Moyurakhkhi's Cigarettes

1 AM

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hi..So, uh, do you have a pen nearby?"

"Yeah," I said, pulling it out from behind my ear. "Why though?"

"Cool. Start writing. I made you a jazz playlist. Careless Whisper first, duh-"

"You know, you could have just texted." I smiled, scribbling it on my palm as I balanced the phone between my shoulder and cheek.

"I hate texting. It's really late though, am I troubling you?"

I yawned. I'd been an early sleeper my whole life, but Sahal had disrupted my sleeping schedule. He tempted me to stay up by telling me the most ridiculous and unrealistic jinn stories.

"You could never. So what's next?"

I could feel him smile.

"Fly Me To The Moon. Sway. Meaningless Kiss. Dance With Me Tonight. Way Back Into Love."

"Hey, I think I've heard the last few. Aren't they from the movie Music & Lyrics?"

"Oh my god, I can't believe you recognised it! I love that movie."

"Holy fuck me too! I love all 2000s romcoms. They're literally all I've been watching and re-watching."

"You're making me feel like watching some again. Maybe we could do a romcom marathon sometime?" he asked, and I agreed. "Okay, then, Dream a Little Dream of Me. Starry Starry Night."

Fizz and I shared music all the time. But it didn't feel so fragile, so sacred.

I knew he was just being a friend, but I couldn't help but wish we were more.

I added all those songs to a playlist. I turned off the lights and ran to bed like there were jinns around. Laying on my side, I pushed in the earphones and finally turned on the music.

So this is what it feels like, when someone special shares a part of themselves with you. Utterly disarmed. The creases in your forehead melting, a smile from cheek to cheek, the tips of your fingers tingling.

And the warmth spreading across your chest like wildfire.

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moyurakhkhi's playlist

title: dummy