23. Aaryan

"What did Dr. Sarah say to you?" Aaryan asked as the two of them were walking back to their homes "Nothing" Mary sounded like she was lying "Tell me, tell me" He asked hopping on his feet "It's a secret" Mary sealed her lips with a pinch "It's not like she was telling you her life stories" He said casually but Mary nodded as if it was a yes "Really?" Aaryan laughed. "Not gonna tell you" Mary started to walk a little faster than him. "Come on, tell me," Aaryan ran, wrapping a hand around her neck. He felt something, a halt in his feelings as if he shouldn't be doing what he was doing. This strange thing happened in the morning, when he hugged Mary and now it came to him again. "Not gonna tell you," Mary repeated. Aaryan moved a large step forward, removed his hand, and stopped in front of her. "Okay," he said, turned back, and continued stepping. Mary walked silently behind him and didn't say anything. She appeared to be in deep thinking and Aaryan didn't disturb her this time.

After a moment, he stopped, turned to a side, and sighed for no visible reason now. "Amy, if you want to ask something, just come and ask," Said Aaryan in an annoyed tone, and after a second, Amara uncovered herself from the bush along the road. Mary looked stunned when she saw her coming. She looked at Aaryan in surprise and then again at Amara. "How did you know?" Mary asked, amazed. "It's no talent, Diamond. She has been eavesdropping since we were in school" Amara snorted as if her brother was lying "This road leads to my home too, Ryan," She said rolling her eyes at him

"Yeah, the road, not the trees and bushes," Aaryan teased by stretching her chubby cheek, so hard that it even hurt his pinch "Ryan! I told you to stop doing this!" Amara wailed in pain, rubbing her red cheeks. "I told you to stop too, Amy," He replied, laughing, and Mary was silently smiling at the siblings.

After a moment Amara looked at her and asked "How are you feeling now, Mary?" Her smile was lost "I am feeling–"

"Amazing," said Aaryan, completing her words, teasing her too, but Mary nodded in reply. Aaryan didn't want Mary to think about that night. He couldn't help her get away from Matthew, but at least Aaryan could do something to stop her from thinking about it, so he chose to irritate his sister. "You haven't told me, why were you following us?" Aaryan snatched Amara's bag from behind and hurled her back "Ryan!" Amara yelled again "What?" his hands flew in the air, showing he did absolutely nothing. She hissed in anger and said no word, but Mary was laughing again. "I asked you something." Aaryan was not stopping, and so was her irritation. "I was not following you, okay? I was just thirsty and needed your water bottle" She said lifting her empty bottle in the air "I got nothing" he said, repeating her action and Amara frowned "Then I guess I would have to run home" She said and was about to take her flight when Mary stopped her at the starting point "I got some" She said moving the water bottle to her. Amara nodded, smiled "Thank you, Mary," she said and then she sat on her legs. Mary looked at Aaryan weirdly as if she was asking what the hell is she doing. Aaryan didn't reply to her eyes. Amara took exactly three sips from the bottle and returned it to Mary with a

thank you

again "What did you just do? Why did you sit on the road?" Asked Mary with the same weird look. "I was just following the right way to drink water. You are supposed to sit down as it's a more relaxed and controlled posture, aiding in proper digestion and absorption of water. Then you have to look in the water, it will let you notice any impurities and lastly drink in three sips as taking water in separate sips helps to hydrate the body more effectively" Amara explained, Aaryan knew she left two but he kind of gets what she was trying to do in here "How come I never heard of it before?" Mary asked. "Well, the news doesn't show much about Islam unless a Muslim is involved in a terrorist attack or some sort of robbery." She said casually, "What?" Mary got no word from whatever Amara just said "It's the Islamic way of drinking water and don't worry if you need proof about its authenticity then the explanation I just gave you was all science"

"Oh" Mary just said that in reply but her face seemed to be interested in the talk

When in the morning Aaryan left the book 'The Quran and Modern Science: Compatible or Incompatible?' over the table, he knew that the first thing, he would do after coming home was to finish it and start reading it again but something just made him lose interest in that book.

When he entered his room, he just stood in front of his closet and started to find his best dress in existence, which was a little too hard as the entire closet was filled with clothes. There were so many to decide from. In the end, he just grabbed a black jeans and a gray sweatshirt.

On his journey to making Mary happy by doing small things, it was his first step. If he can't take the ache away he can at least replace it with a little happiness.

After getting dressed, Aaryan took the car and drove to her house; ten feet away. Along with the Beep, he shouted "Diamond!" from the outside, and after a moment, Mary appeared, and he was lost. She was wearing an extremely beautiful aqua blue dress, just similar to the color of her extremely beautiful eyes, with no hoodie or mask because it was all covered from makeup. Her dark hair with silver lining was hanging free all around her. Aaryan was still not present mentally when she knocked at the door. "Hey," she called. He zoned in a minute later and then opened the door for her. "Where are we going?" was the first question she asked this stunned Aaryan. "You do know that you are looking extremely beautiful, and I can not take my eyes off you?" He asked genuinely. "Well, I suppose,

like an angel."

Aaryan laughed out loud at her words, but all she was saying was the truth. "Of course, like an angel," he said, totally agreeing with her.

He remembered nothing about them being on a date or something because all Aaryan wanted to do was to look at her "Are we going?" Mary asked him, giggling as he didn't even start the car and was just glancing. "Okay- yea-yeah, I mean, of course," he breathed deeply. "Let's go," and then Aaryan finally started the engine. "But where are we going?" She asked again and this time he replied "Not gonna tell you" and laughed while Mary didn't, she moved her face to the other side

Aaryan stopped the car in front of a concert hall. "Where are we?" Asked Mary. "Music festival." he went out of the car, and so did she. "What? I mean why?"

"The Beach Boys music festival," Aaryan explained, and Mary appeared to be in an amazed shock. "What?" Her jaws dropped, and she covered them with a hand. "Let's go." Holding her hand, they went in, and Mary never stopped looking at him.

It was a room filled with thrashing lights, in the center, there was a large stage while people were gathered all around it, bouncing their heads on the nodes of music. Aaryan took her to the front row, and in no time, the host came announcing, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to The Beach Boys music festival. Today, we gathered in the heart of Hawthorne, a city that not only shaped the sound of The Beach Boys but also holds a special place in their journey. So, here's to The Beach Boys and the enduring connection between their music and this beloved city. Sadly, they can not join us, but no time for the sad talks today. So let's dive into their music and give tribute to Hawthorne's favorite sons through the glorious voices"

Till the time the welcome speech ended, Mary was jumping on her feet in excitement. The first song to play was 'Surfin USA'.

Mary even forgot the Aaryan standing beside her and she was shouting the song as loud as she could. She looked so happy. She moved her face towards him and screamed a couple of lines at his face, and Aaryan was just laughing. He was feeling happy, but it was only for her. Not because of where he was or for the songs. A place filled with memories of his favorite band and the music he loved with his life Aaryan was feeling hollow.

Music was his home and he was homeless in his home.

His heart was in trouble. He could not breathe, the music was suffocating, and he wanted to block it from reaching his ear, but Aaryan was aware that he loved this music and this song was one of his favorites

But then what happened to him? Aaryan did not want to listen to it. He didn't know what it was or when this would all end. There was guilt in his heart.

All he wanted to do was to run from this place and hide somewhere where no one could see him and where he could feel safe. He was standing all numb in a room where every face was glowing with happiness. He was feeling out of place. When Mary held his hand, he felt it like a bolt. Aaryan didn't want to hold her, but she was his girlfriend, and Aaryan was deeply in love with her. He loved her but he didn't want it all to be happening this way.

The room was all revolving around him while he stayed glued to his place. He wanted to run away from music and he was unaware of the reason or the change happening to him