Chapter 6: Breaking the act

The Teacher's Instructions

The sun filtered through the dense canopy above as the students gathered at the entrance of the jungle trail. The air smelled of damp earth and fresh leaves, and the distant sounds of birds echoed through the trees.

Their teacher, Mr. Sharma, stood in front, holding a bright orange flag in his hands.

"Alright, listen up!" he called, his voice carrying over the rustling leaves. "We'll be placing these flags on the trees as we walk ahead. This will help us find our way back later."

A murmur of agreement ran through the students.

"And," Mr. Sharma continued, his tone shifting slightly, "to make things more interesting, we'll be working in teams of two."

That got their attention.

A few students straightened up, whispering to their friends. Pairing up meant two things—either luck or disaster.

The teacher pulled out a list, unfolding it slowly, as if enjoying their suspense.

"The teams have already been decided," he announced. "No last-minute switches."

Aria exhaled, adjusting her backpack.

This trip was already a mistake.

She still wasn't sure why she agreed to come. Maybe it was the pressure of the moment. Maybe she wanted to prove something. Maybe—

She didn't even know anymore.

But now, on top of that, they were doing pair assignments.

Great.

She rubbed her temples. Please don't make it worse.

The Pairings & Nancy's Reaction

Mr. Sharma began reading off names.

"Rahul and Samaira."

"Pooja and Kabir."

Then—

"Nancy and Arsh."

Nancy grinned, throwing a glance at Arsh. "Nice! Looks like you're stuck with me."

Arsh, who had been busy adjusting his camera settings, barely looked up. "Mm."

Nancy rolled her eyes playfully. Of course, he didn't care.

And then—

"Aria and Rishant."

Aria's stomach dropped.

She barely stopped herself from groaning.

It wasn't enough that she came on this trip. Now she had to be paired with Rishant, of all people?

She forced a tight-lipped smile, keeping her reaction contained.

Beside her, Rishant nudged her shoulder. "Oh no, the universe really said 'stick together,' huh?"

Aria let out a short, dry laugh. "Yeah. What are the odds?"

She didn't mean for it to sound bitter.

But it did.

Nancy Notices the Shift

Nancy, standing next to Aria, nudged her shoulder lightly.

It was a familiar gesture—one they had shared a hundred times before. A signal of excitement, of matching the vibe, of their easy friendship.

But this time—

Aria barely glanced at her. Her response was instant, sharp.

"What?"

Not playful. Not matching the energy. Just irritated.

Nancy blinked.

For a second, she didn't react. But something in her eyes shifted.

She didn't say anything.

She didn't need to.

Aria felt it—the subtle but undeniable shift in Nancy's expression.

It wasn't hurt.

It wasn't disappointment.

It was something final.

Like she had just made a decision.

Nancy turned back toward the teacher without another word, her face smooth, neutral.

But Aria knew.

She had just hit Nancy's last limit.

The moment the pairings were set, Aria nudged Rishant's shoulder.

He turned, slightly confused. "What?"

She tilted her head toward Arsh.

"Look at him," she whispered.

Rishant followed her gaze.

There Arsh was, standing a little away from the group, holding up his phone. His fingers moved swiftly over the screen as he adjusted angles, snapping pictures of the jungle.

Aria smirked.

"I got it," she murmured, eyes gleaming.

Rishant gave her a blank look. "Got what?"

Aria folded her arms, watching as Arsh took another picture, then quickly typed something on his phone.

"He's not worried about getting lost or exploring," she said. "He's here to post aesthetic jungle pictures on social media."

Rishant followed her gaze again. Sure enough, Arsh was now angling his phone perfectly toward a sunbeam filtering through the trees.

Rishant sighed. "I don't know what's worse—the fact that you figured that out, or the fact that you're right."

Aria chuckled. "Told you."

Meanwhile, Nancy clapped her hands loudly.

"Okay, Mr. Photographer, are you actually going to help me, or should I just tie a flag around your neck so we don't lose you?"

Arsh barely reacted.

Instead, he adjusted his hoodie and simply said, "Go stand near that tree. It'll look cool in the background."

Nancy rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable."

Aria and Rishant exchanged amused glances before picking up their own stack of flags.

Rishant nudged her again. "Are you sure you're okay being stuck with me?"

Aria exhaled, throwing him a side glance.

Was she?

"…Yeah," she muttered.

Rishant didn't look convinced.

And honestly, neither was she.

Silence Between Aria & Rishant

Aria and Rishant walked side by side through the dense jungle path.

The silence between them was heavy—not comfortable, not easy.

It wasn't like before, when conversations flowed effortlessly. Now, it was as if there was a wall between them, one neither of them wanted to break.

Rishant finally sighed and sat down on a flat rock in the middle of the trail.

"I'm tired," he muttered.

Aria stopped and turned slightly. "What?"

Rishant stretched his arms lazily. "I guess I'll take a rest ."

Aria hesitated for a second but then exhaled sharply and sat beside him.

For a moment, they just sat there.

The jungle around them was alive with sounds—birds chirping, leaves rustling in the wind, distant footsteps of other students.

But between them, the silence was killing.

Rishant looked at Aria's face, studying her carefully.

Something wasn't right.

She wasn't just upset. She was distant. Guarded.

This wasn't the Aria he knew.

Finally, he broke the ice.

"Aria… I thought I could wait, but seriously—what exactly happened to you?"

Aria's expression didn't change.

Her voice was firm, emotionless when she replied, "Nothing."

Rishant's patience snapped.

"Nothing? You're just going to say 'nothing' and expect me to believe it?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "And Nancy? You're mad at her too—for what? Do you even realize how unfair you're being?"

That was it.

Aria's head turned sharply toward him, her jaw clenched.

Her eyes flashed with something raw—anger, frustration, exhaustion.

"Hurt? Other people's feelings?" she snapped. "What about my feelings, Rishant?"

Rishant froze.

Aria's voice rose, her hands curling into fists.

"If I'm acting like the sunshine friend, it's all okay, right? If I smile, joke, and cheer you all up, I fit perfectly into the group, right? But the moment I get angry, the moment I don't match your energy, suddenly it's a problem?"

Rishant stared at her, his expression unreadable.

That wasn't what he meant.

That wasn't what any of them meant.

But Aria wasn't done.

She let out a bitter laugh. "Do you all think I'm some kind of cheering machine? That I don't get to feel upset? That I can't be angry or mean?"

The words hung in the air, thick and suffocating.

Rishant's face shifted slightly—like he was realizing something for the first time.

Like he was finally seeing her.

But Aria wasn't waiting for a response.

She took a deep breath, stood up, and turned away.

"I need space," she muttered, her voice quieter now.

She started walking, her steps quick and determined.

"Aria, wait—" Rishant moved as if to follow her.

But she shook her head.

"Don't come behind me. Choose another path."

And with that, she disappeared deeper into the jungle.

---

Meanwhile: Arsh & Nancy's Chaos

A few meters away, Arsh stood with his camera raised, adjusting the angles for the perfect shot.

Nancy, however, had lost all patience.

"This is not the right angle," Arsh muttered to himself.

Nancy, sitting against a tree half-asleep, barely lifted her head. "Arsh, I swear—just take the damn picture."

Arsh ignored her, stepping back. "Tilt your head a bit—no, not that way. It's ruining the light."

Nancy groaned. "I am literally sleeping in this photo. Does it even matter?"

Arsh frowned, squinting at the screen. "It has to look natural."

Nancy rolled her eyes. "IT IS NATURAL. I AM SLEEPING."

Arsh sighed dramatically. "You don't understand aesthetics."

Nancy snapped.

"Whaaaaat?!" she shouted, finally losing her patience.

Arsh flinched, raising his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, chill."

Nancy jumped up from the tree and dusted off her clothes. "That's it. No more. I'm walking ahead."

Arsh lowered his camera, watching her storm off.

He tilted his head, thinking.

"…Should've clicked that. It looked cinematic."

Nancy glared.

Arsh quickly grabbed his backpack. "Alright, alright. I'm coming."

And just like that, the two of them walked deeper into the jungle