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New Adult by @Romance
Ambassador's Monthly Pick (July 2025) by @AmbassadorsIN
Advika Bansal is that 20-year-old effortlessly juggling between her internship and college life while getting time to do things she likes (at the cost of sacrifi...
“And, what am I supposed to do? Ask the BBC to create a special story on it?” I imagined him scowling while I placed the mobile on slanting, near my mirror, and removed my bathrobe.
“Oh, please! I would definitely encourage that from you, bro!” I grunted while bending down to wear my brown underwear.
“Fine. Tell me how you feel? Did you sleep well?”
“Well, I went to bed at one and slept at half past three. And… I dreamt of something strange.” I fastened the buttons of my sky blue shirt.
“What? Did you see flying pigs?” I scrunch my nose at the thought of me dreaming of flying pigs.
“Eww! Not that. I saw a girl—”
“Not again, Ishaan. Tell me it's not—”
“It's not her.” I heard my voice echo boom through my room like how they do in the Indian dramas. Or it is just my hallucination. I sensed a “Who was she?” question from Ved, for which I replied, “I don't know who she was, but it was a girl. Someone extremely beautiful.”
“Oh, wow! Do you still remember the art of simping, dude?” Ved asked how it would sound if he asked, “Are you friends with Giorgia Meloni?”
“Yeah, unfortunately, I do.” I rolled my eyes at the realization while polishing my chocolate brown shoes. “She was—”
“Let me guess. Was she naked?”
I mock-gagged— that was all I could do for what he had said— and added, “That's something you will imagine with Mehak. Not me. Not now.”
“Okay, dude. Chill. What was that ‘someone extremely beautiful' girl doing in your dreams?”
“She was discussing my love life with a group of people. She… She called her a red flag.”
“She called whom a red flag?” Ved emphasised on the word “whom”.
“You know who… Ved.” I emphasised on his name as if to say, “Stop being such a dorkhead.”
“Oh! I got it,” he sang it and added, “Okay. She was right. But, why would a random stranger discuss your ex to a group?”
“I don't know. She was discussing it as if she was talking about some… Movie?” I tilted my head to my left while checking whether I had packed everything for my office.
“Interesting. Even a few days ago, I had a dream of playing soccer and being awarded as the Winner of the Series.”
“That doesn't make you a Ronaldo, man!” I rolled my eyes again and walked out of my room with my bag.
“Likewise, that doesn't make you a Ryan Gosling, dude!”
“Duh, I never said that I was.” Sitting down on my couch with a plate of white sauce pasta— made by my housemaid Fiorella— and Tequila Sunrise, my mobile was sandwiched between my ear and my shoulder as I had tuned in to the news channel.
“Okay. And, Ishaan. I forgot to tell you this. Mehak and I are going to an Indian restaurant. You better join us, or you'll regret missing those yummy Naan and Chicken tikka masala,” Ved gave a formal warning while the mention of Naan made my mind go back to those days where I learnt to cook them for her.
Faking a chuckle, I replied, “Sure. I will do it.”
“Okay. Go to your office soon. Or else, you will end up getting scolded by that lady. Okay? Bye!”
He disconnected the call, letting his friend go physically present yet mentally absent.
It had been 184 days, 13 hours, and 49 minutes since the drive of our love story had lost midway, leaving me to lose my mind. It had been a multitude of sweet moments since she had got multiple options and chose one over me. It took 184 days for her to forget me, but it had been 184 days since I realised that I would never forget her even after 184 ages.
Washing the dishes and gulping down the last shot of my Tequila Sunrise, I stood in front of my comfort zone as I already had my weapons. I opened the lid of my marker, scribbled my random thoughts on my yellow Post-it, and stuck it on my notice board; like I always did for the past six months.
I looked back at my notice board for one last, my mind hovering around my latest scribble.
Day 184
Her world is in flame yellow while mine is in charcoal black, waiting to burn in the red fire of love.
I
***
How was Ishaan's POV, peeps? He must be some "true love" type, right? But, as the "random, cute stranger" said, Maahi is supposed to be a red flag.
And... Who do you think that "random stranger" from Ishaan's dream could be? (not a surprise, but still...)
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