Shilpa and I will go and drop the bags in our rooms. Abhimanyu, you and Jyoti take my cell phone and use the WiFi connection of the hotel to search a restaurant nearby for dinner. The WiFi connection is always better in lobby than room.

                Shilpa takes Jyoti's bag and Yash takes Abhimanyu's bag before heading to the guest rooms while Abhimanyu and Jyoti sit in lobby googling restaurants nearby. Yash and Shilpa are quickly back to the reception area.

Abhimanyu: All the restaurants are far. By the time we'll reach they'll be about to close and might even refuse to serve us.

Shilpa: What do we do now?

Jyoti: They must be have one inside the resort.

Shilpa goes to ask receptionist who tells them that they do have one and they must hurry as it closes at 10 pm.

Yash knew about it but wanted to avoid dining there as it was very expensive.

Abhimanyu sees Yash a little hesitant and understands how he had already paid so much for the rooms and now a dinner for four in a fine restaurant was too much.

Abhimanyu: Okay guys, everybody's dinner is on me. He announced.

Yash: No, you are not allowed to take it on you. He immediately reacted.

Yash: My dear friend, you have no idea how much dinner can cost in a restaurant here. I don't want you to get in trouble with your dad because of me.

Shilpa: No worries, my dad won't mind. It's on me. She announced.

Abhimanyu couldn't retort as that was the image he had consciously built for his dad and himself.

           Petuketti, the restaurant had an excellent ambiance  with an equally good menu card that offered dishes from all the cuisines. They order their specialty, ethnic Kerala cuisine, butter chicken and naans. Yash and Shilpa finish eating fast and excuse themselves to stroll around the restaurant while Abhimanyu and Jyoti sit there enjoying the delicious dinner. Abhimanyu could see Yash and Shilpa strolling hand in hand from the restaurant.

After eating their dinner, Abhimanyu and Jyoti come out the restaurant, but don't see Yash and Shilpa  around?

Abhimanyu: Where did they go?

Jyoti: I think they went to rooms. Shilpa gave me the keys to 102.

Abhimanyu: Oh! Yash forgot to give me the keys to my room.

Abhimanyu and Jyoti walk to guestrooms. Room 108 was ahead of 102 in the same row

Jyoti opens the door of her room and shouts out loud to call Abhimanyu who was walking to his room.

Jyoti: Sir, where are you going? Your bag is here in this room.

Abhimanyu: What? He walks back to Jyoti.

Jyoti: Only your and my backpack is here. Shilpa's backpack is not even here and she gave me the keys to this room. I guess they are putting up together in other room.

             Abhimanyu was shocked to learn that. He didn't know what to do. At first he wanted to call Yash on his cell from reception and ask about it but then he thought it would be so rude to force his friend to stay with him instead of his girlfriend. He enters Jyoti's room. It was a luxurious traditionally styled room with a queen bed, a study and a TV. Jyoti was very happy to find Jacuzzi in bathroom.

Abhimanyu: Are you okay with this arrangement? I mean you and me in the same room for the night.

Jyoti: I am okay. It's not like we have an option.

Jyoti: And you don't have to pull a Hindi movie by sleeping on floor all night. The bed is big enough for both of us to sleep comfortably.

Abhimanyu: Should I pull an English movie then. He joked and laughed.

Shilpa: You are most welcome if you want to.

                      He shrugged off whatever that meant and sits on the sofa chair upholstered with foam core cushion by the bed side. He picks up the book on Kerala tourism lying on night stand. He turns the pages of book as he tries to understand the whole situation. He understood that it was a set-up planned by Yash to get him hooked with Jyoti. He only tried to make it easy for him like a good friend. He looks at the neatly made queen bed and thinks if he was really going to sleep on it next to Jyoti. Then he has a eureka moment and he decides to watch sports channel sitting on that sofa until Jyoti falls asleep which would be quick since girls can't watch sports channel for long. After that he'll sleep on the sofa chair he was sitting on. He thought it shouldn't be difficult as he was already very tired from riding motorcycle all day.

Jyoti: I am going to shower. Are you not going to shower and change into your night clothes?

Abhimanyu lifts his head from book to respond to Jyoti and  finds her taking off her T shirt right there in the room instead of bathroom. He keeps the book back and rushes to door.

Jyoti: Where are you going?

Abhimanyu: I'll be back soon. He shuts the door and walks out to the reception.

Receptionist: How may I help you, sir?

Abhimanyu: Do you have any room available?

Receptinist: No sir, all rooms are occupied. I guess you already have a pavilion guestroom with your friend. He looked at him suspiciously.

Abhimanyu: Yeah, but the bed is too small to accommodate both of us especially with his habit of continuously moving round in bed. We rode for twelve hours in mountains today and we have to ride same number of hours tomorrow. I can meet with an accident tomorrow if I am sleep deprived. I desperately need sound sleep in my own room. Hope you understand that. He stressed on the accident part.

Receptionist: I totally understand that sir. We would have had we one.

Abhimanyu: Look, don't think I am too young to pay for expensive rooms. Any room, villas, suites anything will do.

Receptionist: Let me see what I can do for you sir. Let me talk with my manager on duty.

Receptionist gets the manager with him.

Manager: He told me you want another room to sleep. I would have been more than pleased to offer one in your case but we are extremely sorry that we are unable to do so because of unavailability of rooms.

Abhimanyu: I heard Prince Charles stayed in your hotel. I even saw pictures of them in your lobby.

Manager: That's true, sir.

Abhimanyu: Mr. Nair, I'm sure the room they stayed in doesn't get to see guests that easily. He says after reading his name on the nameplate pinned on his coat.

Manager: Yes sir, that royal presidential suite is available.

Abhimanyu: I guess you don't mind giving it to a young boy as long as transaction gets through smoothly.

Manager: Not at all, sir. That would be only one lakh rupees for a night. How would you like to pay? 

        Abhimanyu hands him his debit card and drivers license as an identity proof. After the successful transaction manager welcomes him and gives him the keys to Royal Presidential Suite. He offers him a cart ride to his room whenever he was ready to go.

             Abhimanyu walks to Jyoti's room and knocks the door. Jyoti opens the door looking hot in a very sexy lace and satin babydoll lingerie in grape color. Her long hair were wet and dripping from the shower. Half naked models ramped in ftv(Fashion TV) channel on TV. She allows him in and sits on bed. He tries to spot his bag in the room. Jyoti had put it in the glassed shelf below TV table after he left.

Jyoti: You took a lot of time there. I was waiting for you. Where did you go?

Abhimanyu: I went to reception to get a room for myself. I was lucky to get one.

Jyoti: But why? I mean we could have shared the room without anything happening between us.

Abhimanyu: I know, but I still thought it would be better.

Jyoti: Or you thought you will lose control with me by your side? She looked at him seductively.

Abhimanyu: Not at all. I have all the control in the world. He looked at her and said calmly though very shocked at her question.

Jyoti: How did you even get one? Yash said the rooms he booked were the last ones. She said frustrated.

Abhimanyu: I talked to the manager and he somehow managed to arrange one for me.

Jyoti: How could he do that when there weren't any? She asked showing doubt.

He knew she wasn't going to stop until he gave her a convincing answer and he better have one as he might have to tell the same to Yash also if he found out. He tries to quickly think of one.

Abhimanyu: The guests in one of the pavilion rooms who were supposed to check out tomorrow checked out today due to some personal reasons.

Jyoti: But how did you pay? I mean, did you have that much money in your account to pay? I don't mean to be rude. I'm just curious.

Abhimanyu: I managed. Abhimanyu swallowed his pride.

Jyoti: Oh! Good then. She said chirpily when she was actually feeling very sad.

Abhimanyu finally spots his bag and thinks finally he could get rid of her train of questions.

Abhimanyu: Oh, found my bag. I'll take my bag. Okay.

            When he turned to go, Jyoti threw herself on him in a hug."Don't go, let's make love", she said with her hands feeling all of his back and tightening it's grip on him. He held her upper arms with his strong hands and gently pushed her away from himself and walked out without saying a word.

          Manager takes Abhimanyu in a cart to the secluded Royal Presidential Suite. Riding on cart, Abhimanyu thinks if he would have done the same if was stuck with Shanaya in a room instead of Jyoti. The answer was no. He would have touched her, felt her, kissed her and perhaps done everything that Jyoti was expecting him to or any other boy of his age would. They reach the suite. It was luxurious with regal interiors and its very own view of the lake, a private pool and a private courtyard. Abhimanyu was so tired that he falls asleep on the king size bed without changing and without any shower.

        Bright morning rays wake him up. He checks his wrist watch for time. It was 7 am. He finds he was stinking from the last day sweat. He takes off his shirt and jeans and jumps into the private pool for a good swim. He gets dressed and goes to the lobby to checkout before his friends woke. The receptionist on morning duty was a lady. She was more than happy to keep his bag with her while he went out to stroll around the property after checking out Royal Presidential Suite before time. Abhimanyu spots Jyoti sitting on a bench beside lake. She looked sad. He goes and sits beside her.

Abhimanyu: Where are Yash and Shilpa?

Jyoti: They are not out of their room yet and it's almost time to check out.

Jyoti: I'm sorry about last night. She said clearing her throat.

Abhimanyu: It's okay. Don't feel sad or guilty about it. So many times things happen not because we are desperate but the environment is such that it leads us to it.

He tries to make her feel better about herself.

Jyoti: You are going to tell everyone what I did last night.

Abhimanyu: No, not at all. It's a promise, I'll never tell that to anyone. You set yourself free of that worry.

Jyoti: If you tell Yash, you booked another room last night, he'll anyway come to know. Promise me you won't tell him about the other room.

Abhimanyu: I anyways don't want him to find out about it. That's why I checked out early in the morning. He took everything upon himself to get me here. He'll be hurt if he came to know I had to pay for another room. So, I don't think I can ever tell him.

             Yash and Shilpa also come strolling there and join the two. They decide to go to bird sanctuary nearby before returning to college. The ride, the resort everything was so breathtaking that he wished he got to travel places with the one who takes his breath away.