The Morning After the Nightmare
Shristi woke up with a sharp gasp, her body drenched in sweat. Her breath came in ragged bursts, her heart hammering against her ribs as she frantically scanned her surroundings. The dim glow of morning seeped through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the room.
She was back.
A wave of relief washed over her, but the terror of the dream still clung to her skin like a second layer. She turned her head and saw Annu and Varsha sitting beside her, concern evident in their eyes.
"You okay?" Annu asked, her voice soft but laced with worry.
Shristi swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah… just a nightmare."
Annu and Varsha exchanged glances before Varsha smirked. "A nightmare where you kept screaming Wick?" she teased.
Shristi's eyes widened. "I—I did?"
Annu chuckled. "Loud enough that even the hostel warden might have heard you."
Shristi felt her face heat up. "Oh, shut up."
Both girls laughed, easing the tension in the room. Shristi exhaled and reached for her neck. Her fingers searched for the necklace Wick had given her in the dream—except, it wasn't there.
Her stomach twisted.
If it was all just a nightmare… then why did it feel so real?
She shook her head, dismissing the thought. It didn't matter. It was over.
---
The Unexpected Gift
The next day, after classes, Wick approached Shristi with something in his hand. She didn't notice at first, lost in a conversation with Varsha.
"Shristi," he called.
She turned, startled to see him standing so close. "Yeah?"
He hesitated for a moment before extending his hand. In his palm lay a familiar necklace—the same one from her dream.
Shristi's breath hitched.
Wick ran a hand through his hair, looking slightly awkward. "I had this weird dream… and in that, you won a dare, so I gave you this necklace. Since the dream happened in the early morning, I figured I should give it to you in real life too." He shrugged casually. "You can take it if you want."
Shristi stared at him, then at the necklace. A strange warmth spread through her chest. She wasn't sure why, but her cheeks grew hot, and her heart skipped a beat.
She quickly lowered her gaze to hide the blush threatening to consume her. "O-Okay… if you say so. I can't say no to you," she mumbled, taking the necklace from his hand.
Wick smirked at her reaction. "Good."
With that, both went their separate ways, but Shristi remained standing there for a few moments, fingers tightly wrapped around the necklace.
That dream… was it really just a dream?
---
Late-Night Plans
Later that night, Wick sat with his group—Nick, Deep, Dev, and Dipanshu—engaged in their usual banter when Deep suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, don't you guys have to leave for Bangalore tonight?"
Wick's eyes widened. "Oh, shit! I completely forgot!" He glanced at Nick. "We need to leave now, or we'll be late."
Nick groaned. "Now? Man, I was enjoying the night."
Wick clapped his shoulder. "Bro, if we don't reach by morning, we're screwed. Get up."
Nick sighed. "Fine, fine."
Just as they were about to leave, Wick hesitated. He rubbed the back of his neck, debating something.
Nick narrowed his eyes. "What?"
Wick shifted uncomfortably. "Uh… I'll be back in a few minutes. Just need to see someone."
Nick raised a brow. "See who?"
Wick avoided his gaze. "Uhh… Shristi."
Nick's jaw dropped. "Brother… are you serious? You're going to see her before we leave? Are you insane?"
Wick groaned. "Yeah, yeah, I know, not like me and all that. But I don't know, man… there's been this change in me because of her." He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "And I'm only telling you this."
Nick smirked. "Then let's go. I'll come too."
Wick frowned. "Why?"
Nick grinned. "Because I want to see Varsha."
Wick rolled his eyes but didn't argue.
The two headed to the girls' hostel and called Shristi and Varsha outside.
Shristi crossed her arms when she saw Wick. "So… what's the reason for this late-night meeting? Is everything okay?"
Wick nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to Bangalore for some documentation work."
Shristi blinked. "Bangalore? When did this come up?"
"It was pre-planned, but I forgot," Wick admitted. "Deep reminded me. So now we're leaving."
Shristi frowned. "How long will you be gone?"
"Three days," Wick replied.
Shristi's lips pressed into a thin line. "You're going this late at night? How are you traveling?"
"By car," Wick said. "Nick and Deep are coming with me."
Shristi was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "Can I ask you something?"
Wick tilted his head. "Go ahead."
Shristi hesitated before saying, "How do you afford all this? I mean, you live comfortably, but you aren't that rich, right? What do you do along with college?"
Wick chuckled. "Who said I'm not rich?"
Shristi furrowed her brows.
He smirked. "I'm the upcoming CEO of The Monarch Industries."
Shristi's eyes widened. "What?"
Wick nodded. "My parents were 44% shareholders of Monarch. According to their will, I can take over as CEO, but only after I get a job on my own."
Shristi's throat tightened. She had no idea. "I… I'm sorry about your parents."
Wick gave her a small smile. "It's okay."
A comfortable silence settled between them.
Shristi sighed. "Alright, then. Have a safe journey. Take care."
Wick smiled. "I will."
Meanwhile, Nick finished talking with Varsha. With their goodbyes said, the two boys headed off for Bangalore, leaving the girls behind in deep thought.
But there was a short change in plan instead of Nick Deep went with Wick.
To be continued...