invisible string ✓

twenty two

“Breathe me in, breathe me out
I don't know if I could ever go without
I'm just thinking out loud
I don't know if I could ever go without
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar.”

I was watching the performance with a wide smile and a levitating heart, telling my senses to believe the fact that Ishaan Ahuja, an Indo-Italian born and brought up in the metropolitan city of Milan, was singing my favourite English song.

For me.

On my birthday.

Yeah, his voice still sounded like those of Gian's. But, the way he carried the summer-like feeling in his voice and romance in his eyes could make any old-school, hopeless romantic girl’s heart melt finer than a butter on a high flame. That feeling in him made me forget how awful his voice was.

At the end of his rendition, I stood up from my place and walked to him with half an inch of space between us. I looked down, held his right hand, squeezed and whispered, “Thank you. This rendition… It's lovely. I… It was unexpected. Like… This was… I… Don't know what to say, but…” God, where did those vocabulary skills I gained from Netflix and books go? “I'm at a loss of words,” I whined and rested my head on his shoulder.

“Hey!” He chuckled and squeezed my hand, adding, “That's fine. I can see you. Guess what else I have for you?”

I looked up at him while he put his hands into his pants pocket and pointed a small piece of paper at me. I broke the contact and accepted the paper from him.

On occasion of the galaxy's best woman's birthday
Midnight Cinema of the cult-classic
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,
Starring Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, and many more

Timings: 10: 00 PM
Venue: Our Living Room
Complimentary Snacks: Diamond Biscuit

RSVP,
Ishaan Ahuja

Instructions:
Enjoy.

I reread and laughed at the “Complimentary Snacks: Diamond Biscuit” thing and looked up at Ishaan, whose eyes shone out of happiness. The happiness of seeing others happy.

“Happy?” He asked while I nodded a yes. “Get ready for the movie.” Our eyes swayed away at Aarvi, who was witnessing our PDA without cringing at it like she always did. “Aarvi, join us as well.”

“Well, I wish, Ishaan. But, assignments…” She paused and shrugged, suggesting a no.

“Aarvi, please.” I faked a doe eye and had my lower lip protruded. But, it reached only deaf ears. I sighed, accepting my defeat, and replied, “Okay, fine. At least, have some dinner with us.”

“That's fine,” she rubbed the back of her neck and continued, “I'll take the dinner to my room and settle down. You guys enjoy it here.”

Ugh, this girl! I wondered how her potential husband would tackle this stubborn bitch. I mean, I knew that she was doing it to leave us in privacy. But, the thought of Aarvi missing the movie night made me feel like eating the meal without starters.

***

“So, do you watch romcoms?” I asked him after seeing him watching the “Are You Mad?” scene with imaginary hearts filling his eyes.

“Huh? Well, usually, I don't. Only in rare cases,” he replied, then looking at my face. I tilted my head as if to ask what were those “rare cases” while he added, “Like, the super-trending ones and the ones my acquaintances recommend.”