18

Pranvi and vani were still, sitting side by side, their chins rested in their palms.

"How it is possible..." they repeated again in sync, staring blankly at the wall as if the wall had all the answers.

"Aaahh... main mar daalungi us Aman ko!" Vani finally burst out, her blanket sliding a little down her shoulders. "Pehle kam tha jo ab hospital mein bhi saath kaam karna padega..."

"Kyaaa... Aman teri hospital mein?" Pranvi straightened up, her voice full of shock.

"Sirf hospital mein nahi..." Vani dragged her words, as if announcing her own death sentence. "Now... I am his assistant." She clutched her head dramatically.

Pranvi's jaw dropped. "Whatttt..." and before Vani could even glare, she started laughing so hard she had to hold her stomach.

"Are you serious, Pranvi?" Vani hissed. "Tu hans rahi hai mujhpe?!"

Pranvi nodded, still laughing, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "Sorry... sorry..." she tried to say between giggles. "But... kya bola tune... assistant..." she broke into another round of laughter, almost falling on the bed.

Vani threw a pillow at her. "Aaahhh... mujhe maar daalo koi! Kya paap kiya tha maine pichhle janam mein?" she said, burying her face into the other pillow.

Pranvi still couldn't stop. "Vani... tum assistant... us Aman ki... oh god..." She clapped her hands like she'd just watched the funniest movie scene.

"Ni... use maar dalo! Hey bhagwan..." Vani groaned dramatically, turning around in the blanket like a roll of bread. "Aisa kya julm kar diya maine..."

Pranvi fell back on the bed, laughing so loud that Vani picked another pillow and smacked her again.

"Stoppp laughing!" Vani shouted.

"Okay okay..." Pranvi said, still hiccuping from laughter. "Bas ek baat bata... assistant matlab... tu ab uske orders maanegi?"

Vani sat up, her hair all messy, and pointed a finger at her. "Main... kisi ki... orders... ni maanti!" she declared like a warrior queen.

Pranvi bit her lip to hold back another laugh. "Haan... but hospital mein toh..."

"Chup kar!" Vani cut her off, hiding back inside her blanket.

Pranvi still couldn't stop. "Assistant? Tum? Aur Aman?" She laughed again. "God, I can literally imagine the two of you fighting every two minutes."

Pranvi sat up straight. "Achha ab bata... hua kya exactly?"

"Simple. Main subah thodi late ho gayi thi." Vani explained.

Pranvi's eyes widened. "Matlab tumne usi ko suna diya?"

"Haan, aur kya. Galti uski bhi thi. Mujhe 'bewakoof' bol diya." Vani crossed her arms. "Bas, fir ho gayi class start."

Pranvi gasped. "Tum dono ne milte hi Mahabharat ka opening scene kar diya?"

"Obviously. Usne pehle bola. Main chup rehne waali ladki lagti hoon kya?" Vani raised her brow.

Pranvi shook her head, laughing. "Honestly... mujhe toh lagta hai kal hospital ke notice board pe likha hoga: 'Warning - Aman aur Vani ek hi shift mein.'"

Vani rolled her eyes. "Very funny."

Meanwhile, boys' side

Ishan leaned back in the chair, shaking his head while laughing. "Bhai, seriously? Usne tujhe tumhare cabin mein daanta?"

Aman glared. "Haan. Aur tumhe bada maza aa raha hai."

Ishan laughed harder. "Maza hi toh hai! Matlab imagine... tu-Mr. Discipline-aur saamne Vani full volume mein. Patients ne suna toh unki surgery se pehle hi stress badh gaya hoga."

Aman ran a hand down his face. "Pagal ladki. Khud late aayi thi aur mujhe gyaan suna rahi thi."

"Par tu chup bhi raha?" Ishan raised his brow.

Aman looked away. "...thoda."

Ishan almost fell off the chair laughing. "Bas, yehi toh highlight hai. Apne hi cabin mein Vani ka lecture!"

"Enough, Ishan." Aman said flatly, but a tiny smirk tugged at his lips.

Back to the girls

"Mera toh mann tha wahi pe table uthake uske sir pe patak dun." Vani muttered, annoyed.

Pranvi laughed, shaking her head. "Aur fir tu khud ki suspension letter likhti."

"Better suspension than Aman as boss." Vani pouted.

"Tu serious hai? Mujhe toh imagine karke hi hasi aa rahi hai. Tum dono ek sath... impossible." Pranvi laughed again.

Vani just groaned. "Kal se toh bas bhagwan se dua hai... koi miracle ho jaye."

Pranvi smiled, patting her shoulder. "Dekh, miracle nahi toh patience hi miracle hai. Try kar le."

Boys again

Ishan smirked. "Kal kya plan hai?"

Aman sighed. "Bas normal rehna. Work pe focus."

"Normal rehna matlab lecture lene ka practice kar liya hai?" Ishan teased.

Aman threw a cushion at him. "Shut up."

But both of them couldn't help laughing.

Pranvi picked up her phone quickly. "Bas, ab toh Swara ko call karti hoon. Usko sunna hi padega."

Vani groaned from under the blanket. "Arrey mat kar na yaar. Puri duniya mein dhol bajaa degi."

Pranvi smirked. "Exactly isi liye toh kar rahi hoon." She pressed the dial.

After two rings, Swara picked up. "Hellooo, madam log. Abhi yaad aayi meri?"

"Arrey sun toh pehle!" Pranvi said, unable to hold back her laughter.

"Kya hua?" Swara asked, curious.

Vani pulled the blanket tighter. "Mat bol, Pranvi, warna main sach mein phone cheen lungi."

Pranvi ignored her. "Soch zara... Vani ke hospital mein kaun naya sergon mila hai."

"Kaun?" Swara asked casually.

"Aman." Pranvi dropped the bomb.

There was silence for two seconds. Then-

"WHAAAATTTTTT!" Swara shouted so loudly that both girls pulled the phone away from their ears.

"Pagal hai kya? Kan phaad degi!" Vani yelled.

"Wait, wait, tu serious bol rahi hai?" Swara said, her voice full of shock and excitement.

"Serious. Not just that-Vani is officially his assistant now." Pranvi added with extra drama.

"NAHIIIINNN!" Swara screamed again. "Bas ab toh hospital ko ek saal mein hi earthquake aa jayega. Tum dono ek hi room mein? Oh my god oh my god... mujhe live telecast chahiye."

Vani sat up, glaring at the phone. "Swara, shut up! Mujhe already stress ho raha hai."

But Swara was laughing uncontrollably. "Main soch bhi nahi sakti... Aman aur tu... saath mein. Matlab kal ka headline hoga 'Hospital ne do naye species discover kiye-Fighting Machines.'"

Pranvi burst out laughing with her. "Exactly! Pura din Mahabharat ka repeat telecast hoga."

Vani threw a pillow at Pranvi. "Bas karo dono! Tum log meri help karne aaye ho ya aur stress dene?"

"Help bhi karenge, par pehle maza toh le len." Swara giggled. "Btw, first fight ho gayi kya?"

Pranvi immediately jumped in. "Haan! Full lecture session hua. Aur guess what-Vani ne Aman ko uske apne cabin mein daanta."

Swara gasped dramatically. "Noooo! Ye toh history ban gayi. Mujhe details chahiye. Word to word, color to color."

Vani covered her face. "Main kyu dosti rakhti ho tum dono se..."

Pranvi laughed harder. "Because without us, life boring ho jaati."

Swara added sweetly, "Aur admit kar le... thoda maza toh tujhe bhi aaya hoga."

"Bilkul bhi nahi!" Vani shouted, but her red cheeks told another story.

"Okay okay, listen," Pranvi said, holding the phone tighter. "Swara, tu ready hai na? Full story sunani hai."

Swara's tone immediately sharpened. "Haan obviously! Ab tu suspense mat bana. Jaldi bol."

Pranvi took a deep breath as if she was about to narrate a TV serial. "So today morning, madam Vani reached hospital late."

"Late? Of course, kuch naya nahi." Swara cut in.

"Arrey chup reh na! Let me finish." Pranvi said. "So she barges in, thinking sab normal hoga. But guess what? Inside cabin... Aman tha."

Vani groaned and buried her face in the pillow. "Pranvi shut up!"

Swara gasped. "Oh my goddd. Continue. Continue!"

"Toh pehle toh Aman ne file table pe patk di, pura staff bahar khada ho gaya," Pranvi said, voice full of excitement. "Sab soch rahe the koi bada dhamaka ho raha hai. Fir... fir entry hoti hai Vani ki. Madam aake khud us par chillaane lagti hai."

Swara squealed. "Wait wait-Vani shouted at him? At AMAN? Inside his cabin???"

"Haan!" Pranvi laughed. "Aur guess kar-she called him bawarchi."

Swara literally dropped her phone on the other side. They could hear her scream-laughing. "NOOOO! Bawarchi?? Vani tu pagal hai kya?!"

Vani sat up, pointing a finger at Pranvi. "Tu extra masala daal rahi hai. Maine bas ek baar bola tha."

Pranvi winked at her and continued anyway. "Not just bawarchi. She said 'chuhe ka mausa ji' bhi."

Swara's laughter doubled. "Bas karo! Mujhe oxygen chahiye!"

Vani snatched a pillow and threw it at Pranvi. "Bas kar, meri insult stop kar abhi."

But Pranvi ignored her, eyes sparkling as she narrated. "Aur sun... full shouting match hua. Aman bola tu chhachhundar, Vani boli tu chuhe ka mausa ji, phir dono ek doosre ko 'hatt hatt' bolke bhaga rahe the. Matlab pura circus ."

Swara laughed so hard she started coughing. "Main hospital aake live show dekhna chahti hoon. Tum dono ek hi cabin mein-pure comedy channel!"

Pranvi giggled and added dramatically, "Aur end mein kya hua pata hai? Vani came out of the cabin... and poora staff khada tha bahar, listening."

"NOOOO way!" Swara screamed. "That's iconic! Matlab ab toh hospital ke WhatsApp group mein memes banenge tum dono ke."

Vani fell back on the bed, covering her face. "Main... main sharam se marr jaungi."

But Pranvi was still laughing. "Bas yahi hai story ka climax. Vani officially Aman ki assistant ban gayi."

"Best plot twist ever," Swara said, still wheezing from laughter. "Mujhe guarantee hai tum dono ki dosti nahi hogi. Sirf do option hain ya toh hospital tod doge ya phir..."

She paused dramatically.

"Ya phir kya?" Pranvi leaned in.

Swara smirked through the call. "Ya phir tum dono pyaar mein pad jaoge."

Vani instantly screamed. "SHUT UP SWARAAA!"

Pranvi fell off the bed laughing.

"Tum dono mere pe hi kyun has rahe ho? Zara Pranvi se bhi toh poochho. Yeh kya muh saada ke baithi thi itni der se," Vani said, glaring.

Pranvi froze. "Me... meh... toh aise hi."

"Swara, pata hai hospital se aati hi bag feka gusse mein. Aur tabse mere bagal mein muh saada ke baithi thi. Mujhse toh pooch liya, isse bhi toh pooch," Vani complained.

"Haan, bata tu bhi," Swara said.

"Arey, kuch nahi... vo toh thak gayi thi na, isliye," Pranvi defended.

"Acha, teri surgery kaise gayi?" Vani asked.

"It was the best," Pranvi replied, her lips curling into a small smile.

"Wahhh... badi khush lag rahi hai," Swara teased.

"Khushi ka toh thikana hi lut liya us Radhika ne," Pranvi muttered under her breath.

"Kaun Radhika? ...Kya badbada rahi hai tu?" Vani asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Vo... vo... Radhika ne bahut help ki," Pranvi said hesitantly.

"Kaun Radhika?" both Vani and Swara asked together.

"Ishan introduced her. She's a surgeon. Today she was with me in OT."

Both of them gasped. "WHATTT?" they shouted at once.

Pranvi nodded slowly. "Haan... and honestly, she was amazing. The moment she entered, I was kind of nervous... but she handled everything so calmly. She guided me in the tricky part like it was nothing."

Swara chuckled. "So basically, your surgery went smooth because madam Radhika was your guardian angel today?"

Pranvi frowned. "No, excuse me. I did most of it. She just helped when it got complicated. But... she made me realize I'm not completely on my own."

Vani raised an eyebrow dramatically. "Dekho, dekho... admiration shuru ho gayi. Aaj Radhika, kal uske liye full gaana likhegi yeh."

"Shut up, Vani!" Pranvi threw a pillow at her.

Swara laughed from the other end. "Okay but tell us properly... what exactly happened in OT? Did she take over or just stood there?"

Pranvi's face softened as she recalled. "She didn't take over. She stood right beside me. At one point, when I hesitated with the suture, she just whispered-'steady hands, you got this.' And suddenly... I did. It felt... good. Like someone believed I could do it."

There was silence for a moment before Vani broke it with a teasing grin. "Ahaaa... so now Miss Nervous has a mentor. Radhika ke bina kaam chalega bhi nahi lagta hai."

"You both are impossible!" Pranvi groaned, covering her face with her hands while Swara and Vani burst out laughing.

The night had wrapped the city in silence, the only sound in the room was the faint whirl

of the ceiling fan. Vani's phone suddenly buzzed on the bedside table, its sharp ringtone slicing through the stillness.

Half-asleep, she groaned and reached out blindly. Her fingers slipped, and instead of answering normally, she put it on speaker.

"Aaaaaaa..."

A strange sound echoed into the room.

Pranvi's eyes shot open. Vani sat up instantly, her sleep flying away. Both froze, staring at the glowing screen like it had just summoned a ghost.

"Hello?" they said together, their voices shaky.

Silence.

"Yeh kaisi awaaz thi?" Vani whispered, pulling the blanket closer as if it would protect her.

"Pata nahi..." Pranvi's brows furrowed. "Fir se call kar."

"Ni, rehne de. Galti se lag gaya hoga." Vani tossed the phone aside like it was cursed.

"Ok," Pranvi muttered, though her eyes lingered on the phone suspiciously.

The room grew quiet again. Both girls shifted back under their blankets, trying to force themselves asleep.

But just two minutes later-

"Yaar..." Pranvi whispered. "Mujhe bhook lagi hai."

Vani let out an exasperated sigh. "Iss time? Do baj rahe hain, Pranvi!"

"Haan toh? Bhook kabhi bhi lag sakti hai," she defended, sitting up.

"Namkeen rakha hai, kha le. Mujhe kyun disturb kar rahi hai?"

"Nahin..." Pranvi made a face. "Mujhe kuch aur khana hai. Namkeen nahi. Chal na, kuch banate hain."

"Main kyun chalun? Tu banale."

"Tujhe pata toh hai... mujhse khana nahi banta."

Vani turned her head, glaring at her with sleepy eyes. "Tere chakkar mein main apni neend kharab kar rahi hoon."

But one look at Pranvi's puppy face, and she groaned. "Ahnnn... chal."

The two girls tiptoed into the kitchen, hair messy, yawns escaping every few seconds.

On the stove, a pot of water bubbled as they dumped in the Maggi.

The smell of masala noodles filled the air, making Pranvi's mouth water.

"Bas do minute..." she whispered dramatically, like it was a life-saving meal.

Vani stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the counter. "Main soch rahi hoon main pagal hoon jo is time yahaan khadi hoon."

Pranvi ignored her, watching the noodles soften.

And then-click.

The flame died.

Both froze.

"Yeh gas kyun band ho gayi?" Vani bent to check the knob, twisting it again and again.

Pranvi peeked over her shoulder. "Lagta hai cylinder khatam ho gaya."

"Whatttt?" Vani threw her hands up. "Abhi toh aaya tha... sirf das din hue hain!"

"Lagta hai khali pakda gaya," Pranvi muttered, almost sulking.

Vani looked at the half-boiled Maggi in horror. "Hadd hai! Kuch bhi proper nahi ho sakta. Ab khao kachi Maggi."

She tossed the spoon on the counter. "Main toh ja rahi hoon sone."

"Nahin, ruk na! Order karte hain," Pranvi pleaded.

Vani blinked at her, deadpan. "Bhookh se tera dimaag bhi band pad gaya hai kya?"

"Kya?" Pranvi asked innocently.

"Iss time kaunsa restaurant khula hoga? Do baje raat ke hain!"

"Mujhe nahi pata..." Pranvi pouted, holding her stomach dramatically. "Bhookh lagi hai."

"Tujhe jo karna hai kar. Main chalti hoon sone."

With that, Vani marched out, muttering curses under her breath.

Pranvi looked at the Maggi once more, sighed, and followed her back to the bedroom like a sulky child.

The room was dark, only the dim streetlight slipping in through the curtains.

Vani had just turned her side when-

Rrrring.

Her phone lit up. Aman calling.

"Ab kya..." Vani groaned, picking it up half-asleep. But instead of answering properly, her thumb slipped-straight to speaker mode.

"Aaaaaaaa..."

A strange groan filled the room.

Pranvi bolted upright. "Yeh kya tha?!"

Vani's heart thumped. She stared at the screen, then at Pranvi.

"Hello?? Aman??" she said, voice shaking a little.

No answer. Just muffled rustling and a loud thud.

"Arre yeh to pakka bhoot hai..." Pranvi whispered dramatically, clutching Vani's arm.

Suddenly the voice came again-this time clearer.

"Aaaaa yaar, goal miss ho gaya!"

Both girls froze. Then blinked.

"Wait... kya??" Vani leaned closer.

And then they heard Ishan's voice in the background, laughing hard. "Bhai, tu chillaa kyun raha hai TV pe? Phone tera speaker pe chal raha hai!"

Vani and Pranvi exchanged a look.

"Un dono ne movie dekhte-dekhte stadium bana diya hai!" Pranvi said, exhaling in relief.

Vani slapped her forehead. "Main to soch rahi thi bhoot aa gaya..."

Just then, Aman finally noticed.

"Arre... Vani? Call lag gaya kya tumhe?" His sheepish voice filled the room.

"Lag gaya?? Tumhare aaaaa se to humari aatma hi nikal gayi thi!" Vani snapped.

Pranvi burst out laughing, holding her stomach. "Next time at least warn us if you plan to scream like a banshee."

Vani cut the call in annoyance and tossed the phone aside.

"Pagal hai bilkul... ab so ja."

But neither of them could stop laughing under the blanket for the next five minutes.

The night in Jaipur was unusually quiet. The hum of ceiling fans filled Vani and Pranvi's room, mixed with the occasional barking of street dogs outside. Both girls were tucked under their blankets, their phones lying nearby, screens dimmed, as if finally tired of buzzing all day.

Vani had just found the perfect sleeping position-pillow under her head, blanket pulled up till her chin-when her phone buzzed again. She groaned, stretching her hand lazily across the bed without even opening her eyes.

"Pranvi, tera phone hoga..." she mumbled.

But the ringtone was clearly hers. She squinted at the glowing screen.

Unknown Number.

Her brows furrowed. "Kaun hoga is time?" she muttered. It was past 2:30 a.m. She reluctantly swiped and answered.

"Hello?"

For a second, there was only silence. And then-

"Haaahhhhhhh..." A deep, breathy growl echoed through the speaker.

Vani froze.

Pranvi stirred awake beside her, blinking. "Kya hua?"

Vani put a finger to her lips, her eyes wide. "Ssshhh..." she whispered.

The voice came again. "Tuuuu... so rahi hai..."

Pranvi's eyes widened now. "Yeh kya tha?!" she whispered, clutching the blanket to her chest.

"Kaun hai??" Vani asked loudly into the phone, trying to sound bold but her voice cracked halfway.

No answer. Just another chilling breath.

Vani's heart thudded. She cut the call instantly, her palms sweaty. "Unknown number tha..." she whispered.

"Call back kar ke dekh?" Pranvi suggested, though her voice shook.

"Pagal hai? Agar bhoot hua to?!" Vani snapped.

Pranvi rolled her eyes. "Bhoot ke paas sim card aur unlimited plan hoga kya?"

Vani glared at her, but before she could reply, the phone rang again. Same number.

Both screamed and grabbed each other's hands.

"Tu uthaa!" Vani hissed.

"Nahi tu uthaa!" Pranvi threw it back at her.

The phone kept ringing, vibrating against the wooden nightstand like it was alive. Finally, Vani swallowed her fear and pressed accept.

This time, a whisper "Vaniiiiii... main tumhe dekh raha hoon..."

Vani shrieked and threw the phone onto the bed like it had caught fire. "Main nahi uthati ab!"

Pranvi's jaw dropped. "He... he knows your name!"

Both stared at the phone glowing eerily in the dark.

Meanwhile.

On the other side of the city, Aman sat cross-legged on his bed, trying his best not to laugh out loud. He had borrowed another SIM card from a friend just for this prank. Ishan, sitting right beside him, had his palm over his face, already regretting being part of this nonsense.

"Tu pagal hai," Ishan muttered. "Ye sab bachpana kar raha hai hai."

"Arey, maza aayega! Dekh abhi to shuru hua hai" Aman grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Back in the girls' room, Vani and Pranvi were huddled together under one blanket, whispering furiously.

"Yeh sach me bhoot hai kya?" Vani's voice trembled.

"Ni ni... maybe koi stalker?" Pranvi guessed.

"Usse bhi khatarnaak!" Vani whispered back.

Just then, the phone rang again.

Vani couldn't take it anymore. "Main police ko call kar dungi!" she yelled into the phone.

The voice on the other end chuckled creepily. "Police bhi tumhe bacha nahi sakti..."

Pranvi gasped. "Haye re!"

Then suddenly-click. The line went dead.

Both girls sat frozen. The silence in the room was deafening.

"Vani... agar kal hum zinda rahe na... main pakka kahi aur shift ho jaungi," Pranvi muttered dramatically.

Vani, too scared to even argue, just nodded.

Back at Aman's side,

He couldn't hold it anymore. He burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Arre yaar, in dono ki shakal ka soch ke hi maza aa raha hai!"

Ishan shook his head. "Aman, tu seriously mental hai. Agar Vani ne kal tujhe deewar me na chun diya na, to main apna naam badal lunga."

But Aman wasn't listening. He typed quickly, sending a creepy text message:

"Don't look outside the window..."

The message popped on Vani's phone. She saw it, screamed, and threw the phone straight onto the floor.

Pranvi jumped too. "Kya hua??"

"Window ka mention kiya hai!!" Vani hissed.

Both slowly turned their heads toward the window. The curtains swayed gently with the night breeze. The shadow of a tree branch outside flickered across the glass, looking like long fingers trying to crawl in.

"Bas, bas, hum dono kal hi Jaipur chhod dete hai," Pranvi whispered dramatically.

But then, curiosity got better of her. She crawled to the window, peeked out-only to see nothing but the deserted street and a stray dog sniffing near the garbage bin.

"Phew... koi nahi hai." She turned back. "Darrne ki zarurat ni thi-"

Suddenly the phone buzzed again. This time, the voice growled "Main andar aa gaya hoon..."

Both screamed at the top of their lungs and jumped onto the bed, clutching each other.

Meanwhile, Aman was rolling on the floor laughing silently, hitting Ishan's arm. "Kya acting ki maine!"

Ishan shook his head but couldn't hide a small smile.

Back in the girls' room, chaos reigned.

"Switch off kar is phone ko!" Pranvi screamed.

Vani grabbed the phone with trembling hands, trying to power it off-but instead accidentally called back.

The moment the call connected, they heard loud laughter on the other side. A very familiar laughter.

Vani froze. "Yeh... yeh toh..."

Pranvi's jaw dropped. "Aman??"

The laughter grew louder.

"AMANNNN!!" Vani shouted into the phone, her fear immediately turning into rage. "Main kal tujhe zinda nahi chhodungi!"

Pranvi too joined, yelling, "Pagal aadmi! Raat ke 2 baje humari jaan nikal di tumne!"

Aman was laughing so hard he could barely breathe. "Arre... tum dono ki cheekh sunne ka maza hi alag hai!"

"Maarr dungi tumhe kal!" Vani screamed, throwing a pillow across the room like Aman could feel it through the phone.

Even Ishan's calm voice came in from the background, chuckling, "Maine bola tha yeh idea stupid hai..."

"Stupid?? Yeh toh legendary tha!" Aman declared proudly.

Vani cut the call and tossed the phone aside in anger, breathing heavily.

For the next ten minutes, she kept muttering death threats under her breath, while Pranvi-now relaxed-couldn't stop giggling.

"Admit it, Vani... thoda funny toh tha," she teased.

"Funny?? Mujhe toh lag raha tha meri aatma upar aa jayegi !" Vani shot back, smacking her with a pillow.

Both girls ended up laughing, the earlier fear melting into hysterical giggles. But deep down, Vani swore she'd get her revenge on Aman.

And knowing her, it was only a matter of time.

After all the chaos, after all the calls and teasing, Pranvi had finally dozed off with a soft snore, hugging the pillow tightly. But Vani... sleep was miles away from her eyes.

Her mind kept replaying Aman's stupid prank, Pranvi's laughter, and the restless emptiness of the night. She sighed, rolling from one side to the other. Finally, with an annoyed groan, she sat up straight on her bed.

Her gaze fell on her study desk, and a familiar thought came rushing back-art.

Slowly, she tiptoed across the room, careful not to wake Pranvi, and opened her drawer. Her fingers brushed against the smooth spiral notebook, fresh sheets of art paper, and the familiar weight of her sketch pencils. Something about that simple collection of things always calmed her heart.

Vani grabbed them and quietly stepped out onto the balcony.

The moment she pushed the door open, a gust of cool night breeze wrapped around her like an invisible hug. It was cold, yes, but not unkind. Her blanket, wrapped loosely around her shoulders, gave her the warmth she needed while the breeze kissed her cheeks.

The balcony light clicked on with a faint hum, casting a soft yellow glow. She settled onto the little couch in the corner, tucked her knees up, balanced the sketchbook on her lap, and exhaled deeply.

Her hands started moving almost instinctively. At first slow, uncertain strokes... then faster, guided by the whirl of her thoughts. She didn't know exactly what she wanted to draw, or maybe deep down, she already knew.

When the first sketch was done, she set it aside and leaned back. Her eyes wandered beyond the railing... and then she saw it.

A tree.

It stood tall against the moonlit sky, its branches stretched out like arms, as though calling her closer. Its shadow spilled across the ground in a way that looked almost magical-almost like a piece of her imagination had slipped out into the real world.

Vani smiled faintly.

Her pov ,

I looked at that tree, and for a strange reason, it felt like it was pulling me in-whispering for me to come closer, to remember something I had once dreamed.

And then it hit me.

A memory. A silly, sweet one.

When I was a child, I always wanted to build my own little house on a tree. A treehouse where I could hide away from everyone, sit with my books, draw endlessly, and watch the world below me like it was my secret kingdom.

At that time, it never felt impossible. It felt like the most natural dream in the world.

Now, years later, I laugh at the thought. It sounds silly, childish even... but still, there's something comforting about it. Maybe it wasn't just a "dream house." Maybe it was a symbol of freedom. A place where I could belong entirely to myself.

Even now... the idea doesn't sound too bad.

POV Ends

Her lips curved into a soft smile, eyes glistening with a mix of nostalgia and warmth. Without a second thought, she picked up her pencil again.

This time, her strokes were firm. Confident. She began drawing the same tree she had just seen, but with an addition-her childhood dream resting on its branches. A treehouse.

A ladder. A tiny balcony. A little window with curtains. A place where little Vani once wanted to live.

The sketch grew slowly, each line making her heart feel lighter. She didn't realize when the breeze turned colder or when her blanket slipped halfway down. She was too lost in that treehouse world.

Finally, when she finished, she set the notebook aside, staring at the treehouse she had just created on paper. It looked peaceful, almost real.

Her eyes shifted upward again, toward the glowing silv

er moon. It hung there like a patient listener, as if it had been watching her sketch all along.

Vani closed her eyes, resting her head against the couch cushion. The breeze lulled her, the quiet sketchbook sat by her side, and slowly-finally-her heavy eyelids gave in.

Wrapped in her blanket, under the watchful moon, she drifted into sleep.