RANGREZ MOHABBAT KE || 18+

|| CHAPTER 22 ||

The evening air was filled with anticipation as Zara excitedly hopped into the living room, her small feet pattering across the floor, her enthusiasm contagious. Ishani followed closely behind, carrying a tray loaded with popcorn, drinks, and an assortment of snacks. Both their faces gleamed with the excitement of what was to come—The Conjuring 2, a movie they had been eager to watch despite its terrifying reputation.

Maanveer sat on the couch, arms crossed, watching the two with a raised eyebrow and a smirk dancing on his lips. "You two do realize what you're getting yourselves into, right?" he asked, amusement coloring his voice. "This is The Conjuring 2, not some animated movie where everything works out fine in the end."

Zara, her wide, innocent eyes gleaming with excitement, nodded with unwavering confidence. "We're not scared at all, Bhai! We can handle it. Right, Bhabhi Maa?" She turned to Ishani for reassurance.

Ishani, trying to sound nonchalant but internally suppressing her own nerves, smiled down at Zara. "Absolutely! It's just a movie, after all."

Maanveer shook his head, still unconvinced. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you. You'll both be running to me in the middle of the night, scared out of your wits."

"Pshh," Ishani waved him off, though she couldn't entirely hide the slight tremor in her hand as she set the snacks on the table. Zara mirrored her bravado, grabbing the remote with a flourish and hitting play. The lights dimmed automatically, casting the room in a faint eerie glow as the ominous opening music of The Conjuring 2 began to play.

From the very first scene, Maanveer knew where this was headed. The chilling atmosphere, the eerie music, the subtle jump scares that grew more intense as the movie progressed—it was a recipe for terror. Zara's tiny body was already starting to tense up, and Ishani, who was doing her best to remain calm, had her hands gripping the edge of the couch a little too tightly.

The first major scare had Zara nearly leaping off the couch and onto Ishani's lap, her eyes wide and her heart racing. "Bhabhi Maa!" she squeaked, clutching Ishani tightly. "That was just a little... surprising."

Ishani, despite her own internal freak-out, managed a brave smile. "Just a bit of excitement, that's all."

Maanveer, watching them both with barely suppressed laughter, leaned back in his seat. "Not scared, huh?"

"We're fine!" Ishani declared, her voice wavering slightly as she glanced nervously at the screen, which was now showing a particularly eerie scene of the haunted house. The wind howled, shadows moved ominously, and Zara squeezed her eyes shut, unable to bear it.

Time passed, and with every jump scare, Zara's shrieks grew louder, her grip on Ishani tighter. Ishani wasn't faring much better. Every now and then, she would let out a small yelp, pretending to brush it off, but Maanveer could see the terror creeping into her expression.

At one point, when a particularly terrifying ghost appeared on the screen, Zara let out a scream and buried her face in Ishani's lap. Ishani, unable to handle it herself, grabbed Maanveer's arm instinctively. "Maanveer! What was that?!"

Maanveer laughed, his deep, rumbling chuckle filling the room. "I warned you. But did you listen? No, you had to be brave."

Ishani frowned at him, her lip trembling slightly. "Okay, maybe it's a little scary."

Zara peeked up from Ishani's lap, her eyes wide and teary. "Bhai, this is scarier than I thought," she whimpered.

Maanveer, still laughing, patted Zara's head gently. "I told you both. Now, let's just finish the movie. I'll protect you."