"Growing up, you worshipped Tendulkar like a god, while I was a die-hard Ponting fan, I'm not sure this will work out"
or
When an F1 journalist crosses paths with a star cricketer, sparks ignite. But there's a hurdle: she proudly sports the colour...
As Shubman closed the door and stepped back into the living room, he was met with an expectant silence. His parents were perched on the edge of the bed, their eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made him squirm. His sister, Shahneel, sat perched on the armchair, her lips curled into a mischievous grin that hinted at her knowledge of his predicament.
"Dost hai meri," Shubman offered lamely, trying to deflect their probing stares.
His father raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Haan, har dost ke saath dessert kaatha hai itni raat ko?" he inquired, his voice laced with a hint of disapproval.
Shubman squirmed under his father's scrutiny. "Papa, woh India mein kisi aur ko nahin jaanti, so obviously mere saath hangout karegi na?" he explained, trying to sound casual.
His mother wasn't so easily convinced. "Aur har sirf dost Australia se yahan tujhe milne aajati hai?" she countered, her voice laced with a hint of suspicion.
Shubman sighed, realizing that his parents were not going to let this go easily. "Mumma, uska na sudden change ki wajah se time mil gaya, isiliye woh aayi," he said, hoping his explanation would satisfy them. "Infact, main bhi surprised tha usse yahan dekhkar."
His father leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, so she's here to surprise you?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.
Shubman shook his head vehemently. "No, papa! It's not like that," he protested.
Shahneel, unable to contain her amusement any longer, burst into laughter. "Oh bhai, yeh toh raaz khul gaya!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "So, Anya tumhari girlfriend hai?"
Shubman's face flushed crimson. "No, yaar! She's just a friend," he insisted, his voice laced with a hint of desperation.
"Armaan ki college friend hai," he added, hoping to change the subject.
Shahneel's eyes widened. "Oh, so he set you up?" she teased, her voice dripping with mock seriousness.
Shubman groaned, his face buried in his hands. "Nobody set me up! Sab overreact kar rahe ho. Sojao ab aap sab," he muttered, his voice muffled by his palms.
The next morning the Gill family walked down for breakfast. Shubman, bleary-eyed but determined spotted Anya deep in conversation with Natasha, Hardik's wife. After a quick refuel of toast and eggs, Shubman turned to his family with a decisive, "Aap breakfast kijiye, mein aata hoon."
"And she's still not your girlfriend?" His sister chirped, a knowing glint in her eyes. Shubman shot her a withering look, effectively silencing her.
He strode towards Anya, who, upon seeing him, broke into a radiant smile that could rival the morning sun. He settled into the seat beside her, muttering a gruff, "Good morning."
"Morning," Anya replied, her cheer undimmed. "How did it go last night?"
Shubman grimaced. "Insufferable. Especially my sister, wouldn't stop talking. You woke up early."
"Couldn't sleep," Anya admitted. "And since you were stuck with your family, I thought, why not come down myself?" A playful glint danced in her eyes.
"They wouldn't mind," Shubman mumbled, more to himself than to her.
"Well, I'll keep that in mind for next time," Anya said, a sly smile playing on her lips.
"The team bus leaves at four this evening," Shubman said, checking his watch. "So get ready by then, if you're going into town in the morning."
Anya's brows shot up. "I'm coming on the team bus? Don't they have, you know, a separate area for... well, us?"
Shubman chuckled. "Everyone travels together, Anya. It's not like a luxury liner."
"Oh," Anya said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Well, in that case, I was going to the Stepwell today. Do you think your family would want to come along? You'll be busy with practice in the morning, though."
Shubman considered this for a moment. "Let me ask them," he finally said. "There's no harm in trying."
after breakfast, Shubman and Anya approached the Gill family gathered in the living room.
"Yeh Adalaj Stepwell jaa rahi hai, puchh rahi thi ki aapko jaana hai? " Shubman announced, his voice laced with a hint of apprehension.
Shahneel, perked up at the mention of an outing. "Chalo yaar mummy papa, I've seen pictures, badi sahi jagah hai" she enthused, her eyes sparkling.
Shubman exchanged a wary glance with his parents, who huddled together for a brief, murmured conversation. A moment later, his father emerged, a smile on his face. "Theek hai, chalthe hai," he declared.
Relief washed over Shubman. He tacked on a hurried, "Just be back on time, please," before everyone scattered to their rooms to change.
Shubman, however, wasn't quite out of the woods yet. As his family dispersed, he snagged his sister's arm, pulling her aside with a pointed look. "Please, Shahneel," he pleaded, his voice low. "Just behave yourself today. And for the love of god, don't embarrass me in front of Anya, okay?"
Shahneel, her eyes sparkling with mischief, couldn't resist a playful jab. "No promises, baby bro," she teased, before skipping off, leaving Shubman to wonder if this "fun outing" was about to turn into a full-blown disaster.
Anyaroy posted a story
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Postcards from Ahmedabad tagged @/ Shahneelgill
Shahneelgill posted a story
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you have been replaced @/ shubmangill we have a new favourite. tagged @/ anyaroy
