𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ( 𝐘𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐯𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥 )

16

Jemimah Rodrigues was in her safe space. The sun was high in the sky, warming the cricket field as she darted across the pitch, her cleats digging into the grass with every swift movement. The rhythm of bat meeting ball, the chatter of her teammates, and the familiar sounds of a practice session brought a sense of comfort that she'd missed during the hectic test series.

But today wasn't just any practice. She had been warned. Yashasvi Jaiswal was coming.

The mere thought of it made Jemimah smirk. The last time they'd seen each other, they'd barely exchanged pleasantries before launching into their usual banter, and now, after a month apart, they were back at it—only this time, the stakes were higher. No one knew the truth. No one knew that this entire charade was nothing more than a PR stunt.

"Fake dating," Jemimah muttered to herself, shaking her head as she practiced a few swings. The sound of the bat slicing through the air grounded her. It was ridiculous, really. The media had eaten it up after that one photo of them circulated, and before she knew it, her life had spiraled into a bizarre game of playing the role of Yashasvi's so-called "girlfriend."

She stole a glance toward the entrance, catching sight of a familiar figure walking toward the practice ground, bags in his hands, head slightly ducked as if he hoped not to draw too much attention. "Good luck with that," she thought with amusement. Yashasvi's presence was already turning heads.

Jemimah tossed the bat aside, brushing the dirt off her hands before casually walking over to that side of the ground. As Yashasvi stepped on the ground , his awkwardness was palpable. His shoulders were stiff, his usual confident walk faltering slightly as his eyes darted around the field, probably wondering why on earth he had agreed to this. She could almost see the gears turning in his head, calculating the quickest way to escape.

"Look who decided to show up!" Jemimah called out, her voice carrying easily over the field as she walked over to him.

Yashasvi's eyes met hers, and for a split second, she could see the uncertainty and something foreign in them. But then, just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the deadpan expression he always wore when he was about to give one of his sarcastic remarks.

"Figured you'd need some actual talent here," he shot back, setting down the bags of food with a casual shrug on a bench and coming over to her.

Jemimah met him halfway, a smirk on her lips as she pulled him into a hug. For a moment, Yashasvi was stiff, his arms hovering awkwardly, surprised by the unexpected contact, before he finally wrapped them around her waist, albeit reluctantly. It felt unusual, this embrace, but there was a warmth in it that she hadn't anticipated. She could smell his husky and almost wood like cologne.

"Hey, it's been a while," she murmured, leaning in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But my friends are not as oblivious as yours. We're going to need to act a bit more...couply if we want to pull this off amd make them believe if it's real."

"You mean I have to pretend to be affectionate now?" he replied, his tone a mix of sarcasm and genuine incredulity.

She pulled back just enough to look him in the eye, her grip on his neck still firm. "Think of it as acting practice. Besides, you might even enjoy it."

"Right," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly as if fighting a smile. "Because I'm known for my acting skills."