An Innocent Crush ✓

48 | In love again.

"Kahi meri hi nazar na lag jaye," Shanvi whispered softly, unable to contain her overflowing joy for her beloved friend, before gently averting her eyes.

A BMW pulled up and came to a stop in front of them. Sameer emerged from the driver's seat, casting a glance at Kiara and then at Shanvi, who swiftly averted her gaze.

Clearing his throat, Sameer opened the door for them, and Dhruv extended his hand to Kiara, which she gracefully accepted. They shared a tender look that conveyed more than words ever could.

"After you," Dhruv said with a gentle glimmer in his eye, gesturing towards the car.

With a smile, she nodded her head before entering the car. Shanvi followed suit, and Dhruv, adjusting his tuxedo, made his way to the passenger seat.

⚕️

Sameer frequently steals glances at Shanvi, while Dhruv occasionally looks at Kiara through the rearview mirror. Sometimes, their eyes meet, causing both to quickly avert their gazes, blushing slightly in embarrassment.

As they arrived at the company where the party was happening, Sameer graciously held the door open for Shanvi and offered his hand to assist her.

Despite glancing at his gesture, Shanvi chose to exit the car independently, causing Sameer to retract his extended hand slowly, his jaw tensing slightly. Meanwhile, Dhruv, wearing a smile, offered his arm to Kiara, who promptly linked her hands around it.

As they arrived at the security checkpoint, Shanvi stole a quick glance at Sameer trailing closely behind her.

Just as the guards were about to check them, Sameer swiftly intervened, his voice carrying authority as he declared, "They're our special guests, no need for checking." His commanding tone caused the guards to swiftly nod in agreement, granting them passage into the inner sanctum.

Entering the hall, Kiara gazed around, her eyes sparkling with wonder at the decorations. They widened in delight as she laid eyes on the buffet, filled with an array of desserts, salads, biryanis, pulaos, starters, and more, causing her mouth to water.

With a gulp, she gently freed her hand from Dhruv's, obviously tempted by the spread before her.

Dhruv glanced at her and noticed the way she was staring. With a soft chuckle, he gently placed his hand around her lower back, causing her to turn and look at him.

"Thinking about food already? Oh, I almost forgot the words of the great Kiara, one thing you should never miss out on is free food," he teased, trying to hold back his laughter slightly as he saw her furrow her eyebrows at his playful words.

"Food means a lot to me, food is everything! Dhruv sir," Kiara replied earnestly.

"For me, my priorities lie elsewhere,” Dhruv responded gently, causing her to tilt her head.

“Where?” She asked.

“Can't tell you that,” he smiled before turning his gaze away from her.

Arjun noticed them conversing and sharing smiles, his jaw clenched, despite feeling jealous, he approached them. "Hey there, welcome," he greeted them, offering a small smile. Dhruv turned to him with a warm expression.

"You've done an incredible job planning this party, the decorations are fantastic," Dhruv complimented him, returning a gentle smile.

Arjun, despite his inner turmoil, tried to maintain a cordial demeanor. "Thanks, Dhruv. I put in a lot of effort. Glad you appreciate it," he replied with a tight smile, trying to mask his jealousy.

"So Ms. Tiwari is your date tonight?" Arjun asked.

"Yeah..." Dhruv replied, glancing at Kiara.

Kiara looked at Arjun and gave him a cheeky grin. "Dr. Mehra, you did an incredible job with the food as well. I'm really excited to dig in," she said with a giggle.

Arjun's smile grew as he raised an eyebrow, observing her excitement. His heart raced with happiness at her joy. "I'm really glad to see you happy," he said, feeling a rush of emotion.

"Oh, food always brings a smile to my face," she quipped. Dhruv chuckled and shook his head in fond amusement at her comment.

"Ah, Dhruv, would you mind coming with me to meet my business partners?" Arjun asked, motioning for Dhruv to join him.

“Sure, I'll join you...” Dhruv responded before glancing back at Kiara, "why don't you relax and enjoy the starters while I'm with Arjun?" He offered a gentle smile to her.

Kiara nodded in agreement, signaling her approval with a thumbs up and a smile, saying, "That works for me.”