17. The Bucket list.
"This girl is nuts! Why is Aditi so invested in her? Well, since Arjun is off playing detective with the kidnappers, I guess it's my turn to babysit. Yash, time to channel your inner hero. You're basically a prince! Prince Charming, to be exact. Yash thought to himself.
He give her door a knock. Silence.
"Aishwarya, open up! It's me! Yash!"
Aishwarya swings the door open, but her face looks like it just lost a battle with a tub of yogurt. Yash jumps back, screaming, "AHHH! A GHOST!"
"Duffer! It's just me, Aish!"
Yash takes a deep breath, trying to regain his cool.
"Who in their right mind wears a mask that screams 'haunted house'? I thought I was about to meet my maker!"
He glances around the room, which looks like it hasn't seen a broom in centuries. Dust bunnies the size of small dogs scurry across the floor, and the faint smell of something that might have once been pizza lingers in the air.
"What are you up to in this spooky lair?"
"Can't you tell? I'm tidying up!" Just then, a gust of wind slams the door shut, trapping them inside.
"Uh-oh!" Aishwarya gasps.
"What's wrong?"
"Duffer! The door's locked! How are we getting out of here?"
Yash's heart races. "Locked? Seriously? This is not how I envisioned my heroic babysitting gig going. I was thinking more along the lines of saving a damsel in distress, not being trapped in a horror movie set!"
Aishwarya rolls her eyes, but there's a hint of panic in her voice. "Okay, Mr. Prince Charming, think! There has to be a way out. Maybe we can find a window or something?"
He glances around, spotting a small, grimy window high up on the wall. "That's a bit high, don't you think? I'm not exactly Spider-Man."
"Well, you're going to have to channel your inner superhero! Climb on my shoulders!"
Yash raises an eyebrow. "You want me to use you as a stepping stool? That's not very princely of me."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Yash! Unless you want to be locked up in here. "
"How about you take a ride on my back instead? ", Yash suggested.
"Sure! That sounds like a plan. Let me give it a whirl!"
Just when Aish tried to open to reach to the widow, her leg slipped and they both tumbled down in a chaotic heap, locking eyes in a moment that felt electric—like a spark that could power a lightbulb. Time seemed to freeze as they shared a brief, breathless connection, the world around them fading into the background. But reality hit them like a pie in the face, and they snapped back to normal, laughter bubbling up between them.
"Hey! You couldn't even hang on to me properly!" , Aish exclaimed groining in pain.
"Hey, that's not on me! You're so heavy that... "
"Did you just fat?"
"No, no! That's not what I meant... It's my bad for checking on you...... You're like a walking disaster zone!"
"If I am a walking disaster zone, you're a tornado!"
"Tornado. You are an earthquake!"
"You are....."
-----------------
Time flows like a gentle river, the atmosphere thickening, the confines of the room closing in around them. They sit on the floor, their shoulders nearly touching, the playful banter shifting to something deeper, more intimate. The air is charged with unspoken words, each glance lingering a moment longer, each laugh echoing with a hint of vulnerability.
Then—
The Lights Flicker Out. Darkness envelops them. Aishwarya tenses, instinctively clutching his sleeve. "I despise the dark."
For once, Yash refrains from teasing her. Instead, he murmurs softly, "Hey… I'm right here. Nothing will harm you." His voice is a soothing balm, a promise wrapped in warmth.
She remains silent, yet her grip tightens, refusing to let go. His fingers graze hers, a gentle warmth amidst the chill, igniting a spark that dances between them, electric and alive.
Then, unexpectedly—
A shelf creaks ominously behind them. Startled, she turns too quickly, and in that instant, their faces are mere inches apart. The world around them fades away, the darkness cocooning them in a bubble of intimacy. He can feel the warmth of her breath, a soft whisper against his skin, while she notices how his playful smirk transforms into something tender, more earnest, as if he's seeing her for the first time.
It would be so simple to bridge the gap. Just a tilt of the head, a lean forward, and they could close the distance that feels both exhilarating and terrifying. The air thickens with possibility, each heartbeat echoing the unspoken desire that hangs between them.
But—
Before anything can unfold, the door swings open with a sudden crash. Light floods the room, shattering the moment, and they instinctively pull away from each other, the spell broken. The warmth dissipates, leaving behind a lingering chill.
Arjun enters, curiosity piqued, and asks, "What were you two up to in here?" The question hangs in the air, heavy with implication.
Aishwarya quickly crosses her arms, flustered, her cheeks tinged with a rosy hue. "Absolutely nothing, Bhai." she stammers, her voice a mix of embarrassment and defiance. Yash, ever the charmer, simply grins, "Yeah… nothing at all," his tone light, but his eyes betray a deeper truth.
Yet, as they step out, the moment lingers in the air.
"I simply came here to check on her if she is alright! Unfortunately, the door locked, and it could only be opened from outside.", Yash confirmed.
"Yes Bhai, it's the truth."
"Fine. I would insist you to stay with them for some days, Aish as I cannot look after you."
"Why Bhai? Is everything alright?"
"The kidnapper's are still uncovered and it's dangerous. I am going out to Aditi's old home to check for something. Till then, be with Yash. Do you understand?!"
"Yes, Bhai."
"I am giving you the responsibility of my sister, Yash. Don't disappoint me."
"Sure, Arjun. You are doing so much so much for Aditi. It's my duty."
"Hmm. "
Arjun leaves from there to pick Aditi.
-------------------
Arjun's POV:
I stepped into the dusty old house, the faint scent of aged wood and forgotten memories filling the air. The house had been Aditi's childhood home, now abandoned for years. Sunlight filtered through the broken window, illuminating the shelves lined with books, trinkets, and remnants of a life once lived.
I hadn't meant to linger. I wanted to uncover the truth relating to the literary domain and this real world. There had to be some connection between those two. I was only here to help Aditi sort through the last of her belongings, but something about the place drew me in. My fingers traced over the edge of a wooden desk in what must have been her old bedroom. A sudden creak beneath my touch made me pause. A loose drawer.
Curious, I pulled it open, revealing a stack of notebooks and loose papers. Among them, a folded, yellowed sheet caught his eye. I unfolded it gently, my heart pounding as I read the title in Aditi's familiar handwriting:
"My Bucket List – Things I Want to Do Before I Forget to Dream."
My breath hitched as I scanned the list, the words speaking of a younger, more hopeful Aditi—one who dreamed without limits.
"Looking at my worsening heart condition, these are the things I want to do before I die.
1.Drive aimlessly, stopping wherever I feel like, creating unexpected adventures.,
2..A quiet, intimate dinner outdoors with fairy lights and soft music.
3. I want to dance in the rain in the middle of nowhere, just feeling the moment.
4. I want to catch snowflakes on my tongue and have a snowballfight. (Maybe with someone special!)
5.Make a time capsule and open it years later
6.Fall in love… truly, deeply, recklessly.
7. To step into the world of my favorite story.- "Prince Dhrupad: The warrior king!"
Find the one person who understands me without words.
My grip tightened around the paper as a realization settled in my chest—how many of these had she actually done? I knew Aditi, the present-day version of her, strong and independent, but I wondered how much of her still lived inside her.
And then my eyes fell on the last item, scrawled in bolder letters as if she had written it with more determination than the rest:
8. Tell him how I feel before it's too late.
My heart slammed against my ribs. Him? Who was "him"?