text: Jaanvi had moved to Solnit islands a week ago and the brunch was her first Saturday outing. The café had a long table at the center to enable people to mingle. Jaanvi sat next to a handsome man with blue eyes, soft hair and a toned stomach. As she sat down, he turned towards her and initiated conversation. As she reached the end of her explanation about 16 th century technology with rapt attention from him, something clicked. His hand started contracting and pulsing. His eyes bulged and sprang back, deep into his head. His hair separated from his scalp and flew away, looking not very different from a swarm of birds. His stomach morphed into a blue heart. She shook her head and then all that was left sitting in front of her was a giant, warm, blue heart. “Are you okay? Why did you stop mid-sentence?” he asked. “Are you okay?” was her response. “Of course, what do you mean?” he sounded confused. “Are you sure you’re okay?” “Yes, yes, never mind. I think I have to go.” “Hey. Wait, did something happen? Can I help?” “No, I’ll be okay. Don’t worry. Thanks. Bye.” As she left the café, she looked closer at the pedestrians and breathed a sigh of relief to see normal anatomical parts and proportions. She decided to take a stroll along the lake. There was a beautiful park around the lake. As Jaanvi walked, she noticed a woman with her child. She was reading out of a book with animated voices and gestures. Jaanvi stood there, enjoying the story as much as the child. When the woman noticed Jaanvi, she asked her to join them and offered her a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, which brought a huge smile on her face. As she took a bite and looked up, the woman had somehow transformed into a giant blue heart too. She shrieked and her sandwich fell on the ground. A huge, panting Labrador came along and ate the sandwich before anyone could think of doing anything about it. Jaanvi couldn’t help catching hold of the dog and snuggling with it. The well fed dog happily allowed the cuddles. When Jaanvi let go and opened her eyes to ask the dog where it had come from, she screamed. The dog had also transformed into a big, blue heart. Jaanvi got up and started running away. Once she had gotten far enough, she sat down on a bench and stared into the lake. It was calm. The day was bright. And she could hear a sweet melody which further helped her even her breathing. She could hear the melody come closer. Soon she could hear the words, “She looked like a bright sunny day Her firy red hair, oh how it swayed Her hazel eyes so bright Made me feel warm and light And in love!” And he made eye contact with her. “She was big and soft Blue, oh so blue On this bright sunny day All I want is her smile And that’s what I’m going to do” He sat down on the bench next to her. She smiled at him and asked the million-color question, “Why did you say I was blue?” “Because I fell in love with you!” “What?” “I mean that in the nicest way. No creepiness, no stalking. I’ll walk away right now if you want me to. But you made me feel like sunshine and smiles! And I loved you for that.” “Okay, so whenever you love someone they turn blue?” “Yes, blue pulsing hearts. Have you never fallen in love?” “Of course I have! But I just moved here last week.” “Oh then I’ll let you explore the magic of Solnit islands by yourself. Just keep your eyes and your heart open!” Jaanvi sat on the bench for a long time. She wanted to figure out what the man meant? When exactly do people turn into big blue hearts? And do they turn back? And well, how do you get used to just looking at big blue hearts? This is so stupid. Will she look like an ugly big heart to other people too? Then what is the point of having such good looks that she had spent so much time and money over? And she likes seeing beautiful, aesthetic things, especially faces and bodies. The idea of seeing a big blue heart all the time unnerved her. An obese man with shaggy facial hair sat next to Jaanvi on the bench. He was panting from the strain of the walk. Jaanvi looked away from him. After he had caught his breath, he said, “Thanks for waiting for me to catch my breath. That was mighty kind of you. I’m Harry.” She turned, “I’m Jaanvi, Hi” and turned away again. “Mighty pretty day, isn’t it?” “Yes, yes it is.” Jaanvi did not turn. “Are you waiting for someone?” Loneliness and homesickness were a cocktail that did not sit well in Jaanvi’s stomach. She looked towards her lap and mumbled, “No, I just moved here last week. I’m just out exploring I guess.” “Oh that’s mighty good then! I would love to show you around. Would you let me show you around?” Jaanvi looked him up and down and the said, “Yes, sure, I’d like that.” Both of them got off the bench and Jaanvi said, “Thanks for doing this.” “Oh no, thank you, for helping me see this place with fresh eyes!” Jaanvi rolled her eyes at that, then smiled. “The place I’d like to take you to is a 15 minute walk away. Is that alright?” “I love walking, especially in such nice weather!” “Perfect! I love walking too!” “Oh really?” Harry turned towards her. Jaanvi looked up, “Oh I’m sorry I did not mean it like that. I did not intend for it to come out so snarky. I just saw you panting before. So I Guess I assume dyou did not enjoy something that tires you and hurts you so much. Sorry I assumed.” “Oh there’s no need to apologize. Yes, walking is hard and tiring. But it is so beautiful and I love looking around and talking to companions. So it’s totally worth it. After all, aren’t all worthy things really hard and tiring?” Jaanvi flashed him a big smile and held his hand as they walked. Harry led the way to a library. Jaanvi broke into a giggled as she twirled around, taking it all in. It was like a library from Instagram, complete with pretty motifs, high ceilings and that beautiful feeling of being immersed in books. Jaanvi loved reading fiction. She read a gorgeous illustration on the wall, reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are. She pointed it to Harry and then walked towards the aisle with the latest books. Harry laughed, “I figured you’d love this place!” “I do, I do!” “Is this another marriage in the library?” was overheard and they both blushed. When Jaanvi looked up, she saw a big blue heart where Harry was. Two hours can change so much. They walked out of the library with one book each that they had chosen for the other. Harry said, “Next, may I interest you in a cozy ice cream place that will whip up any flavor you wish for?” “I’d love that!” They walked to the bus stop and chatted as they waited. “Hey hot stuff, why are you with an oaf like him?” Both of them turned towards the voice. “How could you want to be with such an ugly thing? Oh right must be that idiotic blue heart nonsense. But I’m sure you can see me. And my soft golden curls, my very well defined stomach and biceps and look at these dimples!” Jaanvi turned away and tried to ignore him by continuing her conversation with Harry. “As usual. This is so stupid. I wish this thing looked less cheesy but here, it is a bow and arrow. The arrow of bias and the bow of discrimination. And I can burst any blue heart with it. So well, will you give in now and come with me or will you do it after I burst the heart and you see his ugly old self again?” Out of instinct, Jaanvi dragged Harry and went into the library. The man with the bow and arrow followed. “Really, you’re quite stupid for someone who claims to read.” He dragged the arrow on the bow and aimed it at Harry. Jaanvi blocked the arrow with a book and it deflected. He tried again and failed again. “What is happening? These arrows aren’t supposed to be deflected by anything!” An attendant ducked from another aisle, “Librarians are always at your service, and answering questions that Google cannot. Well, the bow and arrow is powered by biases and superficiality. These books of fiction make readers empathetic; they provide people with mirrors to themselves and windows into other worlds. So fiction and empathy win over biases.” And she ducks out. The man pulls another arrow onto the bow, looks at Harry, looks at Jaanvi, and then shakes his head and walks away, putting the arrow back. “Not worth it. Stupid stories, making people feel things. Eww.”