"Tomorrow is the fest and we've got duty tonight for some preps. Sir made us event managers , told us to oversee things. That's why we're here but it's night already."
"I'm so sleepy 🥱," Harry said yawning.
"It's already 11:38. Till when will we stay here? We've gotta sleep properly tonight, otherwise we'll be sleepy tomorrow."
Mansi :
"You're not alone, guys. If you're sleepy, we're all sleepy. Sir said just check the preparations a bit, then we can go
Where's my phone?" Ashvi suddenly asked.
"Not with me," "Not with me either," everyone said.
Ashvi got tensed hearing this.
"Then who's got my phone?
Where did you last put it?" Mansi said narrowing her eyes .
"I took out my phone only once when we were at reception. I got a call then, and after that I didn't use it again. Maybe it's there," Ashvi said realising.
"Yaa, it must be. Go check once."
"I'll check and come back."
"I'll come with you if you're scared alone," Arnav said.
"No no, it's fine. I'll go," Ashvi says and rushes towards reception area .
ASHVI'S POV:
"Thank god I realised now that my phone is not with me. If I realised at home... what would I do ."
My thoughts weren't over when I heard a loud sound .
*DHAPPPPPP*------
Hearing it, I stopped.
"What was that? What was this sound and where did it come from?"
I looked around but saw nothing, so started walking back towards reception. Just then I heard footsteps behind me .
Hearing that, I stopped there itself because I didn't have the courage to move forward .
"Bad decision Ashvi. When Arnav said 'I'll come too', you should've said yes .
The footsteps sounded louder and clearer . As the sound grew, my heartbeat increased and I think I took all saints' names in my mind .
Then the sound stopped. I felt like it stopped right behind me. Slowly, I saw a hand on my shoulder . Seeing it, my breath stopped and then...
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
I screamed so loud the whole building shook .
"ASHVI, ASHVIII... calm down, CALM down ."
When I saw, it was Yash . Seeing him, I breathed.
I hit his arm hard-----
"Yash, it's you... who comes like this from behind and puts a hand?"
"Okay that's fine, but why did you scream that loud? God, someone might've gotten a heart attack hearing you ," he said completely shocked.
"Arey, if you put your hand like this from behind without saying anything, anyone would get scared ."
"So you got scared," he asked .
"No, I was just acting," I replied sarcastically .
He chuckled softly and said,
"Sorry for scaring you. But what are you doing here and where's everyone?"
"Everyone's in the hall," I said. "I forgot my phone at reception, was going to get it... and you showed up ."
"Sorry again.
C'mon, I'll come with you. Otherwise you'll get scared seeing someone's hand again," he started making fun of me .
I hit his arm again .
"Ouuu," he winced.
"Your hands move a lot," he started
"And your mouth talks a lot," I completed .
"Let's go..."
We started walking.
"Was this college a haunted mansion or something? Why is it so scary ? During the day it's fine, but at night it's so creepy."
He chuckled a little .
"What? I'm telling the truth. Look, such a big college and it has such a big name... but see, not a single light's working properly. It's been flickering for ages, so annoying ."
And just then... another sound came .
I hid behind Yash and said stuttering, "
"What was this sound again ? And if you're here, so where did it come from?"
He also said stuttering, I "I'm here, don't be scared."
I gave him a wicked look and said, "You're also the one who's scared."
Yash :
"I'm not scared."
"Okay then, why are you talking like that? "
Yash :
"Forget that. C'mon, let's quickly get your phone."
"But how will we go? I'm scared... and that sound came from that side ."
Then Yash softly held my hand
"Don't be scared, I'm here."
He said it so softly , I melted into his voice .
Yash :
And if you're scared, sing a song ."
"What?"
"Yaa, when I was a kid and my grandmother used to tell me ghost stories, . And she'd say when you're scared, you should sing a song... it reduces the fear ."
So sing....
I started humming .
Yash :
"Why're you humming? Sing properly ."
"I don't know the full lyrics, that's why.
And only this song's coming to mind right now,"
I said focusing on our path .
He burst out laughing .
"Ashvi, you're amazing ," he said between in his laugh.
"This I know. Say something new ," I said boasting a bit .."
_________________________
*Fest day*
_________________
ASHVI'S POV:
Wow, the preparation looks amazing . I'm so excited . And my excitement grew even more seeing the ice cream stall . I headed there first.
Mansi is anchoring on stage, I can hear her voice . Not gonna lie, don't know why but her voice on the mic sounds good .
And just then... a flashlight hit me .
When I looked, it was Ruhaan who clicked my photo without asking .
He came near me.
"Why did you click my photo?"
"You looked cute while eating, so ."
My cheeks turned pink instantly. I can feel it .
Ruhaan:
"What are you doing here? Your friend is hosting there.
And Don't you have a performance too? ."
Ashvi :
"Oh yeah... Let's go but let me finish this first."
There's a dance performance left, then our ramp walk...
I came to the room to get ready... But as I entered, there were some people already there to welcome me .
"Who are you guys and what are you doing here?" I asked .
"Are you Ashvi Mehra?" one of them asked.
"Yeah, I am," I replied .
Then they all looked me from head to toe , pretty strangely .
I narrowed my eyes.
"What do you want from me?" I asked .
None of them replied .
"What do you want? Speak up," I asked again, a bit louder .
No reply .
"What the Hell... if you don't have anything to say, th-..."
I was just speaking when something heavy hit my head from behind . For a bit, everything looked blurry . When it cleared a bit, I saw blood coming from my head .
When I turned back... a guy was standing with a rod in his hand . And then slowly everything went blurry before my eyes... I lost my consciousness . And then everything went black
___________________
______________________________
*Back at the stage*
The most awaited performance is about to start ... Mr. Pretty and Miss Handsome's ramp walk... "All contestants for the ramp walk, please come backstage 🛞...
Where's Ashvi?"
"I've been calling her phone, but she's not picking up ," Varun said, dialing her number.
Mansi :
"Guys... performance is starting! What are you doing here?
" Harry . "You go to the stage. And Where's Ashvi?"
"No idea... we've been calling her, but she's not picking up.
She went to get ready... "
"I'll go check," Harry said, and ran off .
When he reached there, Ashvi wasn't there. He looked around... no one was there . He found Ashvi's phone dropped on the floor .
Then he went outside... and saw some people taking Ashvi to a car . She was unconscious .
"Hey... wait!" he shouted . He ran after the car, but no use . Then he ran back inside and told everyone .
WHATTTTTTT ... Harry, are you sure it was Ashvi?
"Yeah, it was Ashvi. I saw them putting her in the car and she was unconscious ," Harry said.
"But why would someone kidnap Ashvi?" Mansi said, worriedly.
Just then Yash came from behind .
"What's going on? Why are you guys so tensed?" Yash asked.
"Ashvi's been kidnapped," Varun said .
"Whattt... when? Who did it?" he asked, shocked .
"Harry saw some people taking her away. She was unconscious," Varun said.
"And you didn't do anything?" Yash asked Harry angrily
.
"I ran after the car, but it was gone. By the time I looked, they'd already put her in the car," Harry explained.
"Mansi, you go do the anchoring," Arnav said.
"Do you think I can speak right now at the stage?" she replied back .
"If you don't go, people'll get suspicious and it'll spread. So go, we'll find Ashvi. Don't worry, she'll be found ," Arnav said.
Mansi goes to the stage .
"But who could've kidnapped Ashvi? And what'll they get by kidnapping her?"
And at that moment, Yash clenched his fist and walked away .
"Yash, where are you going?" everyone asked, following him.
He went straight to Ruhaan and grabbed his collar .
"Where's Ashvi?" he confronted him.
"What the Hell," Ruhaan said angrily .
"How would I know where Ashvi is?" he said.
"Don't lie. I know you kidnapped her," Yash said .
"What? Ashvi's been kidnapped...?" Ruhaan looked at everyone, shocked .
"I didn't kidnap her," he said angrily and pushed Yash back .
Yash looked at him calmly and said, "You didn't kidnap her? Then who did?"
Just then, an unknown number calls Ruhaan . When he answered, a voice came from the other side ...
"(Hey Ruhaan bro, missed me?)"
"Who's speaking?"
"(What... didn't you recognize your old enemy? " Ouchh my poor heart)
Aj...