𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 - shubman gill ✓

five

Saumya glanced at her wrist watch and the clock hands showed 11: 20 p.m. A small yawn escaped from her mouth before she covered it with the back of her hand. She then pulled out her phone to simply scroll when she saw Shubman make his way towards her. They then decided to head back to their rooms and Shubman insisted on walking her back to her room.

As they made their way through the crowd of teammates and officials, Shubman instinctively placed a gentle hand on Saumya's lower back, guiding her through the crowd with a subtle touch. The warmth of his hand against her bare skin sent a shiver down her spine, and she smiled up at him, a silent acknowledgment of their growing bond.

"Quite the night, huh?" Shubman remarked, his voice barely audible over the sound of the crowd. Saumya nodded with amusement. "Definitely. Who knew farewell dinners could be this lively?"

"It's all about the company," Shubman replied, flashing her a grin. Saumya chuckled rolling her eyes, leaning slightly into his touch as they reached the elevator bank. The doors opened with a soft ding, and they stepped inside, the space suddenly feeling more intimate as they were enveloped in silence.

As the elevator began its ascent, Saumya glanced up at Shubman, her gaze lingering on his chiseled features. "Thanks for tonight, Shubman. It was fun."

Shubman met her gaze, his expression softening. "Anytime, Saumya. I had a great time too."

The elevator slowed to a stop, and the doors slid open, revealing the corridor to her room. As they reached Saumya's room, Shubman leaned against the doorframe, his posture relaxed but his gaze intent on her. "Well, here we are," he said, a hint of reluctance in his voice.

Saumya chuckled softly, a playful glint in her eyes. "Thanks for the escort, Shubman. I appreciate it."

"Anytime," he replied, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "And hey, maybe we can do this again sometime. Not necessarily a fancy dinner, but, you know, hanging out."

Saumya nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, I'd like that." As they exchanged numbers, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. "Alright then," Shubman said, straightening up slightly. "I should probably let you get some rest. Goodnight, Saumya."

"Goodnight, Shubman," she replied, her tone warm and genuine.

With one final smile, Shubman turned to leave, his blazer casually swung over his elbow. As he made his way back to his room, he couldn't shake the grin from his face, feeling lighter and more hopeful than he had in a long time. However, upon entering his room, he was greeted by the sight of Ishan, Virat, Shreyas, KL Rahul, and Hardik lounging around, each wearing mischievous grins.

"Well, well, well, look who's back," Ishan said, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Shubman.

Shubman's cheeks flushed slightly as he rolled his eyes, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, guys."  Virat chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "So, how was your little adventure with Saumya?"

Shubman couldn't help but smirk at the teasing tone in Virat's voice. "It was fine. We just walked back to her room, that's all." Shreyas raised an eyebrow, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Just walked her back, huh? Sounds like the start of something special."

Hardik let out a laugh, nudging Shubman playfully. "Come on, spill the beans. Did you at least get her number?" Shubman's cheeks flushed even more as he pulled out his phone to show them Saumya's contact details. "Alright, fine, I got her number. But it's not like that!"Ishan smirked, shaking his head. "Sure, sure, buddy. Whatever you say."
Amidst the laughter and banter, KL Rahul leaned forward with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So, Shubman, tell us the truth. Were you just dying to hold her hand the whole time? I mean, you did have your chance while guiding her through the crowd."

Shubman shot him a mock glare, his lips quirking into a smirk. "Actually, KL, my hand was on her back, not hers in mine. I was being a gentleman and making sure she didn't get lost in the sea of people."

Ishan snickered, nudging Virat with his elbow. "Oh, look at Mr. Chivalrous over here." Virat chuckled, nodding in approval. "Well played, Shubman. Always keeping it classy." 

Shreyas grinned, adding fuel to the fire. "But admit it, Shubman, there was a moment where you thought about it, right? Holding her hand, stealing a glance..."

Shubman rolled his eyes, unable to suppress his own laughter. "I plead the fifth."

Hardik, chimed in with a grin. "Come on, Shubman, spill the beans. We won't judge."

Shubman shook his head, a fond smile tugging at his lips. "You guys are relentless. But for the record, Saumya and I are just friends. Nothing more, nothing less." KL Rahul raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "For now, at least."

The room was filled with laughter as Shubman's teammates continued their good-natured teasing. Virat, always the instigator, leaned forward with a grin. "Come on, Shubman, don't be shy. We're just having a bit of fun."

Shubman rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Alright, fine. Maybe I enjoyed walking her back a little too much. But can you blame me? Saumya's pretty cool."

Ishan chuckled, nudging Shubman with his elbow. "Oh, so now she's 'pretty cool,' huh? I thought she was the devil incarnate."

Shubman shot Ishan a playful glare. "Alright, maybe I was a bit harsh before. But hey, I'm trying to make amends here."

KL Rahul chimed in, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Well, it's about time. We were starting to think you had a permanent grudge against her."

Shubman sighed dramatically, leaning back in his chair. "Look, I'll admit it. Saumya's not as bad as I made her out to be. Maybe she's even... kinda nice."

The room erupted in laughter at Shubman's admission, and even he couldn't help but join in. It felt good to let go of the tension that had been lingering between him and Saumya, and he was grateful for his teammates' support.

Hardik raised an eyebrow suggestively. "So, when's the wedding?" Shubman scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Oh please, Hardik. We're just friends."

Virat smirked, shaking his head. "Sure, just friends. We'll see about that." 

The night wore on with the sounds of camaraderie and laughter echoing through the room. As the banter settled into more casual conversation, Shubman's mind wandered back to his walk with Saumya.He couldn't shake the feeling of warmth that had settled over him as they had shared an easy conversation on their way to her room. Despite their past differences, there was something undeniably comfortable about being in her presence. Lost in thought, Shubman barely noticed as Ishan nudged him with a smirk. "Hey, earth to Shubman. You seem awfully quiet over there. Thinking about someone special?"

Shubman's cheeks flushed slightly as he tore his gaze away from his phone. "N-no, just... zoning out, I guess."

Hardik raised an eyebrow, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Come on, Shubman, don't try to play it cool. We all saw the way you were smiling earlier. You're totally smitten, aren't you?"

Shubman's protests were drowned out by the chorus of laughter from his teammates. He couldn't deny the flutter of excitement in his chest at the thought of spending more time with Saumya, but he wasn't about to admit it out loud.

Virat clapped a hand on Shubman's shoulder, his tone surprisingly earnest. "Hey, we're just teasing, buddy. But seriously, it's good to see you getting along with Saumya. She's a great player, and it's about time you two buried the hatchet."

Shubman nodded, a grateful smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, it feels good to move past all the tension. And who knows? Maybe Saumya and I can actually become friends."

The sentiment was met with nods of agreement from his teammates, and for the first time in a long while, Shubman felt a sense of ease settling over him. With Saumya's number safely stored in his phone, he couldn't wait to see where their newfound friendship would take them.

With a smile on his face and a newfound sense of optimism in his heart, Shubman bid his teammates goodnight and retreated to his bed, his mind buzzing with thoughts of Saumya and the adventures that lay ahead.