Episode 2: Unwanted Proximity
925 Words
Episode 2: Unwanted Proximity
1. Morning After the Storm
Meoja woke up with a stiff neck and an even stiffer attitude.
The night had been a disaster. Between the creepy noises, the storm, and the unsettling moment with Priyesh, sleep had been nearly impossible.
He groaned, stretching his arms, only to realize—
His door was open.
His stomach dropped.
He was sure he had closed it last night. The eerie house must have been playing tricks again.
Or worse—Priyesh had something to do with it.
Meoja stormed out of his room, heading straight for the kitchen, where he found Priyesh standing by the counter, making coffee like he owned the place.
Meoja didn’t even hesitate. “Did you come into my room last night?”
Priyesh, unfazed, took a sip of his coffee and barely glanced at him. “Why would I willingly step into your room?”
Meoja scowled. “My door was open when I woke up.”
Priyesh finally looked at him, dark eyes scanning his face like he was actually considering the possibility.
“Maybe the house doesn’t like you,” he said, deadpan.
Meoja glared. “Maybe I don’t like the house.”
Priyesh smirked. “Then move out.”
Meoja gritted his teeth. Oh, how he wished. But until the landlord fixed the mistake, he was stuck with Priyesh in this cursed house.
And to make matters worse, the storm had knocked out cell service.
2. The House Feels Smaller
By afternoon, the tension between them had settled into something worse—constant awareness.
Every time Meoja turned, Priyesh was there.
Every time Priyesh moved, Meoja felt it.
It wasn’t that the house was small—it was actually huge. But for some damn reason, their paths kept crossing.
Like when Meoja tried to grab a plate from the cupboard, and Priyesh reached for a mug at the same time—
Their hands brushed.
Meoja jumped back like he’d been electrocuted.
Priyesh raised an eyebrow. “Dramatic much?”
Meoja scowled, cheeks heating. “Don’t touch me.”
Priyesh hummed, taking another sip of his coffee. “You touched me.”
Meoja nearly smashed the plate over his head.
3. The Lock-In Incident
Later that evening, Meoja was exploring the house when he accidentally stepped into an old storage room.
Big mistake.
The moment he stepped in, the door slammed shut behind him.
He froze.
“Uh… okay. No need to panic,” he muttered, trying the handle.
It didn’t budge.
Okay. Maybe some need to panic.
He banged on the door. “Hey! Priyesh! Open up!”
No answer.
Meoja’s heart pounded. The room was dark, filled with old furniture and shadows that seemed to move when he blinked.
Then—
A creak.
Meoja’s breath hitched. Someone else was in here.
Or… something.
He slammed the door again, panic rising. “PRIYESH!”
Footsteps approached. Then—finally—the door burst open.
Priyesh stood there, looking annoyed. “You’re actually useless, aren’t you?”
Meoja practically fell into him, gripping his shirt for balance.
Priyesh stiffened.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Meoja’s breath was warm against Priyesh’s neck. He felt ridiculously solid under Meoja’s grip.
Too close. Too warm. Too something.
Meoja pulled back so fast he nearly fell again.
Priyesh caught his arm without thinking.
His fingers wrapped around Meoja’s wrist—firm but not rough.
Meoja snatched his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
Priyesh’s jaw clenched. “Then stop falling all over me.”
They stared at each other, the tension thick enough to cut.
Then Priyesh scoffed and walked away, leaving Meoja standing there, breathless and frustrated.
4. Rhea’s Arrival
That night, their unwanted silence was interrupted by a sudden, loud knock on the front door.
Meoja, still paranoid from the storage room incident, jumped.
Priyesh sighed and went to open it.
A woman burst in like a hurricane.
“Helloooo, boys!”
Meoja blinked. The girl had bright eyes, wavy dark hair, and a mischievous smirk.
Priyesh pinched the bridge of his nose. “Rhea. What are you doing here?”
Rhea Kapoor. Their co-actress. The wildcard.
She threw her bag onto the couch. “I heard you two were living together and had to see this disaster for myself.”
Meoja frowned. “Wait—how did you even find us?”
Rhea grinned. “I have my ways.”
She glanced between them, then narrowed her eyes.
“Ohhh. Oh. My. God.”
Meoja did not like that look. “What?”
Rhea smirked. “The tension. The awkwardness. You two are so into each other.”
Meoja choked.
Priyesh glared. “Shut up, Rhea.”
Rhea cackled. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun.”
Meoja groaned. Priyesh looked ready to murder someone.
And just like that, Rhea Kapoor officially made their lives even worse.
5. The Storm Isn’t Over
That night, as Meoja lay in bed, he could still hear Priyesh and Rhea talking in the other room.
For some reason, it annoyed him.
He told himself it was just because he hated Priyesh.
Definitely not because he didn’t like Rhea making him laugh.
Definitely not because Priyesh’s voice was nice to listen to.
Nope. Not at all.
But as the storm started up again, as shadows flickered across the walls—Meoja couldn’t shake the feeling that this house had more than just one kind of ghost.
And one of them?
Might just be his own feelings.
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- Writer
