invisible string ✓

seventeen

• ADVIKA •

“Oh, fuck! A lot in a week for me!” Aarvi exclaimed while I leaned on the bed, my brain playing the incidents that happened in a week on loop. “So… You Belong With Me the song is the key to the door of your universe. Right?” I nodded my head, unable to speak more. “Why not tell everything to Ishaan?”

“What do you mean, everything?” I sat upright, demanding an explanation from her.

“I mean, why not tell him about his real identity, your real identity, and how did you get to know about him for real?” I listened to her explanation as if I didn't know what she meant.

“I get that, bitch!” I groaned and continued, “But… Why tell him?”

“Why not tell him?” She countered my question, emphasizing the word not. “He deserves to know it. You love him, don't you?”

“I do. But—”

“And, you told me that he confessed his love for you. A relationship cannot be built on the foundation of lies. I know that this could be a huge blow to him, but still, he deserves to know this.”

“But… What if he leaves me?” For those who don't know this yet, I'm thick friends with my insecurities, depression, hypertension, stress, awful sleep cycle, trust issues, and my fears.

“Do you think that he would leave you? Seriously, Advika!” She let out an extended groan and added, “Bro, he's a fictional man, for fuck's sake! He's from the rarest breed of men who never leave their ladylove, no matter what. And, I don't think Ishaan would leave you for such a trivial issue like this. In fact, he would ask things like, ‘When are we getting to our universe?’”

“I get it.” I nod my head, thinking back at Aarvi's words.

“In fact, he would ask things like, ‘When are we getting to our universe?’”

I hoped she was right.

***

TWO DAYS LATER…

Harsh:
Hi, sweetheart! Deepti told me that you're back. Why not go on a morning drive at 5? Text me back soon. Love you!

I read this message at four in the morning, my laptop displaying the PDF of King Of Sloth and an insomniac Aarvi by my side.

“What should I do now?” I rolled my eyes and looked at Aarvi, my black orbs beseeching for a solution.

“Why not go to Ishaan now?” Aarvi pointed her chin at me and shot the question my brain had been ignoring for the past two days.

“Why now?”

“One: It will be a good escape from Harsh. I can manage that guy. Two: Maybe, you can reveal things to him in the sake of escaping from your red flag boyfriend. What say, Advika?” She explained while pointing out her index finger and middle finger. “This is your call, Advika. Do it.”

Exhaling through my mouth, I cleared off my mind, focusing on making a decision.

Maybe, Aarvi was right this time.

“Fine,” I exhaled and commanded, “Alexa! Play You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift,” eyeing Aarvi with an anticipating look.

As the song started off with the guitar instrumental, I placed my laptop aside and lied down on the bed.

Anyhow, I would sleep, wouldn't I?

A few seconds after closing my eyes, the sound of the song was replaced by a white noise that resembled those of a strong wind, when I realised that I was entering into Ishaan's universe.

***

THREE HOURS LATER…

Dear Diary,

While a part of me wonders why Advika vanished so mysteriously, a part of me is rotting with the desperation of not confessing my feelings for her.

Why did I even say a bland sentence like, “I didn't lie,” and left midway? Fuck that Tory for ruining our mood with a phone call. Even so, I must have disconnected that call and focused on confessing my love.

I love her so much. Then, why the fuck didn't I tell it to her? She deserves to know this. I know that she has an air of enigma around her. But, then, I love her. I believe that things will go positive, just like both of us wanted.

But, then, why did she leave the place? Didn't she feel okay about my confession? I don't know.

Maybe, I would get the answers to my questions only if I confess it to her.

I

Tears pricked my eyes as I was done reading the page he bookmarked in the journal that was next to him on the bed.

He loved me. And, he was afraid that I would reject him.

Ishaan Ahuja, THE favourite book boyfriend of Bookstagram community, is in love with a mere girl from reality. Deeply. Madly. Crazily.

After waiting for around three hours, I sat upright from the couch next to Ishaan's bed after noticing him move.

As he tilted his head to my side, he jolted and sat upright while groaning, “Advika. When did you come here?”

Ignoring his shirtless body that was flaunting his abs with a swallow, I replied, “I— Just now, Ishaan.”

Holding his head as if it was throbbing out of pain, he groaned, “Well… Could you just wait for a while? I'll be back.”

“Okay,” was all I could manage to say as I suppressed my heart that was leaping through my mouth out of anticipation and anxiety.

After a few minutes, he stepped out of his restroom, concealing his drool-worthy abs with a draped towel and black track pants.

Throwing off the towel, he wore a faded pistachio green shirt as he sat on the edge of the bed and initiated the conversation. “I've been wanting to talk to you. But, then, I was mad at you.” Noticing my eyebrows that met each other out of perplexity, he added, “Why did you leave midway through that night?”

Shit! He asked.

“Well… Uh… Ishaan, I— I'll…”

“And, why didn't you come back for the wedding?”

Before he could bombard me with a series of questions, I raised my voice and asked, “Wait, Ishaan. I've come back only to explain that. It's something very complicated. I know, it will make you claim to be crazy. But… At the end of the day, it is the truth.”

***

Now, before you guys could kill me for my erratic updates, this is a part of a TRIPLE UPDATE for you peeps. Hence, enjoy with the next two chapters as well!