𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐭�...

"𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐬—𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐞."

📍 S H A N A Y A ' S H O U S E

I sat by the window in Shanaya's house, looking at the London skyline, lost in my thoughts.

It was a cloudy day—exactly the type of day I loved.

The kind that felt like the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

But my mind kept replaying that moment from the café.

The way he caught me, those piercing light brown eyes, the warmth of his hands...

Oh god, why couldn't I stop thinking about him?

"Snap out of it, Lavi!" I muttered to myself. "You barely know the guy. He's just some random stranger."

But he didn't feel like a stranger.

There was something about him—an intensity, a presence—that made it impossible to forget.

Was it the way his gaze seemed to lock onto mine, like he could see right through me?

Or was it the way my heart skipped a beat when his hands steadied me?

I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away.

The door swung open, and Shanaya waltzed in, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Guess who I just invited to my birthday party!" she said, flopping down onto the couch beside me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Shanaya grinned. "Ishaan!"

My heart stopped for a second.

Ishaan? Could that be... No, it couldn't be.

What were the odds?

"Wait, Ishaan... like your childhood friend Ishaan?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah, Ishaan Agnihotri. You remember him, right? I've told you about him a million times. He's coming to the party, and you'll finally get to meet him!"

I gulped, my heart racing.

Could the man from the café be the same Ishaan?

Shanaya had mentioned him before—her best friend from childhood, the successful CEO—but I had never paid much attention.

Now, all those little details she had shared over the years seemed to come rushing back.

"Wow, that's... great," I managed to say, my voice not quite as steady as I would have liked.

Shanaya noticed my hesitation. "Tu theek haina lavi? Preshan lag rahi hai."

("You okay, Lavi? You look a bit flustered.")

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," I said quickly, trying to sound casual. "Just thinking about all the stuff we have to do before the party."

She laughed. "Don't worry, everything's under control. You just have to show up, look fabulous, and have fun. Oh, and maybe help me pick out my outfit tomorrow."

I nodded, but my mind was elsewhere.

If that Ishaan was the same guy from the café, how was I going to handle it?

Would he even recognize me?

I was just some random girl he bumped into. But still... those eyes.

God, I couldn't stop thinking about them.

₊ °✦ ‧ ‧ ₊ ˚✧

The next day was a whirlwind of preparation.

Shanaya's apartment was buzzing with energy as we got ready for her birthday party.

I helped her pick out a stunning red dress that made her look like a queen, while I opted for a simple yet elegant black dress.

We spent hours getting ready, and by the time we were done, we both looked like we had stepped straight out of a magazine.

"Tu ek dum sundar lg rahi hai!" Shanaya said, giving me a once-over.

(You look amazing!)

"Thanks," I said with a smile, though my mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Ishaan.

As the evening approached, guests started arriving, filling the apartment with laughter and chatter.

Shanaya's friends from university, some of her childhood friends, and a few of her relatives were all mingling, and I tried my best to engage in small talk, but my eyes kept darting toward the door, waiting for him to show up.

And then, he walked in.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw him. It was him—the guy from the café- Ishaan Agnihotri .

He looked even more striking than I remembered, dressed in a sharp suit that only accentuated his tall, commanding presence.

His light brown eyes scanned the room, and for a brief moment, they landed on me.

I quickly looked away, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Lavi, come meet Ishaan!" Shanaya called, waving me over.

I took a deep breath and plastered a smile on my face as I walked over to them.

"Ishaan, this is my best friend, Lavika. Lavika, meet Ishaan," Shanaya introduced us with a grin.

"Nice to meet you, Lavika," Ishaan said, his voice smooth and deep.

He extended his hand, and I shook it, trying to act like I hadn't met him before.

His touch was warm, and I couldn't help but notice how strong his grip was.

"Nice to meet you too," I replied, forcing myself to maintain eye contact without blushing.

But it was hard.

Those eyes... they were just as captivating as before.

"Have we met before?" he asked suddenly, his brow furrowing slightly as he studied my face.

Crap.

So he did remember.

"I don't think so," I lied, quickly looking away. "Maybe you're confusing me with someone else."

He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the issue either. Instead, he smiled and said, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you anyway."

We exchanged a few more pleasantries before Shanaya dragged him off to introduce him to some of her other friends, leaving me standing there, my mind racing.

I couldn't believe this was happening.

What were the odds that the guy who had saved me from an embarrassing fall in a café would turn out to be Shanaya's childhood friend?

I needed some air.

I slipped out onto the balcony, letting the cool evening breeze wash over me.

The party was in full swing inside, but out here, it was peaceful—just the distant sounds of the city and the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind.

I leaned against the railing, taking a deep breath. Why was I so flustered?

It wasn't like anything had happened between us.

He was just a guy—a guy who happened to be incredibly attractive and had caught me in a moment of clumsiness. That was all.

"Mind if I join you?" a familiar voice asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I turned to see Ishaan standing in the doorway, his hands in his pockets, looking every bit as composed and confident as before.

"Sure," I said, trying to sound casual as I moved over to make room for him.

He walked over and leaned against the railing beside me, his gaze fixed on the city lights in the distance.

"You know," he began after a moment of silence, "I'm pretty sure we've met before."

I felt my heart skip a beat. "Really? Where?"

"In a café," he said, turning to look at me. "A small one, not far from here. You were drinking a chocolate latte, and I accidentally bumped into you. Ring any bells?"

I bit my lip, trying to suppress a smile.

So he did remember.

"Maybe," I said coyly. "But you also called me an animal, so I'm not sure I'd want to remember that."

He chuckled, a deep, rich sound that sent a shiver down my spine. "Touché. I apologize for that. I didn't mean it."

"Well, apology accepted," I said with a grin, finally allowing myself to relax a little.

We stood in comfortable silence for a moment before Ishaan glanced at me, his expression softening as a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"You know," he said slowly, his voice warm and gentle, "I didn't get a chance to tell you this earlier, but you look... stunning tonight, Lavi."

His words were simple, but there was something in the way he said my name—like he was savoring it. I felt a warmth spread through me, my heart doing a little flip.

"Thank you," I replied quietly, trying to keep my voice steady. "You're not looking too bad yourself, Mr. CEO. Very sharp."

He chuckled at the nickname, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well, I had to make sure I didn't disappoint on Shanaya's big night. But honestly, Lavi... that dress... it suits you. Elegant and effortless, just like you."

His words hung in the air between us, and I could feel the weight of them, the sincerity in his tone.

I smiled, biting my lip to stop myself from grinning too widely.

"You're quite the charmer, aren't you, Ishu?" I teased, using the nickname Shanaya had mentioned once, wondering how he'd react.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard but not displeased. "Ishu, huh? I like that. Only a few people call me that... and now you."

His gaze lingered on mine for a beat longer, and I couldn't help but feel like this was more than just casual banter.

There was something deeper, something simmering just beneath the surface.

For a moment, the noise of the party faded into the background, leaving just the two of us standing there, our words unspoken but understood.

"So," I said, breaking the silence, "you're Shanaya's childhood friend, huh?"

He nodded. "Yeah, we go way back. Our families were close, so we pretty much grew up together. She's very close to me".

I smiled. "She talks about you all the time, you know. She's really proud of everything you've accomplished."

His expression softened. "Yeah, she's always been supportive. I owe a lot to her."

We continued talking for a while longer, and I found myself getting more and more comfortable around him.

He was easy to talk to, and despite his intimidating presence, he had a warmth to him that made it easy to open up.

But as the night wore on, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to him—something beneath the surface that he wasn't showing.

There was a mystery to him, a depth that intrigued me.

And I couldn't help but wonder what secrets he was hiding behind those captivating eyes.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

The party eventually started winding down, and guests began to leave.

Shanaya was busy saying goodbye to everyone, so I found myself alone again, standing by the door, watching as people trickled out.

"Leaving already?" Shanaya's voice came from behind me, and I turned to see her standing there , Speaking to Ishaan , who had his jacket slung over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I think it's time to call it a night," He said with a smile. "It's been a long day."

He nodded and said to me, "It was nice meeting you, Lavika. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

I couldn't help but smile at that. "Yeah, I'm sure we will."

With that, he gave me one last look—a look that sent a thrill of excitement through me—before turning and walking out the door.

As I watched him leave, I couldn't help but feel like this was just the beginning of something.

What that something was, I wasn't sure.

But one thing was certain—Ishaan Agnihotri was not a common guy.

Was he?

No nah never.

────୨ৎ────

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