Doobey | complete ✔️

Fifteen

Shehnaaz

"The shuttle is ready," Yamini says. "It's right through that door."

I nod at her as she rushes off, and the other three walk ahead. "That was so embarrassing," I say, hiding my face in my hands. "Oh my God, can you imagine the headlines?" I say, turning my head into his shoulder.

"I don't suppose this is repayment for that favor that I owe you," he says with a smirk on his face. I glare up at him, but it doesn't last long before his smirk turns into a huge grin and then a laugh. The easiness of the whole thing—as if it's just the two of us and not the hundreds of people right outside the door. I turn and laugh into his shoulder, his body shaking now from his own laughter.

"There you are," someone says from over my shoulder, and I turn to see that Ila is now rushing to him. Seeing me here, she looks at me, and then she spots his hand around my waist. "I was looking all around for you."

"I'm here," he says. I try to disengage from his arm, but he doesn't just let me go. "I was going to catch the shuttle back to the hotel."

"You have dinner reservations," she says to him. I slowly move to the side, and he lets me this time.

"You told me it wasn't mandatory," he tells her, and she rolls her eyes.

"Fine," she says, reaching in to her purse, "let me get the car."

"We can all take the shuttle." I look from him to Ila and see the shock on her face. The thoughts that must be running through her mind right now give me life. Riding with the commoners must be the highlight of her evening. "Are you coming?" he asks her and then turns, putting his hand on my elbow and walking toward the door where the others just exited through. We make it to the shuttle, and the door opens when the driver sees us walking toward it. Sidharth waits for me to climb the three steps, and then he holds out his hand for Ila to get in. I walk to the back and sit in the first available seat.

"Oh, are you going back to the hotel?" Jatin asks, and I nod. "Great. We're going to check out the ramen place around the corner."

"Oh, yeah?" I say to them when I feel someone sit next to me.

"That place is good," Sidharth says from next to me, "but if you really want to try the best ramen . . ."

"Define best ramen," Amrita says and then looks at me and then Kavya. "I mean, it is ramen and not Michelin-rated cuisine."

"It's actually just a hole in the wall. I think it has like maybe ten seats, but it's the best thing you will possibly ever eat in your entire life." She looks at him not convinced. "Trust me, I filmed here three years ago, and the crew brought me there."

"We are still talking about ramen, aren't we?" Kavya says. "Like noodles that are freeze-dried and then dunked in water and flavored with the condom-sized packet, right?" I roll my lips and silently laugh when Sidharth gasps out loud. He gets up and goes to the front of the bus, talking to the driver. "I think I insulted him."

We all watch him as he walks back to the seat. "He's going to take us there," he says.

Ila groans. Rolling her eyes, she ignores us and looks at Sidharth. "I already had your dinner sent up to your suite. I have no reservations for there, and we don't even have a bodyguard."

"Oh, dear God," Amrita mumbles under her breath, and when I look at her, she is looking out the window trying to ignore the conversation.

"You don't have to come, Ila," Sidharth tells her. "Besides, all the paparazzi are still at the theater." She doesn't say anything. Instead, she takes out her phone, and her fingers move a mile a minute.