f i f t e e n
thin line

tw: mentions of alcohol, sex and other 16+ stuff. these are fully functioning adults, y'all teenagers don't need to go close to any of this.

"I won't take a lot of your time. I'm pretty sure that you all are hungry by now," Sara said. "Enjoy your dinner, and we're both so grateful that you all came for us. Thank you for reminding us that love isn't just between two people. It's shared with everyone who loves them, too,"

"What Sara said," Shubman quickly commented, making everyone laugh. Hardik slapped the back of his head slightly, making Shubman flinch.

"Lazy ass," Hardik muttered and Shubman rolled his eyes.

"If my wife," Shubman started, wrapping his arm around his wife, "has already said something nice and meaningful for our guests, why should I say something different and one up her?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Tu sudhrega nahi," (You will never change) Hardik said and Sara laughed, agreeing.

"Anyway, Ishan was saying that you all are going to and party after this?" Rohit asked quizzically and Shubman nodded.

"Yeah. Ishan's throwing an after party at his apartment,"

"The shock of the century was Ishan offering his house for the party," Abhishek commented and Rohit laughed.

"Seriously, iska ghar itna messy rehta hai, baapre! He gives competition to Rishu and a young Virat," (Seriously, his house is so messy! He gives competition to Rishabh and a young Virat!) Rohit said and Virat glared at him.

"Yeah, my room used to be messy, Ro. But at least I never forgot my wedding ring in that mess," Virat retorted, giving him a tight lipped smile. Rohit opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't find an appropriate answer.

"Whatever," he grumbled as everyone around them burst into laughter.

The night proceeded ahead as everyone relished the fancy feast. All the sportsmen present had timed their 'cheat days' according to the party had a great time, savouring the 'unhealthy' food.

🪷

The night ended on a sweet note, as everyone left after praising Sara and Shubman. Their hearts were full on seeing how the couple had lovingly embraced the arrange marriage and were quick to fall in love.

They were a handsome couple, indeed.

Currently, they were at Ishan's apartment, having an 'after party'. It was all the youngsters- the childless adults; Shubman and Sara's friends.

"It's not an after party without some stupidity," Ratna- Sara's friend declared, a mischievous smile on her face.

"How about never have I ever?" Naina suggested.

"Perfect game to get wasted to," Ishan mumbled and Shubman widened his eyes.

"No way! No drinking games, some people gotta be sober to drive,"

"Bro, why did you turn into a grandpa after your wedding?" Yashaswi snickered and Sara scoffed, offended.

"Hey hey, don't drag our marriage into this. This is just him," Sara said, raising her arms. Shubman rolled his eyes.

"No shenanigans tonight, I'm telling you all. Rohit bhaiyya and Hardik bhaiyya are already here but even Virat bhaiyya is in Mumbai now. A slight slip up and he kills all of us, yeah?" Shubman said and on cue, Ishan shrieked.

"What the fuck?"

"Kya hua?" (What happened?) Sahil asked, raising his brow.

"I got a message from Jassi bhai. He says that he'll beat me to a pulp if we pull any stunt tonight,"

"Why do they never trust us?" Yashaswi theatrically asked and Shubman nodded.

"You broke a showpiece at his house, Yasha,"

"Fuck you Shubi, yaad mat dila," (Why are reminding me?) Yashaswi cringed at that memory.

"Okay anyway, can we begin the game? Instead of taking a shot, let's just take a bite from our pizza slices. Sounds good?" Alisha asked as she emerged from the kitchen.

"Wait, I don't have space to sit," she frowned.

"Uh, you can sit here, Alisha," Abhishek who was sitting right beside her, mumbled, making space on the futon he was comfortably settled on.

"Oh, thanks," she smiled slightly at him.

"Alright, let's start our little game!" Sara declared, excited for the secret-revealing game. "Alisha, start kar,"

"Yes ma'am," Alisha grinned. "Let's start easy, never have I ever drunk dialled an ex," Abhishek winced as he was the first one to take a bite of his slice. A few others followed in, but the focus remained on Abhishek, as Shubman, Ishan and Yashaswi shared a knowing look.

"Is there some story?" Sara curiously questioned.

"Oh, you have no idea babe," Shubman mumbled as he sipped on his virgin mojito.

"Batao na phir," (Then tell us)

"The girl he dated in college- God, Abhay could create a world record of drunk dialling her," Shubman said, trying to stifle his laughter. Abhishek frowned.

"It's not like I was the only one. She could also hold the same record, yeah?" Abhishek defended himself,

"God yes, such idiots. They would break up all the time, drunk dial each other and then get back together. It was an entire...thing," he said, laughing.

"But Sara, the best part was when a few months ago, the two ran into each other at the airport. She had a boyfriend hugging her while Abhishek had his arm around Tilak's shoulder," Ishan informed, breaking into laughter.

"Loser," Alisha commented, glancing sideways at him while he rolled his eyes. Sara laughed, gasping for air at the hilarious anecdote.

"I can visualise this for some reason," she giggled.

"CAN WE MOVE ON?" Abhishek asked a little loudly and Yashaswi nodded.

"Yeah, next question, Naina- wait, Naina right?" Ishan talked. Naina, Sara's friend nodded.

"Give me a minute," Naina said as she chugged down some Coca-Cola.

"Hey, so...uh you never drunk dialled an ex?" Shubman asked, curiously whispering in Sara's ear.

"Nope,"

"Seriously?" He was intrigued.

"Well one of Naina's ex boyfriend actually cheated on her, and we took her out to party. I got wasted and I was so angry on him that I called him up and cussed him to my heart's content," she whispered back and he looked at her, amused. "That's the closest I was to drunk calling an ex,"

"Good god Tendulkar," he laughed softly.

"Hey, we know you love each other, can you stop this PDA?" Ishan joked and Shubman and Sara frowned, in synch.

"We were literally just talking," Sara protested.

"Whatever, chipku log," Alisha commented making everyone laugh.

"Okay okay, I have a good one," Naina silenced everyone, a playful smirk on her face. Her childhood friends nervously looked at her, afraid of who the dig was going to be at.

"Never have I ever thanked someone after they kissed me," Naina said, "on the mouth!" She quickly added. Sidharth and Sahil were the first ones to burst into laughter while Alisha giggled, apologetically looking at her best friend.

"Oh god, I remember that," Sahil said.

Sara was flabbergasted, covering her face with her palms in embarrassment.

"Oh my god, it was you?" Shubman asked, amused. Sara groaned, removing her hands from her face as she looked at him.

"Yes,"

"I have literally never heard of anyone do that. Like ever," Yashaswi laughed as Sara's face flushed in embarrassment.

"Yaar, oh my god," she groaned, leaning onto Shubman's arm, completely flustered. Shubman froze for a second at the sudden contact, but quickly composed himself, too amused at the situation but not wanting Sara to feel more embarrassed.

"Oh come, that's cute...it's polite," he softly said and she looked up at him, meeting his eyes.

"It was literally my first kiss," she whispered, and no one else heard her faint voice as everyone else was already chatting amongst themselves.

"It's not bad at all," he shrugged. "Though I would say that the guy should've thanked you,"

"For kissing him?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, he should-

Their interaction was cut off as Sahil spoke up.

"Never have I ever accidentally liked someone old picture on Instagram?"

To no one's surprise, everyone had a bite of pizza.

"Never have I ever sent a flirty text to a wrong person," Siddharth's question popped.

Yashaswi, Naina, Ishan had a bite of pizza.

"Alright, my turn," Sara excitedly said. "Hmm, never have I ever had a crush on someone in this room," she asked, wanting Ratna and Siddharth to take a bite of their pizzas, monetarily forgetting that she should be answering positively, since her husband was sitting right beside her.

As Shubman reached out for the pizza he had kept on the coffee table, she raised her brow at him. He blankly stared at her in disbelief. Alisha who noticed the scene and quickly understood what was happening, rolled her eyes.

"Sara?"

"Hm?"

"Did you never have a crush on Shubman or what?" She laughed and Sara's eyes widened, softly laughing.

"Sorry, I was thinking of something else," she faintly said, relishing the cheesy pizza.

"I know what you were thinking, babe," Alisha winked at her and then looked at Ratna who rolled her eyes.

"I took a bite because I used to have a crush on Shubman. You know, a celebrity crush, like yeah? You know, before he got married to my best friend obviously," Ratna tried to sound confident. "But yeah, I'm like kinda hungry, so I'm jumping at every chance I get, to eat the pizza,"

"Aww, I'm flattered Ratna!" Shubman grinned. "She took a bite for an old crush, and you couldn't take one for your husband," he whispered to Sara who sighed.

"I'm sor-

"Oh is it?" Naina asked the question this time. "I thought it was for the person you kissed but never mind," she looked at Ratna and then quickly threw a glance at Siddharth.

"Oh my god. Get over it, it was like years ago," Siddharth insisted as everyone tried to contain their laughs.

"Okay, okay. Let's move on," Shubman said, as he scanned the helpless faces of Siddharth and Ratna.

"Um, I'll give an easy one, never have I ever lied to impress someone,"

Almost everyone except for Sahil and Alisha took a bite.

"Okay okay, my turn," Yashaswi declared, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Never have I ever...walked into the wrong washrooms,"

Shubman's eyes widened, his face burning with embarrassment as he hesitantly ate the pizza, the taste of the cheese suddenly feeling sour in his mouth. Sara looked at him with shock and she burst into tiny giggles.

"Seriously, Shub?" She asked, her voice unable to hide her shock.

He groaned, burying his face into his palms.

"It was...at the airport, I was getting late, and then...I mistakenly walked into the ladies restroom, but it was...it was okay, I immediately realised and left. I didn't see anyone nor did anyone see me," he talked quickly, trying to justify the fiasco. Sara listened attentively as she noticed how flustered he was.

"But as I exited, Yashaswi was standing right there who understood what happened," he added, frowning.

"Murakhta ki bhi seema hoti hai, baalak," (Even stupidity had its limit, child) Ishan said as everyone laughed.

"It's okay, Shubman. Happens. Not to me, but..." Sara trailed off, her laughter receding as she interlaced her hands with his. Comforting him when he was flustered.

There were moments like these when the lines between fiction and reality were blurred. A thin line, indeed.

A/N: Act one is officially done! The entire theme of the chapter is what act two is about- 'Blurring the lines between real and fake', haha.

I would love to know your take on the story till now! Favourite moments, favourite dialogues, characters, anything that might have stuck with you, anything you liked about this read. Would love to hear it from you all!

Any suggestions, feedback, criticism, my ears are open!

But the most important question is; do you ship the versions of Shubman and Sara I've written in the story? Do you feel they should get together ASAP! I mean, do you feel the connection somehow? Are they characters you want to root for?

Anyway, get ready for more mature, more romantic ShubSara in the second act. Will miss turning their simple conversations into little jabs and arguments🥲