ECHOES OF THE BURNT GROVES

Chapter 4: En Route to Bhopal

TARGET: 30 VOTES AND 70 COMMENTS...

The day had finally arrived. Sharvari and Shubman were getting ready for the trip to Kumarila.

The plan was simple: pick up Ishan and Samiya from Ishan's place, drive to Bhopal, and meet up with Vedika and Abhishek there.

But at Shubman's house, the atmosphere was anything but simple-it was absolute chaos.

"Where's my charger?" she shouted from the bedroom, her voice filled with frustration.

"It's in your bag! The one you packed three times already!" he yelled back from the living room, trying to zip up a suitcase that refused to cooperate.

"I did not pack it, Shub! This is why I always tell you to double-check!"

He rolled his eyes but muttered under his breath, "Double-checking means more chaos."

Moments later, Sharvari stormed into the living room, her face a mix of stress and determination.

She was clearly not in the mood for jokes, but Shubman couldn't resist. "What's next? Are we going to fight about snacks now?"

"Don't even joke. We need snacks. It's a long drive, and if I get hungry, you won't survive."

They eventually finished the last-minute preparations and dragged the suitcases to the car, they had hired for a whole week- Toyota Fortuner.

Just as She was about to hop into the driver's seat, he dashed in front of her, quickly claiming the spot. He flashed her a grin as she groaned in defeat.

"How come you never let me drive?" she asked, crossing her arms in playful annoyance.

Shubman buckled in, glanced at her, and smirked. "Because I value my life."

Sharvari scoffed. "Says the guy who once crashed into a tree trying to avoid a squirrel."

he burst out laughing, the sound filling the car. He leaned over and kissed her forehead softly.

"Calm down, Love. But, that cute squirrel survived,na?" He winked, starting the car.

She sighed, her irritation fading. "Haan. Just make sure we don't have any squirrel incidents today."

As they drove out of the driveway and onto the road, Sharvari shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable.

Her back had been bothering her for a few days, and the long car ride wasn't helping.

Shubman noticed her discomfort immediately. "Back still hurting?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Yeah, a little. I'll be fine, though. It's not a big deal," she tried to brush it off.

But he wasn't having it. "Don't pretend it's nothing. We can stop if you need to stretch."

She smiled at how protective he was, even when she didn't want to make a fuss. "You're sweet, Babe. But no, we're not stopping. We need to pick up Ish and Sammy."

"Sweet?" Shubman shot her a quick glance. "This is basic care. I'm not about to let you sit there in pain for the next few hours."

Sharvari rolled her eyes affectionately. "I said I'll be fine. Plus, I'm the one who's going to have to deal with Ishan's unlimited energy, so trust me, I need to save my patience for him."

He chuckled, shifting gears as they continued down the road. "Yeah, good luck with that. Ishan's a handful even when he's calm."

The car fell into a comfortable rhythm, the sound of the road and the occasional hum of the engine filling the gaps between their conversation.