◇ Part 1 ◇

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Shubman's POV

After drinking our coffees (me drinking milk, of course), we decided to head back to my place to figure out the plan for the rest of the day. Ishan was buzzing with ideas, and I could see he was eager to spend more time with Vira, his excitement contagious. I tried to shake off the lingering feelings of jealousy and focus on enjoying the day with my friends.

As we stepped into my living room, I tossed my keys onto the coffee table and sprawled out on the couch. Ishan flopped down next to me, stretching his legs out and yawning. “Yaar, aaj kuch fun karte hain. We’ve been working hard all week.”

I nodded, trying to push aside my earlier frustration. “Haan, bilkul. Kya plan hai?”

Vira and Priya settled into the armchairs across from us, their jackets strewn across the sofa. Priya was still glowing from her interaction with us at the café, while Vira seemed more relaxed now that we were out of the public eye.

“We were thinking of going shopping first,” Vira said, glancing at Priya for confirmation. “We’ll meet you guys later?”

Priya nodded enthusiastically. “Haan, thodi shopping aur phir tumhare ghar aa jayenge. Thik hai?”

"How about a sleepover?" Ishan suggested.

Priya’s face lit up at the idea. “That sounds awesome! We can watch movies, order pizza, and just chill.”

The thought of a relaxed evening with friends was appealing. It would be a good way to unwind and hopefully dispel the awkwardness that had crept in earlier. “Sounds good to me,” I said, sitting up and grabbing my phone to check for any notifications.

“Perfect,” Vira replied, standing up and grabbing her bag. “We’ll head out now, and see you guys in a few hours?”

I nodded, watching as they left, Priya chattering excitedly about the stores she wanted to visit. Once the door closed behind them, I turned to Ishan, who was grinning ear to ear.

“You really like her, huh?” I teased, nudging him with my elbow.

He blushed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, yaar. She’s amazing. I’m just glad she’s comfortable with us now.”

I forced a smile, trying to mask the pang of jealousy that tugged at me. I was genuinely happy for Ishan, but it was hard not to feel conflicted when my own feelings were so tangled.

Ishan leaned back, looking thoughtful. “We should plan something special for tonight. Make it memorable.”

I chuckled, appreciating his enthusiasm. “Kya socha hai?”

“Well, we could start with a movie marathon. Priya seems like she’d be into some classic Bollywood dramas, and Vira mentioned she likes crime thriller movies. We could mix it up.”

I nodded, mentally compiling a list of movies we could queue up. “Pizza and popcorn? Maybe order some from that new place you were talking about?”

“Perfect. Let’s make it a night to remember.”

As we finalized our plans, I felt a little better about the situation. I reminded myself that this was about friendship and enjoying the moment, not dwelling on what-ifs. Ishan was my best friend, and Vira was special to him. I needed to respect that.

We spent the afternoon setting up the living room, arranging the couches and setting up a makeshift movie screen. The hours passed quickly as we sorted through movies, arguing over which ones to include in the lineup.

By the time evening had rolled around, we had everything ready. The room was filled with the scent of buttered popcorn, and the pizza order was on its way. I tried to focus on the excitement of the evening rather than my conflicted emotions.

The doorbell rang, and Ishan jumped up to answer it. Vira and Priya walked in, laden with shopping bags and wearing smiles. Vira’s eyes met mine briefly, and I offered a small, genuine smile in return.

“We brought snacks!” Priya announced, holding up a bag filled with chips and candies.

“Great!” Ishan said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s get this party started.”

As Vira and Priya started unpacking, I couldn’t help but notice how different Vira seemed today. There was a certain radiance about her, a spark that made her stand out even more than usual. Maybe it was the way her outfit fit her or the new style she was rocking. Whatever it was, it caught my attention and kept it firmly in place.

“Shubman, you okay?” Ishan’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I looked up, realizing I’d been staring. “Yeah, just... a bit distracted.”

Ishan raised an eyebrow but said nothing more. He began helping Priya with the snacks, leaving me to awkwardly shuffle around. I was trying to keep myself busy by setting up drinks and snacks, but my gaze kept drifting back to Vira.

At one point, as I reached for a bowl of chips, Vira was doing the same. Our hands brushed against each other, and I felt a sudden jolt of awareness. I glanced at her, and she met my eyes for a brief second before quickly pulling her hand away. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she gave me an apologetic smile.

“Sorry about that,” she said, her voice a bit uncertain.

“It’s fine,” I managed, feeling my face warm. “No worries.”

We continued to arrange the snacks, and every time our hands nearly touched or our eyes met, I felt an inexplicable thrill. It was clear to me that Vira was not aware of the effect she had on me, as she seemed focused on organizing the snacks with Priya.

As the setup was completed, I tried to engage in conversation with Priya and Ishaan to take my mind off the constant distraction of Vira. I was relieved to see everyone settling in and enjoying the casual atmosphere, but my attention kept slipping back to Vira.

The way she moved around, her laugh, and her easygoing manner made it impossible to ignore her. I could tell that she wasn’t paying any special attention to me, but every small interaction between us felt like a moment I wanted to savor.

Despite my efforts to blend into the background and maintain my grudge (for breaking my favourite bat), I found myself increasingly drawn to her, almost forgetting every bad thing that had happened between us. It wasn’t just about physical attraction—it was a mix of admiration and something deeper that I couldn’t quite pinpoint.

As the evening continued and we all settled in, I made a concerted effort to focus on the group and enjoy the time together. But even as we joked around and shared stories, my thoughts kept drifting back to Vira, and how tonight, it felt like something had subtly shifted.

As we settled in, the room filled with laughter and the hum of conversation. I tried to let go of my worries and immerse myself in the moment, surrounded by friends. The night stretched ahead, full of possibilities, and I was determined to make the most of it.

Shit, yaar. Ye pyaar hai kya?

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A/N:

HEYYY

DOUBLE UPDATE TODAY, HOW WE FEELING???

How was this chapter for you guys? Keep talking to me guys, in the comments, it really does motivate me a lot, coz at one point I was ready to give up this book and then you guys commented and voted and it genuinely made my day.

Also, how're you finding the story overall? I've got a shit ton of chapters lined up for y'all and from where I'm at right now, shit's getting real.

Stay tuned lovlies 😉

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