Espresso │ Shubman Gill

02. brand shoots and texts.

The next day, Shubman arrives at a shoot for a brand. Turning to his manager, her looks up from his phone. "Hey, did you ever find out who the actress supposed to be working with me on this shoot is?"

Before his manager can respond, a voice rings out from behind Shubman, sending a pang of annoyance through him. Shubman takes a deep breath, plastering on a smile and turning around to face a smirking Naina.

"Hi Gill! Didn't know we'd see each other so soon." Naina's tone is overly cheerful, her eyes glinting with mischief as Shubman's manager raises an eyebrow at their interaction and slowly walks away.

Shubman rolls his eyes, trying to keep his frustration in check and his voice even as he takes a deep breath. "Right. What a surprise."

Naina muffles a snicker at his flat tone, unable to hide her amusement at his annoyance, clear as day. She swings an arm over his shoulder, giggling to herself as she leads him into the set. "Aww, that's so sad. Aren't you excited to see me?"

"Oh, yeah. Absolutely thrilled."

Shubman leans in closer, his voice low so only Naina can hear him. "What are you up to? You're being way too cheerful."

Naina's arm around his shoulder drops as they walk in further, her cheerful facade dropping and revealing her usual sarcastic self as she looks up at him with a lazy smirk. "Paps, Gill. There were paps."

Shubman rolls his eyes, relieved to hear Naina's familiar sarcastic tone and see the smirk on her face.  "Right, of course. We've got a public image to maintain, huh?"

"You really need to get your act on. Anyone could've figured out how annoyed you were if I didn't drag you away from there."

"Oh sorry, I must've forgot I have to put on a fake loving boyfriend act when we're in public all the time now." Shubman scowls, his eyes narrowing into a glare as he feels the familiar irritation start to bubble up.

Naina makes a face of mock concern, her lips itching to curve into a smirk. "Aww, Don't be afraid to ask for tips if you need them. I'll always be here to help."

Shubman rolls his eyes at her sarcastic remark, not fooled for a moment. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be more than happy to give me tips on how to be a good fake boyfriend, won't you?"

"Please, I do have more expertise in the acting department. How about you stick to cricket, hmm?"

Shubman scoffs, feeling a pang of irritation at Naina's superior tone. He takes a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Sehgal."

Before any of them can speak further, the director tells everyone to start getting ready for hair and makeup. Naina smirks, patting Shubman's chest as she walks past him into her trailer.

Shubman watches her walk away, his annoyance growing with every step she takes. Naina's mocking gesture and smirk only serve to fuel his irritation even more. He shake my head and walk to my own trailer, still seething with anger.  "This shoot is going to be a long and frustrating one."

After their individual shots, it's time for Shubman and Naina to take on the camera together. They follow the photographer's directions, posing as instructed and putting on their assigned headphones as they take their places.

Naina's cheeks heat up with a mix of embarrassment and something else she can't quite put her finger on when the photographer quietly calls her out.

"Ms. Sehgal, please look in that direction as instructed and not at Mr. Gill. Those shots will be taken later."

Naina mutters a quick apology, clearing her throat as she snaps back into professional mode to do as instructed. Meanwhile, Shubman is looking at her with a mix of curiosity and confusion, wondering what just happened in the past minute.

As per the photographer's instructions, it's time to do a more... intimate pose, which involves them being a lot closer, only inches apart. This time, it's Shubman who gets flustered, his cheeks heating up as he tries to hide his racing heart.

They jump apart as the shoot is declared a wrap, cheering with the rest of the team. Naina immediately turns, walking towards her trailer when she stops in her tracks and turns back around. "Date. Tonight. Plan it."

Shubman blinks in surprise at Naina's sudden command, taking a moment to process her words before clearing his throat and raising an eyebrow. "You want me to plan a date tonight? Why?"

"Yes. It'll be good to have a casual appearance before these pictures come out. Otherwise, it'll get people speculating it's a PR stunt, which is the last thing we need. I don't care what it is, text me the details.

Shubman nods, his eyes trailing Navya's figure as she walks away and out of his sight. He lets out a sigh, a mix of frustration and amusement bubbling up in him as he shakes his head. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?"

CHAT

Gill:
Sehgal. It's Gill.

Sehgal:
Duh, we've saved each other's numbers.
Are you going to respond or are you too busy being lost in my thoughts?

Gill:
Don't flatter yourself, Sehgal. I was just thinking about how irritating you are.

Sehgal:
So you admit you were thinking about me?

Gill:
Don't twist my words. You made me plan this date, remember?

Sehgal:
Aww, whatever helps you sleep at night.

Gill:
Oh, trust me. It's going to be a restless sleep after wasting my night on a date with you.

Sehgal:
"Ouch. Here I thought we were going to have the time of our lives tonight.

Gill:
The time of our lives? With you? Good joke. I can't wait... yay.

Sehgal:
So... any intentions of telling me what we're going or are we just going to keep flirting all night long?

Gill:
We are not flirting, Sehgal. You'll find out what we're doing soon enough. Just be ready by 7:30.

tea with t:

Hi Everyone!!

The second chapter is out. The next one will have their first date. 😈

What do we think?

Any suggestions or plots you would like to see?

I hope you guys liked it!!

- Love, T. 🎀