𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ( 𝐘𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐯𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥 )

3

A few months ago
Naman Awards, Hyderabad

The grand hall of the Naman Awards was alive with a dazzling mix of chatter and laughter. Yashasvi Jaiswal stood near the back, feeling slightly out of place amidst the glamorous crowd. Social events weren't really his thing, but he had made a rare exception tonight. He glanced around, noting the famous faces, but his mind was elsewhere. He was waiting for Dhruv, trying to stay out of the limelight.

Lost in his thoughts, Yashasvi didn't notice another young cricketer approaching until it was too late. The next thing he knew, something cold splashed against his chest, and he looked down to see his suit drenched in a sticky mocktail. His eyes snapped up to meet Jemimah Rodrigues's wide-eyed.

"Oh my God", she exclaimed, her voice full of genuine remorse.

Yashasvi felt a surge of irritation but also something else—a strange, electric anger he couldn't quite place. His introverted nature hitting a pause and strange boldness taking over him. He managed a tight smile. "Well, that's one way to make an entrance," he muttered under his breath, sarcasm dripping from his words.

Jemimah overheard, far from wilting under his gaze, smirked back. "Not the kind I was aiming for, but at least you're not invisible anymore."

Yashasvi's eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued by her boldness. He leaned in a bit, his voice lowering to avoid attracting attention. "Is this how you usually get a guy's attention? By throwing drinks at them?"

Jemimah's cheeks flushed, but she stood her ground. "Only when they're blocking my way and looking all broody with a 'SaduShakal'."

Sadu Shakal? He almost chuckled at that. "Sadushakal? That's a new one. You know, most people just say 'tall, dark, and handsome.'"

She rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Handsome? More like 'tall, annoying and sadu.' What were you doing, standing there like a statue?"

He couldn't help the smirk tugging at his lips. She was feisty, and that just seemed to be getting on his usually calm nerves. "Just enjoying the view. Not every day you get to see a walking hurricane up close."

Jemimah stepped closer, the scent of her perfume mixing with the sweet mocktail. Her voice dropped to a teasing whisper. "Hurricane? You should be thanking me for shaking up your boring evening."

Yashasvi's gaze drifted to her lips for a split second before meeting her eyes again, his voice huskier than he'd intended. "Is that what you call this? Shaking things up? I thought you were just a walking disaster."

Jemimah bit her lip, clearly trying not to laugh. "Disaster? Please, you looked like you needed a little chaos in your life. Besides, I don’t see you moving away."

He leaned in just a fraction, his voice almost a purr. "Maybe I'm just curious to see what you'll do next. You know, after nearly drenching me."

Jemimah's eyes flashed with a mix of defiance and something deeper. She raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you should try dodging next time. Or are you just too slow? I wonder if you can play cricket properly"