Rainbows And Sunsets ~ A Dhruv Jurel Fanfiction

7.

Dhruv stood in the doorway of his partially furnished living room, watching as Ishita flipped through a catalog, her fingers brushing lightly over the different textures of laminates. The room was bathed in the soft glow of the late afternoon sun, casting warm shadows across the floor. He couldn’t help but notice the way her hair caught the light, glinting like gold.

"Kya socha tumne? Kaunsa lamination best rahega?" Dhruv asked, leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed.

Ishita looked up from the catalog, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Dekho, ye teak wood finish wala kaafi classy lag raha hai. Aur ye matte black bhi kaafi stylish hoga tumhare bedroom ke liye."

Dhruv raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile on his lips. "Matte black? Mujhe laga tumhare jaisi bubbly ladki ko bright colors pasand honge."

Ishita smirked, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Bubbly ladki ko bhi classy cheezein pasand hoti hain, Dhruv. Aur waise bhi, contrast accha lagta hai, jaise...," she paused, looking him up and down, "tumhari boring t-shirts ke saath tumhari charming smile."

Dhruv chuckled, stepping closer to where she stood. "Toh, tum keh rahi ho ki main boring hoon?"

Ishita tilted her head, pretending to think. "Hmmm... thode boring toh ho.... "

He laughed, the sound rich and warm, echoing in the room. "Accha, toh ab mujhe har waqt smile karna padega tumhe impress karne ke liye?"

"Ho sake toh," she replied cheekily, handing him the catalog. "Lekin seriously, tumhe ye sab dekhna chahiye. Tumhe har din ye bedroom dekhna padega, so make sure it’s something you’ll love."

Dhruv nodded, taking the catalog from her and glancing over the options. His mind, however, was more focused on the girl standing in front of him than on the interiors of his room. "Aur tum, Ishita? Tumhe kya pasand hai?"

Ishita shrugged, her fingers playing with the edge of a fabric sample. "Mujhe na, minimalistic designs pasand hai. Simple, yet elegant. Kuch bhi zyada over the top nahi."

Dhruv smiled, realizing that her taste reflected her personality—simple, yet full of charm. "I like that. Simple, yet elegant," he echoed, his voice soft.

She smiled slightly, looking away. "Toh, chalo? Store chalte hain? In samples ko dekhne se zyada acha hoga wahan jaake options dekhna."

"Bilkul," Dhruv agreed, grabbing his car keys. 

As they stepped out of the house and into the car, the easy banter continued. The drive to the store was filled with light-hearted teasing and shared smiles.

On the way, Dhruv suddenly pulled over to a small street-side vendor selling balloons and toys. Ishita watched curiously as he lowered his window and called out to the vendor.

"Bhaiya, woh chote chote teddy bears kitne ke hain?" Dhruv asked.

"Do so rupaye ke ek hai, sir," the vendor replied, holding up a small teddy bear.

Dhruv nodded and handed over some money. "Yeh sab bachon ko de do," he said, gesturing to a group of kids playing nearby.

Ishita watched in surprise as the vendor distributed the teddy bears to the children, who ran off with delighted squeals. Dhruv’s gesture was so effortless, so genuine, that it took her breath away.

"Kya hua? Itni serious kyun ho gayi?" Dhruv asked, noticing her expression as he drove away.

She shook her head, smiling softly. "Kuch nahi... bas, tumne jo kiya, wo achha laga. Aajkal aise log kam milte hain jo bina kisi wajah ke dusron ki madad karte hain."

Dhruv shrugged, his eyes on the road. "Mere liye toh bas ek chhoti si baat thi. Agar kisi ki chhoti si madad se kisi ka din thoda sa accha ban jaye, toh kyun na karein?"

As they reached the store, Ishita found herself thinking about Dhruv’s kindness, the way he made her feel safe and appreciated. Maybe, just maybe, she was beginning to fall for the cricketer with a heart of gold.