Calix

No.

This cannot be happening.

It is impossible.

Why must I be the one to suffer all the time?

Why in the world must Isha choose a rumoured haunted bungalow for our first date?

Yesterday, I received a text from Miss Sen about her having a planned date arranged, already. Considering her personality I, for sure knew we weren't going on a breakfast, lunch, or dinner date. But again, I wasn't familiar with Isha's hobbies, aspirations, dreams or anything along the line to form a calculative assumption. Somehow, the information about the first date slipped out of my lips in front of Audrey who, with her same teasing glances, assured me not to worry much.

I have been worried. Almost too much to my liking that I could barely focus on work, the entire day. Especially when Isha said she wanted me to pick her up after eleven-thirty, at night. That made me ponder where we were going so late, if not on a dinner date.

Now, everything makes sense.

"What do you think?" Isha beams at me.

I can only swallow a lump at the sight of the bungalow in front of me. There are no street lights or any sign of houses nearby. We are completely alone, with just a forest staring at us from across the road. Once in a while, less than expected vehicles pass by due to this road being a short-cut to several areas situated in Syncitia's capital, Euthensia. People say that after seven in the evening, ominous and weird things happen here. Some say that they have seen something supernatural lurking around the location. Some say they have heard voices, howling, crying, screaming. While others claim they feel sick when they're in front or near the house.

I have neither witnessed nor experienced any paranormal events, in my past twenty-seven years of life. But that doesn't change the fact that I am afraid of ghosts or anything unearthly. It is utterly childish to be expected of a prince, but it is what it is. And my adolescent cousins still wonder why I always avoid watching horror movies with them.

But should I reveal about my irrational fear to Isha, who loves thrill and adventure in her life? No way. It will only give her more opportunities to prove that I am boring.

I am not. I can prove it.

"Is this the reason you told me to clear my schedule for tonight and asked the driver to pick us both up again in the morning?" I ask, my forced smile twitching once in a while.

Isha nods, her excited grin not leaving her face for once. "I have brought the necessary items for our first date, which is to be held here. Also, I have always wanted to explore this rumoured haunted bungalow and see for myself if there actually are any paranormal entities skulking. I got the chance, and took it. We'll spend the entire night here. I also have a surprise— "

As Isha keeps on rambling, I can only think of one thing.

Isha is a witch who practices black magic. And she is insane.

I flinch as soon as Isha closes the creaking, old, front door behind us. Darkness surrounds us with the sounds of only our breathing and the faint chirp of insects audible. I fumble to turn on my phone's flashlight but before that, Isha switches on a torch. She hands me another one eventually.

"I have enough batteries for these torches to last for the night. Don't bother fishing out your phone."

With that being said, Isha strolls forward with her torch.

"I-Isha, wait up," my voice trembles and I hurriedly follow the woman.

If this is Isha's perfect ideal date, I do not even want to imagine what else is going to surprise me in the near future.

"Don't tell me you believe all the stupid rumours, Calix," Isha snorts while climbing the spiral staircase. I do not forget to trail close to her as I keep checking my surroundings with the torch, for any movement. Except for my wallet, I don't even have a bag, unlike Isha who has come prepared.

"Of course not," I deliver the words with fear burdening my chest. The creaking sounds of the floorboards aren't helping either.

Due to the darkness, what I could make out after entering through the front door was that we were standing in a huge living room. After that, I simply followed Isha to the spiral staircase which led upstairs to the second floor.

A scream leaves my mouth, startling both me and Isha when the woman in front of me gasps suddenly. We stand there in silence as my scream fades away in an echo.

Isha turns around and illuminates my face with the flash of her torch. I close my eyes at the intensity of the sudden, blinding light.

"Why did you scream?" I cannot see Isha's face behind the torchlight, but she appears to be both in confusion and slight irritation.

"Why did you gasp and halt abruptly?" I retort. "Put the torch away, will you? I am going blind!"

Isha moves away the torch and I can finally see her face due to the light on her face now. She, however, seems flustered for some reason.

"You grabbed my shoulders all of a sudden..."

"Oh." I say, with her mumble trailing off. With the realisation, the flustered state transfers from Isha to me. I scratch the back of my head, "I-I apologize." Clearing my throat, I continue, "I thought I heard something."

Isha's face breaks into an adorable cheeky grin, making my heart go in frenzy for some foreign reasons. Her chuckles results in butterflies to host a party in my stomach.

Snap out of it Calix. You are behaving like a hormonal teenager.

"A little birdie tells me that perhaps the first prince of Syncitia might be afraid of ghostly beings," her grin widens, as she leans forward.

I lean back, hiding my nervous state with an awkward laugh, "Of course not. Ghosts don't even exist—"

It happened within the blink of an eye.

A loud crashing sound somewhere causes me to rush forward with a frightened yell and hold onto Isha tightly.

I continue clutching onto Isha as if my life depends on her, without realising our current position. Isha on the other hand, stands stoic with her arms in the air.

"You are suffocating me, Calix."

Isha's calm yet choked voice makes me finally release her from my hold. And when I do so, I find the woman in front of me, hiding the red hue on her blushing cheeks, akin to mine.

A fiddly silence prevails between us for seven to ten seconds, when she decides to break the awkwardness.

She shoves up a subtle smile before saying, "We should keep moving."

I nod, following Isha and desperately praying for my beating heart to calm down.

I must pay a visit to the best cardiologist in Syncitia tomorrow. My heart has been acting up abnormally for the past few weeks.

I flinch as soon as Isha closes the creaking, old, front door behind us. Darkness surrounds us with the sounds of only our breathing and the faint chirp of insects audible. I fumble to turn on my phone's flashlight but before that, Isha switches on a torch. She hands me another one eventually.

"I have enough batteries for these torches to last for the night. Don't bother fishing out your phone."

With that being said, Isha strolls forward with her torch.

"I-Isha, wait up," my voice trembles and I hurriedly follow the woman.

If this is Isha's perfect ideal date, I do not even want to imagine what else is going to surprise me in the near future.

"Don't tell me you believe all the stupid rumours, Calix," Isha snorts while climbing the spiral staircase. I do not forget to trail close to her as I keep checking my surroundings with the torch, for any movement. Except for my wallet, I don't even have a bag, unlike Isha who has come prepared.

"Of course not," I deliver the words with fear burdening my chest. The creaking sounds of the floorboards aren't helping either.

Due to the darkness, what I could make out after entering through the front door was that we were standing in a huge living room. After that, I simply followed Isha to the spiral staircase which led upstairs to the second floor.

A scream leaves my mouth, startling both me and Isha when the woman in front of me gasps suddenly. We stand there in silence as my scream fades away in an echo.

Isha turns around and illuminates my face with the flash of her torch. I close my eyes at the intensity of the sudden, blinding light.

"Why did you scream?" I cannot see Isha's face behind the torchlight, but she appears to be both in confusion and slight irritation.

"Why did you gasp and halt abruptly?" I retort. "Put the torch away, will you? I am going blind!"

Isha moves away the torch and I can finally see her face due to the light on her face now. She, however, seems flustered for some reason.

"You grabbed my shoulders all of a sudden..."

"Oh." I say, with her mumble trailing off. With the realisation, the flustered state transfers from Isha to me. I scratch the back of my head, "I-I apologize." Clearing my throat, I continue, "I thought I heard something."

Isha's face breaks into an adorable cheeky grin, making my heart go in frenzy for some foreign reasons. Her chuckles results in butterflies to host a party in my stomach.

Snap out of it Calix. You are behaving like a hormonal teenager.

"A little birdie tells me that perhaps the first prince of Syncitia might be afraid of ghostly beings," her grin widens, as she leans forward.

I lean back, hiding my nervous state with an awkward laugh, "Of course not. Ghosts don't even exist—"

It happened within the blink of an eye.

A loud crashing sound somewhere causes me to rush forward with a frightened yell and hold onto Isha tightly.

I continue clutching onto Isha as if my life depends on her, without realising our current position. Isha on the other hand, stands stoic with her arms in the air.

"You are suffocating me, Calix."

Isha's calm yet choked voice makes me finally release her from my hold. And when I do so, I find the woman in front of me, hiding the red hue on her blushing cheeks, akin to mine.

A fiddly silence prevails between us for seven to ten seconds, when she decides to break the awkwardness.

She shoves up a subtle smile before saying, "We should keep moving."

I nod, following Isha and desperately praying for my beating heart to calm down.

I must pay a visit to the best cardiologist in Syncitia tomorrow. My heart has been acting up abnormally for the past few weeks.