Whispers of the heart

05

ARIA

Me, Ruhaan, and Siddharth were in the car, heading to go pick up the mexican food we ordered because of Sid and his complaints. Siddharth, known for his daredevil driving, was at the wheel. I was in the passenger seat, my fingers tightly gripping the door handle, while Ruhaan was in the backseat, engrossed in his phone.

"Siddharth, you're driving like we're in a F1 race," I complained, as Siddharth swerved around a corner, a little too sharply.

"I'm just adding a bit of thrill to the ride," he retorted with a grin, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel in rhythm with the blasting radio.

Our light-hearted banter quickly escalated into a full-blown argument about Siddharth's driving skills.

"Siddharth, just because your car has a sports mode doesn't mean you have to use it," I argued, my voice raising a notch.

"Are you kidding, Aria? That's like having a superpower and choosing not to use it," he fired back, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

He nudged the accelerator a bit more, the car speeding up. Caught up in our banter, Siddharth missed a turning signal and began to veer into the oncoming traffic lane.

"Siddharth, wrong lane!" Ruhaan pointed out, his calm voice a stark contrast to the sudden panic in the car.

With a quick reaction, Siddharth swerved back into their lane, narrowly avoiding a collision.

"Oops, my bad," he said, his grin replaced by a sheepish expression.

"Guess I got too carried away ." I let out a sigh of relief, still gripping the door handle.

"Sid, you nearly gave me a heart attack! Can you please drive safely?" he laughed, his usual playful demeanor returning.

"You got it, Aria. No more Formula 1 driving."

In the rearview mirror, I caught Ruhaan's eye and gave a small nod of gratitude. Ruhaan returned the gesture with a grin, a silent acknowledgment of the shared adrenaline rush.

After narrowly escaping a collision and a heart attack, courtesy of Sid's 'thrilling' driving, we finally arrived at the restaurant. We picked up the ordered food and headed back home. Once we reached, we set the food on the dining table, the aroma of Chinese and Mexican food filling the room.

Rohan was the first one to dive in, his love for food evident as he loaded his plate with a bit of everything. Ruhaan followed suit, while Siddarth and I had a mini food fight about who was going to get the last dumpling.

"I saw it first, Aria," Siddharth protested, attempting to snatch the dumpling with his chopsticks.

"Well, I reached for it first," I retorted, successfully grabbing the dumpling before he could.

Amidst our squabble, Rohan chimed in, "You guys do realize there's another box of dumplings, right?"

He pointed to the untouched box of dumplings, causing me and Siddharth to exchange embarrassed glances. The rest of the dinner was filled with laughter and light-hearted banter. We reminisced about our school days, our most embarrassing moments, and all sorts of hilarious misadventures. Ruhaan's retelling of the time Siddharth accidentally dyed his hair pink had us all dying of laughter.

After we finished cleaning up, Sid suggested, "How about we get some ice cream?" His eyes were already sparkling at the mere thought of dessert.

"Sounds like a plan," Ruhaan agreed, rising from his chair. Rohan, Anya, and I nodded in agreement, and we all bundled up to brave the chilly night air.

As we walked towards the local ice cream parlor, Sid and Rohan began a heated debate about which ice cream flavor was superior.

"Chocolate is the ultimate flavor, hands down," Sid argued, while Rohan countered, "Vanilla is a classic for a reason, Siddharth."

I chuckled at their antics along with Anya, while Ruhaan, who was walking next to us, grinned.

"Looks like we're in the middle of the great ice cream flavor war," he commented.

Once at the parlor, Siddharth and Rohan continued their argument, each ordering their respective favorite flavors. I decided on strawberry, while Anya chose chocolate chip.

Ruhaan, ordered a scoop of each flavor, joking, "Now everyone's happy."

As we walked back, I found myself walking alongside Ruhaan, slightly apart from the rest. I was struggling to balance my ice cream cone and accidentally bumped into Ruhaan, causing a dollop of ice cream to land on his shoe.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, mortified.

Ruhaan looked down at his ice cream-splattered shoe and then back at me, trying to suppress a laugh.

"Well, I guess my shoe needed some dessert too," he joked, making me laugh. His lighthearted reaction diffused my embarrassment and I couldn't help but join in the laughter.

Ruhaan smoothly reached into his back pocket, pulling out a tissue. He wiped the pink smudge off his shoe with a carefree shrug,

"No harm done," he said, his words dismissing the incident as insignificant. It was a brief, shared moment that added a touch of humor to an otherwise regular evening.

The pink blot of ice cream had somehow turned an awkward incident into a fun memory. The night ended on a high note, with all of us promising to have more impromptu dinners and ice cream runs. The simple joy of being together made everything else worth it.

ANYA

As everyone left, the previously lively room was now filled with a comforting silence. Aria and I retreated to our respective rooms, the events of the day leaving us both exhausted. As I crawled into my bed, my thoughts inevitably drifted towards Ishaan. His absence tonight had been palpable, the memories we shared a stark reminder of the void he had left.

Unable to sleep, I found myself aimlessly scrolling through my phone. Eventually, my fingers hesitated above a particular album, hidden away from prying eyes. It was an album full of photos of me and Ishaan, a compilation of moments captured and frozen in time.

Gathering my resolve, I clicked on the album. A wave of nostalgia washed over me as the photos loaded. There we were, smirking at the camera, our eyes twinkling with mischief. A snapshot of us at a party, both looking slightly tipsy. Another one at the beach, the setting sun creating a picturesque backdrop. Each photo was a memory, a testament to the bond we once shared.

As I scrolled through the pictures, each image brought back a flood of memories. I could almost hear Ishaan's laughter, feel his warmth around me, and see the sparkle of joy in his eyes. I traced the outline of his face on the screen, my heart aching with a mix of sadness and an unwanted yearning.

Reminding myself that these were just memories, that I wasn't supposed to miss him this way, I quickly closed the album, set the phone aside, and lay back down. The memories had stirred emotions I had been trying to keep at bay, and I knew sleep would continue to evade me for a while longer. I stared up at the ceiling, my thoughts whirling in a chaotic dance.

The silence of the night was only broken by the steady ticking of the clock and the occasional hoot of an owl. Although I had successfully put an end to my trip down memory lane, my mind refused to let go of Ishaan. His face remained etched in my mind, his laughter echoed in my ears, and his words replayed in my thoughts. The more I tried to push him away, the more vividly he appeared in my mind.

As I lay there in the silence of the night, I found myself wondering how Ishaan was doing, what he might be up to at that very moment, and if he ever thought of me, if he ever missed me.

____

next chapter has a little surprise!