A/N: Aanndd we're back to the nightly  updates 😂

***

The next morning came too soon for Sunny. He was sore from rehearsals and gaming in the arcade. Thank goodness he didn't have to go into rehearsals till after lunch. That also meant he had some time to do his own things. After the racing game last night, Sunny felt that it has been a long time since he took his motorcycle out for a ride. His motorcycle was a black Hero Honda that his father had bought for him when he moved to Delhi for his studies. After his time there, he even made sure the bike returned to Mumbai with him. He called it his first love.

He hopped on the bike and made his way to Marine Drive. Sunny had his helmet on as he didn't want anyone to recognize him. Sunny found it ironic that he was the one who vetoed Ayesha's suggestion of watching the sunrise when he would go there regularly to clear his thoughts. On his way back, he bought a few snacks to be distributed later in the studio.

***

Ayesha and Abhay had a session with only the dancers, which meant the VKAS boys weren't around. Till date, they've finished 5 songs, 4 from the first half of the show and 1 from the second half.

Sonia realized that Ayesha was more relaxed that morning and she wondered if it had to do with Sunny's absence. Suddenly, Fakhir snaked his arms around Sonia's waist, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Baby not now," Sonia told him. "I'm worried about Ayesha."

"What do you mean?" Fakhir asked. "She's looks alright."

"She looks alright but I don't think she is," Sonia replied. "I just need to check on her."

"Ok," Fakhir relented.

Sonia walked up to Ayesha who was checking her phone for text messages.

0 new messages

"Ayesha," Sonia begun, hesitantly. "I heard what happened yesterday between you and Sunny..."

"Oh," Ayesha said, her expressions hardened. "Sunny and I have sorted out our differences yesterday. We're fine."

"Are you sure?" Sonia prodded. "I'm worried about you."

"Haan mere maa (Yes my mother)," Ayesha replied as she clasped both her hands together.

Sonia laughed. However, before she could say anything, Sunny burst into the studio.

"I come bearing gifts!" Sunny called out dramatically.

All the dancers except Sonia and Ayesha rushed up to him, taking the bags of food from him. He then casually walked up to the two ladies.

"Ayesha," he said as he produced a plastic bag from his pocket. "For you, your favorite - aloo tikki (Potato cutlet)."

"Yay," Ayesha cheered with a little jump. "I'm surprised you remember."

"How can I forget?" Sunny stated. "That was all you would eat during recess when you were in the third standard."

Ayesha opened the bag and took a whiff. It smelled so good. She then took one out and bit into it, the  flavour of the potatoes burst inside her mouth.

"For me?" Sonia asked.

"Yours is over there," Sunny pointed to where the dancers were currently ravaging the snacks.

"How come Ayesha gets her own bag?" Sonia whined. "Main bhi aapka dost, hain na (I'm also your friend, right)?"

"But she's our choreographer," Sunny pointed out.

"Are you trying to bribe me?" Ayesha asked after swallowing her first bite.

"Does it taste good?" Sunny asked in return. Ayesha nodded as she took another bite out of her food. "Then it shouldn't matter."

Sonia faked a sulk as she made her way to where the rest of the dancers were.

"You're early again," Ayesha noted.

"I took my bike out for a spin," he replied. "Since I was already near to the studio, I might as well just come up."

"Oh," she responded. "How is your black beauty? It's black right?"

"Yes," Sunny laughed. "She's fine. And if you must know, I take care of my bike as much as I take care of my car. Maybe even more."

"I don't doubt that," Ayesha answered. "Considering what Kabir used to say about you and your bike."

"What did he used to say?" Sunny asked. Curiosity got the best of him.

"Nothing much," Ayesha replied. "Just that you love your bike more than anything in the world. Kabir was like, 'I don't understand Sunny! Why does he need to polish his bike every single day?' Or... 'Sunny doesn't trust me with his bike. He thinks I'm going to scratch it.' If not, it's... 'I think Sunny's more interested in his bike than in girls.'"

Sunny scrunched his face.

"I don't come across as that," Sunny said. "Do I?"

"I don't know," Ayesha stated the obvious. "I was in boarding school."

"Right," Sunny remembered. "But from your brother's description, do I sound like one?"

"My brother tends to be a bit over-dramatic," she answered. "But he's usually right. If you honestly want to know if you're one of those 'bikes for life' walon (people), there's only one way to find out."

Sunny didn't like the sound of that at all. Suddenly, his palms started to feel a bit clammy as he noticed a sly look creeping onto Ayesha's face.

"Kaise (How)?" Sunny croaked.

"Meet me at Kabir's place with your bike later," she replied.

"For what?" Sunny asked.

"You'll see," Ayesha said with a pat on his back. Sunny unconsciously gulped. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to your sweetheart. And thanks for the aloo tikki (potato cutlet)."

Ayesha smiled at him as she walked away. Sunny recognized that look on her face from the many times they got into trouble as kids. And knowing Ayesha, there's no way he could get himself out of this mess. The feeling of dread sunk in his guts as Sunny suddenly wished he could turn back time to stop himself from asking. That girl's like a walking, breathing tornado of trouble and unfortunately for Sunny, the moment he opened his mouth, he got dragged in to the eye of the storm. The only thing left that he could only do was to pray that his bike would survive the ordeal.

Sunny beta, tu toh gaya (Sunny boy, you're dead).

He was so worried and lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear his band mates arrive.

***

"Are you sure about this?" Kabir asked.

"Nope," Sunny replied.

"Stop being such a baby," Ayesha barked.

After rehearsal that day, Ayesha and Arjun followed Kabir to his house along with Sunny who followed on his bike.

Sunny had no idea how he ended up from being the rider to being Ayesha's passenger in less than 5 minutes upon reaching Kabir's place.

"Do you even know how to ride this thing?" Sunny asked, deeply concerned for his and his bike's safety.

"Of course," Ayesha answered. "I've been practising."

"With what?" Sunny questioned. Neither the Desai family nor Kabir owner a bike. "The bike on the arcade?"

"One of my collage friend owns a bike," Ayesha informed Sunny. "And Abhay lets me ride his bike for fun sometimes."

"I'm going to kill that boy," Kabir muttered.

"You're going to do nothing," Ayesha scolded Kabir. She then turned her attention to Sunny. "Now, shall we?"

Sunny braced himself as he clutched on the back of his bike.

"Just don't wreck it," Sunny pleaded. "Ok?"

"Offo!" Ayesha exclaimed. "Have a little faith in me."

As Ayesha started the bike, Sunny muttered a soft prayer in hopes that at least he would survive this. Since Ayesha wasn't used to taking passengers, the first few meters were a bit shaky but once she got the hang of it, she accelerated.

"You don't have to be so tensed, you know?" Ayesha told Sunny. "Relax. If it makes you feel any better, you can hold onto me."

"It's ok," Sunny replied. "Main yahan theek hoon (I'm fine over here)."

A cheeky thought passed through her mind. She had seen people do it in movies, should she? Ayesha mentally weighted out the pros and cons.

Sunny had his full attention on the road in case anything went wrong. However, he had to admit, Ayesha was pretty good at this.

Suddenly, the bike lurched to a stop and instinctively, Sunny grabbed onto the nearest thing he could find, which so happened to be Ayesha.

"Kya kar rahe ho (What are you doing)?" Sunny shouted.

"Testing," Ayesha sputtered as she moved the bike again.

"Testing?" Sunny asked, confused. "What are you..."

Oh.

"Were you just...?" Sunny sputtered in shock. "Was I... Did you... Aap brake maara tha (Did you (purposely) hit the brakes)?"

"Haan (Yes)," Ayesha replied. "Feel nahi kiya (Did you not feel it)?"

Sunny smirked.

"If you were so desperate for me to hug you," Sunny taunted. "You could have just asked."

"I did," Ayesha joked. "You refused."

Sunny laughed.

After taking a short 10 minutes ride, they went back to Kabir's apartment.

"Paunch gaye (We've reached)," Ayesha announced.

"So?" Kabir asked. "How was it?"

"Aap ki behen na (Your sister)," Sunny complained. "Bohot khatharnak thi (Was very scary)."

"Kyun (Why)?" Kabir questioned. Was Ayesha really that bad? "Did she almost get into an accident?"

"3 times she went over the speed limit," Sunny revealed. "3! Agar police hota toh (If the police were there then)... Drifting bhi kiya tha woh (She also drifted)! She almost missed the turning to your place and then suddenly... Woah! 90 degrees turn."

"I'm not going to go down another 500 meters and turn back," Ayesha defended.

"Ayesha..." Kabir said in a reprimanding voice.

And I wasn't like over, over the speed limit," Ayesha continued. "I was just slightly above it."

"You call 20km/h over the speed limit slightly?" Sunny asked, shocked. "This isn't Fast and Furious or Dhoom, dude."

"But you're still alive, right?" Ayesha retorted. "And there's not even a single scratch on your bike."

"I'm never letting you near my bike ever again," Sunny sulked.

"It's alright," Ayesha replied. "I'll just ride Abhay's. And one more thing... Congratulations, you passed the test. You're not a 'bike for life' wala (person). You're more of a 'my bike, my rules' type."

***

A/N: Who knew Ayesha was such an adrenaline junkie? 😂😂😂 Poor Sunny (and poor bike)...

Well, let me know how it was... Till the next chapter... ❤