The Rhythms Of Her Dreams✨️

25. The Spotlight Burns Bright✨️

The sun had barely risen, but the buzz around the cricketing world had already reached a fever pitch. Social media was ablaze with speculation about Shubman Gill and Kaira Malhan. It all started innocuously—just a reunion of cricket’s biggest names, a casual evening where Shubman’s subtle words about someone "special" had sent ripples across fans and media alike. While he hadn’t mentioned her by name, those who followed him closely knew exactly who he was referring to: Kaira Malhan, the spirited IIT student who had stolen the cricketer’s heart.

The reunion had been a night to remember, full of banter, laughter, and nostalgia. Retired legends like MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh had teased Shubman mercilessly, while his current teammates, Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal, had egged him on with sly winks. Yet, it was one offhand comment—when Shubman said, “She makes my life a little brighter”—that turned the tide.

The following morning, Kaira woke up to an entirely different reality.

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Kaira groggily reached for her phone, yawning as she unlocked the screen. What she saw jolted her awake like a bucket of cold water. Her Instagram notifications were exploding.

“OMG, are you dating Shubman Gill?!”
“You’re so lucky! How did you meet him?”
“Stay away from our Shubman!”
“We ship you two!”

Her fingers hovered over the screen, heart pounding. This wasn’t the usual flood of messages she got after posting something. It was a barrage, a tsunami of comments, likes, and DMs. Confused, she opened Twitter, where the top trending hashtag was #ShubmanGillGirlfriend.

Kaira’s eyes widened as she scrolled through tweets dissecting Shubman’s words, his Instagram posts, and even her own profile. Pictures of her from a recent cricket match she’d attended had been unearthed, paired with captions like, “Is this the girl?” Some users were kind, calling her beautiful and intelligent. Others, not so much.

“She doesn’t deserve him.”
“Another gold-digger trying to latch onto a famous guy.”

Her breath hitched as she read the hateful comments. The words felt like daggers, each one more piercing than the last.

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Meanwhile, Shubman was oblivious to the chaos brewing online. He was at the gym, headphones on, focused on his morning workout. His phone buzzed incessantly in his locker, but he paid it no mind. It wasn’t until Ishan Kishan barged in, grinning like a Cheshire cat, that he realized something was amiss.

“Bro, you’re trending,” Ishan announced, waving his phone in Shubman’s face.

Shubman frowned, pulling out his earbuds. “Trending for what?”

“For being stupidly in love,” Ishan quipped, showing him the Twitter feed.

Shubman’s jaw tightened as he scrolled through the posts. The reunion clip had gone viral, and while most fans were gushing over his subtle confession, others were dragging Kaira into the limelight.

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “This is why I didn’t want to say anything.”

“Relax,” Ishan said, clapping him on the shoulder. “It’s not like you’ve confirmed anything. Besides, people will talk no matter what. You’re a public figure.”

“Yeah, but Kaira isn’t,” Shubman muttered, worry flickering in his eyes.

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Kaira spent the day dodging phone calls and messages. Even her parents were confused by the sudden attention. Her younger brother, Arjun, thought it was hilarious.