little strange

For a brief moment, Grandma's spirit lay sprawled on the ground, her expression a mix of theatrical distress and exaggerated offense. She clutched at her ghostly side as though she had taken the fall of the century, letting out a dramatic wail. "Ohhh, I think I hurt myself! My back, my legs... oh, everything hurts! What kind of reckless driver slams the brakes like that?!"

Hovering just above the ground now, she adjusted her translucent scarf with an air of indignation and floated upright. Turning her attention toward the car, she pointed an accusing, albeit slightly shaky, ghostly finger in the direction of Arjun, her scolding tone laced with humor.

"Young man!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of stern reprimand and playful chiding. "Do you call that driving? Slamming the brakes like a maniac with no care in the world? Don't you know there was an elder sitting on top of this car, enjoying the fresh breeze? Where did you learn to drive—at a demolition derby?"

She huffed dramatically, her spectral hands on her hips. "Honestly, if I had a penny for every careless driver like you, I could've built another villa! You've got to be gentler with your stops, boy. What if my old bones had broken? Oh, wait, I don't have bones anymore…" She paused mid-rant, blinking in realization, then waved it off. "That's beside the point! You need driving lessons, that's what you need!"

By this time, Yuvika was silently giggling in the car, her lips pressed tightly together to keep from bursting into full laughter. Her grandmother's scolding wasn't so much angry as it was hilarious, dripping with the same sass and wit that Yuvika had always adored.

Grandma continued, her arms flailing for emphasis. "And another thing—if you think slamming brakes like that is impressive, you're wrong! Back in my day, we had smoother stops even with bullock carts. A bullock cart, Arjun! Have you ever ridden one? No? Well, maybe you should try. You might learn a thing or two about proper pacing!"

With a final flourish, she tossed her ghostly scarf over her shoulder, her expression softening into a playful smirk. "Now, try driving like you've got an elder ghost on board next time, hmm? Respect your passengers!"

As the spirit drifted back toward the car, Yuvika finally let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. Grandma will never change, she thought, her heart feeling lighter. It was these moments — these flashes of warmth and humor — that made her realize just how lucky she was to still have her grandmother around, even in ghostly form.

...

Karan climbed back into the car, brushing invisible dust off his shirt with a puzzled expression. Sliding into his seat, he glanced at Yuvika, who was sitting there, her shoulders trembling slightly as though she were suppressing a laugh. Her hand covered her mouth, but the corners of her lips betrayed her amusement.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, tilting his head. "Alright, what's so funny?" he asked, his tone half-curious, half-demanding. "You were shouting about someone on the roof, and now you're laughing? Did I miss something?"

Yuvika quickly composed herself, straightening her posture and waving off his question with an air of nonchalance. "Oh, it's nothing," she said, her voice steady, though her lips still twitched with a barely-contained grin. "I just… remembered a joke. That's all."

"A joke?" Karan raised an eyebrow, his skepticism growing. He leaned back in his seat, studying her with mock seriousness. "Must've been a really good joke to make you laugh after yelling like that."

Arjun, seated in the driver's seat, glanced at Yuvika through the rearview mirror, his own expression skeptical but less probing. "You're acting a little strange today, Yuvika," he said lightly. "First shouting about someone on the car, now cracking up at random memories. You sure you're okay?"

Priya, sitting next to Yuvika, gave a small nod, chiming in with a softer voice. "Yeah, you do seem... different. Happier, but still, something feels off."

Yuvika forced a casual shrug, hoping to deflect their curiosity. "What can I say? I'm in a good mood today. Is that such a bad thing?" she quipped, her tone lighthearted.

Karan, however, wasn't convinced. He squinted at her, leaning forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees. "You sure it wasn't about something—or someone—on the roof?" he teased, his words laced with playful suspicion.

Yuvika's laughter bubbled up again, and she quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the scenery outside the car window. Meanwhile, her grandmother, invisible to everyone else, floated serenely beside the vehicle, grinning smugly. "That boy is sharp," her grandma said in Yuvika's mind, her voice filled with amusement. "You'd better be careful, or he'll figure out I'm here!"

Yuvika bit her lip to keep from laughing aloud, which only made her behavior seem more peculiar to the others. Karan threw up his hands in mock exasperation. "Fine, keep your secrets. But don't blame me if I end up asking Kapoor for answers!"

The atmosphere in the car grew light again, though the three lawyers exchanged subtle glances, silently agreeing that Yuvika's sudden mood shifts were curious. Yuvika, on the other hand, was doing her best to keep her composure, all the while inwardly marveling at her grandma's ability to create such hilarity, even in ghostly form.