Shubman pov
As I arrived home around 10 pm after dropping Reethu off at her place, I couldn't help but reflect on how enjoyable the day had been, despite it being just our first day together. She was exactly as Ishan had described her.
Entering the house, I found my parents watching TV. "Aagaya hamara beta," my mom greeted with a smile as I settled beside her, feeling a warmth spread within me.
"Kaisa tha din? Reethu ke sath din kaisa tha?" my dad inquired, curiosity evident in his voice.
"Acha gaya. Voh bohot hi pyari hai," I replied with a smile, my heart feeling lighter as I spoke of Reethu.
"Oh ho dekho, hamaara beta sharama raha hai," my mom teased, pinching my cheeks lightly.
"Ma," I protested, laughing along with her antics. "Okay, I'll get going to my room, good night," I chuckled before making a quick exit, eager to retreat to the solitude of my own space.
Once in my room, I peeled off my sweat-drenched shirt and changed into a comfortable pair of sweatpants before flopping onto my bed. Thoughts of Reethu soon consumed my mind—the way she laughed, her infectious smile, her quick wit.
Unable to shake off the thoughts of her, I reached for my phone. Should I call her? Would she be awake at this hour?
"Well, you won't know if you don't try," my subconscious nudged me. Taking a leap of faith, I dialled her number. She picked up on the third ring.
"Hey," she greeted warmly, her voice instantly bringing a smile to my face. "Hi," I replied, feeling a surge of happiness.
"Couldn't sleep?" she asked, her concern evident. "Yeah, you too?" I inquired, curious about her own sleep patterns.
"Nah, my sleep schedule is pretty messed up because of my work," she explained, her voice tinged with amusement.
"Why do you say that?" I probed further, intrigued by her response. "Well, you see, sometimes we have late-night shoots, sometimes very early ones. So I sleep whenever I can grab a moment, and currently, I'm not sleepy," she elaborated.
"Why are you awake anyway?" she redirected the question back to me. "I couldn't get sleep," I admitted, feeling a bit vulnerable sharing my insomnia with her.
"Is music playing over there?" I asked, noticing the faint sound of music in the background.
"Yeah," she laughed lightly. "You're listening to that song from 'Student of the Year'?" I teased, recognizing the tune.
"Uh, yeah," she confessed, prompting a chuckle from me. "Is it reminding you of someone?" I prodded playfully, enjoying our banter. "Ishan," she burst into laughter, catching me off guard.
"Ishan? Did you say Ishan?" I repeated incredulously, my mind reeling with possibilities.
Her laughter only intensified. "Oh my God, the look on your face!" she exclaimed, causing me to shake my head in amusement.
Suddenly, the screen went dark for a moment. "Reethu?" I called out, concerned. "Sorry, I dropped the phone," she apologized, her voice slightly muffled.
"When is the party tomorrow?" she asked, shifting the topic smoothly. "Tomorrow is Saturday?" I mused, momentarily distracted.
"Mhmm," she murmured, awaiting my confirmation. "Give me a minute, let me check," I responded, quickly retrieving the text message.
"Tomorrow at 6. I'll pick you up at 5:30. Yeah?" I confirmed, feeling a surge of excitement.
"You should probably get to bed, Shub," she advised, concern lacing her tone.
"And go wear a t-shirt," she added with a chuckle. "Are you saying you don't like my body?" I teased, enjoying our playful exchange.
"Never said that. Just worried that you would catch a cold," she retorted, her caring nature shining through.
"Aww, someone cares about me so much," I remarked, feeling a warmth spread through me.
"Yes, Shubman. I care very much about you," she affirmed, her words sending a pleasant shiver down my spine.
"Head to bed. I'll see you tomorrow," she bid me goodnight, her voice soft and reassuring.
"Goodnight," we both echoed before ending the call, leaving me feeling elated and utterly smitten.
God, I'm going crazy for her. As I lay in bed, my mind continued to race with thoughts of Reethu. She had this undeniable charm that seemed to captivate me completely.
But amidst the whirlwind of emotions, a sense of humour crept in, and I found myself engaged in a funny conversation with myself.
"Well, Shubman, looks like you've fallen hard, huh?" I chuckled inwardly, picturing myself teasingly wagging a finger at myself.
"Oh, come on, it's not like you to get all mushy over someone," I chided myself, adopting a mock-serious tone.
"But have you seen her smile? Heard her laugh? It's like a spell she casts on you," another part of me argued, unable to deny the truth in its words.
"Yeah, yeah, keep dreaming, Romeo," I retorted, rolling my eyes at my own romantic musings.
"But seriously, she's different, isn't she? Refreshing, even," a softer voice piped up, acknowledging the depth of my feelings.
"Okay, okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's just one day," I reasoned, attempting to rein in my runaway thoughts.
"But what a day it was! She's got you wrapped around her finger already," my playful side teased, unable to resist poking fun at my infatuation.
"Alright, enough of this nonsense. Time to sleep," I declared, putting an end to my internal banter and succumbing to the comforting embrace of sleep, albeit with Reethu's laughter still echoing in my mind.
As sleep began to envelop me, I couldn't shake off the lingering thoughts of Reethu. Her laughter, her smile, and the way she effortlessly charmed everyone around her danced in my mind like playful fireflies.
"Okay, fine, she's got my attention," I admitted to myself with a sheepish grin, acknowledging the undeniable pull she had on me.
"But don't you think you're moving too fast? It's just one day, after all," a more rational part of me cautioned, attempting to inject a dose of pragmatism into my infatuation.
"Who said anything about moving fast? I'm just... appreciating her company," I countered, my thoughts swirling like leaves caught in a gust of wind.
"Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that," my inner skeptic quipped, ever-ready to rain on my parade of romantic notions.
"But there's something special about her, isn't there? Something that sets her apart," a quieter voice chimed in, nudging me to acknowledge the depth of my feelings."Special or not, I should probably focus on getting some shut-eye," I mumbled to myself, trying to steer my mind away from the intoxicating whirlpool of thoughts surrounding Reethu.
"Agreed. But don't be surprised if she invades your dreams," my mischievous side teased, leaving me with a wry smile before finally succumbing to the embrace of sleep, where visions of Reethu danced in the moonlit landscape of my subconscious mind.