Freaking Romance

27. Don't be scared

Chapter written by Aaku_14

M A N I K

"Uh uh I think we should deal with that first." I said pointing towards the ceiling. But right then the ghost appeared in front of me making me jump in my place. I felt like screaming but I didn't. I held it in.

I had gotten used to ghosts or so I thought.

"Hey mister." She tapped on the ghost's shoulder, making him turn to look at her. "Don't you think it's too rude to appear in front of someone so suddenly? What if he was a heart patient? Would you take responsibility of it?"

'I was shocked.' would be an understatement. He was a freaking ghost and she was scolding him for appearing out of nowhere.

He let out a wicked laugh on hearing her and the next moment his eye color turned redder. "I feed on your fears. So get scared, cry and scream for help."

"And why should we?" She glared straight at the ghost's face. "And those petty tricks don't work on me anymore. May be if you had met me six months back, it would have had some effect or may be not." She said, pointing towards his red eyes.

"You are quite fearless, aren't you?"

"Hey, we should just leave." I said in a low tone as I gently pulled her sleeves. Arguing with a ghost didn't seem like a good idea to me.

"Goodbye." She faked a smile before waving at the ghost. She then grabbed my wrist and pulled me along with her. Her touch strangely felt familiar. What was this feeling?

"Wait! where do you think you are going?" The ghost's sharp voice sent chills down my spine and the flickering lights burst, making a sharp sound. I flinched and forcefully shut my eyes in fear.

Okay I wasn't used to ghosts. This was just too much.

My heart had been pounding real hard. It was as though it could burst any moment. "Hey don't be scared." A warm hand caressed my shoulder. "If you get scared from such petty tricks they'll try to scare you even more."

I knew that. I knew it all but still I was scared. Ran used me, Siya possessed me and a lot of ghosts used this very trick to scare me when I was just a 10 year old small boy. But I still wasn't used to this. The whole area turned dark and the darkness made me shudder. I couldn't bear it anymore.

"I guess your boyfriend isn't fearless unlike you." His wicked laughter made me grip her hand even more.

"Hey do you think it's fun to laugh when someone's suffering? Pitiful." She scoffed.

"Just trust me. Okay?" She said softly as she tighten her grip in my hand. Then with her other hand she opened her shoes.

"Don't you think you guys are the pitiful one here. And well-" The ghost had been babbling nonsense and I didn't even hear it because when I looked at her, I felt her eyes sparkle in darkness. May be it was just how I felt or may be her eyes had really sparkled. I wasn't so sure but the next thing I remember she pulled me lightly and the next moment we both were running in the dark.

It wasn't like the ghost didn't follow us he did appear in front of us quite a few times but we somehow managed to get past him and the next moment we were out of the haunted house huffing and puffing from all the running. The ghost wasn't around anymore. We sure managed to cover a lot of distance between him and us.

I looked at her. And that was when I realized her height was shorter than I had imagined. Her heels had made her look a little taller but without her heels she was almost of Nandini's height.

"Are you okay?" She looked at me as she said that. Her voice was clearer than back when we were in the haunted house. I knew that voice and those eyes felt very familiar.

"Nandini." Her name escaped my lips even before I knew. She tilted her head slightly. "Huh? How do you know my name? Did I tell you my name back in the haunted house? Yeah may be I did."

I reached for her mask with my shivering hands and pulled it down. My heart beat crashed against my chest on seeing her face. I didn't think about anything, I just pulled her into my embrace.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Was this all a dream? If it was then I wouldn't want to wake up.

Please don't wake me up!!

"Hey hey." She wriggled in my hold a bit before firmly pushing me away. "What's with- Hey why are you crying?" Her emotions softened. "Is it because of that ghost? Were you that scared?"

She lightly touched my shoulder and patted it a few times. "It's okay. We already got away."

Opening my mask I harshly wiped away my tears with the back of my hand. "Nandini don't you-"

"Manik. Manik Malhotra!" I thought she recognised me but the next moment I was left with disappointment. "Wow it's really you, my distant lonely star." A flicker of sadness appeared in her eyes before it disappeared again. "And wait! you can see ghosts?"

"I-I kn-"

"Oh my god Manik Malhotra!!" A girl's excited shout made me conscious. Damn I was caught. Wiping my tears away, I pulled up my mask before grabbing Nandini's hand.

"Run." I lightly pulled her.

She bend and grabbed her shoes before we started running again. After covering a good distance, we stopped. I looked at her, panting heavily.

"Do you always run away from your fans this way?" She asked, breathing heavily as she sat on the wooden bench.

I shook my head in 'no'. "Today was an exception." I said in a low tone looking down at our hands. I could feel my tears building up again but I blinked it away. I didn't want her to see me cry.

"Are you always that fearless?" I questioned indicating to when she scolded that ghost.

"No I get scared too. But being scared in front of a ghost is like showing them our weakness. So no matter how scared I am, I just try not show it. Aren't I great?" She smiled.

A moment of silence stayed between us before I answered.

"You are truly great Nandini. You were always great and you will always be." I broke into tears as I said that. I couldn't control my overflowing tears. No I wasn't sad, I just couldn't believe my eyes right then.

If this is really a dream then I don't ever want to wake up!!

*****
Happy Deepawali guys!!
I hope you guys would have a very very great time with your friends and family. Well don't forget to take precaution measures though.

And do drop your opinions about this chapter? And anyone happy to see Nandini back?

And the back story is coming up pretty soon.

Stay safe. Stay happy.
Love ❤️
Aaku