That afternoon Shashank received a text from Miraya - meet me at Kismet tonight 🍻

That was weird. He didn't expect her to ask for his company when he was sending her teasing messages every morning.

Maybe she was planning to get rid of him for good. She must be planning to put poison in his drink. Yeah, that's the only explanation that made sense to Shashank. She was inviting him so she could kill him at Kismet. But he was going to join her nonetheless.

And that's how he reached Kismet that night around ten o'clock. To meet the girl he secretly liked. Though everyone knew about it.

He stepped inside Kismet, a club solely dedicated to the elite class of Awadh, wearing his regular office attire, a white shirt and black pants. The office coat was ditched and left in the car outside. His eyes scanned through the small crowd to find her sitting in the bar area. And it wasn't surprising. Miraya was a drinker. Well, not as crazy of a drinker like his cousin Sahana. But she loved drinking just like Angana loved Taylor Swift.

He made his way to the bar counter and sat down on the empty seat beside her. Miraya glanced at her left side and smiled seeing him. She SMILED at him! It only meant one thing. She was drunk.

“Miraya, how many rounds of drink you had?” He asked her while signaling the bartender to serve him his regular drink. Whiskey.

“Only six.” She showed him her six fingers proudly with a cheeky smile.

“But you never drink more than two.” 

“I wanted to get drunk, duh.” She rolled her eyes.

“But... okay, leave it. I'll drop you home myself.”  He declared. He couldn't let her drive in a drunken state.

“Ah, you are such a lovesick bastard.” And she pulled his cheeks and patted his head as if he was a baby.

“Lovesick bastard?” Shashank couldn't believe what his ears heard. The two mismatched words sounded both offensive and cute.

“Yeah, you are a bastard and you are sick in my love.”

“First, I'm my father's legitimate child so I'm not a bastard. And I'm not sick in your love.”  Well, he liked what he heard but he wasn't going to admit it so easily.

“Then why are you wearing the perfume I gifted you on your birthday?” She asked while looking into his eyes confidently.

“Because it's smells nice, duh.” Shashank shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal.

“Okay, then why are you wearing the wristwatch I gifted you last year?” She pulled his left hand and showed him the Rolex.

“Because it still works, duh.” He shrugged again.

“Then why are you wearing the saturn pendent I gifted you two years back?”

“Because I like it, duh.” And he shrugged again. Miraya felt a very strong urge to dislocate his shoulders so he won't shrug again.

“Then why do you have my photo in your cupboard?” She bluffed.

“How did you know that!?” And her bluff caught him off-guard. His mouth was wide like that of girls when they eat Gol Gappey.

Miraya couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips, “Huh, do you really have my photo in your cupboard? I was bluffing! Yay! Caught you!”

Shashank slapped his forehead.

“Your drink, sir.” The bartender served him the glass of Whiskey at the same time.

“Smash it on my head.” He told him mindlessly.

“No, sir, I can't do that. These old-fashioned glasses are quite expensive. Remember you had to pay ten thousand rupees when you broke one about three months ago.” The bartender reminded him.

“Oh, why did he break the glass?” Miraya asked the bartender with curiousity and excitement.

“Yes, madam, do you remember the guy who misbehaved with you? After you left, Sir smashed a glass on his head.”

Miraya laughed. Now that was another proof to prove that Mr. I-don't-love-you do love her.

“You have got quite a good memory.” Shashank gritted while glaring at the bartender.

“Thank you, sir.” But the poor man could not catch the underlying threat in Shashank's tone.

“Fuck off or I'll smash your head with this glass.” Shashank threatened the poor guy. The bartender quickly went back to his work.

Shashank turned to look at Miraya who was already looking at him with a dreamy smile that made his heart beat faster. He wanted to argue with her but her dimples melted his heart.

“Let's leave. It's too late. I'll drop you home.” He stood up from his seat.

“Say I love you first.” She held his hand and looked at him with puppy eyes.

“Miraya, don't push your luck. C'mon, let's go.”  He refused to say those words.

“Just say it once.”  She stood up and leaned closer to him. Her arms wrapped around his torso as she looked up at his confused face, deep into his brown eyes.

“I love you.” Shashank whispered and patted her head.

“I love you too.” Miraya smiled and kissed his cheek.

“Don't say things you don't mean.”  He didn't want to raise his hopes high.

He held her hand and took her outside. The valet handed him the car keys after bringing the car in front of the exit.

“Oh, the keychain I gifted you three years back!” Miraya exclaimed seeing the car keys in his hands.

🦋🦋🦋

Rudraksh Yaduvanshi opened the main door around midnight to see a very drunk Miraya and a very awkward Shashank. Her head was resting on his shoulder. She looked sleepy.

“Hello, Rudraksh uncle.” Shashank greeted him awkwardly.

“Did Miraya drink too much?” Rudrakash asked Shashank, it was very unusual for Miraya to get drunk.

“Yeah, she did.” Shashank nodded and continued, “So I came to drop her home.”

“Oh, it was very considerate of you, Shashank. Thank you for dropping her home.” The old man smiled.

“It's alright, uncle.” Shashank smiled.

Rudraksh held Miraya and Shashank left. He closed the main door and then looked at his daughter.

“Mira, why are you pretending to be drunk?” He asked her straightforwardly.

Miraya dropped the act and looked at her father in surprise and curiosity.

“How did you find out I'm not drunk?” She asked in amazement.

“I'm your father, Beta. I know you more than you know yourself.” Her replied in riddles.

“Oh, I was just messing with him.” She chuckled.

Rudraksh laughed even though he knew it wasn't as simple as it looked.

“Go to bed now.” He patted her head.

“Good night, Baba.” She hugged her father before heading towards her bedroom.

🦋🦋🦋

Shashank entered his bedroom after eating the Dal Chawal his mother had cooked for dinner. He already ate two plates before leaving for Kismet but he ate one more just a while ago. He wasn't a glutton but his mother was a gifted cook. Her food was as tempting as heaven and he couldn't resist.

He entered the closet and stood in front of the mirror. He removed the wristwatch Miraya gifted him last year. Then he took off the saturn pendent she gifted him two years back. He pulled out the keychain she gifted him three years back and put it down on the dressing table as well.

Shashank took a quick shower and changed into fresh clothes. He sprinkled the perfume she gave him recently on his twenty-ninth birthday. Perfumes helped him sleep better, especially the ones he received from her.

With a soft smile lingering on his face, he pulled out her photo frame from the cupboard and headed to the bed. He laid down on the mattress and held her picture in front of his eyes.

“Miss Miraya Yaduvanshi, I know that you were acting. You have finally figured out my feelings, huh? Great! Now I can propose you without the fear of rejection. Now if you are wondering how I know you were acting then let me explain. When you are drunk, you get hiccups nonstop. You didn't get a single hiccup tonight. Your eyes turn red. But tonight they didn't. I know you more than you know yourself. So try better next time.” He hid the photo under the pillow and closed his eyes. That night he slept with a smile permanently resting on his face.

He was going to propose her soon.

•••

Team Shashank or Team Miraya

I hope it was worth the wait ❤️