“Check out those metallic trousers!” Ash pointed with his ice cream-covered spoon. “The guy on

the left is pretty hot, huh?”

Fizz’s face heated with a flush. He hoped Ash didn’t notice in the low light. Fizz concentrated on

the TV, on the three men now dancing around each other, and making it look easy. What was it about?

Well, they were obviously young men, dancing in a club. They weren’t gay, were they? No, Fizz

decided. They danced with women. This was obviously a friendship or camaraderie thing, like The

Three Musketeers, perhaps. The song was jovial, bouncy, their voices and strange words were melodic

and rich.

Fizz glanced at Ash. “Um, they’re friends?”

Ash grinned at him. “Yep. And?”

“Maybe...they’re having a good time?”

“Right again. See? You don’t need subtitles.”

The song was over all too quickly, and Ash changed the DVD. He held up two new cases which

looked decidedly like movies a boy would pick. The covers showed motorbikes, and people pointing

guns.

“Now, we can watch this.” Ash waggled the first case. “This is Dhoom. Then we can watch Dhoom

2.” He waved the second case. “Which is really the best film overall, but Dhoom has the most

awesome song in it, and is a good lead to the sequel.”

“Uh...sure,” Fizz agreed. “There aren’t any...horror bits, are there?”

“What do you mean?”

Fizz felt so lame for asking. “I mean, I – I don’t...I can’t watch some stuff.” He winced at himself.

“You mean like, scary or sad?” Ash guessed.

“Yeah, pretty much. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not really into horror myself. Honestly, the only thing that’s scary about these

films is some of the dancing.”

A smile tugged at Fizz’s mouth. “Um...okay.”

Ash started the first DVD. Fizz’s curiosity at watching a different kind of movie managed to keep

most of his nerves at bay. It was so strange; like a normal action movie, but everyone was Indian, and

of course, they weren’t speaking English. The subtitles flashed up, and Fizz found himself reading

along without even thinking about it.

“It’s kinda like a Hindi James Bond,” Ash said, during the opening scene. “You like James Bond?”

Fizz wasn’t used to watching TV and talking at the same time. Especially when he had to read

subtitles. “Um...I saw one Bond film when I was younger, but I didn’t like it.”

“How come?” Ash seemed happy to talk over the movie. Fizz supposed these scenes were mostly

action anyway, with the detectives zipping around on motorbikes in pursuit of a thief.

“Um...I don’t remember which one it was,” Fizz explained. “But Bond’s girlfriend got poisoned

while they slept, and after being sad for like, five minutes, he chose a new girlfriend, just like that.

Forgot about the other girl completely.” Fizz frowned at the TV, trying to blot the memories from his

mind. He didn’t remember how young he’d been when he happened to watch that movie with his

brother. He barely remembered the rest of the movie, just that one scene with the woman dying slowly

from poison.

Horrible.

Ash cleared his throat. “Yeah, well, Bond’s a knob, right? I promise you, no one gets poisoned in

this. There might be a couple of fights, but they’re mostly kinda funny, and I’ll fast forward those bits,

okay?”

Fizz swallowed. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Don’t worry.” Ash smiled at him. “I’ve seen this a gazillion times. I got you covered.”

As the movie unfolded, and Ash pointed things out, making passing comments, Fizz found himself

smiling, and even laughing in places. He was intrigued by the seemingly random phrases of English

peppered throughout the dialogue.

“They say some English words?” he asked.

“Yeah, that’s normal. Especially in modern Bollywood. There’s a lot of British used in the

everyday language.”

“Have you been to India?”

“Only a couple of times,” Ash said. “Most of Dad’s family wouldn’t talk to us because of Mum.

Then she got ill and... Well, we haven’t been over there in years.”

Fizz bit his lip. He felt awful for unwittingly bringing up the subject of Ash’s mother. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Ash looked at him but Fizz couldn’t meet his eyes.

“I don’t mean to keep... I’m so sorry.”

“I know, Fizz.” Ash’s hand found his on the floor and squeezed. It was only a brief moment of

touching, yet it sent a burning flush through Fizz’s body. Ash moved his hand away, but Fizz was still

thinking about that touch long after it had happened.

The movie was over before he realised. Fizz only tuned back in when, true to his word, Ash fast

forwarded through the final fight scene, and the thief’s dramatic yet untimely demise. Fizz was

grateful for not having to sit through it, yet it was so over the top he didn’t mind too much. Ash

promised that Dhoom 2 had a much happier ending, if Fizz wanted to watch it. He looked so hopeful,

that Fizz didn’t want to say no. It was only half past nine, anyway. Ginger and the others would be

occupied until at least one in the morning.

As the sequel started, Ash pointed out the new lead male. “That’s Hrithik Roshan,” he said. “I was

about fifteen when this first came out, and he was my first male crush.”

Fizz felt that same burning sensation under his skin, and in the pit of his stomach. He tried to ignore

it and concentrate on the movie. The lead male was indeed very handsome. In the opening scene, he

was dancing and singing – in English – with a backing cast of men and women. It didn’t make a

whole lot of sense, Fizz thought, but it looked fun.

“What’s the chorus bit?” he asked, wondering at the only Indian words being used.

“Dhoom Machale.”

“What’s it mean?”

Ash chuckled. “Like, pump it up, or have fun.”

Fizz watched the dancers thrust their hips suggestively. “Oh, right.”

“This film has a lot more English in it,” Ash said easily. “Especially the songs. I prefer them in

Hindi, but I guess they want to appeal to the Western market these days.”

Fizz nodded absently, still entranced by the dancing. “You know, this series is pretty popular.

Dhoom 3 is coming out soon.”

“You going to see it?”

“Yeah, for sure!” Ash laughed. “I’ll be dancing in the aisles.”

Fizz smiled at the image that put in his head. “You like dancing?”

“Who doesn’t?”

Me, Fizz thought. Although, after watching the actors dance in these films, he had to admit it

looked fun. He was sure he’d never be able to do it.

Ash cleared away the remaining sweets, and set their plates to one side. He stretched his legs out on

the floor. Fizz watched the action, thinking to himself how long Ash’s legs were. Then he realised

what he was staring, and quickly tore his eyes away.

Fizz shifted his position, hugging his knees to himself. He didn’t usually fidget so much, but

tonight he shuffled and fidgeted more than ever. Ash put him on edge. He worried – hoped – that, at

some point, Ash would touch him again. He was even more worried that Ash wouldn’t want to touch

him.

This so isn’t a good idea, he told himself.

The panicked thoughts rose and fell in his mind, washing in and out. Fizz had never felt so torn in

two. He almost expected the voice to start speaking to him, urge him to stay calm, except he didn’t

hear it.

Fizz realised that he hadn’t heard the voice the entire time he’d been in Ryan’s room, nor felt the

icy tingle on his neck. Maybe that was a good thing, he decided. Another reason to stay where he was.

Halfway through the movie, the door burst open, making them both jump in surprise. Ginger stuck

his head in and fixed them with a look.