Damnfam Tales

Chapter 7

MANAV'S POV:
After we had our breakfast at Charlotte, we decided to come here to buy a tux for Sanket, Tanzeel and I already have our Tuxedos for my ceremony tomorrow. Also the girls insisted they want to tag along, they just want a chance to shop. I don't even know where are they in this giant mall. Sanket is trying some tux and Tanzeel is telling him how good he looks in every tux he tried. I'm just sitting here in a couch staring at my phone. I'm helping Sanket because ik he's a Black swan, no one has seen a one since 100 years I've alot of questions for him and since he mentioned the sword I can't let him or let anyone else know about him. I already have alot on my plate rn so I'm waiting to ask him everything after my ceremony. Tanzeel pulls me out by saying "C'mon let's go"
"So finally you guys are done" I mock both of them.
"Yeah, let's go and I already paid for it" Tanzeel tells me as we walk towards the door of the shop. "Should we call them?" Tanzeel asks me "Call who?" I reply "our three butterflies" he says playfully, Sanket and I look at him and we give him a Shut your mouth look. He dials someone and he says into the phone "where are you guys?"
and after a sec he says "yeah okay meet you there".
"They're on the ground floor" He say to us and we start walking toward the elevator.
As we reach the ground floor I see Aashna and Unnati holding 4 bags each, Ashi is not with them I look around but I don't see her. We walk towards them and Tanzeel say "Did you buy the whole store?"
"Actually, we did, now hold these" Unnati reply to him by handing us the bags.
"Where's the other butterfly?" I ask her and Sanket and Tanzeel looks at me.
"If you meant Ashi then she's talking to someone on the call" Unnati replies and Ashi walk towards us. "Let's go she's here" Aashna says.
"Actually you guys go ahead, I've to meet someone" Ashi tells us and Tanzeel replies instantly "Who?"
"It's my old friend, Rishabh" she replies "oh okay" He say
"Where are you guys meeting, Do you need a car?" Aashna ask her and Ashi nods and say "No, it's fine you guys go ahead he's meeting me here and he'll drop me home later" Unnati tells her "Be safe" and we all walk outside.
"Hey" Ashi calls us from behind we all look back "Can you stay with me?" She ask looking at Sanket and he replies "Me?"
"Yeah, you" and we all are as shocked as he is, why does she want him to stay behind. Sanket looks at all of us and we all are looking at each other. "Please I really need to talk to you about something" Ashi tells him and I look at her she's been quiet all day and now she wants to talk with the guy she doesn't even know. "Yeah, fine I'll stay" Sanket replies and my eyes are on him now. "Is it okay with you guys" Ashi ask us but she's only looking at me and Tanzeel. "Yeah yeah" Tanzeel replies I don't say anything I just tell them "I'll get the car" and I walk away from them Unnati joins me.

ASHI'S POV:
Manav and Unnati walk towards the parking area to get their cars Tanzeel is talking to me and Aashna and Sanket are giving each other some wierd looks I don't exactly know what's going on between them they've been like this all day. "Get home safely, and call if you want me to pick you up" Tanzeel tells me and I reply "I will". Aashna give a shopping bag to Tanzeel and tell him "it's her" she points at me.
Minutes later Tanzeel sits with Manav and Aashna with Unnati in their cars.
Sanket is staring at me, I look at him he look away "hey I'm sorry to hold you back" I tell him meaning it I know he was really shocked well so was I when I asked him to stay back. Something inside me forced me to hold him back. Also I need to ask him about yesterday how I heard his cry for help from miles away and why he said he's here to protect me.
"It's fine" he replies
"Let's go to a cafe or somewhere we can sit" I tell him he nods and we start walking across the road it's a small coffee shop. We sit on a table inside the the small coffee shop, it's small but it's really beautiful filled with colors and flowers all over the place.
"Hey are you okay?" Sanket ask me and I reply looking at him "Yeah I'm fine" and he say again "Are you sure, you've been ..uh how should I put it"
"Distracted" I complete his sentence
"Yeah, unlike other people you haven't asked me anything and you looked like you don't know anything about all of this" he tells me and I chuckle, he joins me.
"Actually you're right I don't anything about all of this. I came here yesterday and then I heard you at midnight, and everything in morning you know" I tell him and he ask instantly "Aren't you a Protecter too?"
"Protecter what, I've no idea what that is" I tell him and he's shocked "why are you with those people then?"
"Well, Manav is my brother's Bestfriend and his and my parents are business partners. It really is a long story, it's just I don't have a single clue about what I'm I mean what you guys are"
"I actually have alot of time you know I'm in a fucking another country without anything so you can go on with your story" he tells me and I laugh
"Before that I've something to ask you about last night" I tell him
"Yeah, go ahead" he say to me
"Why were you calling me yesterday, I mean I heard you but Manav couldn't and you said something about protecting me" I tell him and he reply "I called you? I don't recall anything. All I remember about yesterday is when I reached my friends place he told me before sending me into the portal you'll find everything you're looking for in there and you've to protect it at any cost. Then he pushed me in the portal and after that I woke up at that table" he's stopped by the ring of my phone I look at him and he nods as in take it I pick up the call and it's Rishabh
"Where are you? I'm standing here outside of this mall" He says into the phone
"Oh come across the road I'm in this small cafe you'll see it" I reply to him and he says "Yeah I see it" and he hangs up.
"Who's he?" Sanket ask me
"He's the only person who can explain all of this to me" I tell him
"I meant who is he your boyfriend?" He explains
"Haha no he's practically like a sibling to me, he was a senior in my college" I tell him as Rishabh walks towards us
"Hello my long lost friend" Rishabh say to me and I stand up and hug him. I'm really relieved to see a familiar face.
"He's Sanket, Sanket he's Rishabh" I introduce both of them and they say hii to each other. We order coffee for three of us and after a while of normal talks I ask him "What's a Protecter? What am I?" He is completely shocked he looks at me and ask "Addy didn't tell you anything?"
"No" I reply
"But it's your birthday tomorrow" Rishabh says
"So?" I reply
"So he should've told you about everything"
"He didn't so I want you to tell me everything" I tell him "NOW" I add
"yeah fine, firstly you know that you parents doesn't age and your brother stopped after a time too" he tells me and I nod
"Because they're all protecters, There are people who have some powers, they're strong like really strong they've some special powers" he tells me and I reply "What powers exactly and what are we protecting here?"
"Supernatural powers I meant, everyone has different, not like magic or anything we just have faster speed strength and some special abilities which we have to find by ourselves. We're the protecters we protect the human world, we're the barriers between the supernaturals and the humans" He say to me and trust me this is alot to take in I can't understand what he's saying
"What are we avengers saving the world?" I mock him and Sanket laughs. Rishabh looks at him he stops.
"Look all I'm trying to say is you're not like other people, and after tomorrow everything is going to change for you" Rishabh tells me and I reply "Why, what's tomorrow?"
"It's your 21st birthday!" He say to me and Sanket looks at him and ask him "She was under spell wasn't she?" And Rishabh nods saying "yes".
"Pretty girl listen to me" Sanket say to me and I look at him
"All the legends, mythical creatures, fairy tales you've heard is somewhere true, supernatural beings exist and for a balance between the supernaturals and humans we the protecters are provided with some special powers to maintain the balance" I look at him and trust me this is much better explanation than Rishabh. "Aren't you a Black swan or something" I ask Sanket
"YOU'RE A BLACK SWAN??" Rishabh ask Sanket shockingly
"Yeah, but my job is similar to yours, it's just we're more skilled like Assasins but we're not heartless like them and we don't work in groups like you guys oh and our age doesn't stop like yours" Sanket replies ignoring Rishabh's reaction
"Age?" I ask him and he replies "Yeah, Protecters stop aging after they become protecters."
"When is that?" I ask him and he replies again "mostly it's when you turn 16 but in your case you'd a protection spell so you're safe till tomorrow"
"What spell?" I ask him and he looks at Rishabh and Rishabh looks at him then me "A protection spell is done by a Warlock to keep your powers locked till you want but the last limt of it is age 21" Rishabh tells me. I don't know what to say to them I need to process all this first. "Can you drop us home?" I ask Rishabh and he just nods we three walks out Rishabh tells us to wait till he gets his car from the parking lot of the mall.
"Are you okay?" Sanket ask me and I just nod I don't reply.

SANKET'S POV
We reach at Manav's house and the pretty girl quickly runs upstairs I guess she's going to her room. "Did something happen?" Manav ask us since he opened the door and saw Ashi running upsatirs without saying anything.
"Yeah, you guys are idiots"I tell him and he stares at me "That pretty girl didn't even knew what she was" I tell him
"What do you mean?" He ask and Rishabh replies "she was under a protection spell so she didn't knew about anything"
"She didn't knew she was a Protecter?" Manav says and adds "who are you btw?"
"I'm Ashi's friend and yes she didn't knew about being a Protecter" Rishabh replies
"But she was the one who found him yesterday and if she didn't knew what was happening around her she should've said something" Manav say pointing at me
"Well I don't think she had a choice she needed answers and I think she wasn't comfortable enough to share it with you guys" I reply
"And she was comfortable with you?" Manav say to me and I laugh "Calm down I'm just kidding" I reply and Tanzeel joins us and I think he heard everything we just said he confirms it for me when he say "that's why she was so quiet"
Manav walks away to from us and Rishabh tells us "I'll leave now" and Tanzeel smiles at him.

"Who was he?" Tanzeel ask me after Rishabh leaves
"He was her old college friend or something" I tell him
"Did you guys had lunch?" He ask me and I reply "No"
"Are you hungry?" He asks
"Yeah" I reply
"Do you know how to cook" he ask me and I look at him and we laugh.
"Yeah I do know how to cook" I tell him and he replies "Oh I thought you didn't knew how to cook in the morning"
"Well I was healing from a sword cut and this was all new to me so you can understand" I tell him
"Yeah I do" he replies