Little Book Of Red Lies | Shubman Gill ✓

21. Sparks that sizzle and burn

"Aur kitne din Shubman? Sab Tera intezaar kar rahe hai…" Shubman hears Hardik say over the phone. It had been two weeks since GT had assembled at Gujarat to begin their preparations for IPL. Shubman had been delaying joining the camp for as long as he could but now even he knew that his presence was required elsewhere.

"Bas 2 din aur Harry Bhai." When he hears no response from the other side, he adds, "Please."

"Hmmm. Sab samajh raha hoon main. Ye sab tu Kavya ke liye kar Raha hai na." He looks at her by turning leftwards. They are making Poha for breakfast today. Or rather, she is making Poha for breakfast and he's just watching her. Will she miss him after he leaves, he wonders.

Meanwhile, Kavya feels Shubman's gaze drilling holes on her right arm. Her heartbeat quickens. She is upset at how her body has begun to react to him. Just yesterday when she had accidentally bumped into him while talking to Aatish, her mind had wandered off the direction where it wondered if she could feel Shubman's abs while he was wearing a tee, how would it feel to actually touch them. Concentrating on getting the amount of salt right, she shoos these wild thoughts away.

She hears him say, "Bas do din aur, Harry Bhai." Over the phone and glances up. Shubman acknowledges her with a sad nod. Thoughts race through her mind but she chooses to focus on the positives. Two days more of Shubman. Baad ka baadmien sochenge. But even as she refuses to acknowledge any negative thoughts, one thought reigns above every other - She is going to miss him.

And so as soon as the call ends she decides to waste no time and ask, "We were talking about the powers you possess before Hardik called."

Hearing that a smile appears on Shubman's face. He was relieved when she had started speaking to him without awkwardness. Last two days had felt like hell to him. Even though she was not avoiding him per say, he could feel the distance between them. He could feel that for some reason, she wanted the distance. Shubman had been racking his brain since two days to try to remember if he had said something bad while being under the influence of alcohol. But as was the matter every time he drank, he couldn't remember anything.

Today had been different. Ever since he had woken up Kavya had bombarded him with questions like, "what's the best thing about being a vampire?" And concerns like, "How do you pretend to take a run slowly when you can zap your way to the crease?" He was amazed to say the least. Amazed at how curious and involved Kavya seemed to be. Amazed at how much he liked her inquisitive nature. He couldn't help but wonder if Sara would react in a similar manner. But deep down he knew that even though the two girls were best of friends, their reactions to things were very different. He planned to tell Sara about him being a vampire before he left but secretly he was dreading her reaction.

"Yes we were. If I remember correctly, someone was marveling at how I shall remain forever 21." He smirks. For someone who had been a vampire for three years and had an eternity ahead of him, he never gave age much of a thought but when Kavya Arora brings something up, it is a task to not think about it.

Forever 21.

It had never sounded as exciting as Kavya made it seem. Shubman sighed. He made use of every ounce of his will power to not picture what these endless years would look without her. No. Immortality was more of a curse. And even though he had gotten no choice, he would always make sure that Kavya had the choice to decide if she wanted this life or not.

"Yessssss. And I can't help but think ki forever 21 ke label owners agar vampires nikle toh?!" He chuckled. What would he not sacrifice to see Kavya obsessed with vampires again and again!

"You had said ki you will tell me more about compulsion."

Upon hearing this, his face loses the smile. "Ah yes. I want you to listen to this very carefully."
Kavya raises her eyebrows. Shubman had tried to make her believe that someone was after her life. Someone dangerous. A murderous vampire. But of all the things Kavya had found it funny. A vampire? Out there to kill her? It seemed highly unlikely to her.

And so it was only natural for Shubman to stress on this important explanation. To lay emphasis, he puts his hands on her shoulders. It doesn't escape his notice that she visibly freezes upon his touch.

"A vampire has the power to compel you to do something. My attempt at compulsion won't work because you're wearing the necklace that has vervain in it." Instinctively, Kavya's hand reaches up to caress the tiny amethyst pendant and Shubman smiles. She wishes he wouldn't smile while touching her. It leaves goosebumps and memories to reminisce later.

"But I will demonstrate how it would look."

And Shubman shows her.

His pupils dialate as he says, "You don't remember anything about yesterday."

Kavya watches him intrigued. It would have been difficult for anyone else to tell the difference but proximity allows her to gaze deep into his eyes to search for evidence of dialation. She's still unsure as to how this compulsion works but currently she couldn't care less. Whatever the damn thing was, it had allowed her to look at Shubman with the intensity she had uncounsiously always dreamt of. Her mind hurried to imprint all the details even the memory of his long eyelashes.

She breaks their eye contact to bring her focus back on Shubman's demonstration rather than the naked fact of him being gorgeous.

"And you would forget everything about yesterday after that if not for the necklace. Hence moral of the story is…." Shubman waits for her to complete.

"Never unhook the necklace."

"No matter who forces you to. Or what the circumstances are." He adds. He temporarily removes his hands from her shoulders to ask her for a physical assurance that she promises to remember this.

Kavya smiles sheepishly as he asks her for her pinky to indicate that she promises to do so. This guy is such a sweetheart she thinks while bringing her tiny pinky to meet his giant little finger. And then to ruin the moment and the electricity that had started cracking in the air, she asks, "When are you going to tell Sara?"

Shubman is disoriented for a moment. He was going to embrace her after she promised but she ruins the momentum by asking a question. And Shubman Gill is surprised at how disinterested he feels about the interruption.

"Soon." He says wondering if it would be a good decision to hug her after the question. But she puts him out of his unknown misery by uttering,

"I will miss you."

And then, Shubman takes her in his arms.

*****

A/n - Ankhon se phir ye pyaar ki barsaat ho na ho …Shayad phir iss Janam mien mulakat ho na ho.