Yara

I shouldn't have packed so much.

Dragging this suitcase up the stairs of our rented bungalow made me wonder if I had accidentally filled the suitcase with rocks .

Or maybe I was just lazy and out of shape.

Panting and out of breath, I sat down on the staircase halfway through and gave up.

I watched as Hreedhan climbed the stairs with ease carrying his wife Aleesha's suitcase in one hand and his own duffel bag dangling from his other arm.

My cousin flashed me a taunting smile , " Tch - should've taken my advice and tried working out a little . Now you've barely got any stamina."

"Oh yeah , do you know how heavy this suitcase is ?! " I shot back with narrowed eyes.

" Can't imagine." He muttered , rolling his eyes and switching his duffel bag to his other arm and lifting up my suitcase with his now free hand.

I gaped at him in disbelief as he carried all three luggage up the rest of the flight of stairs and dropped them down with a soft grunt.

Yeah I was definitely out of shape .

He turned back and opened his mouth to tease me but thankfully Aleesha arrived at the perfect moment.

" Thanks jaan, did you get my other suitcase from the car ? " , She asked him as she loosened the hijab around her head.

Hreedhan stared at his wife in shock and groaned in complaint, " Geez! How many things did you guys need to bring for a five day trip ? "

Aleesha looked at him with narrowed eyes , " You wouldn't understand. Besides, half of that suitcase is just filled with those materials. "

"What materials?" Hreedhan questioned before immediately going, " Oh that - nevermind. "

Before I could ask them about what they were talking about, our friend Sehar called out from above ,
" Will you guys just come up already or should I choose the best room for myself? "

~★~

The bungalow's architecture was quite elegant and modern. The wooden floor and vibrant decorations mixed with the green shaded potted plants scattered throughout the abode gave off a cozy feeling.

The kitchen, dining room and the living room with the wall sized TV and speakers were located downstairs. Whereas the second floor had three bedrooms with their attached washrooms.

We decided Hreedhan and Aleesha should take the master bedroom while Sehar and I each took the remaining guest rooms.

I dragged my suitcase inside my residence for the next five days and took in the exquisite decorations around me.

The fluffy bed was calling out to me to take a nap but there's something that caught my eye even more.

Placing my suitcase beside the wall, I made a beeline for the attached balcony in my room and the view which greeted my eye was breathtaking.

Smiling widely I took in the scene of the azure blue ocean with shimmering crystalline water lying in front of my eyes.

The sound of the waves crashing by the shore felt like music to my ears and it all felt like something straight out of a picture.

I watched as the sun slowly descended downwards , nearly merging with the ocean's horizon.

The canvas of the sky was painted in hues of red and orange with scarcely scattered yellow light leisurely fading away.

The lush green forest filled with thriving palm trees was an added bonus .

But the only thing disrupting this ethereal scene was the bungalow opposite to ours halfway blocking my view of the ocean.

" Woah Yara - your balcony has such a nice view !" Sehar exclaimed as she came in to stand beside me.

" My room only overlooks the road. " She added as she took out her phone from her pocket to click some pictures.

" The view is picturesque indeed . I just wish this other bungalow wasn't located smack straight opposite to my room . " I said with a sigh , leaning against the railing and gazing in disappointment at the kabab mein haddi between me and the beautiful ocean.

" I can understand what you mean. Besides, it's not as if anyone is even living there . " Sehar remarked as she scrolled through her phone selecting the clicks which came out good so she could post those on her account.

" Huh- that bungalow is empty ? So why didn't we rent that one ? It was even closer to the beach. " I inquired in confusion.

" It wasn't up for renting for some reason. A rich family owns that one but I think they just use it as a vacation house or something.
The salesman told me it has been empty for the last few years though."

"Damn that's a mystery. " I muttered, now looking at the structure with a newfound perspective.

It was close enough that I could see that all the windows were shut tight and the curtains seemed to be filled with dust as if no one had bothered to clean it for a long time.

I didn't pay much heed to it and just shrugged it off as something to wonder about later.

Little did I know that in a few hours I would be wishing I had paid more attention sooner.

☠️

"Kabab main haddi” refers to a person feeling or being out of place or being an imposition in a given gathering of people.
Or as used in this context, the bungalow is blocking the serene view of the ocean hence acting as a disturbance or third wheel XD

The initial chapters might seem a little short in length but it's needed to maintain that sense of mystery and helps pacing the story better. As the plot progresses the chapters will also get longer (:

Mysteries tend to get more interesting so it's a request that you continue reading till at least 6 chapters ( they're not that long after all ) before deciding anything.

Sincerely hoping y'all like the story ! Please leave your thoughts in the comments and press that star to let me know. I need motivation 🥹

Thanks for reading - love A.M.K