Take It Outside

"Someone pass me water" Rudra asked, ducking as a bottle flew past his head, bounced off the windshield and fell on his lap.

"Thanks! just so helpful....dumb ass!" He shouted at a now cowering

Darshan.

Aditya nudged him gently " don't be mean"

"You're no fun!" Darshan grumbled.

"Yeah whatever...I'll go keep him company" Aditya pushed him and walked to sit beside Rudra.

It was noon, the sun was right above them, although it had only been an hour since they had started traveling Jp was almost in tears ," god! this heat!

"Its too much" Nagma agreed, fanning herself. The AC wasn't functioning properly- a curse atop the weather.

"I'm hungry" Madhav sighed poking shoulder of the girl in front of him.

"Yeah? There's some chips.." Nagma offered " you wear glasses...how did you not see those?" she chuckled, tying her hair up in a bun.

"Ill get them for you?" Aarav offered and walked off before he could get a response. Passing a look at Nagma, Madhav turned to look at him.

"You don't have to" he said rather half-heartedly.

"Yeah, I know" Aarav handed him a packet and sat by Nagma again.

"want some?" He asked.

Shaking her head she refused with a smile and turned to watch the road again. Eyes lingered on her a while longer before he looked ahead with an empty expression. Eating silently behind him, Madhav noticed his mannerisms, a strange protectiveness overcoming him.

"You shouldn't have left on the day of the show" he spoke up rather sharply attracting the attention of Darshan and Jp as well.

"Yeah I know..I'm sorry-"

"Oh shut up! You just wanted to go on a date with the manager girl" he scoffed, his face scrunched up in anger.

A tentative chuckle escaped Aarav " that's not what I-"

"Then why?" Madhav asked, ignoring the burning glare thrown on him by the girls.

"I wasn't feeling well... I felt...anxious. I needed a break and she was going out" He said in a subdued voice. Mock laughter made him wince as Madhav shook his head in disbelief.

"Shut up Madhav" Nagma snapped "Stop be-"

"Oh get off my back Nagma!" He got up and sat in the back of the bus.

Glaring pins at him Nagma furiously stood up " get off my back huh?" She asked- as if daring him to repeat it. Maintaining eye contact with her for a solid minute he opened his mouth to speak when the bus stopped with a jerk.

"Guys...we-" Rudra turned to find everyone in battle mode "uh...what was happening?"

"Someone was being a jerk" Nagma frowned "what happened?"

"I think the fuel ran out " he scratched his head and got off the bus.

" I hate my life" Jp sighed and began to get up when she noticed Madhav doing the same

"Oh no your highness...you sit. We will all go on a date outside...with your permission" she smiled rather sarcastically and got off along with Aarav and Darshan who sniggered. Nagma followed them, not wanting to be near Madhav. 

"What do we do?" She asked, stepping out of the vehicle and joining Rudra.

"There's a petrol pump a couple kilometers from here " Darshan looked up from his phone.

"okay ... Ill go" Rudra adjusted his drooping pants, ready to walk.

"I'm coming" Aditya quipped.

"Me too!" with a grin Darshan showed his maps "I'll navigate!"

"Its a straight road though" Jp leaned on the bus.

"Shut up" he rolled his eyes and walked away with the rest.

watching them disappear, Nagma realised it was just them- Aarav, Madhav, Jp and herself...a recipe for fights.

"Okay...this is it" Jp said with a determined face, she got into the buss and took off her hoodie, Leaving her in a blue t shirt.

"Fight me" she deadpanned at Madhav who looked confused

"What?"

"Oh! now its what? What about when you were talking crap about me and Aarav right? Now you wanna clam up?" she nearly shouted while Nagma jumped in and attempted to calm her down.

Aarav simply watched. What was he going to do? Fight for Madhav? ew.

"Get out of my face Jp" Madhav stood up, menacingly taller than her and more intimidating than she remembered. Was he always this huge?

"Or what ...?" She narrowed her eyes and attempted to make herself look bigger than she was - failing rather horribly.

"Jp ... Don't make me hit you" he threatened in a low voice "you seem to get hit all the time anyway "

An offended gasp emanated from her as she seemed physically ready to fight.

"Touch her and I touch you" Nagma spoke up. Aarav got closer as well.

"Yeah same for me. Don't touch her, you're pissed at me, fight me." He stood up straight, a little shorter than Madhav- more than he would care to acknowledge.

"Oh shut up" he rolled his eyes and backed away, sitting in the corner of the bus with a sulk.

"whatever, coward, I'm standing outside" Jp shook her head and got off. She loitered outside with Aarav, kicking rocks to pass the Time, while Nagma sat inside.

"Nagma I-" Madhav began tiredly.

"Nope" she cut him off and began texting on her phone. There would be no discussion or she would kill him. The sound of stones being kicked against the bus was shut out by her earphones. Aarav and Jp were playing around -she reckoned- again.

"what do you think they're talking about?" Aarav asked, squinting as the sun hit his eyes.

"Why do you care?" She shrugged back, tossing a stone hard, wishing it was a certain bespectacled Buffoon instead- they had the same intelligence anyway. Her hair tied up in a ponytail, whipping around in the hot wind.

"Because...you know..." he trailed off.

"What?" She asked with genuine curiosity.

"You know..." He gestured with his arms rather grandly before slumping them as he realised she did not know at all. his face fell "you don't know" lackluster voice sounding more like a statement to himself. Scrunching her face in confusion she kicked a stone hard toward a road. A bad decision.

SPLAT!- it ricocheted off of a moving car and flew past them making them duck.

Her eyes widened as the car began to slow down

"Shit! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! IT WAS THE WIND! I PROMISE!" she shouted. Her palms pressed together - a gesture to ask for forgiveness.

The driver flipped her off and drove away as she frowned. No need to be rude. It was just a dent. If he had money to buy BMW he had money to buy a new door ... Or cover it up with money...whatever rich old men do.

Placing her hands firm on her hips she turned to find a very confused Aarav.

'What?" She asked coming closer.

"You didn't know that I -" he mumbled and trailed off once more

"Tell me" she asked softly. pursing his lips, he shook his head

"Nothing... " he waved her off "so...BMW guy was rude huh?" He asked.

Realizing he wanted to change the topic she nodded " yeah! Flipping me off like it cost him a rupee.

"You're right" he grinned, somehow it never reached his eyes, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by her," you feeling better? you were feeling sick right?"

"yeah i took pills. its just body pain...So which is your favorite cricket team?' She asked sitting on the milestone by the side of the road.

Walking over to stand by her, he placed an arm on his hip and with a rather triumphant voice declared, "I don't like sports"

"Oh that's why" 

"What? That's why what?"

"That's why you're so weak" she started laughing

"Hey! I am not weak! Look at my muscles!" he flexed his arm making her laugh Even harder.

---------------------------

"Darshan... How far is it?" Aditya panted.

"Two kilometers"

"You said that half an hour ago" Rudra sighed.

"Yeah... about that"

"How far is it Darshan" Rudra asked, dreading the response, the silent response annoying him even more. 

"DARSHAN"

"Ten"

"Minutes?"

"Kilometers"

"YOU DUMBASS!"