𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ( 𝐘𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐯𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥 )

22

Yashasvi Jaiswal leaned back in his chair at the café, staring out of the window. The gentle hum of conversation filled the air, but his mind was somewhere else—on the cricket field, in the moments that felt more real to him than anything outside of the sport. He had just returned from the T20I series in Sri Lanka, and though the tour had been grueling, he relished the adrenaline that came with it. But today, he had to focus on something else. Jemimah.

His "girlfriend."

He sighed at the thought, the whole situation feeling like a strange PR-fueled dream he hadn't quite woken up from yet. Yashasvi didn't do emotional entanglements. Not that he couldn't handle them, he just didn't see the point. Cricket was his life, and distractions—even ones as......chaotic as Jemimah Rodrigues—were temporary, fleeting.

But then why did his thoughts keep drifting back to her since that night weeks ago? The way she had looked at him, vulnerable and broken. He hadn't seen that side of her before.

She was late as always. Not by much, but enough that he glanced at his phone. He shot her a quick text, his fingers moving over the screen without much thought.

Yashasvi: Running late, Rodrigues?

A minute passed before his phone buzzed with her reply.

Jemimah: Almost there. Don't miss me too much.

He shook his head, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. That was the thing about Jemimah—no matter how awkward things got, she always found a way to lighten the mood.

Moments later, the door to the café swung open, and there she was. Yashasvi watched as Jemimah scanned the room, spotting him almost immediately. She offered a small wave before making her way to their table. As she approached, he noted the slight awkwardness in her step. It wasn't her usual confident stride.

"Hey," she greeted him as she sat down, her voice a little too upbeat, as if trying to mask something.

"Hey," Yashasvi replied, leaning forward. "You look like you sprinted here."

Jemimah laughed lightly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I was trying to make up for lost time. Thanks for waiting."

He shrugged. "Not like I had anything better to do."

"Wow, thanks," she replied with a smirk, her nerves beginning to fade as they slipped into their usual banter. "I'm glad to know I'm your favorite waste of time."

Yashasvi took a sip of his coffee, his expression unreadable. "Let's just say you're a solid distraction."

Her smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly covered it up, focusing on the menu. Yashasvi noticed the shift, the slight crack in her usually confident demeanor. She was still thinking about that night, no doubt.

"About the other day," she began cautiously, setting the menu aside.

"You don't need to explain," Yashasvi interrupted, waving it off. "You had a lot going on."

Jemimah looked at him, clearly taken aback by how easily he dismissed it. "Still, I—"

"Seriously, Rodrigues. It's fine. You don't owe me an apology."