𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ( 𝐘𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐯𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥 )

18

" I can't believe why i am doing this".

Yashasvi Jaiswal muttered under his breath, standing outside Shafali's house, staring at the front door as if it was the entrance to a battlefield. The muffled sound of laughter and upbeat music seeped through the walls, a reminder that everyone inside was probably having the time of their lives. Except him.

Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders, pushed the doorbell, and waited. A second later, the door swung open, and there was Shafali, grinning mischievously as if she had just won the lottery.

"Finally! Took you long enough!" she teased, pulling him inside before he could even think about backing out. "Jem's already here, and she's in full party mode. You better catch up."

Yashasvi let out a resigned sigh as he stepped into the bustling party. His eyes scanned the room, and it didn't take long to spot Jemimah. She was in the middle of a lively conversation with her best friend, Smriti Mandhana, and Smriti's boyfriend, Palaash. Jemimah was laughing at something Smriti had said, her whole face lit up in a way that made Yashasvi pause for a second, his stomach doing that strange flip again.

Pushing down the sensation, he made his way over, forcing a casual fake smile on his face as he approached them.

"Ah, look who finally decided to show up!" Smriti called out, flashing him a welcoming smile. Palaash gave him a nod and looked at him with interest, and Jemimah's eyes twinkled as she glanced his way, but not before he caught the teasing smirk forming on her lips.

"See, Smriti? I told you he'd come," Jemimah said, nudging her friend. "Couldn't let me face this party without him."

Yashasvi forced a smile as he approached the group, his mind still buzzing from the strange tension that always seemed to creep up around Jemimah. He greeted Smriti with a side hig , his eyes flicking briefly toward Palaash, who was now sizing him up with a friendly curiosity. He shared a quick hug with Jemimah which just made him warm inside.

Jemimah, ever the one to smooth things over, gestured between the two. "Palaash, meet Yashasvi. You've probably seen him on TV a few times, or, you know, at practice," she joked, her smile bright but with that familiar teasing edge. "Yashasvi, this is Palaash. Smriti's better half."

Palaash extended his hand, giving Yashasvi a polite but firm handshake. "Good to finally meet you. Jem's mentioned you a couple of times. Never thought I'd get to meet the legendary Yashasvi Jaiswal at a party like this."

Yashasvi chuckled awkwardly, not entirely sure how to respond. "Legendary might be a bit much, but thanks. And yeah, nice to meet you too."

He glanced at Jemimah, who was watching the exchange with a slight grin, her arms crossed, as if amused by the fact that Yashasvi was clearly uncomfortable.

"You're not too bad yourself," Palaash added, giving him a friendly nudge. "Saw your innings last month. Hell of a performance, man."

"Thanks," Yashasvi replied, still feeling out of place but appreciating Palaash's laid-back attitude.

Smriti, sensing the slight awkwardness, jumped in to ease the conversation. "Don't worry, Palaash is probably more nervous around you than you are around him," she teased, elbowing her boyfriend playfully. "He's been following your career for a while now. Practically a fanboy."

Palaash laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Guilty as charged. But seriously, it's cool seeing you here. Didn't expect you'd be into these kinds of parties."

Yashasvi gave a tight-lipped smile, glancing at Jemimah from the corner of his eye. "Yeah, well... Jemimah can be pretty persuasive."

Jemimah caught his look and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come on. Don't pretend like I forced you here," she said, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "You wanted to come, admit it."