Another trip ……..

Sometimes we all need a break from our busy life to go into a vacation. The mind the body just wishes to take a break to leave the regular routine and get to something different. Sometimes in a different place you might get to be close to people you might not be close to in real life. There was a group of people waiting to get on the bus. Alya stood leaning on the pillar beside the tree on the side. She yawned a bit it. Megan was sitting on a big suitcase beside her. They were missing Helea as she was arriving before them by air. The sky was light sunny it was really early in the morning. Megan’s yawning was contagious it made her yawn as well. She distracted herself looking at others. The last trip contained only a few people but this time it was around it was two departments together around forty people. The heads left early but the others are waiting for the buses to arrive. She wore a white trouser and light brown blouse with a scarf tied on her head. Liam waved at them from the gate to get on the bus for the ride. Alya dragged Megan to the bus as she was almost drooping down. They took the second last row bus. She took the corner seat and plugged earphones on and closed her eyes. Megan went to sleep as soon as her head hit the seat. Alya looked around for some known faces in the bus. She could see no one maybe they are on another bus. This time she would be sharing room with some other colleagues. She felt a bit uncomfortable if only she was sharing a room with Megan and Helea this time it would have been better but since it was arranged by the attending schedule for the training she got separated. She took out the phone from her pocket to pass some time. She saw Lucas with a family picture, similar James is more blank only available button is shown, she could see a post given by Helea as check in ‘Should I give a check in as well?’ she thought and put a status update. She took out one of her earphone and slipped down a bit to sit in a more relaxed position. She could hear a bickering from behind her. She paused the music but put the earphone back to avoid being noticed. She has got into this new habit of listening to words if she found an argument. The past incidents are making her curious about anything she could take as a hint but most of the gossips were not important it was boring. ‘How does Tom do these? it’s so annoying.’ She thought of mentioning it to him the next time she see him. Person 1, “ Is it true? She left? I thought she will stay she had such determination.” Person 2, “ Yes I think she looked dejected when she left.” Alya tried to listen to the voices clearly who is it sitting behind her. ‘Sounds like some people I do not know it feels like a different department.’ Megan moved a bit to sleep more comfortably. Person 1, “ I heard she left because she is related to a scandal. She was ……” At this the voice went down and Alya increased the volume of her phone. ‘Ugh petty gossip again I wish I could find something more interesting.’ Sadly, all she could hear these days was Cynthia leaving the country. There would be theories brought up and rejected. She sighed a bit this might take some time to die down a bit. The story of a young girl lady falling for a company head and leaving. Some stories are made up as she is being brainwashed and abducted. ‘ How do they come up with such theories?’ she shook her head thinking of the lines she tried to overhear the past few days. What surprised her more is how fast the gossips about her died down fast and got replaced by Cynthia’s topic. The bus stopped in front of a big hotel complex. It was fancier than the previous one. They took their bags and went in they were given room keys to carry and settle down. She waved by to Megan and followed others to her room. Alya climbed to the second floor of the hotel as her key suggested. She saw Tom standing in front of a room he was about to get in. Alya, “ Hey Tom are you in this floor?” Tom, “ Hey you are in this floor too?” Alya, “ Yeah” she saw Tom looking at the key card . “ Is something wrong?” Tom looked like he woke up from something, “huh no I am fine it is just listen I have something to say.” But they could not continue a few more voices came behind them. They decided to talk more at lunch time. Alya inserted her key card and got in the room. It is a relatively big room with three beds one of the bed was occupied by a female she had glasses on the other bed looked like it is separately attached. She greeted the girl and dropped her bag beside the empty bed and sat on it. She looked like the person who was sitting behind her in the bus. Another girl came out of the washroom and sat on the empty bed. They introduced themselves as Iliana and Lily they exchanged a few words and head down for the first introduction event. They proceeded towards the auditorium Alya spotted Tom and went to sit with him the mid row. Tom was sitting beside Liam. She greeted both of them she saw Megan sitting in the front bench with Helea and Aiden. Brian was nowhere to be seen. Tom whispered, “ Did you hear the new gossip?” Alya pointed to Liam their idea was to keep quiet about it from others. Tom dismissed it saying it was okay to talk. “ Ahh about Cynthia? It is weird they create too many rumors.” Tom, “Yeah that is nonsense, I heard you are connected to her how is she.” Alya took out her phone and show him the picture of Cynthia standing in a park, “ She says she is doing good. She seems happy.” Tom smiled at the picture. “ No but I have been closer to the starting of the rumor. It was a female name Miss Iliana.” Alya, “ Are you sure about it? She did not seem like someone who would spread such a rumor.” Tom sat up straight he looked at her, “ You meet her?” Alya, “ Yes she is my roommate here, So she likes to gossip too?” Tom, “ I know everyone does a bit.” Alya, “ I don’t it is a hassle, the number of ridiculous stories I heard for the past few days it is insane.” Liam spoke in the middle of those two, “ You need to listen in the right places.” Alya looked at him with a confused look, “ How do you understand who is right one to listen too?” Liam, “ It is easy to listen to anyone, but some people will have an expression in their face when they convey their words. The introducer of a rumor will work hard to add more details and sub lines to match it with.” Alya, “ Isn’t it a given if it is true?” Liam, “ Yes but if it is a lie the opposite person has to work hard to make you believe in their words there will be a bit of insecurity or agitation to be someone who starts it.” Alya looked at the floor, “ That is a lot of things to think about now.” Liam, “ However if the person was trying to leak out he or she will be extra calm and not be phased on the subject of delivery. If it is a new and exciting news would you not be at least concerned when you are explaining about it?” Alya quickly pointed to the person beside her, “ You mean Tom when he jumps like a baby.” Tom frowned, “ Hey no fair I have good sources.” They laughed at Tom. A few of the volunteers passed a paper towards them with instruction on the time schedule of the training classes. Alya found that in most of the classes she is paired with her room mates. ‘ This is strange aren’t we from different department?’ Tom, “ Well I think you will be able to observe her more in the classes.” Alya nodded and sighed, “ She does not seem like a troublemaker, but I will do it.” She looked at the paper again. She had some classes paired with Helea and Aiden another three classes with Brian and Liam. Alya, “ This does not seem right are they not the instructor? Why am I paired in a team here?” Liam looked at her paper, “ Oh this is great you got selected for the special classes too.” She looked at him with a confused look again. “ It is alright you will understand these are special lecture classes for specified employees only four to five gets selected per trip.” Alya nodded and smiled at the partners ‘This might get interesting.’