Then Friends Now Lovers.

23. Ignoring Him.

***Piya's POV.***

"Tonight we will camp here and then tomorrow in the morning we will start trekking again to our final destination, Chandratal Lake. It would be a five to six-hour trek. Then we will circle back to Chatru where a bus would be waiting for us to take us to Rohtang Pass." The tour guide, Manish, says and we all nod.

"And we know you all must be exhausted after today's ten hour trek. So let's set up the tents first and then fill our bellies. Okay?" Another guide, Sakshi says.

"Let's put our tent there." Subu says, and I follow her.

Kanika, Subu and I put up our tent ourselves and feel proud about it. It was difficult at first and we were laughed at by others too. But then they knew they needed us for other things. Like I helped with cooking and made light dishes edible for others to eat. Subu helped with taking excellent pictures and Kanika surprisingly was good at solving problems for some ladies and couples.

"Ms. Piya, can you give me a hand?" Driti, one trekker from another group, calls for me.

I look at Subu and she says, "Go. I need good food."

I smile and join Driti to help her cook. We all have divided our duty every night for the next four days. But mine would remain as per everyone's requests. Because who doesn't want a good meal after walking so much? Some boys and girls hunt for some food and some help wash the utensils, while some keep watch.

"Can I get one more?" One trekker asks.

"Fine. But only half because I would eat the other half." Driti says and tears another bread in half and gives it to him.

"That's partially, Driti." Her friends.

"He is my boyfriend." She says in her defense, and I hold back my chuckle.

"Piya, stop laughing." Driti says and I nod.

"The stew is delicious." A husky voice says, and I look up to see it is Veer.

"Thanks." I say with a smile.

"Want to have dinner with me?" He asks.

"I can't. It would get too late for you." I say with a smile again.

"I can wait." He says.

"You don't need to. Kanika is alone. You should be with her." I say, still maintaining my smile while he frowns.

"Okay." He says and I keep smiling until he leaves.

"Woah! I sense some tension there." Driti says.

"It is nothing." I say with a smile again and get back to work.

Things have been easy for me. After that morning, I came to my room and didn't cry, not at all. Instead, I got very busy. I took a long shower which was not disturbed for an hour as Kanika didn't come back till then. Then I packed my bag and got ready as our flight time was near.

Another thing that surprised me was I didn't even react when Veer and Kanika started spending more time with each from the airport to Manali and then on this trekking. They told nothing about their dating to anyone, but it looks like they want to enjoy some time in secrecy.

But why would I care? I lost my chance and now all I can do nothing, not even confess. Because that would ruin this trip, his relationship with Kanika and would affect our friendship terribly. It is too soon to tell him the truth and too late to do anything but regret.

So what do I do now? Nothing much. The only thing I can do is smile or pretend to smile and do my best to enjoy this trip. We have already walked three to four hours on Day 1 from Jobra to Chika after an hour-long drive from Manali to Jobra. Then on Day 2, we trekked for six hours, not including breaks from Chika to Balu Ghera. Then today on Day 3, we trekked for ten long hours from Balu Ghera to Shea Goru. And now tomorrow we will have a six hours' journey to Chandratal Lake.