Chapter: Day 15 — The Flight Out
Morning didn't arrive gently.
It exploded.
"WAKE UP YOU DEAD HUMANS!"
Percy's voice thundered across the campsite like a siren.
He stormed through the tents dramatically, clapping loudly.
"Airport day! Civilization is calling! Get up!"
A pillow flew directly into his face.
"SHUT UP!" Ace groaned.
Matt pulled his blanket over his head.
Allison muttered sleepily, "Percy Mariano I swear…"
But Percy was already moving to the next victim.
He grabbed JJ's blanket.
"Baby sistah! Rise and shine!"
JJ didn't even open her eyes.
"Percy… if you value your life… walk away."
He yanked the blanket.
She instantly grabbed a pillow and smacked his head.
"GET OUT!"
The campsite slowly filled with sleepy chaos.
Lyra sat up, rubbing her eyes.
Alex was still half asleep beside her laptop, his arm across the keyboard like he had passed out mid-work.
Zein stretched lazily near the tent entrance.
Mia groaned.
Race looked like he had not slept at all.
Care woke quietly.
No dramatic reaction.
No groaning.
Just slow blinking as the morning light touched her eyes.
Cole was already awake.
His hand was still holding hers.
He looked at her immediately.
"You alright?"
Care nodded softly.
"Yeah."
But both of them knew something.
Everyone was exhausted.
Fifteen days of stress, danger, secrets, and sleepless nights.
It had changed all of them.
---
Gorya's Fever
While everyone packed bags and searched for their belongings, Thyme noticed something strange.
Gorya looked pale.
She was sitting near the tent entrance quietly, hugging her arms.
Thyme walked over.
"You look sick."
She rolled her eyes weakly.
"Wow. Such kindness."
He touched her forehead.
His expression changed immediately.
"You have fever."
"I'm fine."
"No you're not."
"Thyme seriously—"
He stood up immediately.
"CARE!"
Everyone looked.
Care walked over calmly.
"What happened?"
Thyme pointed.
"She has fever."
Care knelt beside Gorya.
Her fingers touched Gorya's wrist.
Pulse.
Then her forehead.
Then she sighed quietly.
"Low fever."
Gorya muttered, "See? Not dying."
Lyra came running with water and medicine.
"Take this."
Gorya frowned.
"I hate medicine."
Thyme crossed his arms.
"You hate collapsing too."
Everyone nearby chuckled.
Gorya reluctantly took the medicine.
But when she stood up…
Her balance slipped slightly.
Before she could fall—
Thyme caught her instantly.
His hand around her arm.
Their faces suddenly inches apart.
Everyone froze.
Even Percy stopped talking.
For a second the whole world paused.
Then Percy whispered dramatically.
"Oooooo."
Everyone burst out laughing.
Gorya pushed Thyme away immediately.
"I can stand!"
Thyme smirked.
"Sure you can."
---
Thyme and Gorya — Their Moment
Later, when most people were packing bags, Gorya walked toward the beach quietly.
The ocean waves moved calmly.
She sat down near the water.
Thyme followed.
"You should be resting."
She didn't look at him.
"You should stop acting like my guardian."
He sat beside her anyway.
Silence sat between them for a moment.
Then Thyme spoke quietly.
"You scared me."
Gorya looked at him.
"What?"
"When you almost fell."
She sighed.
"You act like I'm fragile."
"You're not fragile."
He looked directly at her.
"You're one of the strongest people I know."
The wind moved softly between them.
Gorya's voice became quieter.
"These fifteen days…"
She stared at the ocean.
"…I realized something."
Thyme waited.
"I realized… no matter how chaotic everything was…"
She looked at him.
"You were always there."
Her cheeks turned slightly pink.
"And somewhere between arguing with you… surviving this island… and watching you act like an idiot…"
She took a breath.
"I think I fell for you."
Thyme blinked.
Then laughed softly.
"You think?"
She glared.
"You are ruining the moment."
He leaned closer slightly.
"No. I'm fixing it."
His voice softened.
"I fell for you back in Thailand."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Back at university."
"When we kept running into each other."
"When we kept fighting about stupid things."
He smiled.
"And when I realized I couldn't go a single day without seeing you."
Gorya stared at him.
"You never said anything."
"You never did either."
They both laughed quietly.
Then slowly…
Gorya leaned forward.
And hugged him.
A simple hug.
Soft.
Real.
Behind a nearby tree…
Nine idiots were spying.
Percy whispered loudly.
"THEY HUGGED!"
Everyone smacked him.
---
Girls Cottage Chaos
Soon the girls moved into the cottage washroom to get ready.
It became instant chaos.
Hair dryers.
Makeup bags.
Clothes everywhere.
Allison shouting, "WHO TOOK MY BRUSH?"
JJ yelling back, "YOU'RE HOLDING IT!"
"Oh."
Lyra brushing her hair.
Mia trying to zip her bag.
Zein laughing at everyone.
Care stood near the mirror quietly drying her hair.
Lyra came beside her.
"You okay?"
Care nodded.
"Just tired."
JJ looked at both of them through the mirror.
"We all are."
Then she smiled softly.
"But we survived."
Care looked around.
At the girls laughing.
Arguing.
Helping each other.
For a moment…
Her expression softened.
This group.
These people.
They weren't strangers anymore.
They were something stronger than that.
---
Boys Side Disaster
Meanwhile…
The boys' side looked like a battlefield.
Bags open.
Clothes everywhere.
Percy running around yelling.
"WHO TOOK MY SHOES?!"
Matt slowly raised his hand.
"Oh… these?"
Percy stared at him in horror.
"WHY ARE YOU WEARING MY SHOES?!"
Ace was searching under his bag.
"Where is my shirt?"
Race replied calmly.
"You're wearing it."
Ace looked down.
"Oh."
Cole had already packed everything perfectly.
He stood quietly watching the chaos.
Alex was trying to find Lyra's charger.
Endrix sat calmly tying his shoes.
He looked around the mess and sighed.
"How are we alive?"
Race shrugged.
"Statistically we shouldn't be."
---
Administration Briefing
Soon the administration officers arrived.
Everyone gathered together.
The head officer spoke.
"Today you return to the outside world."
Everyone listened carefully.
"This will be a long flight."
"You will travel together in a private jet."
"But after departure, there will be no administrative help."
Everyone exchanged glances.
Then the officer continued.
"You will have a layover in Delhi."
The Indian students looked up instantly.
"In Delhi, Indian citizens may exit the airport for necessary shopping."
Care.
Cole
Ash.
Alex.
Lyra.
Their eyes met for half a second.
Silent understanding.
The officer handed everyone envelopes.
"Inside are your flight tickets and important documents."
Everyone opened them carefully.
This was real now.
They were leaving.
---
Leaving the desert
The tents were dismantled.
Bags packed.
Everyone stood one last time on the sand.
The place where they survived fifteen days.
Percy suddenly yelled.
"GROUP PHOTO!"
Everyone groaned.
But they gathered anyway.
Some smiling.
Some tired.
Some emotional.
The timer beeped.
Click.
A moment frozen forever.
---
At the Airport
The drive to the airport was quiet.
Everyone was thinking.
Planning.
Especially Care.
Her mind was already working.
Delhi.
Guards.
Escape.
Timing.
Everything.
When they reached the airport, a large private jet waited on the runway.
White.
Silent.
Powerful.
They boarded slowly.
Inside, the seats were wide and comfortable.
Everyone collapsed into them immediately.
Completely exhausted.
The officers handed them their final documents.
"Keep these safe."
Care looked at her ticket.
Delhi.
Next step.
Next plan.
Next danger.
The engines roared to life.
Outside the window…
The desert slowly became smaller.
Fifteen days.
Fear.
Friendship.
Chaos.
Secrets.
Care leaned back in her seat.
Cole watched her quietly.
"You're planning something."
She smirked slightly.
"Maybe."
The plane lifted into the sky.
And somewhere ahead…
Delhi and ladakh were waiting.