I was in my office, sipping on my third coffee of the morning when Aarohi burst through the door like a whirlwind of excitement, eyes practically sparkling. I didn't even have to ask what was going on. The energy she radiated screamed one thing—trip planning chaos.
"Maya! You won't believe this," she said, throwing her bag down on my couch like she was about to move in for the next hour. "I talked to Yatharth last night, and guess what? We're going on a trip!"
I raised an eyebrow, already bracing myself for whatever elaborate scheme was about to pour out of her. "You mean you decided you're going on a trip and steamrolled poor Yatharth into agreeing, right?"
Aarohi waved her hand, like that was just a minor detail. "Okay, sure, I might've gotten a little too excited, but you know what? We need this trip, Maya. And you, my dear, are coming too."
I blinked. "Wait, me? How did I get dragged into this?"
"Obviously, you and Amartya are coming! It'll be a couples' getaway—but not in a weird way. Like a... friends-but-also-vacation-vibes kind of thing."
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "Oh, so now we're 'couples'? You and Yatharth, sure. But Amartya and me? Please."
Aarohi rolled her eyes. "It's not like that! You two just balance things out, and besides, it wouldn't be as fun without you. We need more sarcasm and eye rolls to keep things interesting."
"Uh-huh," I said, giving her a knowing look. "This sounds like you're just trying to throw us all into some bizarre rom-com scenario."
"Exactly!" she grinned, totally ignoring the sarcasm. "Anyway, I've already been thinking about where we should go. Maybe Goa? Or Bali? Or wait, how about Italy?"
I almost choked on my coffee. "Aarohi, we're not planning a destination wedding. It's just a trip."
"Just a trip? Maya, come on, it's never just a trip. We need to make it *the* trip. The one people talk about for years."
I smirked. "Right, because you were totally going to keep that secret."
"Ugh, I know," she said, sitting up and smoothing her hair. "But enough about that. You have to help me plan! I already have a Pinterest board and like, ten ideas for our itinerary."
I sighed, knowing I was in too deep now. "Fine. But if this trip turns into one of your crazy ideas, don't blame me when things go sideways."
Aarohi's face lit up like she'd just won the lottery. "It won't! I promise! It's going to be amazing. We'll book a villa, get Amartya and Yatharth to chill for once, and maybe... just maybe, you'll get a tan for once instead of hiding in this office all day."
I gave her a deadpan stare. "Yeah, because my pasty skin is really what's been holding me back in life."
She laughed, completely unfazed by my sarcasm, and started typing furiously on her phone. "Okay, I'll get the guys on board. We can meet after work to lock down the details. This is going to be epic, Maya. You'll see."
As she continued buzzing around my office, babbling about flight options and Instagrammable moments, I just shook my head and wondered what I'd gotten myself into.
This was Aarohi, though—once she got an idea, she wouldn't let it go. And honestly? A vacation didn't sound half bad, even if it came with a side of chaos.
"Alright, alright, count me in," I said, finally relenting. "But I swear, if this turns into some Pinterest-inspired nightmare, I'm blaming you."
Aarohi shot me a wink. "Deal. Now let's make this trip legendary!"
After Aarohi left my office with her head full of vacation dreams and Instagram filters, I settled back into work—well, as much work as I could focus on, knowing what was about to happen next.
Ding
I looked at my phone, already knowing who it was.
Aarohi: "Group meeting at Maya's office after work! Trip planning time! Everyone better be there. No excuses!!! "
I rolled my eyes and let out a small laugh. She had wasted no time. I could already imagine the chaos that would ensue in my office later. But honestly? It was kind of endearing how excited she was.
A minute later, more dings. The group chat was already blowing up.
Yatharth: "Great. Another meeting I didn't know I signed up for. "
Amartya: "I mean, if it involves beaches and drinks, I'm in. But if you're planning to drag us on some weird hiking adventure, count me out."
Aarohi: "Oh, come on, it's gonna be fun!! And NO hiking. I promise. Just sun, sand, and good times!"
I could practically hear Amartya's groan through the screen, but I knew he'd show up. It's not like he had a choice—Aarohi's enthusiasm was like a tidal wave, sweeping everyone along whether they wanted to go or not.
Maya: "Yeah, sure, because I have so much free time to plan this trip between running a company. "
Aarohi: "You NEED this, Maya. Don't act like I didn't see those dark circles under your eyes this morning. This is a wellness retreat now. #SelfCareGoals"
I snorted. Classic Aarohi—turning a tropical vacation into a self-care crusade.
Amartya: "Careful, Maya. Next thing you know, she's booking us a detox yoga retreat and juice cleanse."
Yatharth: "God, I hope not. If there's no food, I'm out."
Aarohi: "Relax, you grumpy boys. It's gonna be epic, I promise. And no detox nonsense. I'm thinking luxury villa, cocktails by the pool, and *maybe* a fancy dinner or two."
Maya: "Fine, but you owe me big time if this turns into a Pinterest nightmare. See you all in my office later."
Yatharth: "Looking forward to watching this chaos unfold. "
With that, I tossed my phone aside and tried to focus on work, but Aarohi's infectious energy had already taken over. I was half-expecting her to show up with mood boards and spreadsheets for this trip.
Later that day, after wrapping up my work, I couldn't help but feel a strange excitement bubbling up. Maybe it was the idea of a vacation—or maybe it was just knowing that the four of us would be stuck in a room together, attempting to plan something as simple as a trip, but with Aarohi's flair for drama.
I glanced at the time. The meeting was approaching. Time to brace myself for whatever madness was about to unfold in my office.
By the time the boys arrived, Aarohi was already bouncing around my office like an over-caffeinated bunny, flipping through vacation spots on her laptop and throwing out random ideas like "private yacht" and "helicopter tours." I sat back in my chair, half-listening as I placed an order for food. If we were going to get through this, I needed something stronger than coffee—pasta, pizza, whatever would keep the boys from bailing before we even started.
Yatharth and Amartya strolled in, looking a mix of amused and resigned.
"Look at them," I said, smirking as they dropped into the chairs like they'd just signed up for a group project they never wanted to be part of. "The enthusiasm is palpable."
Yatharth grinned, kicking his feet up on the corner of my desk. "Just trying to mentally prepare myself for whatever Aarohi's got in mind."
"Guys, this is going to be so much fun!" Aarohi chirped, not even registering the sarcasm. She was already in full-on vacation mode, a world away from reality. "I've been looking at Bali, Greece, maybe even the Maldives!"
Amartya raised an eyebrow. "Aarohi, are you planning a wedding or a trip? Because the way you're talking, I'm expecting flower petals and champagne towers."
"I mean, there *could* be champagne towers if we want," she replied, not missing a beat. "But this is about relaxing and having fun. I just want us all to unwind, okay?"
Yatharth snorted. "Yeah, because nothing says relaxing like four people trying to agree on anything."
"Speaking of which," I said, pulling up the food delivery app, "I'm ordering pizza. Let's start there and see if we can handle that level of decision-making."
"Pizza I can get behind," Amartya nodded. "At least something makes sense in this meeting."
I tapped the screen and hit order. "Done. Should be here in twenty minutes. Now, let's get serious for a second—where are we actually going?"
Aarohi clapped her hands. "Okay, so here's what I've got: Bali—luxury villa, infinity pool, private chef. Greece—beachfront villa, boat rentals, and tons of cute little tavernas. Or Maldives—overwater bungalows, snorkeling, and total seclusion."
Yatharth groaned. "You lost me at private chef."
Amartya shrugged. "Honestly, they all sound great. But I'm just trying to figure out how this turned into such a production."
Aarohi gave him a playful shove. "Because if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right. Now, what's it gonna be?"
I watched the boys exchange looks, trying not to laugh at how out of their depth they were. Aarohi was relentless, and once she had her sights set on something, there was no escaping it.
Yatharth leaned back, arms crossed. "Okay, okay. Let's think about this. If we go to Greece, we've got beaches and food. Bali has the whole villa thing, but the flight is long as hell. And Maldives... I mean, that sounds great, but are we really secluded type people?"
"Depends on the food situation," Amartya deadpanned. "If I'm stranded with just coconuts and fish, count me out."
Aarohi rolled her eyes. "You're impossible. It's going to be luxurious, Amartya, not *Survivor*."
The doorbell buzzed, signaling the arrival of food. I got up to grab it, bringing in the boxes of pizza and placing them on the coffee table in the middle of the office.
"Okay, refuel time," I said, handing them slices. "Let's narrow it down—where do we want to go?"
Yatharth took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. "I vote Greece. It's got everything—food, beaches, and we're not stuck on a plane for fifteen hours."
Amartya nodded in agreement. "I'm cool with that. Plus, Greece is kind of a vibe. Sunsets, beach bars, maybe a bit of culture. It's not like we'll be bored."
Aarohi looked a little disappointed. "But the Maldives has the bungalows…"
"And Greece has baklava," I said, trying to keep things moving. "Come on, Aarohi, you'll love it. Imagine the sunsets, the photo ops, the Mediterranean breeze."
She finally relented, nodding. "Fine, Greece it is! But I'm booking us the best villa I can find."
"Deal," Yatharth said, smiling. "Let's just make sure there's enough time to chill. No crazy schedules, please."
"Oh, don't worry," Aarohi said, already scrolling through her phone, no doubt finding the most glamorous spot on the Greek coastline. "This trip is going to be legendary."
Amartya glanced over at Yatharth. "Legendary, huh? You better hope she doesn't drag us into some ancient ruins tour."
Yatharth grinned. "If she does, we'll just sneak off to a bar. Problem solved."
I couldn't help but laugh at how quickly things were escalating. But one thing was clear—this trip was going to be *something*, especially if Aarohi had her way.
"So, we've got the place, we've got the plan," I said. "Now let's just survive the next few days without losing our minds."
"Easy for you to say," Amartya muttered. "You're not the one who's about to get dragged through the tourist traps of Greece."
Yatharth gave him a playful shove. "Quit whining. We're going to eat good, soak up the sun, and maybe even avoid complete chaos for once."
"Maybe," Amartya repeated, smirking. "But with Aarohi leading this trip, I'm not holding my breath."
As the conversation shifted to flights, schedules, and logistics, I leaned back, feeling a strange mix of excitement and exhaustion. This trip was shaping up to be exactly what we all needed... even if we didn't quite realize it yet.