"Akka wake up. Lasya akka is leaving for Vishakhapatnam with grandpa." Shruthi gently tapped Vennela's shoulder.

"You are so handsome can't stop admiring you..." Vennela was muttering in sleep.

"Handsome? Me?" Shruthi frowned.

"..I love your deep brown eyes..."

"Thank you akka" Shruthi smiled.

"...and the beard...it makes you look so manly..."

"Beard?!! Wait. What?" Shruthi burst out laughing. "Someone's dreaming about her man." She pinched Vennela who woke up, startled. "What happened?"

"Nothing. Looks like you had a beautiful dream. Like to share it with me?" Shruthi asked her.

"Well, um, yes, there was a big chocolate river and I was swimming in it." Vennela's cheeks turned pink.

Shruthi suppressed her laughter. "Alright. They are leaving. Come downstairs."

A few minutes later, Vennela reached the dining hall. Everyone was having breakfast. "Sorry bava garu. You had to witness our quarrel yesterday." She apologized to Surya.

"It's alright Vennela. I would have reacted similarly if I were in your place." Surya smiled at her.

"Vennu we will be moving to Bangalore next month. You must come and visit us with your family." Lasya invited Vennela.

"Sure. I don't need a formal invitation to visit you" said Vennela.

"Amar is a nice lad. Never hurt him." Gayatri hugged Vennela before leaving. Amar took their blessings.

"Vennela, remember what I told you yesterday. Don't ever make assumptions without knowing the entire story." Narayana advised her. They left with Lasya and Surya.

"Now that we are free, let's spend the day cleaning the old vehicles." Anirudh suggested. Amar and Vennela readily agreed. Shruthi gave a knowing smile to Anirudh. It was time to execute their plan.

"But we have to finish our assignments" said Rishi.

"We'll come and join you in an hour" said Raj.

Vennela and Anirudh started cleaning a vintage car while Shruthi helped Amar in repairing his old bike. "Vadina, I think the keys are in the storeroom" said Anirudh.  

"I'll get it." Vennela went inside to get the keys.

Shruthi hid a few tools from the toolkit. "Where are the other tools?" Amar frowned.

"Get another toolkit from storeroom" said Anirudh.

"Rudy, you know I don't like going there. You go and get it." Amar requested Anirudh.

"Sorry bro, I'm busy" Anirudh refused.

Amar reluctantly went to fetch the toolkit. He never entered the storeroom because it scared him since childhood. He always avoided going that way. He held his breath and entered. He was searching in a corner when he heard the door get closed. Amar Pratap, who can watch half a dozen horror movies at night, felt uneasy.

'Okay. Just collect what you are looking for and leave' he told himself. He turned around when he heard a noise from another side of the room. It sounded like a person. Through the corner of his eye he saw someone move. 'Is that a ghost?' He stopped searching and ran towards the door to exit when he saw the ghost come face to face with him.

"NO NO. PLEASE. PLEASE. DON'T KILL ME. I'M A GOOD BOY. PLEASE." Amar started screaming.

"Amar! It's me, Vennela."

He opened his eyes and looked at Vennela. "THE GHOST POSSESSED MY WIFE. HELP! HELP!"

Vennela slapped the back of his head. "No one possessed me, you idiot. If I were a ghost I would have killed you by now."

"It's you?" He touched her to see if she was solid. "Okay. I actually saw a ghost in this room when I was seven. No one believed me when I told them."

"It wasn't a ghost. It was your aunt Shambhavi. Grandma told me the story." Vennela held his hand. "Come. Let's get you out of here." They tried to open the door. But it didn't budge.

"Can anyone hear us? Open the door." Vennela yelled.

Rishi-Raj, who were standing on the other side of the door, muffled their laughter and answered. "Akka, the door is not opening from this side. Looks like it got stuck."

"We'll call the carpenter to repair this thing. Wait inside until then." Anirudh told them. Amar understood their plan. 'Good job kids.'

He switched on his acting mode. "Vennela, I'm feeling dizzy." He pretended to collapse on the floor.

"Oh my God!" Vennela rubbed his palms.

"This room scares me" said Amar weakly.

Vennela's eyes welled up. "What do I do now? Amar, please stop thinking about ghosts."

"Then distract me" he pulled her closer. "Ms. Roopa, my nanny, used to hug me whenever I get scared."

Vennela immediately pulled him into a tight embrace. He too wrapped his arms around her. A few moments later he broke the hug. "Oh my God! I can't breathe. Ms. Roopa used to kiss me on the forehead to distract me."

Vennela hesitated. She looked at Amar who was sweating. She pulled his head towards her and cupped his face. "Amar look at me." He looked into her eyes which held so much concern for him at the moment. She gently pressed her lips on his forehead. Amar held his breath and closed his eyes. This was the moment he has been waiting for. The moment he understood that his wife was deeply in love with him. The happiest moment of his life. A sweet smile crept across his face.

"How are you feeling now? Are you alright?" Vennela asked him.

"I feel like the king of the world." He winked at her.

Vennela gaped at him open-mouthed. "So, all this was acting?" She punched his shoulder.

"No moonlight. Not all of this. Only I was acting. You weren't. It came right from the bottom of your heart." He said earning another punch.

"Shameless idiot. I was so scared for you." She buried her face into his chest.

"Moonlight. Admit it." He wanted her to confess her feelings. She frowned. "What?"

"Admit what your heart is screaming for you to hear. Admit what you have been ignoring all these days." Amar wanted to hear a confession from her.

"My heart doesn't scream anything. It seems the storeroom is having its effect on you. You are imagining things. I just helped you because of, you know, because of, um, humanity." She was in denial.

"Really? You mean to say you would have done the same if it was someone else?" He asked her.

"Stop irritating me. Sit down" said Vennela.

Amar had to obey because of his promise to follow her orders for a day. He sat beside her resting his head on her shoulder. She didn't object.

---***---

"Akka and bava look happy for some reason" said Raj, looking at Amar and Vennela strolling in the garden that evening.

"Our plan worked. Let's tell them that we locked the door. It will be fun to see their expressions" said Rishi.

"No!" Shruthi exclaimed. "Vennu akka will kill me. I don't want to die before marrying Tom Holland." 

Anirudh was amused. "Is he your celebrity crush?"

"No. He is my celebrity love." Shruthi answered. "Who is yours?"

"I don't have anyone."

"You're lying."

"Like I said, I don't have time to fall in love." Anirudh answered honestly.

"You don't need time to fall in love. You just need a heart." Shruthi quipped.

Anirudh changed the subjecy. "How about a movie marathon tonight?"

Shruthi and Rishi-Raj jumped with joy. "We'll inform akka" The twins left. Shruthi left to make popcorn. Anirudh fought the urge to accompany her. 'Stop it Rudy. She's vadina's sister. Don't make things awkward for anna and vadina.' 

Shruthi was chopping vegetables to prepare the dinner quickly so that they can start the movie marathon at 8 pm. Vennela joined her after the walk. "Looks like someone had a great time in the garden." Shruthi remarked.

"Yes. We had a discussion on who would survive the next season of Game of Thrones." Vennela started cooking.

"Don't lie to me. You are blushing. The redness on your cheeks can put tomatoes to shame." Shruthi giggled. "You know what I think? I think love is in the air."

"No. Nothing like that. I don't love Amar. We are just good friends" Vennela lied.

"I don't remember mentioning bava garu's name. But it's fascinating how your mind jumped to him on hearing the word love." Shruthi was enjoying the conversation.

Vennela didn't say anything. "Akka, tell him how you feel about him. There's nothing to hide." Shruthi encouraged her. "What's stopping you?"

"I don't know Shru. I'm scared. All these days I've been denying. But, today I realized what I feel. I can't be oblivious to what my heart wants. But, I'm really really scared. How will he react if I tell him? What if he is angry because I made him wait for three months? What would he think if I confess my feelings suddenly? Will be believe me?" Vennela was confused.

"Whoa! Wait. You are thinking too much. He won't be mad at you for making him wait. You were going through a tough phase in your life. He will understand what stopped you. If there is someone who can understand you better than me, it is him. He will believe each and every word you say to him because he trusts you. He will never think you are lying. Everyone craves for love akka. It's a wonderful feeling when the person you love, loves you back. And I think he deserves to experience this wonderful feeling." Shruthi chose her words very wisely. She patted her and left.

Vennela sat down on the floor. 'Don't think too much Vennu. Little sis is right.' Her heart spoke to her.

"You know what? I agree with you." Vennela spoke to her heart.

'Then tell him.' Her heart urged her.

"Don't urge me. I need some time."

'Oh God! You are the biggest procrastinating idiot I've ever known.'

"Hey! I'm not procrastinating. I need time to plan something big and memorable for him. I want him to cherish the moment forever."

'Really? How sweet! I'm proud to be your heart.'

They had dinner before 8 pm like they planned. All the boys were debating on which movie to be played.

"Incredibles!" Vennela announced. Everyone agreed as it was their childhood favourite.

Everyone watched the movie. But Vennela spent the night thinking of how to confess her love to Amar.

---***---

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