UNDENIABLY DESTINED

CHAPTER 13

Aadaya stirred from her slumber, her eyelids seemingly glued shut with the remnants of sleep. The soft caress of sunlight brushed against her skin, offering a gentle wake-up call. Blinking against the morning light, she found herself sprawled on the farthest bed in the hospital's general ward. Sunbeams waltzed through the window, painting the walls with a warm, golden glow.

Squinting, she squirmed a little, attempting to escape the sun's persistent rays. A subtle breeze meandered in, carrying with it the fragrant whispers of the nearby forest. Birds serenaded outside, their chirps orchestrating a symphony, while leaves rustled in the wind, adding harmony to the melody of nature.

With a deep inhale, Aadaya shifted on the pristine white sheets, her hands automatically reaching to tame her wild, morning-after hair. Her gaze was inevitably drawn to the window, where the dark silhouette of the forest danced with secrets from the previous night.

Lost in her thoughts, she unknowingly fixated on the very trees she had ventured into. Abruptly, a voice pierced the silence, jolting her back to reality. "I know what happened last night," declared a pint-sized detective, his eyes wide with conviction.

The kid's confidence was both admirable and utterly terrifying. Aadaya, caught off guard, attempted innocence, "I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered, her eyes darting everywhere except meeting his gaze. Her mind raced, contemplating escape routes from this unexpected interrogation.

However, the mini detective was undeterred, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I'm not a kid, you know. I saw you making you leave out the window last night," he revealed, sounding like a junior version of Sherlock Holmes.

Panic set in. Aadaya envisioned her aunt's reaction to her late-night escapade – a theatrical performance complete with gasps, pointed fingers, and lectures that could rival Shakespearean tragedies. She was suddenly more afraid of her aunt's wrath than facing a horde of miniature detectives.

In a desperate attempt to divert attention, Aadaya conjured her identical twin. "Oh, you must be mistaken. I have a twin. It was probably her you saw, not me," she babbled, her explanation laced with desperation.

The kid raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by her feeble attempt at misdirection. Meanwhile, Aadaya mentally prepared for the impending storm that her aunt's wrath would bring. If only life had a rewind button, she lamented, yearning to erase the escapade and the little detective bearing witness to her misadventures.

Amidst the tension, Aadaya found herself offering peace offerings in the form of chocolates. "Fine, but if anything goes south because of this, I'm out, and you zip your mouth. Deal?" she proposed, brandishing a chocolate bar as if it were a negotiation tactic.

The boy dramatically mimed zipping his lips shut, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Deal," he declared, his tongue peeking out teasingly. For a kid, he had the brattiness of a seasoned troublemaker, leaving Aadaya torn between admiration and exasperation.

Just then, the door burst open, and in stormed Aunt Miranda, the epitome of dramatic flair. She engulfed Aadaya in a bear hug, her motherly aura threatening to squeeze the life out of her. As Aunt Miranda inspected Aadaya's wounds, she launched into a scolding spree that Aadaya promptly tuned out, her mind retreating into a daydream realm.

However, Beta Siren, the peacemaker of the pack, intervened. "Miranda, it's okay. She's fine, that's what matters," she soothed, bringing an unexpected calm to the room. Aadaya stared at Siren in sheer disbelief, taken aback by the unexpected savior amidst the chaos.

Turning her attention back to Aadaya, Siren inquired with concern, "Are you okay, honey?" Aadaya nodded slowly, attempting to respond with an air of nonchalance. "Yes, Siren, I'm fine now. Good morning. How are you?" she replied, her attempt at normalcy sounding more like a cat attempting to mimic a songbird.