She came running like her life depended on it—feet slipping, breath breaking, heart hammering like a drum in a horror movie.
The water rippled.
Then… something moved.
A shadow rose from beneath the surface.
Everyone froze. No one blinked. No one breathed.
The figure broke through the water—
—and burst out laughing.
"HAHAHA!"
It was Ritu.
She clutched her stomach, laughing like she had just performed the greatest prank in human history.
"Oh my God, your faces!" she wheezed. "Absolutely priceless! You guys seriously thought I got hit by a car and drowned? Wow… I always knew you were imaginative, but THIS? Oscar-worthy!"
She stepped out of the water dramatically—black hair dripping, clothes soaked, skin glowing golden under the dying rays of the sunset like she was some water goddess who forgot her manners.
Aditi, who had been comforting Teris just moments ago, walked toward her.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
With a smile so fake it could win awards… and veins popping out of her forehead like they were about to file a complaint.
"So, Ritu…" she said sweetly, too sweetly. "We were worried about you… and you were planning this… masterpiece?"
She cracked her knuckles.
"Maybe a car didn't hit you…" she continued, stepping closer, "…but after I'm done, you'll wish it had."
"Hey, hey, calm down!" Ritu backed away, still half-laughing. "I just wanted us to play in the water! You guys would've said no, so I had to be a little… creative!"
"A little?" Aditi grabbed her by the collar. "You staged your own death!"
Just as she was about to punch her into next week, she paused.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…Why are your earphones still in?"
Ritu blinked. "…What?"
"You went for a swim," Aditi said slowly, "and your earbuds are still in your ears?"
"Oh! Those?" Ritu grinned. "They're waterproof. I don't like water going into my ears."
Aditi smiled.
Calm.
Too calm.
Eyes closed.
"Oh… you don't like water in your ears?"
"Yes," Ritu nodded proudly.
Aditi opened her eyes.
"But do you like it in your stomach?"
"…Wait, what—"
SPLASH!
Before Ritu could process the betrayal, she was launched back into the water.
"How do you like THAT, you little menace?!" Aditi shouted. "We were worried sick and you're out here directing a whole movie?! Come here—I'll make sure every inch of you knows what water feels like!"
The others rushed in, barely managing to hold Aditi back before she turned the river into a crime scene.
Teris rushed to the edge. "Ritu! Are you okay?!"
Ritu popped her head out, hair sticking everywhere, still smiling like nothing happened.
"Fine as always!"
Teris sighed in relief. "Thank God…"
Aditi, however, was not done. She walked toward Ritu again.
Ritu immediately panicked.
"TERIS, SAVE ME! That tyrant is going to tear me into pieces!"
Aditi stopped just in front of her.
"…Explain. Everything."
Ritu scratched her head. "Well… the tire marks were already there, so I just… placed my stuff near them."
"And your crushed water bottle?"
"Oh, that?" she said casually. "It slipped from my bag and got run over by a truck."
(Yeah right, she thought. This detective tyrant is going to overthink everything. Let it go, woman.)
Aditi stared at her for a long moment.
"…Fine. I'll believe you."
Then she leaned closer.
"But don't you have something to say?"
Ritu instantly put on the fakest apology face known to mankind.
"Sorry guys… it was a mistake… I won't do it again—"
SPLASH!
She shoved Aditi into the water.
Aditi came up laughing.
"I KNEW that was coming!"
And just like that, chaos turned into laughter, and the four of them spent the next hour splashing, yelling, and almost drowning each other in the most wholesome way possible.
When Ritu got home…
She froze.
Her mother stood there.
Smiling.
But not really smiling.
Ritu could swear she saw horns growing out of her head.
"I'm home, Mom!" Ritu said, pretending she wasn't dripping water all over the floor.
"How was your day, beta?" her mother asked sweetly—veins visibly popping on her forehead.
"…Great!" Ritu replied.
"Oh really?" her mother said. "Then why do you look like you lost a fight with a river?"
Ritu froze.
Oh no.
She knows.
(Not that it was hard to guess—her hair looked like a bird's nest, her clothes were soaked, and there was water literally inside her watch.)
"…I'm sorry, Mom," Ritu mumbled. "We just went near the river for fun…"
Her mother's expression shifted instantly—from anger… to fear.
"How many times have I told you not to do dangerous things? You don't even know how to swim! What if something happened to you?"
Ritu lowered her head.
"…I'm sorry."
"I promise… I'll be careful from now on."
Her mother sighed, then smiled gently.
"Have fun… but don't make your mother worry. You're only twelve."
They walked into the kitchen together.
"Where's Dad?" Ritu asked.
"He'll be late," her mother replied. "You eat first."
"And you?"
"I'll eat with your father."
Ritu grinned. "Ohooo… pativrata patni!"
Her mother blushed. "Stop it and eat your food!"
Later that night…
Ritu quietly entered her room, making sure no one was watching.
She changed her clothes… then paused.
Checked her body.
No bruises.
No cuts.
Nothing.
Her expression changed.
"I'm sure that car hit me…" she whispered. "That impact should've… at least injured me…"
She stared at herself in the mirror.
Perfectly fine.
Not even a scratch.
"I even blacked out… so how am I okay?"
Her brows furrowed.
"And… why do I feel like I know the person who hit me… even though I never saw his face?"
She shook her head.
"…Weird day."
Then she flopped onto her bed.
"…Anyway. From tomorrow, I'll be a good girl."
A pause.
"…Probably."