Dhruv's POV:
"Dhruv, wake up. It's getting late. We have to start going by now." I heard the grumbling of that idiot.
I sighed in vexation and sprang up. Giving her the looks of irritation, I glanced at the clock and saw that it wasn't even 5'O clock in the morning and it hadn't been the time for my morning jog too.
Moreover, no morning exercises on Sunday and since today is Sunday, I usually sleep till 8'O clock.
"Why did you wake me up so early?" I asked her with a frown.
"Your age is getting on your head. You even forgot the fact that you have to take me to the theme park." She exaggerated.
"So??"
"What so? Get up and start getting ready." She urged me while removing the duvet from my body.
I gave her an 'are you crazy' look and snatched back the duvet from her hand before covering myself with it, after adjusting myself into a sleeping position.
"It's not even 5'O clock in the morning. We can start at 8'O clock. So stop coming after my life and let me sleep." I told her before closing my eyes.
"Dhruv, you are becoming so lazy by each passing day." She grumbled and I rolled my eyes internally.
"Says the one who always whines to come to the morning jog with me." I thought and again drifted into sleep.
When I woke up again, I saw her packing all the necessary things in her backpack. Well, necessary things in the sense, nothing but lots of snacks.
"Did they stop selling the food there? Is that why you are planning to open a food stall there?" I asked her sarcastically.
"No. This is for me to eat on the way there as a pastime." She explained casually with an honest expression on her face and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
I ain't exaggerating here but the food she mentioned casually as a pastime is enough for the three persons to eat for a whole day.
Not wanting to mess up with the 'not-so-sane' person early in the morning itself, I headed to the washroom and did my morning routine.
By the time, I went downstairs, she was explaining everything about her upcoming trip to the whole family excitedly and all were listening to her with huge grins on their faces.
When she saw me descending the stairs, she hurriedly ran up to me and dragged me to the dining room for breakfast.
"Dhruv, eat fast." She impatiently placed everything on my plate and went back to her previous place to start her banter.
"Adhya, why don't you join us?" She suddenly asked my sister.
I don't know what came over me, but I seriously hope for her answer to be a 'No'.
Adhya looked at her, then at me, and finally settled her gaze on my mom. They sneakily exchanged some glances with each other before she turned her attention to Aarna who was looking eagerly at her.
I stopped eating and waited for her answer.
"No vadhina(Sis-in-law), I have extra classes today as my final semester exams are getting near." She rejected much to my relief.
Hearing her answer, Aarna's face fell a little but she nodded at her nonetheless. I resumed my eating and finishing it, I wiped my hand after washing it.
Seeing me standing up, Aarna immediately ran upstairs and came back in a jiffy after holding my hoodie. When I looked at her questioningly, she replied. "Just in case."
I nodded at her before taking it from her and wearing it. After bidding everyone, we both started our journey.
It will at least take two hours for us to reach there. So I switched on the music and glanced at her, who was looking outside the window.
Upon remembering something, I again turned to her and called out her name. When I had her attention, I started speaking.
"I am going on a business trip,"
"What! Why didn't you say it to me till now? When will you go and how long will you be away?" She started bombarding me with questions.
"It's not a planned trip and got decided yesterday only. I will be going tomorrow morning itself and I will be away for 7to10 days. Depends on the work." I answered her patiently.
"Okay,"
"What! Just a simple okay. Won't she miss me at all? Shouldn't she behave like she is reluctant to let me go? Ohh, Dhruv! What's happening with you? Why do you start behaving so weirdly these days? Moreover, when do you start craving her attention? Whether she misses you or not, what does it have to do with you?? Keeping your silly thoughts at bay, Just focus on the driving." I chided myself.
Our rest of the journey was filled with silence except for her continuous munching sounds.
When we reach there, she jumped out of the car like an excited kid with her backpack. I shook my head and dragged her to buy the entrance tickets after parking the car.
After buying them, we went inside after all the checking was done. She was gleaming at everything that she saw on her way and showing them to me by pointing her finger at them.
I smiled after seeing the delighted look on her face. Subconsciously my hand shot forward to hold hers.
I looked down at our entwined hands and that feeling at this moment was inexplicable. It feels so content to hold her hand and it perfectly fitted in mine.
I saw her smiling discreetly which I didn't know whether it was due to my action or for another thing. So not wanting her to think too much, I explained to her hurriedly.
"Well, there might be a chance for you to get lost among all these people. So hold me tight." I told her in a suggestive tone and she nodded at me without pressing that matter anymore, much to my relief.
"For which ride do you want to go first??" I asked her.
"I don't have anything in my mind. So, You tell." She said.
I was about to shake my head in denial but my eyes got stuck to the name Haunted House and I looked at her with a glint.
"Forget it. Even if I say, you won't agree to it. Let's go. We will see as we walk further." I told her in a somewhat disappointed tone.
"Hey, wait. Tell me. I promise I will go with you. Though I was the one who asked you to bring me here. It doesn't mean I should be the one to enjoy. So tell me." She said hastily.
Pretending to contemplate for a while, I hesitantly pointed my finger in the direction of Haunted House. Seeing it, she gulped a little and stood rooted to the spot.
"I know, you won't like it. So I don't force you. Let's go." I told her but she was still standing there while biting her lips, looking to and fro between that Haunted house and me.
"Let's go. I will go with you." She said meekly and I bit back my smile at her answer.
"No Aarna, don't force yourself. I know, you are scared of ghosts." I said in a concerned tone.
"Who said that to you? I am not scared of Ghosts. Moreover, I know, everything they do is a farce. So there is nothing for me to be scared about. Let's go." She said while putting a brave front on her face and started dragging me there.
I went to buy the tickets with my eyes full of smiles. When I came back, she was looking at the house with a scared expression on her face but when she saw me, she smiled at me brightly.
We were asked to wait outside till the return of the people who were already inside. Meanwhile, the person who was standing outside to collect the ticket told us the rules.
"Sir, no refund of the ticket amount if you want to come outside in the middle." He added some more rules like no physical harming the people inside and I nodded at him for everything he was saying.
Suddenly a guy came outside from the exit while hugging the sobbing girl in his arms. She was crying hysterically.
Seeing this, Aarna held my hand tightly and closed her eyes tightly. I smiled at her face and patted her shoulder to make her open her eyes.
"You know, it's still not late. We can go back if you are not brave enough."
She immediately glared at me and said," Do you think I will cry like that girl? Are you looking down on me? Then let me tell you, I am not a scared kitten and a bellyacher to cry over this little thing."
She flipped her hair proudly and gave me a provocative smile which I returned with equal fervor.
"I will remember these words," I nodded at her slowly with a smile.
Soon they gave a signal for us to go inside. Immediately when they opened the door, Aarna held my arm tightly.
When I looked at her, she passed me a nervous smile and said, " I am afraid...that you will feel scared. So let me lend you a hand."
I shook my head at her and started walking further. Witnessing the horror creaks and wails from the background and all the scary which that was hanging around, I laughed when I looked at her face.
When we are walking ahead, out of nowhere a person with scary makeup jumped in front of us. Before I could know what was happening, with a shriek, Aarna jumped on me and hugged me tightly as if her whole life depended on me.
Though I was startled at first, I immediately wrapped my arms around her and held her carefully after balancing myself properly.
After passing that man, I held her waist and tried to place her on the floor which she refused vehemently and buried her face in the crook of my neck. Having no choice, I walked ahead while holding her arms slowly.
Going further, artificial limbs and body organs were displayed around. I patted her back and asked her to take a look at them.
She looked at me with her red nose in confusion. I gestured her with my head to look behind her.
She stretched her neck slightly and glanced at them. She again shrieked and held me tightly before showering me with her fists.
I chuckled a little and whispered in her ear, "Didn't you already come across with the real ones when you were doing MBBS?"
She shook her head continuously and started sobbing a little.
"So what!! Can't I feel afraid of them? Is it against the law or what?" She shouted at me because of the loud jingles.
I shook my head and walked ahead, coming across the steps. When I started descending them, shortly another three people came in front of us and started scaring us. I guffawed when I heard her say,
"Go away. Go away. Jerks. I will beat you to death otherwise," She shouted without looking at them.
She whimpered when she heard their scary howling and snuggled more into me. Chuckling, I walked ahead ignoring them.
When I was near the exit, again someone popped in front of us and shouted near our ears. Making my eyebrows scrunch in irritation. Hearing his shouting, she immediately started wailing.
"Dhruv, take me out, please. I am scared." She mumbled in her sobbing voice. I smiled and assured her that we are near the exit.
When I went outside, she was still a sobbing mess and refused to let go of her hold on me and hugged me tightly while weeping like a child.
The person who was at the exit pursed his lips to stop his smile after seeing Aarna clinging to me like a koala.
I went to the secluded place and placed her on the ground after lots of convincing's from my side. She stood there while wiping her runny nose with her hanky.
I took the water bottle from her backpack and handed it to her. She took it from me and washed her face after drinking some water.
I cracked up again when I saw her taking the chips packet from her bag and started eating it while sniffing occasionally in the middle.
"Do you still have the mood to eat?" I asked her while laughing.
She grimaced at me but didn't stop her eating session. When she glared at me, she was looking so funny with her face which had gone red from all the crying.
I controlled myself to not laugh anymore but I failed in doing so.
After finishing that packet, she glanced at that Haunted House and she looked somewhat embarrassed. She bent down her head, completely avoiding to look at me.
I moved to her and lifted her chin with my fingers to make her look at me.
"Don't be embarrassed. I won't tell anyone that you are a scared kitten and bellyacher who cries over even at that little thing." I teased her while looking at the Haunted House.
She looked at me angrily and shouted by pointing her forefinger at my face, " Youuu. I have never seen such a wishy-washy fellow like you."
"Even I have also never seen such a wimp like you." I snorted and sprinted ahead when I saw her lunging at me.
Hope you guys liked the chapter.
Thanks for reading.
PS: I don't know much about scary or haunted houses because I was never dared enough to make it till the end. I always back off in the middle. There was also an instance where I cried and begged them to let me out. So the whole incident I had written in this chapter is my imagination. Correct me if there is anything wrong and suggest me if it lacks anything.
Precap: Their first kiss😁
Next update: Thursday.
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