Morning time:

Veeranshu’s POV

"Uff, what was that dream about?" Veeranshu muttered, rubbing his eyes. The nightmare clung to him like the remnants of a forgotten memory, refusing to let go. He couldn’t remember the details, just vague images a girl, some  blood maybe and a dialogue saying "You betrayed me" in his dream. 

His mornings usually began with a casual stretch, admiring himself in the mirror . But today, the usual self-satisfied grin didn’t come. The nightmare had unsettled him in a way he didn’t like. “Kya bakwaas dream tha yaar,” he thought, shaking his head as he tried to brush it off.

The lingering unease followed him as he got ready for the day. He was supposed to hit  the gym with his elder brother Tapish, but that clearly wasn’t happening. A quick glance at his phone 7:30 AM. “Sorry, bhai, looks like you're lifting those weights alone today,” he thought, smirking despite the lingering discomfort.

As he walked into the dining room, the smell of freshly made parathas greeted him, momentarily pushing the nightmare to the back of his mind. His younger brother, Ponky, was already at the table, devouring his breakfast like it was his last meal on earth.

"Again missed the gym, bhai? At this rate, you'll be more 'dad boy' than 'bad boy,' Ponky teased, mouth full of paratha.

Veer gave him a playful glare. "Chup kar, you’ll get there before me if you keep eating like that," he shot back, pulling out a chair and sitting down. He tore off a piece of the paratha, the warmth and ghee bringing a bit of comfort.

Their elder brother Tapish, ever the responsible one, walked in already dressed for the day, looking like he could take on the world before breakfast. “Veer, Dad expects you at the office by 10. No excuses this time.”

Veer rolled his eyes. "Ya ya, Mr. Perfect. I’ll be there," he replied, biting into his paratha. Tapish’s nagging was just what he needed after that weird dream. Not.

Their mother, Tina Singhania, walked in with a bowl of curd, placing it in front of Veer before ruffling his hair. "Beta, you’ve been so distracted lately. Sab theek hai na?"

Veer plastered on his charming smile, the one that always put her at ease. "Of course, Mom. Just plotting my takeover of the world, that’s all."

“Just don’t forget to take over the family business first,” Tapish added, earning a snicker from Ponky.

Veer shrugged, but that strange feeling from the dream lingered. What was it about? He couldn’t shake the unease. His dreams had never felt so real, so... threatening. He pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on finishing his breakfast. “It’s just a dream,” he reminded himself, though he wasn’t entirely convinced.

His phone buzzed, pulling him out of his thoughts. A message from his friend Arjun: “Bro, party tonight? Usual place?”

Veer smirked. “Perfect distraction,” he thought, replying with a quick, “Count me in.” He needed to get his mind off this weird feeling, and what better way than a night out with friends?

But as he finished his breakfast and got ready for the day, the feeling of something looming, something just out of reach, wouldn’t leave him alone. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. It was going to be a long day.

Bani’s POV

"Yeh kya ho raha hai!" Bani exclaimed, juggling her phone, a spatula, and a million thoughts at once. Multitasking was her superpower, but even superheroes had their off days.

“Bani di, it’s just an omelet, not rocket science,” Gauri teased, her arms crossed as she leaned against the kitchen counter, enjoying her sister’s minor kitchen meltdown.

“Haan, haan, you say that now, but just wait till you’re starving and there’s no food on the table,” Bani shot back, flipping the omelet with a bit more force than necessary. “Aur yeh laptop kab bandh hoga?”

Her father, Raj Sharma, walked in with his newspaper, the picture of calm in the midst of Bani’s chaos. "Bani beta, you don’t have to do everything by yourself. Why not let Gauri take over?"

Bani huffed, "Papa, Gauri's idea of cooking is dialing for pizza. Trust me, we’ll all thank me later."

"That’s because pizza is awesome!" Gauri quipped, flashing a grin that made Bani roll her eyes but chuckle nonetheless.

"Mom, where’s my green tea?" Gauri asked, searching the kitchen.

"In the cupboard, and it’s called 'make it yourself' tea," Bani replied with a smirk, sliding the omelet onto a plate and handing it to her father.

Rekha Sharma, Bani's mother, entered the kitchen with a sigh. "Bani, you’re always in such a rush. Thoda sa break lo, beta."

"Breathing can wait, Mom. Deadline hai," Bani said, already back at her laptop, fingers flying over the keyboard as she juggled work and breakfast.

But amidst the morning chaos, Bani felt a flicker of excitement. They were heading to Mahabaleshwar today, to their ancestral home—a place filled with childhood memories and stories she hadn’t revisited in years. Something about returning there filled her with a strange mix of anticipation and... what was it? Nostalgia? Or maybe something deeper, something she couldn’t quite name.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen a call from her chachi .

"Ma, Chachi ka phone hai," Bani said, handing the phone to her mother.

Rekha took the call, her face growing serious as she listened. "Ji... Haan, hum aaj hi niklenge. Sab tayaar hai. Thik hai... Ji, woh bhi le aayenge." She hung up, turning to Bani with a thoughtful expression.

"Kya hua, Ma?" Bani asked, sensing something was up.

"We have to leave a little earlier than planned," Rekha said, her tone calm but with an undercurrent of concern. "They’ve requested all the family to be there for the rituals."

Bani’s brows furrowed. "Rituals? Itna urgent kyun?"

Rekha shook her head. "I don’t know all the details, beta. But you know how it is with the old traditions... They said it’s important."

Gauri, who had been half-listening, looked up with curiosity. "Is this about that old haveli again? The one with all those stories?"

Bani gave her a quick nod. "Haan, wohi. The one where we used to play hide and seek as kids."

"And scare ourselves with ghost stories," Gauri added with a grin.

Bani smiled, though her thoughts were more serious. She loved that old house, but something about this sudden urgency didn’t sit right with her. Still, she pushed the unease aside. There were more immediate things to worry about like packing, finishing up work, and making sure Gauri didn’t stuff her suitcase with only junk food.

"Chalo, packing start karo," Bani said, snapping out of her thoughts. "And no, Gauri, you can’t just take chips and soda."

Gauri groaned but didn’t argue, heading off to her room. Bani’s mother started to move around the kitchen, but Bani could see the concern in her eyes.

Bani sighed, closing her laptop with a decisive thud. "Mahabaleshwar, here we come," she muttered to herself, a strange mix of excitement and apprehension building inside her. This trip was going to be... interesting.

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A short update Here and the will continue the story from next week I have exams and I need time too.
❤️