I nodded. “Why do you always fidget with that bracelet?”
Her smile faltered. Fingers brushed the silver chain.
“It was my mom’s,” she said quietly. “She died the day I was born. I never met her.”
I stayed silent.
“Your turn,” she said quickly, trying to shift the weight.
“Dare.”
She tilted her head, and a wicked grin crept in. “Swim. Fifteen minutes.”
I blinked. “It’s 3 a.m.”
She simply crossed her arms and tilted her head. “You started the game… remember?”
“You do realize the water’s freezing, right?” I asked, trying to appeal to her logic—or whatever she had left at this ungodly hour.
“Yeah, I know the basic science, genius.”
She looked way too happy about the idea. Like this wasn’t just a dare—it was a distraction she needed.
I really need to stop playing this game. One day, she might dare me to vanish into space, and knowing her, she’d make it sound perfectly reasonable.
I stood up with a sigh. “If I die in there, you’re writing my eulogy.”
“Oh, already started: ‘Here lies Manav Oberoi—slain by saltwater and poor decisions.’”
I pulled off my shirt and walked toward the waves.
Behind me, her laughter danced in the night air—light and fleeting.
And for a moment, the ghosts were quiet.
5 ♥?Kiara
What kind of human is he?
I mean… What if I dared him to swim in the ocean at 3 a.m.? He could have saidno. Right?
Why didn’t I stop him?This isn’t funny anymore.
I shouldn’t care this much. I barely know him. But my feet kept moving on their own.
I pressed the bell twice. No answer.
I pressed it again… and again.
After about five minutes, I heard his heavy, groggy voice from the other side of the door. “Wait… coming…”
The door creaked open, and there he was, standing with a sleepy expression, rubbing his eyes. “Hi…?” He mumbled, clearly still half-asleep.
“Are youcrazy?”
He blinked slowly. “Good morning to you, too!” His face was unusually red, and his eyes looked…off.
“How are you feeling?”
