As our semester was ending, and the seniors' leaving party was arriving, I realised I didn't have anything nice to wear for it. Neeti had a overgrown blue dress, and that was enough for her, but I decided to use this as an excuse to get one of those gowns I've wanted for the last couple of years.

I searched a lot on the net and there was a mall called Acropolis which seemed quite near our hostel.

The next morning, I ditched classes and set off to Acropolis Mall.

The mall had seemed a posh place in the pictures, so I had put on a red cold-shouldered top and my favourite pair of jeans. I had also applied some red lipstick and eyeliner.

After a long time of trialing, I chose my new gown. It was nearly lunchtime by the time I'd finished, and I was famished.

I called Abhi, who knew everything about food stalls. "Where's the food court of Acropolis?" I demanded to him, getting in the lift.

"3rd floor," he said promptly.

"Trust you," I muttered. "Bhukkar."

Abhi took it as a compliment. I shook my head and cut the call.

I was staring at my screen saver when the lift paused at 1st floor and someone got in. In this picture Shubman looks so cute...

I happened to look up at that moment. I jumped out of my skin. Like, literally.

And who could blame me?? I looked up from Shubman's cute dimpled face and found a very similar sight in front of me.

It's either Shubman Gill, or his doppleganger.

Shubman caught my eyes. I'm sure I was looking so stunned that I looked funny, because he laughed.

Just like that. Without we exchanged a single word, he laughed, and I joined in, I couldn't help it.

"I must be dreaming," I murmured. "I'm dreaming that I'm seeing Shubman sir in front of me..." (It seemed disrespectful to call him just Shubman.)

"No need to call me sir," he said, grinning. "I can't be that much older than you."

"Just three months," I said before I could stop myself. Shit! Now I'd made it clear I've been stalking him.

"Wow." He looked quite impressed. "So anyway..." He extended his hand. "Shubman Gill."

"Alisha Sinha," I said, shaking his hand.

This can't be happening. I'm surely dreaming. But it's such a nice dream...I wish it's true. It has to be true. It has to be...

"Well, Alisha, where are you going?" he asked.

"Food court," I said.

"So am I! Do you know this place well? I've no idea where to eat actually."

"Neither do I," I said, wishing I did know this place well. "I don't live here, you see."

"Where are you from?"

"Baroda."

"I'm from--" he began.

"Punjab," I said, and the next moment, I mentally kicked myself. I need to stop talking around him!!

Shubman grinned again. OH, THOSE DIMPLES!

"Why are you stuck in Kolkata then?" he asked.

"College," I groaned. "In fact, I should be in class right now," I added, glancing at my watch.

"Thank God I'm done with education," he said. He speaks like a completely normal person, not like the star he is.

The lift dinged. No, no, no, no, no, no...

"We could eat together somewhere, seeing that neither of us knows anything about this mall."

I heard his voice, but I couldn't let myself believe he actually said that.

I stared at him in silence.

"It's--it's all right if you don't want to--" he said awkwardly, backing off.

"No!" I cried far too vehemently. God, I'm so stupid. "Of course I want to!"

"Oh...good," he said. He held the door open for me.

"How do you roam about a mall like this? Don't people recognise you? Don't they all come over for autographs and all?" Suddenly I had a million questions for him.

"Better keep a low profile," he whispered.

We slunk across the Food Court, hushing each other when one of us made any noise with our shoe or anything.

Shubman took to walking on tiptoes, after his shoe made a particularly loud creak on the marble.

"Shubman," I sighed. "Stop behaving like a criminal! They'll notice you even more that way!"

"Right," he said sheepishly, and resumed walking normally.

We exchanged a smile.

I felt so thrilled that I couldn't even think straight.

We entered a shop called Coffee World and sat down right at the corner.

"Success!" he said, his dimpled smile back on his face. He smiles a lot, but there's none of that casual arrogance on his face that all good-looking boys have. He seems completely unaware of his own attractiveness.

"Yeah," I said, shaking my head. "What kind of a life do you have, slinking around in a mall like a theif!"

"Hey! It must be better than attending college every day!" said Shubman indignantly. "Which subject is your major by the way?"

"Chemistry," I said.

"Like, we're all made up of atoms Chemistry?" he asked teasingly.

"No, like strontium makes the red fireworks we use in Diwali Chemistry," I retorted.

Shubman started laughing. "Nice comeback," he said approvingly.

I realised then that he's not just frightfully handsome and cute...he's a genuinely nice person. A warm kind of person.

The kind of person you want to be with all your life.

I ordered a brownie and coffee. He only ordered a coffee.

As the waiter brought our orders, Shubman looked enviously at my brownie.

"We're always on a diet," he groaned. "Especially during long tournaments like the IPL."

"Yeah, well, you need these to hit two sixes in the last over to get 13," I teased.

"Big fan of cricket?" he asked, his eyes gleaming.

I couldn't lie and say yes, could I? It's not like I'll be able to continue a cricket conversation.

"No, actually," I said, wishing I was like Neeti. "My best friend took me to watch yesterday's match."

"You saw Dre Russ' storm then!" he said eagerly.

Now who did Neeti refer to as Dre Russ? Well, Andre Russell, I guess.

"Kind of," I said. Of course I couldn't admit I'd spent the entire evening staring not at Russell, but Shubman. "I'm sorry...I don't understand cricket a lot. I just..."

I had never felt more inadequate in my life. Imagine if it was Neeti in my place. Neeti is funny, cute and knows all about cricket. She likes Shubman too. She deserved this chance. I don't.

"What's so wrong about that? It's ok to not like cricket...not everyone has to like a particular sport!"

I looked up at Shubman. He looked quite concerned. I tried to remove the miserable expression from my face.

"That reminds me," I said, suddenly grinning. "Could you give me an autograph for my best friend? She's wild on all cricketers in general and you in particular."

"You flatter me," he drawled, but he was grinning too.

It's so easy to be with him, like we've known each other for ages, which is ridiculous, because we met only an hour ago.

I like him. I really, really like him.

It was so lucky I chose today to come here.

I can't imagine how lucky I got.