First Ishq

Chapter 11 [A Shopping Date p.t. 1]

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|Ansh's POV|

"I drove my mother's car here. Hop in." Kishor grinned as he walked to the Suzuki Swift parked in front of my house.

"I don't want to die yet." I said jokingly which earned me a soft laugh from her.

I remember his glowing face when he showed it to me for the first time 2 months ago. It was meant to celebrate his 10 years of freedom. Freedom from what or... from whom, he never explained and I too didn't press him to explain what it meant.

Well... the phrase, 10 years of freedom, was never meant to be spoken aloud – Kishor's expression screamed this when he let it slip off his tongue.

"I am not that bad of a driver." He bellowed before hopping into the driver's seat. I musingly hopped in the front seat and Ishika – shit, even thinking of her name is making my heart pace, stop! – sat in the backseat.

But soon, silence filled in the car except for the noise of other vehicles passing by.

"I am Ishika." She spoke in her sweet flowing voice, breaking the silence.

I looked at her through the rear view mirror to find her already looking at me.

"And you are...?" she questioned as she maintained the eye contact.

Once again, I froze from her eye contact.

"Ansh", the third wheel- I mean Kishor said.

"Oh, Ansh bha-"

"No!" I cut in before she said the whole word. "Just Ansh. Don't add any titles."

"But she was just calling you-"

"I know. 'Bhaiya'...but she's just one year younger than me. These formalities don't matter." (bhaiya is a hindi word for older brother.)

"Why so? She calls me bhaiya then obviously she'll call you too", Kishor stated, glancing at me before looking back at the road, suspicion screaming through his voice.

I turned towards him and lied, "Hatt. There's no such rule. Moreover... I feel too older when someone near my age calls me that."

To hell with bhaiya. I have zero intention of being her 'bhaiya'.

"What bullshit. You are older than her", he raised his voice slightly.

"So? That does NOT mean she has to call me bha-", I was about to complete my sentence but she cut in between, "STOOPPP. Are you guys children? Are you dumb? Where's your stupid maturity! Fighting over whether I'll call someone bhaiya or not. Go, I won't call him bhaiya."

'Yes, I won. Heck, I won't be her bhaiya ever... or not in this lifetime at least.' I spoke in my mind at this little victory.

'You do know she called you dumb, stupid and immature, right?', my mind opened his foul mouth again.

'That's love, little boy. You won't understand'. I refuse to let it ruin the moment.

'Hah! Second stage of destruction of one's sanity', it commented and disappeared.

Kishor's cheeks tinted red and I could see fumes coming out of his ears and nose. And once again, silence filled in the car.

"So... when's your birthday?" she asked another question some while later.

I turned slightly to face her – while trying hard to maintain a straight face – and questioned, "Why?"

"How do I know you are one year older than me?" she countered amusingly.