"Man, are we too early or what?" Aaron stood against the wall in his black cargo pants, hoodie and small backpack, tapping his leg anxiously.
"Chill bhai, they will be coming any minute, just chill out." Ishaan tried to calm his brother down, adjusting his sweatshirt and suspenders.
As they waited anxiously by the clock tower, a familiar voice came from a distance.
"Ahhh!! It seems someone was missing me a bit too much that they came early, huh?" Estella walked towards them in her floral sundress and denim jacket, her tone dripping sarcasm.
"Ah, you wish. I thought you girls might end up in trouble again, so we came early," Ishaan replied.
"Ohh, dear, it seems we have a gentleman among us." Isabella followed behind Estella with a quiet giggle.
She wore a simple cream linen top tucked into wide-leg beige pants, with a light tote bag on her shoulder. Nothing loud, nothing that asked for attention — and yet Aaron found himself looking anyway.
"So, shall we begin?" Isabella asked, as if she had noticed.
As soon as the tour began, Ishaan and Estella were already jumping from one stall to another — seeing, buying, or just talking to strangers as if they were all familiar acquaintances.
Aaron and Isabella followed behind at a slow pace. Isabella was more curious about Aaron, who was both extremely observant and yet looked as though he was taking in beautiful scenery, his hands occasionally twitching.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Isabella asked.
Aaron nodded. "Ya, it's actually much better early in the morning. With the crowd being less, you really can see a lot more." His voice was filled with quiet excitement. "Anyways, thanks for all this."
"For what?"
"For being our tour guide. I bet you guys must be busy with all these festivities and would have loved to enjoy your days off." Aaron was trying to be considerate.
"Ohh… don't mind it, actually. It is just our way of showing appreciation and well…" her voice dropped, "it might as well be the last."
"Ahmm… sorry, what was that?"
"Ohhh, nothing. Was just saying it would be better for you guys to roam around randomly anyway."
"You have a point, honestly. I can see it — Ishaan pulling me out randomly, us getting lost, maybe finding some damsel in distress again." Aaron's face showed quiet contemplation.
Isabella giggled softly — the kind of giggle that felt natural and comfortable. "Hey, where do you think you are? In a fantasy novel?"
From a distance, Estella noticed.
"It seems we aren't the only ones enjoying ourselves. Don't you think?" she asked Ishaan, who was busy negotiating for mutton skewers.
"Ya, honestly, I'm happy and a little surprised at how comfortable your sister got with him," Ishaan said, his expression gentle — nothing like his usual noise.
"Why is that?" Estella asked.
"Well, he's faced his fair share of difficulties. Made him withdraw. So I'm relieved he can find someone's company soothing," Ishaan said quietly.
Estella watched them for a moment, then pulled Ishaan by his arm. "Well, if they're enjoying themselves, we can't let them beat us, can we?"
"Couldn't agree more."
As Estella and Ishaan disappeared into the morning crowd, Aaron and Isabella sat on the opposite side of the street. Aaron began to draw. Isabella watched.
"You're quite the artist. I'm curious — why did you pick up drawing? Was it just a hobby?" she asked.
"Well, yes and no. It's a hobby, but mostly my way of expressing myself," Aaron replied calmly, eyes on the page.
"What do you mean?"
"To put it simply, I'm not very good at expressing myself. I tend to get pushed around. People take advantage of that. It got to the point where I was suffering from emotional breakdowns." He paused for a brief moment.
"That's when you took up sketching?" Isabella asked.
"Ya. See, people either had untold expectations of me or just wanted to use me. Ishaan told me one day — I was helping him with science diagrams — that I draw well and could use it to express myself."
"Why graphite, though?"
"Well… if I had to put it into words, colours are like a layer worn by the world that hides its true beauty. But a pencil sketch shows the parts that get suppressed by the colours. So I guess that's why."
"I see."
Isabella went quiet. She didn't say anything for a moment. Just looked at the sketch.
Aaron snapped back. "I'm sorry. I tend to ramble when people bring this up—"
"You know, I envy you a bit." Isabella cut him off.
"I've also lived under expectations. Been pushed around. I just wish I had a way to show my true feelings the way you do. I just wish someday someone could see me for who I am." Her expression was unfamiliar to Aaron — sad and calm at once, worn by someone who has carried pressure they never speak about.
"HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY, YOU OLD GEEZERS, COME HERE BEFORE WE FINISH THESE MUTTON SKEWERS!" Ishaan screamed from across the street.
"They seem energetic as ever." Isabella stood up. "Let's go before they eat our portion too." She said it with a smile, but the sadness was still there.
"Ya, let's go. But I hope someday you find the things you want too." Aaron said it gently.
Isabella had already started walking toward Ishaan and Estella — but there was a small smile on her face, quiet and unhidden.