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I closed the gate of Ruhanika’s house and was heading home, whistling a tune. As I walked away, I saw Prisha Di standing by the gate, talking to herself and grinning oddly. She looked really weird.
I thought, “meri dii pagal hu chuki hain”
(My sister must have lost her mind)
“What’s going on, Di? Have you been possessed by a ghost or something?” I asked as I walked back to her.
She was on the other side of the gate.
“Pata nhi” (I don’t know) she said, still smiling weirdly at her phone. Her behavior was so strange it made me nervous.
She is indeed possessed.
I ran back into the house and went straight to the kitchen. I gave my mom recipe book.
I knew she probably wouldn’t use it again after today.
I had a feeling that soon our kitchen would be a mess.
“Here’s your recipe book, Mom,” I said, handing it to her.
“Thanks, Vihu. Just wait and see. You’re going to love the dish I’m cooking today!” she said cheerfully and started getting the ingredients ready.
I hoped whatever she was making would actually turn out okay.
I went to my room and lay down on my bed. Even though the evening had been strange, I felt a strange kind of happiness and calm.
I got up, walked over to the cupboard, and took out my guitar. I tried to play a few tunes, but I wasn’t very good at it.
As I played, I felt jittery and restless.
I closed my eyes and thought about Ruhanika’s hazel brown eyes, which always seemed to make me lose focus. I remembered her childhood photo and how cute she looked back then.
Ahh I need to remove her from my mind.
I tried to concentrate on studying to get my mind off her. I thought if I studied hard, I could stop thinking about her. I felt like I had been studying for hours, but when I checked the clock, only 20 minutes had passed.
What? How can I be tired after just 20 minutes?” I wondered.
With determination, I sat back down and finished my revisions.
But soon, I got bored again.
Why does this rotational motion feel like it’s giving my brain a torque overload? I’m starting to think my mind’s inertia has reached its limit and just refuses to work
I managed to do only a few questions in an hour.
Frustrated, I closed my physics book and decided to take a break.
My mom called from downstairs, “Vihu, dinner is ready. Come down.”
I tidied up my study area and my eyes fell on the balcony I walked towards the gate and it was slightly open.
I saw Ruhanika standing outside, and my heart skipped a beat. She was standing there with her hair flowing and her eyes closed, bathed in moonlight. She looked enchanting, her face glowing in the moonlight.
‘Kuch kuch hua,’ my brain nudged me.
‘Bhaut kuch hua,’ I answered absentmindedly, unable to take my eyes off her.
(Something happened)
(A lot happened)
Realizing what I was doing, I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
Mr. Vihaan Raichand, get a grip. You’re forgetting she’s your enemy. You shouldn’t be thinking about her.
To annoy her, I shouted, “Ruh, tie your hair up, or a ghost will fall in love with you and stick with you for life!”
She looked up, surprised, clearly not expecting me to be watching. Her eyes flashed with frustration and anger. Under the moonlight, her hazel brown eyes seemed to see right through me.
She looked both captivating and fierce. She turned around and locked the gate.
I couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction. But then, I noticed someone standing beside Ruhanika’s house, staring at me with raised eyebrows.
‘Ye aunty mujhe aise ghoor kyu rahi hai?’ I murmured.
(Why is that aunty staring at me like that?)
‘Mr. Raichand, kripya apne khayali delusional duniya se bahar aaye aur aas-paas apni nigahein ghumaaye. Sirf aunty nahi, pura mohalla aapko dekh raha hai,’ my brain replied sharply.
(Mr. Raichand, please come out of your delusional fantasy world and look around. It’s not just the aunty, the entire neighborhood is watching you)
The whole neighborhood seemed to be watching me. I looked down and saw everyone staring.
Embarrassed, I looked at them and said, “Ahh, I was just wishing you all good morning everyone”
They looked at me, confused.
I looked at sky, hit my forehead lightly, “Ahh, I mean good night.”
Everyone went back to their routines, but that aunty kept staring at me.
I quickly closed the balcony gate and pulled the curtains shut.
The aunty’s stare was making me anxious.
I know I’m quite a good looking person, but she really shouldn’t be staring at me like that. It makes me blush.
I checked myself out in the mirror before heading downstairs and combed my hair with my fingers and confidently made my way down
As I walked down the stairs, my thoughts went back to Ruhanika. She looked so beautiful in her simple nightwear. Her baby hairs fluttered gently, and the way she closed her eyes to soak in the moonlight was mesmerizing. Every time she smiled, it made everything feel brighter.
‘Mr. Raichand, I’m ordering you to stop daydreaming and come out of your Ruhland,’ my brain demanded.
‘What a silly brain I have, don’t disturb me I’m busy thinking about something important,’ I replied, trying to stay lost in my thoughts.
‘Yeah i know what yours something important is, Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,’ my brain replied, sounding annoyed.
What was this annoying brain of mine trying to say?
Thud!
Suddenly, I tripped and fell down the last three stairs.
I snapped out of my daydream and felt a sharp pain in my back.
It hurts a lot.
‘Gosh, stupid brain, couldn’t you have given me a warning earlier?’
‘Why blame me? I did try to warn you. Shouldn’t you have stopped watching daydream in night?’ my brain replied, sounding both smart and mocking.
“Vihu, are you okay?” Mom came running with a worried look.
Dad and Prisha Di quickly joined her.
“Vihu, how did you fall?” Dad asked, helping me sit on the couch.
“I’m fine,” I said, trying to reassure them.
“It’s not that bad. I’m okay.”
They looked at me with concern, but Mom, being her caring self, went to get a hot water bag for me.
“Ankhein band karke chal raha tha kya?” Prisha Di asked, a mix of concern and taunt in her voice.
(Were you walking with your eyes closed?)
“Nahi, aankhein toh khuli thi. Bas saamne apki photo dikh gayi aur aankhon par ek dam andhera cha gaya aisi bhayanak photo dekh kar,” I replied with a tight smile.
(No, my eyes were open. It’s just that your photo appeared in front of me, and it was so frightening that it felt like darkness took over my vision)
Prisha dii cursed softly but checked my back anyway.
“Use the hot water bag for now. If it still hurts, we’ll go to the hospital tomorrow,” she said.
After half an hour, we all gathered for dinner to see Mom’s specialty dish.
Prisha dii, Dad, and I were eagerly waiting to see what Mom had cooked for three hours.
I opened the lid and looked towards each other
Mom’s three hours dish.
“Khichdi”
“Ahh, why are you all staring? As a chemistry teacher, not every experiment is successful on the first try; sometimes they fail,” she said innocently.
“As chemistry students, we have to study those unsuccessful experiments, which just adds to our syllabus,” I muttered, though it seemed everyone heard.
“But to have a successful experiment, it’s necessary to have failed experiments,” Mom said, crossing her arms.
That’s it you can’t argue with your chemistry teacher who happens to your mom.
I accept my defeat.
I tightly smiled and looked at the khichdi.
The one thing I dislike is khichdi.
Despite this, we all ate without any complaints.
“Dad, can you please start cooking? Mom will keep cooking, we might end up eating Khichdi it all day,” I whispered, and he nodded in agreement.
With that, I headed back to my precious sleep.
MORNING TIME–
I woke up, had breakfast, and got ready for the session meeting.
Miss Ragini also messaged our group chat to come on time.
I took a quick shower, dressed, but my eyes fell on a white shirt.
She likes white color.
I changed from my green shirt to the white one, combed my hair, grabbed my bag, and left for her house.
I rang the bell, and Kunal bhaiya opened the door.
“Where is Ruh-anika? We need to go?”
He stared at me with an intensity that felt almost piercing.
I nervously chuckled, and he gave me one last look before saying, “She is coming.”
Why was Kunal bhaiya behaving like this?
Ruh arrived, holding her bag and putting her wallet inside. She greeted me with a “hello” and waited at the gate.
Kunal bhaiya handed her a long lecture on how to stay safe. That’s typical of older siblings, even if you’re just going ten meters away, they’ll give you a safety lecture.
Even my Prisha dii gives me a lecture about how I should walk with my open eyes.
How sweet of her.
“Take care of her,” Kunal bhaiya said, and then added and closed the door before saying, “And please control your emotions.”
“Control my emotions?” I thought.
But why should I?
I turned to look at Ruh.
She was wearing a white top and wide-leg jeans. Her hair was open, but she was trying to make a bun.
I wanted to tell her she looked beautiful with her hair open, but given the weather, I knew it might be uncomfortable for her.
I walked up and took a scrunchie, helping her tie her hair into a bun.
We looked into each other’s eyes, and her cheeks flushed red. Is she angry?
I felt weird too.
Our staring contest ended when we felt water droplets.
“Baarish ho rahi hai kya?” I murmured.
(Is it raining?)
We both wondered as we looked up at the sky, only to notice the neighbor aunty staring at us.
“Sorry, kids, I was watering my plants,” she said, staring right through us.
“It’s alright,” Ruh replied.
“Ruh, let’s go,” I said, and we walked out of society.
“Why was the aunty staring at us like that?” she asked, crossing her arms and walking straight.
“I don’t know,” I muttered, as I was just as confused.
She was looking scary.
We both reached our destination.
Later, more students started gathering.
Ruh went to Tanya and they both started talking like they have no tommorow.
From where does these girls have so much topic to talk?
But I am getting bored where are my do anmol ratan.
“Here we are, your do anmol ratan”, Yash came and patted me.
Am I a puppy?
Sid also came and hit my back.
What a way to greet you bestfriend.
We all sat together but sid was in deep thinking.
“What is the interesting thing which seems to occupied you?”, Yash asked wiggling his eyebrows.
And I nodded ta him.
He was still looking at wall and absentmindedly said, “What if I won’t be able to have kids in future?”
Yash and I both coughed and looked at each other blink our eyes 4-5 times.
“What the hell with you thinking Sid?” I asked.
He sighed and told his Library incident with Vani.
“Sid i know we shouldn’t do this but-“
“Yeah I know but-“
Yash and I both burts into laughing.
Tears started flowing from our eyes while Sid sat there glared at us.
We both stopped laughing, as Miss Ragini enters.
“Good Morning Students how are you all” she said.
Soon we all started discussing when Miss Ragini gave us another shock.
“I know you all did prepare as individual contestants but there is a slight change, there are other schools who are also joining our schools second branch so you all will have to compete as a team from your school side”
No way.
“I know it’s a sudden decision but what can I do when higher authorities selected this way” Miss Ragini told us.
“That’s why I am giving you one chance to choose your team by yourself and make three teams”, she said and called principal to discuss further things.
The school management always tends to make last-minute changes, turning everything upside down.
“We three are in a team, Tanya and Ruhanika also” Yash announced.
What Ruh.
No she can’t be in the same team.
“No, Ruhanika won’t be in this team, she and I are in one team, not possible, she won’t agree ” i exclaimed.
“Come on Vihaan i know you both can’t breathe in the same air, but please put your rivalry in between sandwiches and eat with smile”, Yash exclaimed lightly tapping his hand on table.
“Yes, right now it’s our school team, aur waise bhi Ruhanika itni intelligent hai ki koi bhi use apni team me lena chahega,” Sid said taking a bite of his sandwich.
(Anyway, Ruhanika is so intelligent that anyone would want to have her on their team)
Right.
If she does join other team, she will spend her time with other members.
‘Or maybe some boy will have a crush on her, they will talk, they will laugh at silly jokes, or maybe she will fall in love with that boy’, my brain added fuel.
“NO” i screamed and stood up everyone looking at me.
Sid choked on his sandwich. Yash was looking at me dumbfounded.
I nervously chuckled and muttered sorry.
“Okay fine she will be in our team” I said.
I need to tight the screw of my brain, what useless thoughts were thinking. From when my brain started writing love scripts and on top of that my brain’s script doesn’t include me as main character.
But it can be true, because I saw Ruh talking to our classmates.
Why they both are laughing.
“Ruh-anika, Tanya come here ” I called them out.
They both came and finally Ruh agreed to be in same team.
I somehow feel happy that she is with me.
She came and sat beside me, my mind went blank, my heart raced, and a sinking sensation spread through my other organs, leaving me feeling restless.
Again this feeling.
Why am I feeling this?
Sometimes I don’t like her, but at other times, I can’t bear the thought of her being away from me.
This feeling is definitely something else.
————————————
SURPRISE UPDATE😌❤️
So how was the chapter…?
Tell me your favorite part?
I did miss Yash and Sid so much. Bechara sid is still worried about his future kids😭👍🏻
My brain cells and Vihaan’s brain cells are twins, my brain always gives me weird ideas, always send warning late 😌😂
Okay I don’t know about anyone but mere school me hamesha last moment par cheezin change hui hai 🙂, Toh mene bhi change kr dia.
Also I want to say me sirf weekends me hi free rehti hu 😭 I know you guys wait for a week, but I can only update on weekends or sometime surprise updates.🤧
And don’t worry I won’t change book cover as I want my characters to live in my imagination ✨
I just edit those book covers just to test my editing skills hehe😌
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2500 words chapter likha hai (excluding last part ) only for you guys😭
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Enjoy Reading ♥️
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Bye Cutiepies…!!!🍁
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