TANGLED IN THE SHADOWS

Part -20

After Dhoni put Jadeja to sleep in his room, he headed to the kitchen to make dinner. Krunal entered shortly after and offered to help, but Dhoni politely declined.

“Thanks, but I’ve got this,” Dhoni said with a smile. “But maybe you can fill me in on what’s been happening.”

Krunal nodded and started explaining. “It all began with Hardik and Rahul’s visit to an old palace. They encountered some... supernatural presence. Then there’s Shubman, whose childhood was ruined by a petni. Now, we have not one but two entities after us. Jadeja has been helping us without asking for anything in return.”

Dhoni listened intently, his expression serious. “That sounds intense. But Jaddu has always been like that, even back in school.”

Krunal looked curious. “Really? How was he in school?”

Dhoni chuckled. “Always had a big heart, always getting into trouble for helping others.”

They finished cooking the food, and it was past seven when they started waking everyone from their slumber. As they gathered around the table, Dhoni discreetly held Jadeja’s hand under the table, making Jadeja squirm like a schoolgirl with a crush, even though he was in his thirties.

Rahul nudged Hardik, whispering, “Look at Jadeja’s face. He’s blushing.”

Hardik grinned. “He looks like he’s back in high school.”

Ishan, oblivious to the silent exchange, turned to Dhoni. “Are you the one who sent the cookies?”

Dhoni nodded. “Yeah, that was me.”

Ishan’s eyes lit up. “Those were amazing! What bakery are they from?”

Dhoni laughed softly. “I actually baked them myself.”

Ishan’s jaw dropped, and he scooted closer to Dhoni. “Can you bake more for us? Or at least give me the recipe once all this mess is over?”

Dhoni laughed again. “Sure, I’d be happy to.”

Krunal mentally facepalmed. “Ishan, can we focus on the current crisis, please?”

Dhoni shared a few stories about their school days, making everyone laugh. “Jadeja used to follow me everywhere. One time, he got into trouble for trying to sneak into a teacher’s lounge just to leave me a note.”

Jadeja groaned, covering his face with his hands. “I was so stupid back then.”

Dhoni smiled warmly. “No, you were sweet. You always knew how to make people feel special.”

Shubman, intrigued, asked, “Did he always get you into trouble?”

Dhoni nodded. “Oh, all the time. But I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything.”

Hardik, trying to lighten the mood, chimed in, “Sounds like Jadeja has always been a handful.”

Everyone laughed, including Jadeja, who felt a bit of the weight lift off his shoulders. For a moment, they could almost forget the supernatural threats looming over them.

As dinner wound down, Dhoni squeezed Jadeja’s hand. “We’ll get through this, together.”

Jadeja nodded, feeling a sense of comfort and hope he hadn’t felt in a long time. “Thanks, Mahi. For everything.”

Krunal looked around at the group, feeling a renewed sense of determination. They had each other, and that was a powerful thing. With their bond, they could face whatever horrors awaited them.