The wind whistled through the air as Zian and Neha sped away on Zian's motorcycle. The purring of the engine and the sensation of the road beneath them added to the thrill of the ride. Neha, her excitement palpable, clung to Zian, her arms wrapped around him.

Zian, however, maintained a facade of sternness.

"I hope you are aware I am still mad at you," he said over the roar of the engine.

"Is that so? Then you should have just let me go with Rishab. He wasn't mad at me and he would have enjoyed the ride with me."

Zian grunted and Neha laughed, the sound blending with the wind.

"Oh, come on, Zi Zi! Lighten up! We're on an adventure!"

The corners of Zian's lips twitched, betraying his efforts to stay serious. Neha sensed the crack in his stoic demeanour and squeezed him tighter. She placed her head on his shoulder, enjoying the exhilarating ride.

As they journeyed through scenic landscapes, Zian finally decided to let go of the lingering anger.

"Alright, alright. I guess you have suffered enough. No more scolding," he conceded.

Neha beamed, planting a playful kiss on his cheek.

"That's the spirit! Now, where are we going?"

Zian grinned mischievously.

"I thought we would explore a hidden gem I know."

Soon, they reached a quaint, dinky little café nestled on the outskirts. The smell of brewing coffee wafted through the air as they parked the motorcycle.

Neha hopped off, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"This place is adorable!"

Zian smiled, enjoying her enthusiasm. They found a cosy corner on the café's outdoor patio, surrounded by potted plants and a light breeze. As they settled in, Neha couldn't resist teasing Zian to lift the remaining tension.

"So, Zian Singh Oberoi, any plans on smiling today, or should I hire a comedian?" Neha quipped, raising an eyebrow.

Zian leaned back in his chair, a teasing smile on his face..

"What's the use of a comedian when I have you, Neha?" He said with a sly grin.

"Excuse me, did you just call me a comedian?" Neha asked, huffing in annoyance.

"You are my personal source of entertainment, Neha." Zian said, with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

"I am not an entertainer.." Neha argued hotly.

"You are.."

Neha sat with her arms crossed, trying to look serious.

"I am not here just to entertain you, Zian. I am a serious person with lots of depth." Neha said with a child-like huff of annoyance.

Zian laughed, not bothered by her serious act.

"Serious person? Really Neha? You were singing 'You are my honey bunch' in the cafeteria a while ago, Neha." Zian couldn't help but point it out cheekily.

Neha blushed a bit but stuck to her point.

"That was me expressing myself, not trying to entertain. I was being an artist, Zi - Zi."

"Oh, so you are an artist now?"

Neha nodded dramatically.

"Yes, and you were my special audience for an expression of my art talent. Not a comedy show.."

Zian leaned back, pretending to think.

"An artist and a comedian – that's quite a combo." He wasn't ready to give up on that yet.

"I am not a comedian!" Neha protested, throwing her hands up.

"Sure, sure," Zian smirked. "You are an all-around entertainer, and I am here for fun."

Neha sighed in pretend frustration.

"I am not trying to be fun for you, Zian. I have my own life, my own goals, and... and..." She paused, trying to make a point. "And my own fan club."

Zian burst out into laughter at her last words.

"Did you just say a fan club? Where do I get the membership from, Neha?" Zian asked and Neha shot a stink eye at him.

"In my hometown, I have my own fan club. I should have shown you all when you came to my home. Then you all would give me a little more value than now. You know, there used to be a children's club in our town. Since ours is a small town, most of the kids there are members of that club. Mama took me there too. They used to conduct competitions every now and then, like the photography competition I told you about once, the one I won. Remember that, Zi - Zi? The one I won through cheating? But that's the only competition I cheated. I didn't cheat during the musical chair competition. I always win that competition without cheating. In fact, everyone there calls me a pro musical chair player. One time, I almost lost to another kid, but I slightly pushed him, before he could sit on the chair. That doesn't count as cheating, would it Zi? Anyways, I won again and I got this-"

"And Neha is on roll once again.." Zian said dramatically, earning a frown from Neha.

As Zian chuckled at Neha's animated storytelling, she continued her rambling,

"So, in the musical chair competition, I have a reputation, you know? They even made me the honorary chair girl, isn't that cool? When I was in grade II, I got a special chair for that as a gift! It had glitter and everything. I kept it in my room, but then Mama said glitter isn't good for health, and she took it away. I strongly suspect she gave it to that devil Pihu. You know what, I should actually raid her room once. She always raids my room and steals my secret stash of chocolates and snacks. Why didn't I ever go to her room and do the same to her. That would teach her a lesson.."

"That's enough, Neha. Enough for the day. The coffee is getting cool. Why don't you drink it and have the sandwich too, so that we can return back?" Zian asked, putting a break to her non stop rambling.

After Neha's ceaseless tales and their laughter filling the quaint café, Zian finally managed to redirect her attention to the cooling coffee and sandwich. With a sip of her coffee and a bite of the sandwich, Neha finally seemed to have found a pause in her animated storytelling.

"How about we head back? It's getting late." Zian, taking advantage of the momentary silence, suggested.

"Sure, sure!" Neha agreed, her eyes still sparkling with lingering excitement.

As they mounted Zian's motorcycle and zipped through the night air, they soon arrived at Neha's apartment. The cool breeze had tousled Neha's hair during the ride, giving her a carefree yet endearing look.

Once they dismounted, Neha turned to Zian, her eyes reflecting excitement and joy.

Without a word, she jumped into his arms, their hug warm and familiar. However, in the midst of the hug, Neha's long hair managed to tangle with the button of Zian's shirt.

"Looks like your hair wants to stay with me a little longer." Zian chuckled.

"Even I want to." Neha said with a pout.

As she attempted to disentangle her hair, Zian gently held her face, his fingers softly grazing her cheek. Their eyes locked, and in that intimate moment, the air seemed to crackle with an unspoken connection.

Neither of them knew who moved first, the next moment, they were kissing like there was no tomorrow...

A/n

Here goes the next shot..

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Love,

SF❤️