"Helllooo!" Ishaani slurred in a playful tone.
"Ishaani, are you drunk?" the person on the call asked.
"Sorry... su kai che? Kai... sambhraatu nathi (sorry...what are you saying? I can't... hear anything)," Ishaani mumbled, her words wobbling along with her steps.
Unable to make out the conversation because of the loudspeaker, she stumbled toward the beach, away from the noisy party area.
"What is this, Ishaani? Do you even know how stressed I was? And where are you? Who was that guy who picked up your phone?"
"Haa... haa...!" she giggled, dragging her words.
"Why are you laughing?"
"’Cause... ’cause... I dunno... which question... to answer firssst... ha ha!" she said, breaking into a tipsy laugh that made her hiccup.
Realizing Ishaani was too drunk to think straight, the caller softened his tone.
"It’s all right. Ok, just tell me, where are you?"
"Uhh... a paaarty... big paaarty..."
"And who are you with?"
"Mrs. Singhaaaania's son... and his... his frensh."
"Then why did you drink so much when you don’t even know them well?"
"😭😭😭 You’re... you’re shcolding meee again! 😭😭" she cried, her emotions spiraling.
"Okay, okay, sorry. Just tell me—does bhai know who you’re with?"
"Of coursssse! Bhai... he... he helped meee get all... pretty-pretty!"
"Ishaani... Ishaani..." Suddenly, she heard Aahan calling her name in the distance.
"Uhhh, I... I gotta go now. Don’t... don’t ever call me againnn. Byeee!" she said, hanging up abruptly, almost dropping her phone in the sand.
She swayed on her feet, blinking slowly. "I... I can hear Aahan’s voice, but... but... why can’t I see him? Is... is something wrong with my eyes?" She blinked again, trying to focus, and after a moment, her face lit up.
"Yesss! I can see him now! I can see him! There’s nothing wrong with my eyes... he’s right there!" She giggled, stumbling slightly as she tried to walk toward him.
Aahan stood in front of her, his calm expression masking the concern in his eyes. "Come with me," he said gently.
"Nooo, I don’t wanna," Ishaani pouted, swaying side to side.
"Why not?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"’Cause... ‘cause... I like this place, it’s so... so nice here!" she said, waving her arms around as if showing him the world. "I wanna stay, I wanna stay here forever... I don’t wanna go..."
Aahan sighed, watching her wobble and slur her words. "Okay, okay, don’t cry. We can stay here a little longer," he said softly, trying to calm her.
Ishaani’s face lit up with a dramatic gasp. "Really? Really? Yaaay!" She giggled uncontrollably and looked around the beach. "I love this place, Aahan. I love it sooo much!" She spun in circles, her arms outstretched, nearly tripping over her feet.
Aahan shook his head with a small smile and moved closer to steady her. "Alright, let’s stay for a bit. But you have to be careful, okay?"
"I’m... I’m fine!" she giggled, swaying as she pointed at the waves. "Just... just let me enjoy the beach. Look! It’s soooo pretty, Aahan!"
As the initial excitement wore off, Ishaani plopped down on the sand with a heavy sigh.
"My legs... they’re, like, hurting soooo much," she complained, wiggling her feet and clumsily pulling off her shoes. "Come sit... sit here with me," she said, patting the sand beside her.
Aahan hesitated. "No, I’m good," he replied, standing a few steps away.
After a moment, he noticed Ishaani staring at the waves, her playful demeanor replaced by quiet introspection.
He began pacing nearby but stopped when he heard her singing softly. Curious, he sat down a short distance away to listen.
"I'm screamin' at a God I don't know if I believe in
'Cause I don't know what else I can do
I'm still holdin' on to everything that's dead and gone
I don't wanna say goodbye, 'cause this one means forever
And now you're in the stars, and six-feet's never felt so far..."
Her voice, though slightly shaky, was full of emotion, and Aahan was struck by the depth of sadness hidden beneath her drunk laughter.
As she continued to sing, Ishaani rested her head on his shoulder.
"For a million different reasons
You took the best of my heart
And left the rest in pieces..."
Her voice trailed off, and a heavy silence followed. Aahan glanced at her and saw tears slipping down her cheeks as she drifted into a quiet sleep.
"Ishaani..." he called softly, but she didn’t stir.
With a sigh, Aahan gently lifted her and carried her toward the parking area. Before leaving, he texted Aamna, asking her to drop Ani home.
He carefully placed Ishaani in the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt. As he leaned over, he paused, taking in her peaceful expression.
In that moment, he thought to himself, There’s so much pain hidden behind your laughter, Ishaani. I won’t promise to fix it all, but I’ll stay by your side.
He adjusted his seatbelt and started the car, the quiet hum of the engine blending with the stillness of the night.
As they drove, Aahan couldn’t help but glance at her again. For the first time, he felt a quiet resolve forming within him. Whatever Ishaani was going through, he was determined to be there for her.
YOU ARE READING
Only Mine
Genel KurguThis story is about Aahan , a simple and good hearted boy who was very clear about his life goals. But what happens when a completely opposite girl enters his life ? Will they come together or fall apart? To know the answers do read this book . ONLY...
