Sunlight peeked through the curtains. Ananya groaned and rolled over.
Nidhi yawned, "Guys… we're really in a hostel. This is real."
Meher sat up, rubbing her eyes. "It's so noisy outside… people are already awake?"
Ananya smiled. "New place, new life. Kinda scary, kinda cool."
They looked at each other and burst into laughter.
Hostel vibes filled the air—running water, echoing footsteps, distant chatter, and the smell of Maggie from someone's room.
"I love this already," Nidhi said, hopping off the bed. "We're actually living together."
"Get ready," Meher said with a grin. "Today's shopping day!"
"YES!" Ananya and Nidhi cheered.
They rushed to get dressed, trying outfits, doing quick makeup, stealing each other's accessories.
The market near campus buzzed with life.
"Look at that top!" Nidhi shouted, dragging Ananya.
"No way, THIS hat is totally you," Meher teased, placing a huge sunhat on Ananya's head.
They took goofy selfies, tried sunglasses, and posed with shopping bags.
"Pani puri?" Ananya asked.
"Always!" Nidhi grinned.
They laughed over spicy bites, argued over the last piece of pizza, and even danced for a few seconds when music played outside a shop.
Suddenly—
Ananya turned around. "Where's Nidhi?"
"She went to grab a drink," Meher said.
"Oh okay."
Later…
"She said she had to call someone," Nidhi told Ananya when Meher disappeared.
This happened again. Ananya frowned. "Weird… but maybe it's nothing."
The girls returned with snacks, setting up a cozy movie corner.
"Okay," Meher said. "Let's pick something scary."
"Noooo," Nidhi fake-cried. "I'll scream."
"That's the point!" Ananya laughed. "Let's go with The Sixth Sense."
Blankets, pillows, popcorn — perfect.
Nidhi cracked jokes during scary scenes. "That ghost needs moisturizer!"
"Shhh!" Meher tossed popcorn at her.
BANG! A sudden sound in the movie made Meher jump. "I wasn't scared… just surprised."
They paused the movie.
Ananya had dozed off, head resting lightly on Meher's shoulder.
Nidhi stretched, then moved toward the window to draw the curtain closed.
She paused.
"Hmm… weird," she mumbled.
"What?" Meher asked softly.
Nidhi blinked. "Thought I saw… something across the road. But maybe it was just the wind. A tree's shadow, I guess."
She shrugged, closed the curtain, and came back.
Meher gave a small nod—but her eyes lingered on the curtain for a second longer than needed. Something in the air felt… off. Heavy.
She looked down at Ananya. Her friend's brow was slightly furrowed in her sleep. A faint twitch in her fingers.
"Nidhi," Meher whispered, "I think we should let her sleep here tonight. Just in case."
Nidhi looked at her, confused, but nodded. "Of course."
Neither said what they were thinking.
Neither said they had both felt a cold draft when Ananya had entered the room earlier.
Or how the air seemed still—too still—when she fell asleep.
And behind the curtain, outside their window, the street was empty.
Except for a faint shadow—lingering a moment longer than any tree should.