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Dhruv settled into the couch at Ishita's place, the dim glow of the TV casting soft shadows in the cozy living room. They had planned a casual movie night, and he had insisted on an action movie—because, as Dhruv claimed, "Thoda thrill toh hona chahiye, nahi toh boring ho jaayega." Ishita had rolled her eyes at his choice, but she didn't mind. She liked spending time with him, even if it meant enduring explosions and car chases for two hours.

As the movie played on, the soft sound of Ishita’s phone ringing interrupted their comfortable silence. It was a video call from Heer, her 14-year-old sister. Ishita picked up the phone, her face lighting up instantly.

"Hey, Heeri!" Ishita said, her tone playful and full of warmth.

Heer’s bubbly face popped up on the screen. "Di! What’s up? Where are you?"

"I’m at home, just watching a movie with a friend," Ishita replied casually, though a smile tugged at her lips as she glanced at Dhruv, who was completely absorbed in the intense action sequence playing out on screen.

"Friend?" Heer asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wait a minute... is it that friend?"

Ishita chuckled nervously, "Yes, Heer, it’s that friend."

Before Heer could grill her further, Dhruv, curious as always, leaned over and peeked into the phone screen. "Hi, Heer!" he said cheerfully, his grin wide as he waved at the camera.

Heer’s eyes widened in excitement. "Hi, Dhruv bhaiya!" she greeted him enthusiastically. "Are you bothering my sister?"

"Who, me? Never!" Dhruv replied, acting overly innocent, making Ishita roll her eyes with a fond smile.

For the next few minutes, Heer chatted with both of them, peppering Dhruv with questions about cricket, his upcoming matches, and teasing Ishita in between. Dhruv answered everything with a playful tone, while Ishita sat beside him, watching her sister with a soft smile, occasionally nudging Dhruv when he got too cheeky.

Eventually, after a while, Heer decided she had tormented them enough. "Okay, I’ll let you guys watch your movie. Bye, Di! Bye, Dhruv bhaiya!"

"Bye, Heer," they said in unison, and Ishita ended the call.

As she placed her phone back on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch, a comfortable silence settled between them. The action movie continued, with Dhruv completely absorbed in the plot, but Ishita’s phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from Heer.

Ishita glanced at the notification and unlocked her phone.

Heer: Keep him.

Ishita frowned slightly, puzzled by the message. "Keep him?" she murmured to herself, wondering what on earth her sister was trying to say.

Dhruv noticed her distracted expression and glanced at her. "Kya hua?" he asked, his voice soft.

"Nothing," she said quickly, still trying to figure out what Heer meant. But before she could reply, another message from Heer popped up.

Heer: He looks at you like dad looks at mom. Keep him.

Ishita’s breath caught in her throat. Her heart fluttered, and her cheeks flushed with warmth as she read the message again. The words hung in the air, making her chest tighten in the best way possible.

Heer, with her simple yet insightful observation, had hit the nail on the head.

Ishita’s mind raced back to all the little moments with Dhruv—the way he always seemed to be by her side, the way he made her feel safe and cherished, and most importantly, the way he looked at her. She hadn’t thought much of it before, but now… now it felt different. Special.

She turned her head slightly and glanced at Dhruv. He was still focused on the movie, his brow furrowed in concentration as the characters on screen were locked in some intense fight sequence. But then, as if sensing her gaze, Dhruv looked over at her, a soft smile immediately tugging at the corners of his lips.

"What?" he asked, his eyes filled with warmth.

Ishita quickly shook her head, trying to play it cool. "Nothing," she said, her voice a little shaky.

Dhruv gave her a curious look but didn’t press further. Instead, he reached over and gently intertwined his fingers with hers, resting their hands together on the couch between them. It was such a simple gesture, but in that moment, it made Ishita’s heart swell with emotion.

She looked down at their hands and then back at him. The movie continued to play in the background, but she wasn’t paying attention to it anymore. All she could think about was how much this man meant to her.

He really did look at her like her dad looked at her mom—like she was the most important person in the world.

And in that moment, she realized Heer was right.

Ishita squeezed Dhruv’s hand gently, causing him to glance at her again. His eyes softened as they met hers, and he raised an eyebrow, silently asking if she was okay.

She smiled softly, her heart full. "I'm glad you’re here," she said quietly.

Dhruv’s smile widened as he leaned closer, his thumb gently brushing over the back of her hand. "Where else would I be?"

Ishita felt her cheeks heat up at his words, and for the rest of the evening, they stayed like that—together, their hands intertwined, sharing a quiet, unspoken understanding.

Her sister was right. She was going to keep him.

Rainbows And Sunsets ~ A Dhruv Jurel Fanfiction Where stories live. Discover now