Vatsal and Arnav walked slowly along the first-floor corridor. The faint flicker of tube lights above cast long shadows on the walls. Their steps were careful and quiet, echoing slightly in the empty hallway. As they approached the stairs to the second floor, their pace grew even more cautious.

Arnav's voice broke the silence, low and unsure,"Tu sure hai na ki usi room mein paise rakhe hue hain?"

["Are you sure the money is kept in that room?"]

Vatsal glanced around, eyes scanning every corner as if expecting someone to appear,"Mujhe pata nahi hai... lekin humein pehle teachers' room check karna hoga," he replied in a hushed tone.

["I don't know... but we need to check the teachers' room first."]

Arnav stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Vatsal in disbelief. His mouth opened slightly in shock, his eyebrows raised high,"Tu sanka hua hai kya? Matlab hum bina planning ke aaye hain?"

["Are you out of your mind? I mean, did we come here without any planning?"]

Vatsal gave him a tight-lipped smile, a mix of sarcasm and annoyance dancing in his eyes,"Yeh abhi samajh mein aa raha hai tujhe? Buddhi ko bech ke aaya hai... chhod, woh tere paas hai hi nahi."

["You're realizing that just now? Did you sell your brain before coming... forget it, you never had one anyway."]

Arnav's face scrunched into a helpless expression, like a kid caught stealing candy,"Bhai, pakde gaye na, toh aisi sutaayi hogi ki uth ke khade nahi ho payenge."

["Bro, if we get caught, we'll get beaten so badly we won't even be able to stand up."]

For a brief moment, Vatsal pictured the two of them being dragged by the collars, thrashed by angry watchmen. He shook his head quickly, pushing the thought away.

"Bakwaas band kar. Kuch nahi hoga. Be positive. Sab sambhal lenge hum," he said firmly, trying to sound confident.

["Stop talking nonsense. Nothing will happen. Be positive. We'll handle everything."]

Arnav raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. His voice dripped with sarcasm,"Aaj tak ek ladki sambhal nahi paya, pata nahi kya matter sambhalne ki baat karta hai..."

["Till today, he couldn't handle even one girl, and now he talks about handling the whole matter..."]

Vatsal shot him a glare sharp enough to cut through steel. It was the same cold look he had given Arnav back when he used to ignore him when Kriti was with him. Arnav looked away, pretending not to notice, like he always did back then.

"Tujhe laake galti kar di," Vatsal while rolling his eyes as he resumed walking,"Pata hota aisi kukur wali harkatein krega, toh lata bhi nahi."

["Bringing you along was a mistake." "If I knew you'd act like a total mutt, I wouldn't have brought you at all."]

Arnav rolled his eyes and smirked,"Agar main kutta hota, toh Anushka tujhe dekh ke door nahi bhagti. Bada aaya."

[If I were a dog, Anushka wouldn't run away after seeing you. Look who's talking!"]

Vatsal stopped in his tracks and turned slowly, glaring at him with narrowed eyes.

Arnav grinned cheekily, enjoying the reaction-until his eyes landed on something on the wall. A lizard, slowly crawling just inches away from him. His face drained of color.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!" he screamed, eyes wide with panic.

Vatsal lunged forward, trying to cover Arnav's mouth. "Chup! Chup!".

["Shut up! Just shut up!"]

But Arnav didn't listen. He turned and sprinted up the stairs in full panic mode, leaving Vatsal behind in stunned silence.

Arnav ran without looking back, like he was running for his life. His voice echoed through the empty building as he shouted at the top of his lungs. Vatsal ran behind him, trying desperately to catch up and stop him from screaming. If someone heard his voice, they would be in big trouble-and Vatsal definitely didn't want any problems right now.

Arnav reached the rooftop, panting and wide-eyed. As soon as he saw the large water tank in the corner, he dashed toward it. Without thinking twice, he climbed up to the highest point of the tank, clinging to it like a terrified cat escaping danger.

Arnav was now perched on top of the water tank, sitting like a frog. His Superman costume flapped wildly in the wind, making it look like a cape flying with pride. He was panting hard, trying to catch his breath after the wild run.

Vatsal came running onto the rooftop. As soon as he spotted Arnav on the tank, his eyes widened in pure shock.

Trying not to shout, Vatsal called out in a semi-normal voice-just loud enough to be heard, but still cautious.

"Dahi bhalle ke bache, wahan kya kar raha hai?"

["Hey you, Dahi bhalle, what are you doing there?"]

Arnav, who was just now realizing where he was, looked around nervously. His hands trembled like he might fall off at any second. He wobbled a little, but managed to regain his balance.

Vatsal instinctively stepped forward, ready to catch him if needed, but then held himself back and took a deep breath.

Arnav blinked, completely confused, his voice small and baffled,"Main idhar kya kar raha hoon? Kaise aaya?"

["What am I doing here? How did I get here?"]

Vatsal exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stay calm and not scream in frustration,"Shri Shri Shri Arnav Bhalla ji... aap yahan par aaye hain apne pairon se swayam chalke, woh bhi bhagte hue. Aur uske baad aap seedhe tanki par chadhkar baith chuke hain. Ab wahan se aap utrenge, hum apna kaam karenge, yahan se jaayenge... isse pehle ki humein koi dekh le."

["Shri Shri Shri Arnav Bhalla ji... you have come here on your own two feet, running no less. And then, you climbed straight onto the tank and sat down. Now, you will get down from there, we'll do our work, and leave... before anyone sees us."]

Arnav made a blank face, like nothing registered. Then he noticed the back of his Superman suit flying proudly in the air.

A wide grin appeared on his face as he stared at it, eyes sparkling with childlike wonder.

"Vatsal! Mera suit ud raha hai! Piche se dekh, kitna achha lag raha hai! Hero wali feel aa rahi hai, bhai! Desh ko bachane aaya hai Arnav the Hero... Superman!
Naa naa, Anushka... Kriti ko bachane aaya hoon main. Dekho! Aa gaya hai school ki raksha karne-Superman!"

["Vatsal! My suit is flying! Look from behind, doesn't it look amazing? I'm feeling like a hero, bro! Arnav the Hero has come to save the nation... Superman!
No no, Anushka... I've come to save Kriti. Look! Here I am, here to protect the school-Superman!"]

Vatsal sat down right there on the ground, folding his legs. He dropped his face into his hands, resting his elbows on his knees, looking like he might cry any second. He didn't care who was watching anymore.

He muttered under his breath with pure regret,"Iss se sahi toh Pranjal ko le aata. Kam se kam kaam ho jaata. Kise utha laya... hey bhagwan... main kya karu?"

["I should've just brought Pranjal instead. At least the work would've gotten done. Who did I bring... Oh God... what should I do?"]

On the other side, Palak and Adhvik were moving slowly, taking baby steps-careful, alert, trying their best not to get caught. Just then, Adhvik's eyes drifted upwards towards the school's rooftop water tank. He squinted, trying to make sense of the blurry figure he saw. It was hard to tell, but someone was up there-posing like a superhero. His eyes widened in disbelief. Without a word, he reached out and abruptly grabbed the collar of Palak's costume (burqua) to stop her.

Note: The burqa is a traditional dress of a particular religion, and the scenes are written in a humorous way with no intent to offend or harm anyone's feelings.

Palak, instantly irritated, hissed, "Kya hai? Kyun roka mujhe? Aise gala dab jaata, mar jaati main!"

["What is it? Why did you stop me? My throat would've been squeezed, I could've died!"]

Adhvik, eyes still fixed on the rooftop, muttered absentmindedly, "Dharti ka ek bojh kam ho jaata."

["One burden off the Earth's shoulders."]

Palak gave him a tight-lipped smile, sharp as a blade. "Aur main marne se pehle aisi jagah maar ke jaati na tujhe, ki bojh chhod dharti par... naye bojh paida hona band ho jaate. Samjha?"

["And before I die, I'd hit you in such a place that you would leave the Earth with one burden less... and stop new burdens from being born. Got it?"]

Adhvik turned to her with an exasperated look, then suddenly remembered why he had stopped her in the first place. His voice lowered but urgent, "Main keh raha tha na, udhar dekh! Wahan kuch dikhana tha tujhe."

["I told you, look over there! I had to show you something."]

Palak, now thoroughly confused, frowned. "Kyaaa?"

["What?"]

They both cautiously peeked out the window, careful not to make any noise. Adhvik pointed towards the water tank.

Palak's eyes went wide with shock. "Adhvik, kya humare school mein superheroes aane lage hain?"

["Adhvik, have superheroes started coming to our school?"]

Adhvik, equally intrigued, nodded with amazement. "Haan bhai, dekh na! Kaise kaise poses de raha hai. Magar tujhe kuch ajeeb nahi laga?"

["Yeah, bro, look! Look at the poses he's striking. But doesn't something seem off to you?"]

Palak narrowed her eyes. "Kyaaa?"

["What?"]

Adhvik raised his eyebrows, clearly unimpressed. "Yeh superhero ka dressing sense kitna kharab hai... matlab Superman, Spiderman, Thor-sab ka mixture lag raha hai. Pure cartoon types ka."

["This superhero's dressing sense is terrible... I mean, it looks like a mix of Superman, Spiderman, and Thor. Totally cartoonish."]

Palak agreed immediately, her expression mirroring his. "Haan bhai, ajeeb se kapde pehne hain. Cartoon ka chacha lag raha hai ekdum. Maano superhero ne uske upar haag diya ho!"

["Yeah, bro, he's wearing some weird clothes. Totally looks like a cartoon. Like a superhero must've just peed on him!"]

Adhvik couldn't help but burst into a muffled laugh. "Itna sach nahi bolte! Aur kya pata, yeh hamari hi madad karne aaya ho. Hum tez chillaayein 'Superman!' aur yeh turant tapak ke madad kare."

["Don't speak the truth so loudly! And who knows, maybe he's actually here to help us. We just yell 'Superman!' loudly, and he'll jump in to save the day!"]

Palak shook her head in disbelief, clearly unimpressed. "Mujhe lagta hai agar hum chillaayein na, toh yeh chat se tapak ke ghir jaayega. Magar madad karne aayega? Bhool ja!"

["I think if we shout, he'll fall straight off the roof-but come help us? Forget it!"]

Adhvik and Palak were still lost in their world, chattering away with silly jokes and wild imaginations, completely forgetting the real reason they were sneaking around in the first place.

Meanwhile, from the opposite direction, Kriti and Anushka were approaching quietly-each coming from a different side. And then, in a perfectly chaotic moment, all four of them found themselves crossing paths at the same corner.

For a brief second, they just stared at each other-frozen, wide-eyed, caught in the absurdity of it all.

Adhvik and Palak were draped head to toe in burqas, while Kriti and Anushka were awkwardly wrapped in borrowed sarees. Their disguises may have fooled each other; they were instantly not recognizable.

And then it happened.

All four of them screamed at the top of their lungs-voices echoing through the empty corridor-and turned around in sync, bolting in the opposite direction like startled cartoon characters.

From the rooftop, Arnav and Vatsal suddenly heard loud, high-pitched screaming echoing through the quiet school grounds. The sound sliced through the silence like a horror movie soundtrack.

Startled, Arnav's eyes went wide. "Bhoot!" he muttered under his breath, heart racing.

[Ghost]

Without thinking, he leapt from the water tank in pure panic-only to crash-land directly on top of Vatsal, who had been standing cluelessly below.

With a loud thud, the two boys toppled to the ground, limbs tangled awkwardly. Arnav ended up sprawled on top of Vatsal, winded and dazed.

Vatsal groaned in pain, his face contorting in frustration. He shoved Arnav off with effort, clutching his lower back like an old man.

"Kutta saala kamina kahin ka! Kamar tod di meri!" he snapped, his voice filled with irritation.

["That damn mutt! Bloody jerk! He broke my back!"]

Arnav, still recovering, looked up with wide, innocent eyes and a sheepish smile. "Hehhehee... par tune awaaz suni?" he whispered, clearly spooked.

["Hehehe... but did you hear that sound?"]

Vatsal's expression shifted as the memory of the scream replayed in his mind. His face paled. "Suni toh..." he murmured, now equally scared.

["Yes I did"]

Arnav, now gripping Vatsal's wrist tightly, spoke in a hushed but urgent tone, "Chal na... chalte hain."

["Come on... let's go."]

Vatsal, not even pretending to be brave anymore, tightened his grip back. "Haan, chal chal!" he said, nodding frantically as they both scrambled to their feet and hurried off together-fear chasing their every step.

["Yeah, yeah, let's go!"]

Pranjal and Manyaa stepped out of the classroom, finally done with the task they had come for. Just as they turned into the corridor, a strange noise echoed through the hall.

Both froze for a second, exchanging confused glances.

Pranjal, eyes narrowing slightly, asked, "Tune kuch suna?"

["Did you hear something?"]

Manyaa nodded slowly, glancing around. "Suna toh... par kaun hoga?"

["I did hear it... but who could it be?"]

Sensing an opportunity to tease her, Pranjal leaned closer, voice dropping a shade darker. "Kahi woh toh nahi... jo main soch raha hoon?"

["Could it be... who I think it is?"]

Manyaa blinked, still unaffected. "Kyaaa?"

["What?"]

Pranjal knew exactly what scared her-ghost stories, especially anything involving Bloody Mary. So, he added a sinister tone to his voice.

"Wahi... maine suna hai na, school kabristan ke upar bana hai. Itne logon ko yahaan dafnaya gaya hai. Unki aatmaayein raat ko bhoot ban ke ghoomti hain."

["Exactly... I've heard that the school is built over a graveyard. So many people have been buried here. Their spirits wander around at night, turning into ghosts."]

Manyaa stiffened slightly. A flicker of fear crossed her face, but she quickly masked it, trying to keep her composure. "Kyaa bhai... tum bhi na... kuch bhi bolte ho. Aisa-waisa kuch nahi hota. Tum bekaar mein darr rahe ho."

["What, bro... you too? You say anything. There's nothing like that. You're just scaring yourself for no reason."]

But Pranjal wasn't done. He leaned in, voice lower and more intense now.

"Kya bataun Manyaa... main mazaak nahi kar raha. Maine bachon ko baat karte hue suna tha... ek bachha yahan aaya tha, phir kabhi wapas nahi gaya."

["What do I tell you, Manya... I'm not joking. I heard the kids talking... a kid came here once, and then he never went back."]

That did it.

Now Manyaa was visibly scared. Her hand shot out and gripped Pranjal's tightly. Pranjal, trying to hide his grin, muffled a laugh and tried to play it cool, though a smug spark lit his eyes.

But suddenly-another loud burst of running and shouting echoed through the hall.

This time, even Pranjal felt a strange uneasiness settle in his chest.

In a hushed voice, Manyaa said, "Chalo na... nikalte hain jaldi."

["Come on... let's leave quickly."]

Without another word, they began tiptoeing down the hallway, careful not to make a sound, each step tense with fear.

---

Meanwhile, from another direction, Kriti and Anushka were also approaching cautiously. Anushka, clearly terrified, had clasped her hands in prayer and was muttering the Hanuman Chalisa under her breath, her voice shaking slightly.

"Jai Hanuman gyan gun sagar, Jai Kapis tihun lok ujaagar..." she chanted, eyes darting around.

From a different corridor, Vatsal and Arnav were also making their way, still hand-in-hand, glancing nervously behind them at every turn.

And from the fourth side, Adhvik and Palak crept forward, both still wrapped in their disguises, alert and ready to bolt at the slightest noise.

Each group, unaware of the others' presence, kept walking cautiously through the dim corridor, their steps slow and silent, hearts thudding in unison.

And then-boom.

All four groups turned a corner at the same time.

In one chaotic second, they crashed into each other, tangled limbs, screams, fabric, and panic flying in all directions. Sarees twisted with burqas, hands grabbed the wrong arms, someone stepped on someone's foot, and the hallway exploded in a frenzy of shrieking confusion.

They all bounced back like rubber balls, colliding and collapsing in a heap of gasps and fear.

Each of them was so terrified, so caught in the grip of panic, that their minds had already painted the worst possible image-a ghost, a demon, some lurking entity from the shadows that had finally caught up with them.

And so, driven entirely by fear, they scattered.

Pranjal and Manyaa bolted down one hallway, feet barely touching the ground. Kriti and Anushka took the stairs two at a time, Anushka still breathlessly chanting the Hanuman Chalisa between gasps. Arnav and Vatsal sprinted in the opposite direction, holding hands like their lives depended on it, while Adhvik and Palak ran back the way they came, their burqas flapping like capes in the wind.

It looked less like a group of students and more like survivors fleeing a haunted house in a horror movie-each of them convinced that if they stopped even for a second, the ghost would catch them...
...and devour them alive.

The sound of their footsteps echoed through the empty corridors, bouncing off the walls, overlapping with shrieks, heavy breaths, and nervous sobs.

In that moment, the fear was real.
The ghost might not have been-but their belief in it? That was more than enough to send them all running for their lives.

Adhvik was running when he suddenly bumped into the door. Dazed, he turned around-only to see Palak coming after him at full speed. Dressed entirely in black, she looked like a shadow in motion. For a split second, Adhvik mistook her for a ghost and screamed.

He fumbled to open the door again, but it was still locked. He slammed into it once more with a loud thud, groaning in pain.

Palak was now right behind him, furiously throwing punches at his back.

Palak shouted at the top of her lungs, "Khol! Khol darwaza khol warna yahi tujhe maar dalungi! Ulta latka ke khoon kar dungi, baish ke pakode ki tatti! Jaldi darwaazaaa khol! Bhoot aaah raha hai, khol!"

["Open it! Open the door, or I'll kill you right here! I'll hang you upside down and spill your blood like the worst fried pakoda! Hurry up, open the door! The ghost is coming, open it!"]

Adhvik, completely panicked, didn't seem to hear a word. Palak, fuming, grabbed a fistful of his hair and started banging his head against the door in frustration.

He barely had a second to react when suddenly Palak caught sight of something darting past in the corridor. Her face turned pale. Without hesitation, she shoved Adhvik forward, and the two of them stumbled inside as the door creaked open. They slammed it shut behind them, hearts pounding in unison.

Vatsal was running frantically, clutching Arnav tightly in his arms. Arnav refused to get down, clinging to him like a scared child. Vatsal's mind had gone completely blank-he wasn't thinking, just running to save both their lives.

He burst into a dusty storeroom and slammed the door behind him. Gasping for air, he leaned against the wall, chest heaving.

Only then did he realize Arnav was still draped in his arms. Disgust twisted his face, and with a dramatic grunt, he dropped Arnav unceremoniously onto the cold floor.

Arnav landed with a painful thud, clutching his back.
Arnav groaned loudly, "Aree mori maiya! Kamar tod diya tune!"

["OHH MYY GODDD! You've broken my back!"]

Vatsal looked down at him, clearly irritated.

Vatsal snapped,"Aur tu jo meri godh mein chhad gaya tha? Biwi ki tarah! Pati hoon kya main tera, be... joh har jagah chipak jata hai!"

["And you, who climbed into my lap? Like a wife! Am I your husband, huh? Always sticking around everywhere!"]

Arnav made a face full of mock annoyance, rubbing his back.

Arnav grumbled while rolling his eyes,"Teri biwi bechari... uske saath bhi aisa karega kya tu? Jalad kahin ka! Ek bhai hai jo baaton se maar deta hai, aur doosra haathon se! Saala Mishra khandan ke bete hain... sanki paida hote hain sab!"

["Your poor wife... will you do this to her too? You're a disgrace! One brother kills with words, and the other with his hands! Damn Mishra family... they all turn out crazy!"]

Vatsal opened his mouth, about to fire back, when suddenly-footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. Both of them froze, eyes wide with dread. For a second, silence hung in the air like a trap.

Then, in perfect sync, they glanced at each other and scrambled. Their eyes scanned the room wildly until they spotted a tattered white curtain swaying in the corner. Without a word, they dashed toward it and ducked behind it, breath held, hearts thundering in their chests.

Kriti and Anushka were tiptoeing into the storeroom, holding each other's hands tightly, trying their best to stay low and unseen. Their eyes darted around the dim, cluttered space, every creak in the floor making them flinch.

Kriti whispered cautiously, "Lagta hai koi nahi hai yahan... hum safe rahenge yahi par."

["Looks like no one's here... we'll be safe right here."]

Beside her, Anushka was still mumbling the Hanuman Chalisa under her breath, her face pale with fear.

Anushka chanted nervously,"Jai Hanuman ji... bacha lena. Wapas se kabhi aise kaam nahi karungi, pakka."

["Jai Hanuman ji... save us. I'll never do anything like this again, I swear."]

They stepped further inside, scanning for a place to hide.

Kriti murmured, glancing around: "Koi jagah dekhte hain jaldi se..."

["Let's quickly find a place..."]

Behind the curtain, Arnav and Vatsal stiffened at the sound of approaching footsteps and voices. Their eyes met again, wide with worry.

Vatsal whispered, "Ek kaam karte hain... yeh curtain le ke jaate hain aur unke upar gira dete hain."

["Let's do one thing... we take this curtain and drop it over them."]

Arnav nodded in agreement,"Haan... jo hoga, pakda jaayega."

["Yeah... whoever did it, will get caught."]

But before they could move, Anushka's eyes narrowed. She had spotted something-a pair of shoes peeking out from under the curtain. Her breath caught in her throat. Slowly, she tugged at Kriti's sleeve and pointed.

Kriti followed her gaze. The moment she saw the shoes, her eyes widened in shock.

Kriti whispered, alarmed, "Kahin school mein chor toh nahi aa gaye?"

["Did the thieves come to school or what?"]

Anushka gulped and replied, "Mujhe bhi lagta hai ab..."

["I think so too now..."]

Kriti quickly scanned the storeroom for something-anything-they could use as weapons. Her eyes fell on a wooden bat. She picked it up and handed it to Anushka. Then she found a large drum stacked in the corner. Quietly, she lifted it and placed it on the floor with a soft thump.

Kriti, eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint, declared: "Woh hame nuksan pahuchaye usse pehle... uska tabla baja dete hain. Okay, commando?"

["Before he causes us any harm... let's mess up his plan. Okay, commando?"]

Anushka, gripping the bat tightly, gave a mock salute: "Yess, Ma'am!"

Suddenly, Vatsal and Arnav came charging toward the girls, holding the curtain like a makeshift trap. But before they could execute their plan, Kriti and Anushka let out loud shrieks and sprang into action.

Without wasting a second, Kriti grabbed the drum and, with impressive precision, slammed it down over Arnav's head. His muffled protests echoed from inside as she forcefully pushed him down, trapping him entirely inside the drum.

At the same time, Anushka lunged at Vatsal, gripping the bat with both hands.
"Aaj toh tujhe chhodungi nahi!" she yelled, swinging the bat like a true warrior.
Thwack! Thump! Vatsal staggered, trying to defend himself, but her strikes came fast and furious.

["Today, I'm not letting you go!"]

Meanwhile, Kriti grinned with wicked satisfaction. She clutched the drum and began spinning it round and round, making Arnav roll along with it like a trapped hamster.
Inside, Arnav's voice was a muffled mess of groans:
"Rok do! Main gol-gol ho raha hoon!"

["Stop! I'm rolling all over the place!"]

Kriti kept spinning it faster. "Maza aa raha hai? Tabla baj raha hai na ache se?" she teased, breathless with laughter.

["Are you enjoying this? Is the tabla playing well?"]

Anushka, still swinging at Vatsal, paused for a moment and shouted, "Next time curtain leke hero banne chale the, ab bhugto!"

["Next time, you tried to be a hero with the curtain, now suffer the consequences!"]

Vatsal ducked another swing and yelled, "Ye toh assault ho gaya! Human rights ka violation hai!"

["This is assault! It's a violation of human rights!"]

As Kriti spun the drum mercilessly, Arnav's helpless voice echoed from inside,
"Bas karo! Main butter chicken bann gaya hoon drum ke andar!"

["Stop it! I've turned into butter chicken inside this drum!"]

Kriti laughed harder, tears almost spilling from her eyes.
"Acha hai, apne kand ke liye stew mein paka Jaa raha hai tu!"

["Good thing, you're cooking in the stew for your own shoulder!"]

Anushka was still furiously swinging the bat at Vatsal, her strikes landing with more frustration than force.

"Tujhe laga tu curtain se bach jayega chor banega? Sapna tha na chori krne ka yeh le?" she snapped, landing another thump on his shoulder.

["You thought you'd escape with the curtain and become a thief? Was it your dream to steal? Here, take this!"]

But suddenly, Vatsal had enough. With a swift movement, he stood up and threw the curtain aside, his chest heaving. The cloth fluttered to the ground, and for a second, everything around them slowed.

Anushka's eyes widened. She hadn't expected him to react.

Caught off guard, her foot tangled in a pile of old bedsheets on the floor. She staggered, losing her balance. In a panic, she instinctively reached out-and grabbed Vatsal's hand.

Their eyes locked for a heartbeat.

But gravity had other plans. The sheets slipped further, and the next thing they knew-they both tumbled to the ground, landing with a soft thud, limbs tangled awkwardly.

Anushka landed half on top of him, her hair falling like a curtain around their faces. Her hand still clutched his shirt, and his arm was gently resting on her back. Neither of them moved.

Vatsal looked up at her, a teasing smile creeping onto his lips.
"Mujhe maar rahi thi abhi... aur ab toh mujhpe hi gir gayi," he said softly.

["You were hitting me just now... and now it's all fallen on me!"]

Anushka's breath hitched. Her heart was thumping louder than ever. She didn't understand what was happening inside her-anger, confusion... something more.

"Main... main bas... Tum yha ky kar rhe ho?," she muttered, trying to push herself up but not quite moving away.

["I... I just... What are you doing here?"]

Vatsal didn't let go. His grip on her wrist tightened slightly-not to hold her back, but to keep her close, just for a second longer.

"Kab tak girti rahogi?" he murmured, voice low and steady.
"Ek baar ruk ke dekho... ho sakta hai kisi ne sambhalne ke liye haath badhaya ho."

["How long will you keep falling?"
"Try stopping once... maybe someone has reached out a hand to catch you."]

Anushka looked at him, stunned by the sudden depth in his voice. Her breath caught in her throat. She wasn't sure what she was feeling anymore-but Vatsal was. He had been for a while.

Their faces were inches apart. The air around them felt thick with words left unspoken.

Anushka quickly stood up, brushing imaginary dust off her clothes, avoiding his gaze.
"Tumhari wajah se gir gayi mai!!!," she muttered.

["I fell because of you!!!"]

Vatsal stood too, smiling to himself,"Tum toot sakti ho, bikhar sakti ho, gir sakti ho... par har baar tumhe jodne wala main hi rahunga."

["You can break, shatter, fall... I'll still be the one piecing you back together."]

Vatsal took a quiet step forward, his gaze locked on her with a softness that made the world around them fade for a second. His voice was low-almost a whisper-but it carried the weight of something deeper, something that had been there for a while.

Vatsal, gently, his eyes tracing her face, a teasing smile playing on his lips, "Ek baar dhang se dekhna... kahin gir toh nahi gayi? Kisi ke pyaar mein toh nahi?"

["Take a proper look once... did you fall? Are you in love with someone?"]

The words hung in the air like a secret waiting to be spoken aloud.

Anushka froze.

Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes met his. For a moment, she couldn't blink, couldn't move.

Kriti finally managed to pull Arnav out of the drum, his body wobbling like jelly as he collapsed onto the floor. His hair was a mess, his eyes unfocused, and he held his head like it was about to fall off.

The poor guy looked like he'd just survived a tornado in slow motion.

Kriti, making a guilty crying face, crouched beside him,"Sorry, Arnav... humein laga koi chor hai! Hame kya pata tha ki tum hi ho!"

["Sorry, Arnav... we thought someone was a thief! How were we supposed to know it was you!"]

Arnav didn't respond. His head was still spinning, quite literally. He blinked rapidly, trying to focus, but the room kept doing cartwheels in front of him.

He groaned softly, holding his temples, "Main... zinda hoon na?"

["I... am alive, right?"]

Just then, Kriti's gaze shot toward Vatsal and Anushka, who were still standing suspiciously close to each other, both looking a bit too flushed for comfort.

Kriti, frowning in confusion,
"Tum log kar kya rahe the yaha par?"

["What were you guys doing here?"]

Vatsal, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt, tilted his head toward Kriti and looked her and Anushka up and down, noticing their disheveled outfits and messed-up hair.

Vatsal, raising an eyebrow with a smirk,
"Wahi sawal mera bhi hai..."

["That's the same question I have..."]

Anushka adjusted her saree.

Kriti cleared her throat.

Vatsal crossed his arms.

Arnav whispered faintly from the ground: "Mujhe pani chahiye..."

["I need water..."]

There was a beat of silence.

The four of them stood frozen, glancing from one face to the other-caught in the most awkward, absurd standoff imaginable. Their clothes were rumpled, the room looked like a hurricane had passed through, and Arnav was still half-conscious on the floor.

All eyes bounced nervously between each other, each waiting for someone-anyone-to speak first.

------

Pranjal and Manya were also entering the same room where Adhvik and Palak were hiding on the other side.

Palak was anxiously biting her nails, her eyes darting around nervously, yet inexplicably, she began singing a song:

"Aloo ki nikli baraat, barati aaye hazaar,
Aloo ki nikli baraat, barati aaye hazaar,
Aaj aalo dikhta hai raja,
Doston ne usko bana diya dulha raja,
Nikla ghode par sawar, baarati aaye hazaar..."

["Here comes the wedding procession of the potato, with thousands of guests,
Here comes the wedding procession of the potato, with thousands of guests,
Today, the potato looks like a king,
His friends have made him the groom king,
Riding on a horse, with thousands of guests arriving..."]

She kept singing, her voice trembling slightly, using the absurd lyrics to somehow calm her nerves.

Adhvik stared at her, jaw slightly dropped, utterly baffled. How can someone be so dumb... without actually acting dumb? he thought, disbelief written all over his face.

He gently placed his hand on her shoulder and said,
"Tu yeh kaun se nashe kar ke aayi hai ki tere upar yeh naya bhoot chadh gaya hai? Gaana kaunsa gaa rahi hai, sanki aurat?" His voice was a mix of exasperation and disbelief.

["What kind of intoxication have you come under that this new ghost has possessed you? Which song are you singing, crazy woman?"]

Palak, unfazed and completely ignoring his words, replied with wide eyes,
"Bhai anxiety ho rahi hai... agar bhoot humhe kha gaya toh?"

["Bro, I'm getting anxiety... what if the ghost eats me?"]

Adhvik let out a deep, shaky breath. Truth be told, he was equally terrified for his life.
"Hanuman Chalisa gaate hain, pagal ladki... yeh 'aloo ki baraat' wala gana nahi!" he snapped, glancing over his shoulder nervously.

["Let's chant the Hanuman Chalisa, you crazy girl... not this 'aloo ki baraat' song!"]

Palak looked at Adhvik with big, innocent eyes.
"Par mujhe toh aadhi hanuman chalisa aati hai, Anu ki baat sunn leni thi"

["But I only know half of the Hanuman Chalisa, I had to listen to Anu's talk."]

She started humming again, this time adding a little shoulder shake, completely unfazed by the ghostly danger lurking around.

Adhvik smacked his forehead.
"Tu rehne de... tujhe bhoot bhi dekh ke confuse ho jaaye ki kaun jyada darawni hai - tu ya woh."

["Forget it... even the ghost would get confused about who's scarier - you or it."]

Just then, a creaking sound echoed through the old wooden door. Manya froze mid-step, her eyes wide. "Bhai... yeh awaaz toh bhoot ki ho sakti hai!"

["Bro... this sound could be from a ghost!"]

Pranjal, who was just behind her, whispered,
"Ya phir tumhare fashion ka shor hai, Manya. Tumhare heels hi toh building gira degi ek din."

["Or it could be the noise from your fashion, Manya. Your heels are going to bring down a building one day."]

Manya scowled, "Oh hello! Ghosts also deserve fashion."
She flipped her hair dramatically, though her legs were visibly shaking.

["Oh hello! Even ghosts deserve fashion.]

Manya gasped and pointed at a shadow near the desk where Palak and Adhvik were hiding.
"Woh dekho! Koi hil raha hai!"

["Look there! Someone is moving!"]

Pranjal squinted and then groaned. "Woh toh curtain hai... hawa se hil raha hai. Tum ko room mein hawa aur hawa mein bhoot ka farq samjhana padega kya?"

["That's just the curtain... it's swaying with the wind. Do I need to explain the difference between wind in the room and a ghost in the wind to you?"]

Manya nodded seriously. "Bhai, bhoot ho ya curtain, darr toh ek hi jaisa lagta hai."

["Bro, whether it's a ghost or a curtain, the fear feels the same."]

Pranjal, trying to act brave while clearly sweating bullets, held Manya by the arm. "We have to check... to make sure bhoot hai ya nahi,"

["We have to check... to make sure if it's a ghost or not."]

Manya turned to him with pure disbelief written all over her face, her eyebrows arched high as if questioning all his life choices at once. "Are you serious right now?" her expression screamed, though she said nothing.

But before she could stop him, Pranjal had already started tiptoeing toward the old wooden desk, every step creaking under his weight like it was announcing his fear to the entire ghost realm.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Adhvik and Palak were practically frozen in place. Every hair on their bodies stood upright as they heard the approaching footsteps. Their minds spun wild-
It's coming. The ghost is coming.

Palak clutched Adhvik's arm like her life depended on it-well, in her mind, it probably did.
Adhvik's face had lost all color; even his sarcasm seemed to have abandoned him in this moment of terror.

Palak whispered in horror, "Bhai... woh aa gaya..."

["Bro... it's here..."]

Adhvik could only nod slowly, eyes fixed on the shadow creeping closer.

Suddenly, a thud echoed from above. Palak jumped and clutched Adhvik's arm.
"Mummyyy! Ab toh definitely bhoot hai. Mujhe lagta hai woh bhi aloo ki baraat sunne aa gaya."

["Mummy! Now it's definitely a ghost. I think it came to listen to the 'aloo ki baraat' song too."]

Adhvik rolled his eyes.
"Haan, bhoot ne kaha hoga - 'arre kya zabardast remix baja rahi hai ladki, chalo dekhein zara DJ Palak ka live concert!'"

["Yeah, the ghost must've said - 'Wow, what an amazing remix this girl is playing, let's go check out DJ Palak's live concert!'"]

Just then, Adhvik whispered,
"Guys... agar hum zinda bache, toh main ye Palak ka 'aalo' song Instagram reel pe daalungi. Viral ho jayega. Aur hum famous ho jayenge bhoot ji toh aapko jarur invite karenge hum he jaane dijiye please"

["Guys... if we survive, I'll post Palak's 'aloo' song on Instagram reel. It'll go viral. And we'll get famous. Ghost ji, we'll definitely invite you, just let us go, please!"]

Palak grinned.
"Mujhe tag mat bhoolna. Aur caption likhna - Haunted but make it musical."

["Don't forget to tag me. And write the caption - 'Haunted but make it musical.'"]

Adhvik shut his eyes tight. "Jai Bajrang Bali..." he muttered like a broken record.

"Jai Bajrang Bali... Jai Bajrang Ba-"

"Agar main marr gayi na," she whispered dramatically, "toh please meri diary mummy ko de dena... aur kehna main last time aloo ki shaadi attend kar rahi thi."

["If I die, please give my diary to my mom... and tell her I was attending the last potato wedding."]

Adhvik didn't even react. His brain had short-circuited.
What was this girl made of? Potatoes seriously? he thought.

Suddenly, Pranjal and Manya crept toward the old 9bench, footsteps soft, hearts pounding. They stood on their toes, trying to peek over the edge cautiously.

But the moment they did-

"AAAHHH!"
Adhvik and Palak sprang up from behind the bench, screaming at the top of their lungs like horror movie extras.

Startled beyond reason, Manya lost control and started smacking Adhvik wildly with her hands, eyes still half-shut in panic.

"Yeh kya hai? Bhoot! Haaye bhoot!"

["What is this? A ghost! Oh no, a ghost!"]

Adhvik flailed in panic, shielding his face.
"AREY MAIN HOON! MAIN HOON! BAND KAR YEH CHATAK-MATAK!"

["I'M HERE! I'M HERE! STOP WITH THE NOISE!"]

At the same time, Palak, reacting purely on instinct, grabbed Pranjal's hair and started tugging like she was ringing a temple bell.

"BACHAAOOO! BHOOT ATTACK!"

["HELP! GHOST ATTACK!"]

Pranjal howled, " YEH MAIN HOON! MERE BAAL MAT UKHAAD MAIN INSAAN HOON BHOOT NHI"

["IT'S ME! DON'T MESS WITH MY HAIR, I'M A HUMAN, NOT A GHOST!"]

The chaos lasted a solid ten seconds until both girls froze.

Palak blinked, finally recognizing Pranjal. "Wait... PRANJAL?!"

Adhvik, face flushed red from Manya's unintentional slaps, placed a hand on his cheek and squinted at her.

There was a beat of silence. Then, together, all four shouted: "TUM LOG?!"

["YOU ALL?"]

Pranjal and Manya gasped. "Tum log kya kar rahe ho yahaan?"

["What are you guys doing here?"]

Adhvik and Palak, still out of breath, "Hume bhi yeh hi puchhna chahiye!"

["We should be asking the same thing!"]