Charms and Fantasies (ON HOLD)

7|| Death On The Nile

"Death on the Nile."

🌀

Ruhi's phone rang impatiently on her bed. She got up, lazily from her study table, and made way to her bed. She picked up her phone and immediately, her indigence vanished in thin air.

"Suhana!" She answered. "What now?"

"Let's go to watch a film," informed Suhana, excitedly. "I have got two tickets."

"What film?"

"Death on the Nile."

"The one with Ali Fazal?" Ruhi inquired. She knew her friend, Suhana was a huge, huge fan of Ali Fazal. She would go on ranting about him for two days and still won't get tired.

"Yes!" Suhana's excited, high-pitched voice made Ruhi chuckle.

"But first, let me take permission," intervened Ruhi, Suhana's cries of happiness, "only then can I go with you."

Suhana grumbled something incoherent before bidding her bye.

"You going out to watch a film with Suhana, leaving me all alone!" The grumpy voice of her brother didn't startle her.

Ruhi and Aditya shared the same room. The room was surprisingly small for two, but it happened to fit the two people very luxuriously. They had two beds at two sides of the room, each accompanied by a bedside table and a lamp on it. They had two study tables at two adjacent corners of the room. Whenever she needed help with her homework, she would twist her look at her sibling sitting some 2 metres away from her, and would shout at the top of her lungs saying, "Avi! I need some help!"

It irritated Aditya to a great extent, but as soon as Ruhi flashed him her signature smile, his heart would melt. Right above Aditya's study table was a mood board. It had various pictures, paper cutouts, and many more kinds of stuff hanging on it. Ruhi and Aditya loved gazing at it when they were having a sulky day.

Right above Ruhi's study table was a small shelf containing their most precious possession: storybooks. The siblings' thirst for books was never-ending. It looked like they thrived only to read books. They had two cupboards stacked with their respective school books and notebooks. Aditya had a special showcase made above it to store his photographs and most importantly his camera. They shared only one wardrobe and a bathroom.

"She only has two tickets," answered Ruhi airily.

"And you agreed to go without your brother! That's sad."

"Stop overreacting, Avi."

"Now, I am the one overreacting."

Ruhi laughed at his brother's antics. Soon, Aditya joined her too.

"Don't worry, Piku," said Aditya, once his laughter ceased. "They would give you permission. You are going to Samrat Theatre, right?"

"The one and only." Ruhi nodded.

"But I am still mad you are leaving me alone," complained Aditya.

"Believe me, you don't want to go."

Aditya raised his eyebrows.

"She would be ranting about Ali Fazal non-stop. I doubt whether I would be able to watch the movie or not. I am sure as hell that she would spend half of the film praising Ali Fazal." Ruhi shuddered at the very thought of it.

"I don't mind." Aditya shrugged.

"Of course, you don't mind," scoffed Ruhi.

She skipped down the stairs and saw her parents in the living room attending their daily evening news religiously.

Them and their obsession with news. Ruhi rolled her eyes.

"Maa, Baba, Suhana called me --"

"Saying she wants to watch a movie with me, can I go?" Her mother completed on her behalf. "Yes, you can. Just don't be too late. Be home by 10."

"Love you, maa but I am not going to her house. We are going to watch a film at Samrat Theatres," informed Ruhi, meekly.

"Which film?'' Her father inquired, joining the conversation.

"Death on the Nile."

"She isn't still over her obsession with Ali Fazal?" A deep chuckle resonated from his throat.

"No." A sly smile played on her lips.

"Go. Enjoy." Her mother smiled at her brightly. She ran up upstairs, quickly got changed, picked up her phone, and quickly ran back downstairs. With one hand on the door handle and another on trying to pull the strap of her shoe on her left leg, she shouted a bye to her parents. She switched on the porch light and walked out into the calm and soothing night. The leaves of the plants danced along with the pleasant breeze; her midnight dar hair tasting the independence in nature, left their façade of timidness and danced wildly along with the air. She inhaled the fresh air, standing on the porch of their house. She descended the steps and her feet hit the gravel path leading to the iron gate. The street lights gave a soft hue to the garden, making it look ethereal. The gravel crunched under her shoe; a soft smile adorning her lips. She pushed open the iron gate and got on the pavement. The neighbourhood was quiet as ever. No one was out. She pulled out her phone from her trouser pocket and texted Suhana:

Are you there yet? - Ruhi

It would take me 2 minutes to reach. Are you out of the house yet? - Suhana

No. I am planning to stand you up. - Ruhi

Don't you even dare! - Suhana

Or else? - Ruhi

I will take all your storybooks. - Suhana

I am kidding. Of course, I am on my way, or why the hell on earth would I be texting you? - Ruhi

I know. I am at Samrat Theatre. You better hurry. - Suhana

Ok. - Ruhi

She put back her phone in her pocket. The breeze caressed her face and her hair continued to fo their wild dance around her face. As soon as she reached 18th June Road, it was bustling with people. She could see the theatre. She pulled out her phone again and texted Suhana:

Where are you? - Ruhi

At the gate. - Suhana

Oh okay. - Ruhi

Suddenly, she crashed headfirst into someone who fell with a surprised squeal. Ruhi fell right beside them.

"I am so sorry, I didn't...." The person she bumped into was the last person she expected to meet.

Shriya.

"What are you doing here, Shriya?" She asked, helping her up. "Wait, why are you crying?"

Shriya wiped her eyes with the back of her hand but tears still trickled down her slightly red cheeks.

A/N- Two chapters in one day! I watched Subh Mangal Zyada Savdhaan today and it instantly became my favorite.

Don't forget to vote and comment.