The Moon to my night✔️

10

"I know I called you hot, but why are you being so desperate?" he spoke between his laughs, making Aahana grow really fuzzy.

"You look prettier when you smile." I covered my grinning face and felt him standing behind me. I turned back to face him, but it was too quick of a reflex, and my head hit his hard chest. Damn these tall men!

"Careful, love!" He gently touched my forehead, brushing the hair strands off it and blowing a little air on it. I felt like freezing at that moment, feeling his delicate touch on me, but I took a step back, getting a grip on myself.

"What do you want?" I blurted out, trying to cover the nervousness that seeped under my skin due to his presence, especially this close to me.

"You." He retorted with his signature smirk, but that didn't highlight the dimples that usually adorned his cheeks.

"In your dreams." I tried to turn and leave from there, but he held my wrist and turned me back.

"In my dreams, you are mine from the day I laid my eyes on you. And trust me, you don't want to know what other things I dream of." His breath fell on my neck as he bent to whisper in my ear. Goosebumps traveled down my spine, and I hated the effect he had on my body and mind.

"I need to go." I twisted my wrist to get out of his hold and felt something soft near the bottom of my neck. I snapped quickly and saw he was trailing a white rose from my neck to my chin, sending chills throughout my body.

"Humare gulab ke liye ek gulab." He whispered in his husky, dense tone, making me part my lips to breathe because my body really forgot how to function well in his presence. Dammit Mahadev! I hate this man.

(A rose for my rose.)

"Stay away from me!" I took the rose from his hand and hit his chest with it, turning back and leaving from there, because I clearly couldn't trust my body around him.

As I walked away, I could feel his eyes still on me, burning into my back. My heart pounded, and I struggled to calm the storm of emotions inside me. Why did he always have this effect on me? I hated it, hated him for it.

I made my way to the practice area where Aahana was waiting. She raised an eyebrow when she saw my flushed face and the rose in my hand.

"What's with the rose?" she asked, suspicion lacing her tone.

"Nothing," I said too quickly. What the hell am I even doing with this rose? I threw it away. "Let's get back to practice."

Aahana looked like she wanted to press further, but thankfully, she let it go. We started practicing the choreography, and I tried to focus on the dance steps, but my mind kept drifting back to him and his maddening smirk.

"Hey Aradhaya, I heard you are a great dancer. Can you help me too?" His cousin Ruhi came to me with a request, and she seemed like a sweet girl, so I didn't feel like saying no.

"Sure Ruhi, what are you performing?" A big smile broke on her face, and she squealed with excitement, hugging me.

"I am trying to persuade Rohan Bhai and Abhir Bhai to dance with me in a trio dance. But they aren't agreeing. I don't know, but I don't want to dance solo." Her concern was genuine because, for a non-dancer, keeping the stage occupied alone is a big task.

"You can accompany Aahana if you want." I saw Aahana walking toward me with a weary expression. I was sure Abhir might have done something because he was following her with his witty smirk.

"Aahana, would you mind pairing up with Ruhi?" She smiled, side-hugging me, and gave Ruhi a wide grin.

"Not at all. You know I would actually need a lawyer after murdering a certain someone." Abhir scowled at her and stood beside Ruhi, encircling his arm around her.