YOU NEVER WALK ALONE

24-Adoption?

AUTHOR'S POV-

During the drive back home, Sarakshi found herself stealing glances at Rashvik as he happily drove. She felt a strange sensation she couldn't quite identify. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop looking at him.

At the stadium, she had barely registered how the match ended. She knew she was going to get teased by her cuties, they had clearly noticed how often her eyes were fixed on Rashvik.

Rashvik, on the other hand, was smiling to himself, pleased with the outcome of the match. Seeing Rakshit so happy brought him immense joy. His brother's happiness meant everything to him.

"The match was really good" Rashvik blurted out of nowhere. Sarakshi turned to look at him, and his smile faltered when he realized he initiated a conversation with her. He was already in shock with all the things happened earlier. He was not acting like himself! Him and teasing her was a great wonder to him also.

"Yes" Sarakshi replied shortly, turning her gaze back to the window.

Her brief response sent Rashvik into a spiral of overthinking. He had hoped she would respond with more enthusiasm, to engage in conversation and perhaps even share his excitement. But once again, his expectations were unmet.

Was he surprised by her reaction? Definitely. Was he happy with her short reply? Absolutely not. He wanted her to be more open and expressive, to validate his point of view in front of his family. But she didn't give him the chance.

He couldn't understand why she acted so timid and scared. If she was pretending, he wanted to see how long she could pretend!

After reaching home, Rashvik went to his room, and Sarakshi to hers. The only reason of them sleeping together was sleeping with his dadu. Now, they both retired to their separate rooms.

Rashvik lay on his bed, thoughts swirling in his mind. He was baffled by Sarakshi's behavior and his own reactions to her. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was changing between them, but he wasn't sure what it was or how to navigate it.

He had seen a new side of her - a carefree and joyful side that he hoped to see more often. He couldn't understand why, but he wanted to witness that version of her again and again.

In her room, Sarakshi replayed the evening in her mind, trying to understand her own feelings. She couldn't deny the growing attraction she felt towards Rashvik, but she was unsure of how to handle it. Her thoughts were full of his smile and the warmth it brought her. Every action of his replayed in her mind, and she found herself blushing just thinking about him.

She twisted and turned more than ten times on her bed, her cheeks burning. His voice echoed in her mind, and she blushed harder. The embarrassing moments from earlier in the day made her bury her face in her pillow, eyes shut tight as if to block out the memories.

After a few moments, she sat up and looked at herself in the mirror. She pulled her knees closer to her chest and rested her chin on them. Even in the mirror, all she could see was him. His face flashed in front of her eyes every now and then, and her mind couldn't stop talking about him.

Deep down, she wanted to relive the moments when Rashvik was talking to her that afternoon, just because he was talking to her. She wanted to talk with him, to be around him. She knew she wouldn't be able to say a single word in front of him, but she still wanted to be near him.

"Stop it, Sarakshi. You're going mad" she murmured to herself, burying her face in her palms. Her heart was beating extremely fast. She placed her hands over her heart and tried to calm herself.