𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 [𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡]

ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ 27

She shakily moved out of the car with her nerves all jumbled up together. Alia was usually a confident person but it was the first time that she was going on a date and, to be honest, it was a little scary. She did not want to be coming off as someone rude or closed off instead she wanted to have a healthy conversation where they got to know each other.

But the question was how was she supposed to do that?
Should she Google it? No time for that now.

She opened the door to the cafe and looked around while biting her lips. She glanced around again and again not sure if she had seen him or simply missed.

"Hi." She jumped and with a loud gasp not expecting him to stand in front of her and greet her. "Are you alright?" Armaan found as he asked her that. He had noticed from afar how jumbled her nerves look and her fidgeting was clear evidence of that.

"Yes, I am fine." She smiled but then confessed with a slight wince. "I am just a bit nervous."

He chuckled. "Me too. But who cares, come on." He smiled and held his hand out tone is taken, once done, they both moved and settled on a nice Spot. Neither the center nor the extreme corner. Just the right spot.
However, Alia's nerves did not come down at all. It felt like everyone was watching and judging her.

Was it?

She leaned back on to the chair and plants around the area to make sure that no one was watching her or she was not recognised by anyone. Surprisingly it seemed like everyone was minding their own business and it was just her nerves making her saying that everyone around her was staring and pointing fingers.

"Have you ever come here before?" She looks Armaan who asked the question. She didn't hear it and did not want to ask him to repeat the question as it would seem awkward that she wasn't paying attention.

"Yes," she said with a confident smile and to the menu as well only for eyes to bulge out. No, it was not the prices that were away too high, which they were, but it was the language that they were written in. It was not English and seemed more of a combination of French and Italian. Even the language Sanskrit did not seem as threatening as this one did. How was she supposed to pronounce anything in front of him and not make a fool of herself?

"So what do you want?" Armaan asked her as she lowers the menu and saw a waiter standing beside them.

Shit. I'm dead...

"Uh.." she smiled a bit which she as sure was very awkward. "I'll just have a cold coffee." She then close did the menu which made a loud sound and handed it to the waiter with a thank you.

"That's it?" Armaan frowned. "I know that it is not lunchtime or even close to dinner but you should eat something at least."

"Oh..yeah.." she smiled and laughed it off with flicking her hand. "It's fine. I had something before coming here. You know, Indian moms."
"Still insist."

Well then Stop insisting! She screamed in her mind but smiled in front of him.

Turning towards the waiter she smiled a bit, "I didn't have a good look at the menu what could you tell me if you have something to do with... nachos?"

Please say yes.

Please say yes.

Please say-

"Yes, there's a nacho cheese salad." He said, "should I write that down as your order?"

"Yes please do." She sighed in relief as Armaan gave his order and the waiter finally left.

"So," Arman turned his attention towards her. "Except Bali where have you gone?"

She shook her head, "that was my first time outside the country but I have gone to many destinations within India. Darjeeling, Dalhousie, Gangtok, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Agra and Delhi are just name of few."

And with me, we will be going on a world tour for sure. He smiled. "Wow, must have been a beautiful experience."

"Ah yes, it was!" She gushed immediately. "Do you know that in Dalhousie is like a whole garden there the butterflies roam free and there like thousands of them there?"

"No," he shook his head continuing to pay attention to whatever she was saying.

"Well, you have to! Never seen such a beautiful place like that and also this horse riding there which I did wish on the first time I went there and I will tell you he cried the whole way there!" She giggled but then deadpanned. "It will all of my pictures and some were great shots."

He snickered unable to hold back any further keeping his hand on his mouth he started to laugh as well. "Sounds relatable."

She waved him off. "Bitch please, it's relatable when you have a sibling. What does the privileged single child like you know?"

He laughed once again. His eyes sparkled as she continued to talk.
Armaan to cover the conversation and told her the most horrifying experiences he had when he visited other countries and she was intrigued by the topic as well.

it was a matter of time before they both had forgotten the awkwardness that they had come in with, especially Alia, and soon blended with each other's vibe.