ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙᴇᴀᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀʟʟᴡᴀʏꜱ

.Permission Granted༊˚

AUTHOR'S POV:

Avni reached home, freshened up, and had some fruit before sitting down to study. She studied for four hours straight, only stopping when her parents returned from work. They all had dinner together, but Avni stayed quiet, avoiding any mention of the trip. She knew her parents wouldn't agree, as they had always refused such things before.

After dinner, Avni continued studying but eventually fell asleep at her desk, her head resting on her open textbook.

The next morning, Avni woke up to find herself still at her desk, the sunlight filtering through the curtains. She groggily sat up, rubbing her eyes as she realized she hadn't moved to her bed last night. Her neck was stiff from the awkward sleeping position, but she quickly shook it off and got ready for school.

As she went downstairs, she saw her parents had already left for work, so she didn't get a chance to talk to them about the trip. After a quick breakfast, she headed to the bus stop, feeling a bit anxious about the day ahead.

When Avni arrived at school, she noticed that Nidhi and Aaron were already in the classroom, excitedly chatting about the trip. Ishan's bag was on his desk, but he was nowhere to be seen. The entire classroom buzzed with conversations about the upcoming trip, with students discussing their packing lists and sharing their excitement.

The first class of the day started and passed by uneventfully. Before leaving the classroom, the teacher reminded everyone to submit their names for the trip during the last ten minutes of the lunch break if they planned on going.

The next two classes flew by, and soon it was lunchtime. Everyone headed to the canteen for a quick meal before heading to the staffroom to submit their names. Usually, Avni would have been one of the first to leave, but today she lingered behind, lost in thought.

After finishing her lunch, Nidhi stood up and asked, "Aren't you going to the staff room, Avni?"

Avni replied, "I'm not going on the trip."

Nidhi looked surprised. "What? Why not?"

Before Avni could respond, Ishan, cut in with a grin. "She's just joking. The teacher already wrote down both our names."

Nidhi, relieved, said, "That's great! Aaron and I will head to the staff room now. See you later!"

After Nidhi and Aaron left, Avni turned to Ishan, a frown on her face. "Why did you lie to her? I haven't even asked my parents for permission yet."

Ishan leaned in with a confident smile. "You want to go, right?"

Avni hesitated but nodded.

"Then just trust me and pack your bags when you get home," Ishan said with a wink.

The lunch break ended, and they headed back to class for English, followed by the final period of Dance and Music. Students involved in either activity left for their respective classes to practice for the trip's night camp. Avni, Ishan, and Aaron stayed behind, with Aaron and Ishan discussing their next basketball match while Avni attempted to study. But her mind was elsewhere, thinking about the trip and Ishan's mysterious plan which he stated as "Magic."

When the final bell rang, Avni packed her bag and left for the bus stop. Nidhi was still at practice, and Aaron stayed behind to wait for her. Ishan also left the school, catching up with Avni at the bus stop.

Ishan pulled up on his bike and said with a smirk, "Don't forget to thank me later."

Avni raised an eyebrow. "You're serious about this?"

Ishan grinned, "Completely serious. Can't you tell?" He widened his eyes in mock seriousness, making Avni laugh despite herself.

"You look pretty when you smile," Ishan said suddenly. "You should do it more often."

Taken aback by the compliment, Avni didn't know what to say. Ishan gave her a quick nod before starting his bike and riding off. A minute later, Avni's bus arrived, and she got on, still thinking about Ishan's words.

When Avni reached home, anxiety began to creep in. She took a quick bath to calm her nerves and had some snacks, but she couldn't focus on studying. She kept glancing at the clock, waiting for her parents to return home.

Finally, it was dinner time, and her parents had returned. As they sat down to eat, Avni decided to speak up, though her voice trembled slightly. "Dad, there's a-"

Her father cut in, "The trip?"

Avni froze, shocked that he already knew. Panic set in as she wondered what his response would be.

Her father continued, "You can go. Your teacher informed me."

Avni's heart skipped a beat. "It's for two days," she added cautiously.

"I know," her father replied, looking towards her. "Take a suitcase if you need one."

Her mother chimed in, "Have fun, Avni."

Overwhelmed with happiness, Avni barely managed to contain herself. "Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

Her mother smiled knowingly. "You must have already packed, right?"

Avni shook her head. "Not yet."

"If you need any help, just ask," her mother offered.

"No need, Mom. You should rest. You must be tired from work. I can handle it," Avni insisted.

Her father added, "You have to be at school by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, right? I'll drop you off."

Avni nodded. "Thanks, Dad."

After dinner, Avni headed to her room, closing the door behind her. She couldn't scream out loud, but she smiled widely, unable to contain her joy. She never expected her parents to agree to the trip.

She thought about calling Ishan to thank him but decided it would be better to do it in person. Instead, she called Nidhi, and they talked about what to pack for the trip. Their conversation lasted until midnight as they shared their excitement.

After the call ended, Avni packed a few more items and finally went to bed around 1:00 a.m., happier than she had ever been before.