CHAPTER - SUMMER SUNSHINE
VOLUME - The Shared Loves
Book - The Hit of Romances
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It was a typical summer morning for Shyam. He was at his grandparents' home for the summer break, a fifteen-day trip that was nothing new to him. Same old place, same old smell.
"No romance novel life," he muttered to himself while lying under the shade of a not-so-big, not-so-thin tree. The warm yet refreshing air filled his lungs, making the heat of summer feel like a distant dream.
His eyes grew heavier with each passing second, the drowsiness wrapping around him like a soft blanket. A nap felt like the most necessary thing in the world at this moment. Just as he was about to drift into the realm of dreams, a sudden footstep broke the tranquility of the forest.
"Why would someone come so deep into a forest at an hour like this?" he wondered, curiosity replacing his sleepiness.
He stood up, his bare feet pressing against the cool grass as he followed the sound. Step by step, he moved forward until—
"A girl!?"
He had barely whispered it, but somehow, she heard him.
The girl turned her head, her eyes wide with terror.
"A FOREST GHOST!!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the trees before she spun around to flee. Her legs trembled, her heart pounded against her chest, and her body shook so fast that she might have fainted on the spot.
This forest, where Shyam often came to relax, had always been a peaceful, undisturbed sanctuary. Yet, at this moment, chaos unfolded in the most ridiculous way.
"Calm down, I am human," he said, trying his best to sound reassuring. But maybe, just maybe, he did look a little ghostly in the dim shade of the trees.
The girl hesitantly opened her eyes, her face heating up with embarrassment.
"It's embarrassing," she thought, knowing she had just freaked out over a mere human.
But before she could let the shame swallow her, she quickly turned on her heels and ran off.
"Sorry, bye!" she called out hastily.
Shyam stood there, watching her silhouette fade into the darkness of the trees.
"What a crazy girl," he muttered, shaking his head before flopping back under the tree.
The shade concealed her face, making it hard to see her clearly, yet something about her had left a lingering impression. A feeling—subtle, almost insignificant—stirred within him.
---
That night, as he lay in bed, the ceiling above him felt endless.
"1:27 AM... how does time pass so fast?" he mumbled, staring at the glowing digits of his clock.
His body felt heavy, urging him to surrender to sleep, but just before his consciousness faded—
CRASH.
A shattering noise sliced through the silence. A glass?
Shyam furrowed his brows but was too tired to care. Sleep won over curiosity, and soon, he drifted off.
---
The morning sun bathed the earth in golden warmth, the summer air already thick with heat.
"I wonder if that girl is from this town," he muttered groggily as he forced himself out of bed. It took every ounce of energy to stand, but walking? That was another challenge entirely.
After freshening up, he saw his grandmother sweeping the veranda. Maybe she knew something about the mysterious girl.
He walked up to her and asked, "Hey, Grandma, do you know a girl with long hair and a slightly round face…?"
He tried his best to recall every detail, but fate—or luck—was never on his side. Even the eldest of the family had no clue about her.
Later that day, he found himself under the same tree again. But this time, he wasn't there to nap. He was waiting—waiting for the girl who hadn't left his mind since their first meeting.
Yet, as the hours slipped away, she never came.
Disappointed, he wandered over to the pond near the tree. The water was so clear that it almost looked like a gateway to another world. Yet, beneath its peaceful surface, danger lurked—deadly weeds, fierce fish, and an eerie silence that made it seem as if the pond itself was alive.
Even so, he found himself drawn to its stillness.
"Maybe I'm just too bored in this summer break," he thought, running his fingers through the cool water.
By the time he returned home, the clock signaled the arrival of night.
Yet—
The sun still stood high in the sky.
"What the heck is this now?!" he muttered, rubbing his eyes as if that would fix the impossible.
Frustrated, he lightly smacked his head against the wall a few times.
"Not again."
His expression said it all—this wasn't the first time something like this had happened.
But before his thoughts could settle, the sound of shattering glass echoed once more.
Unlike last night, this time, he was fully awake. And this time, he wasn't going to ignore it.
( Didn't his parents teach him not to follow strange sounds like this? Really?! )
Guided by instinct, he followed the sound, stepping into the backyard.
There, an old well stood in the darkness. It was ancient, its stones worn down by time, and the water inside had nearly dried up. Yet, for some reason, the tiny pool that remained rippled unnaturally.
As he stared into the depths of the well, a sudden shift occurred—
The sun vanished.
The moon took its place in an instant, its silver glow replacing the golden warmth of daylight.
Everything was so sudden, yet Shyam felt no fear.
His gaze remained locked onto the well. The water rippled again, almost as if… something—or someone—was trying to reach out.
A whisper drifted through the air. Soft. Barely audible.
"Shyam..."
His heart skipped a beat.
This time, he wasn't just imagining things.
But before he could react, the voice faded, and the night returned to its usual silence.
He took one last look at the well before turning back inside.
Something was happening.
And somehow, he knew—
She was at the center of it all.