𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ( 𝐘𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐯𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥 )

17

"Well, if it isn't the power couple of cricket,"

came a smooth voice from behind Jemimah. Yashasvi glanced over her shoulder to see a tall figure approaching them, exuding an effortless charm that instantly drew Jemimah's attention.

"Jem! It's been a while," the man said, his smile wide and genuine. Yashasvi felt a twinge of something unfamiliar as he watched Jemimah light up at the sight of him.

"Arjun!" Jemimah exclaimed, moving toward him with a grin. "What are you doing here?"

Yashasvi felt a strange tightening in his chest. He had read about this guy in her diary and heard her mention Arjun's name a few times, always with a certain sparkle in her eyes. There was something about the way she spoke about him that made Yashasvi's pulse quicken, though he couldn't quite place why. After all, he was usually indifferent to such things.

"I was just passing by and thought I'd see how Shafali and her friends were doing," Arjun replied, his gaze drifting briefly to Yashasvi before returning to Jemimah.

Jemimah let out a small laugh, the sound light and easy. "Well, you're in luck. You've run into more than just Shafali's friends."

Yashasvi watched the exchange, that tightness in his chest refusing to go away. There was something about Arjun—his confidence, the way Jemimah smiled so easily around him—that gnawed at Yashasvi, though he didn't fully understand why. It shouldn't matter. This was all for show, after all.

But the way Jemimah's eyes sparkled when she talked about Arjun had always lingered in Yashasvi's mind, like an itch he couldn't scratch. And now, seeing them together, that feeling was impossible to ignore.

"Yashasvi," Jemimah said suddenly, pulling him from his thoughts. "This is Arjun Verma, Shafali's brother. Arjun, this is Yashasvi Jaiswal... my boyfriend."

Her words landed with more weight than Yashasvi expected. 'Boyfriend.' Even though it was all part of their fake arrangement, hearing her say it in front of someone like Arjun made something in his chest twist.

Arjun extended his hand toward Yashasvi with an easy smile. "Nice to meet you, Yashasvi. I've heard a lot about you. Jemi talks about you often. I'm a fan of your batting, too."

Yashasvi took his hand, shaking it firmly, trying to ignore the strange feeling crawling up his spine. "Thanks. Nice to meet you, too," he replied, his tone even, but his eyes flickered to Jemimah, who was watching the two of them closely.

"Well," Arjun said, breaking the brief silence. "I guess I'll leave you two lovebirds to it. We'll catch up later, Jem. You're still coming to our house tomorrow for the party, right? I want you to meet someone."

Jemimah nodded eagerly. "Of course! Wouldn't miss it."

Arjun's eyes shifted to Yashasvi with a friendly smile. "You should come too, Yashasvi. It'll be a good time—lots of good people, food, music. You might even enjoy yourself."

Yashasvi hesitated, the offer hanging in the air. His first instinct was to decline, as he usually did when it came to social gatherings. But this felt different. Arjun's presence stirred something uncomfortable within him—an unfamiliar sense of unease. The thought of Jemimah spending the evening with him, laughing and talking like she had just now, without Yashasvi there, twisted his insides in a way that was hard to ignore.