ready for it [ 𝐬. 𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐥 ]

1. marriage talks, pick-up rides and fake dating

Shubman Gill's phone buzzed incessantly, interrupting the upbeat Bollywood tunes blasting through his car speakers. Glancing at the screen, he saw it was his parents calling. He sighed, flicking on the Bluetooth to take the call hands-free.

"Hey, Ma, what's up?" Shubman answered, his voice laced with a hint of apprehension.

"Shubman, beta, where are you?" his mother's voice sounded urgent.

"On my way to pick up Nila from her shoot. Why, what's going on?" Shubman replied, adjusting the rearview mirror as he navigated through the bustling streets of Mumbai.

His father's voice came on the line, "We need to talk to you, Shubman. It's important."

Shubman's heart skipped a beat. Important talks from his parents usually meant trouble. "Okay, Dad. Shoot."

"We've been thinking, beta," his mother began cautiously, "it's time for you to settle down. You're not getting any younger."

Shubman felt his grip tighten on the steering wheel. Marriage talk. Just what he needed on his way to pick up his friend. "Uh, Ma, Dad, I'm really not in the mood for this right now."

"You need to start thinking about your future, Shubman. We've found a nice girl for you, she's from a good family," his father added.

Shubman's mind raced. He couldn't let his parents set him up with some stranger. Not when he had a perfect solution right in front of him. "Actually, um, I've been seeing someone," he blurted out, his heart pounding in his chest.

His parents fell silent for a moment before his mother spoke up, her voice filled with curiosity, "Oh? Who is she? Do we know her?"

Shubman hesitated for a moment, then decided to take the plunge. "It's Nila. Nila Rao."

"Nila? Isn't she that sweet girl you've been friends with since forever?" his father questioned.

"Yeah, that's her," Shubman confirmed, relieved that his parents seemed to be buying it.

His mother's voice turned mischievous, "But she's four years younger than you, Shubman. Isn't that a bit unusual?"

Shubman racked his brain for a response. "Uh, well, you know, she's always been into older guys. She finds them more mature and experienced," he improvised, mentally patting himself on the back for coming up with such a convincing lie.

His parents chuckled on the other end of the line. "So, you're her sugar daddy, eh?" his father teased, earning a groan from Shubman.

"Come on, Dad, don't be like that," Shubman protested, rolling his eyes even though his parents couldn't see him.

His mother chimed in, "Well, as long as you're happy, beta. We'll have to meet this Nila sometime."

"Yeah, sure, Ma. I'll bring her over for dinner sometime soon," Shubman promised, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. Crisis averted, for now.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Shubman pulled his car to the side of the road, the weight of his lie settling heavily on his shoulders. Leaning back in his seat, he ran a hand through his hair, his mind swirling with conflicting thoughts.