Song of the chapter is
Still Into You by Paramore

-11-
-Zoya Afreen-
-Present-

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Calangute Street
12 November, 2030
3:35 am

"Okay, it's been ten minutes since we've come back from Savaryn's and you still haven't come up with a dare."

I complained as I shifted in the backseat of Kartik's big black car. V and I exchanged a look as we watched the married couple exchange a few looks themselves.

Siya had completed her dare quite unwillingly, in front of five drunken guys --- a rendition of Taylor Swift's 'You Belong With Me' --- chosen auspiciously by her own husband and while it wasn't exactly a grammy -worthy performance, it was enough to make these grown men cheer for our pretty princess.

Everything was perfectly happy tonight.

However, earlier when we we parked in front of Downtown Liquors, I had heard Siya expressing some silent concern to Kartik, but hadn't thought much of it. Personally, I was more interested in watching a bored V make shapes in the shadows with her hands.

But now, it seemed like whatever they were concerned about, was becoming an issue.

"Siya, is everything alright?" Veronica voiced my concern.

A flustered look appeared in Siya's face as she brushed strands of her hair aside and looked back at us. "Yeah..."

"Well, then do you want to continue the game or....?" I trailed.

"Yes...yeah, ofcourse." Siya managed to smile. "Uh... I'm just trying to come up with something really good for you."

I smirked. "Nothing your girl can't do."

"Can I give her her dare?" Kartik chimed in. "I wanna wipe that smug look off her face so bad!"

Veronica chuckled beside me while I flipped him the bird.

"No, because I think I might...just have the perfect dare for her." Kartik explained to his wife, to which Siya was starting to oblige.

"No, no. You've had your chance, Malhotra." I retorted. "Now, it's Siya's chance."

"Oh I'm sure Siya wouldn't mind giving her beloved husband this opportunity." Kartik lamented. "Won't you, darling?"

"Nuh-uh, not happening." I widened my eyes at Siya.

Siya's gaze moved from her husband to me then back to her husband again.

"Sorry, Kartik. This one's mine."

I chuckled as I watched Kartik pout like a kid.

"Okay Zoya, do you see that guy over there?" Siya asked, pointing outside. I followed her line of sight and found a guy dressed in full police uniform, smoking by his police car. He had his back to us so I couldn't see the guy's face.

"You mean the police officer?" I asked, without removing my gaze off the person.

"Uh-huh." Siya spoke. "Your dare is to go up to him and flash him."

I looked back at her with widened eyes.

"I take back my point." Kartik chuckled. "This dare is way better."

"You can't be serious!" I retorted. "Siya, I could get arrested for that."

Siya blinked twice. "Ohkay...well if not flashing, then...just kiss him. But it has to last more than 30 seconds."

"What did I ever do to you?" I question, dramatically. "Is this revenge for dating your husband before you?"

Siya chuckled. "Come on, you can do it. You're Zoya Afreen for god's sake."

"Yeah, like you said, nothing you can't do." Kartik added with a sardonic tone laced in his voice.

I gave him a poker face before looking back at the police officer. For all I knew, this guy could be a middle aged father of three kids. The thought itself grossed me out.

"Okay....here goes nothing."

I unlocked the car door and exited with a stride. Composing myself, I sauntered towards the police car beside which he was standing. As I got to the bonet, I looked back at my friends. Veronica gave me a thumbs up with a smile. I returned a weak smile.

Please don't let me get arrested, God. I won't survive a day in prison.

"Officer!" I exclaimed cheerfully, to which the guy finally turned towards me. He paused for a moment before taking the cigarette off his mouth and looked at me with concentration.

"Can you help....me with something?"

I couldn't shake off the feeling that I had seen him before somewhere.

"Zoya....?"

Holy shit. How did he know my name?

"Uh...." I trailed off. The fact that I wasn't being able to remember who he was was pissing me off. "Yes....?"

"Oh my god.... it's really you."

My brows knitted.

"Ravi Duggal." He cracked a smile. "We met back in 2019...."

Rack your brains, Zizi. Why can't you remember who this is?

"I was incharge of the Alishka Malhotra case." He tried to make remember, seeing how I wasn't getting any hints at all.

It was coming to me in bits.

He sighed softly. "I shot....the killer, remember?"

Holy fucking shit.

"Ravi?!" It wouldn't be wrong to say I almost shrieked. "Young officer Ravi?!"

His smile became bigger. "Yeah."

"Oh my god, it's been ages!" I grinned. "How are you?"

"I'm good." He responded with visible happiness. "I've been promoted to Commander in Chief at the Delmore Police County."

"That's AWESOME! Congrats!"

"Thanks." He returned a big smile. "What about you? Are you in town for something or just visiting your parents?"

"Yeah....the high school I was in is hosting a reunion for our batch. So I'm here to attend that." I said, still not being able to believe I was standing in front of him.

His height, although the same, looked a bit different due to his messy hair which added length. His clean shaven look was now replaced by a bearded one, giving a bit of John Krasinski vibes. His boyish charm however still remained intact.

"Gosh, it's been so long since I've seen you. You look so...." I said, trailing off.

"Different?" He raised his brow grinning. "Yeah, I might've changed my look a bit over the past.... I don't know....eleven years? God, has it really been that long?"

"Trust me, I am as suprised as you are." I said and chuckled. "Time flies by quick, doesn't it?"

"Sure does." He nodded, agreeing. "A lot has changed in this town since the tragedy happened."

I looked around the familiar yet abberant surrounding. "It has."

As I lowered my gaze, I could sense his eyes on me. So I quickly made eye contact. "Well, then officer Ravi, I hope I'll see you around then."

"Sure, absolutely." He gave me a wide smile.

I started walking backwards without turning when he suddenly asked, "Hey, weren't you asking me for something before?"

It was at that moment I remembered what I was really there for.

My eyebrows rose as it finally dawned on me that I hadn't completed my dare yet. God, this was gonna make things more awkward than it already was, wasn't it?

"Oh yeah...um...one other thing....." Saying that, I closed the distance between us with a quick succession and pressed my lips onto his. At first, it felt like I was kissing a stationary object.

God he must be so confused.

But then I felt a slight movement on my lips and realised that he was actually kissing me back. Now, for one, I hadn't expected that. And two, holy shit, turns out officer Ravi wasn't that bad of a kisser.

His chapped lips felt strange against my gloss tinted ones, but the feeling in my stomach felt right. I felt as his hands softly grabbed my chin and pulled it closer. And I watched as my hands, out of my control at this point, travelled up his neck and softly caressed his brown wavy hair.

What the fuck were we doing?

As I heard my friends hoot and cheer from the car, I finally came to my senses that I needed to let go before it turned out to be more than just a dare. As I slowly moved back, slightly out of breath, I caught his little smile.

I grinned as I heard the ignition start. My heart was thumping hard against my chest. Never had a kiss felt so.... genuinely good.

"See you around, officer." I whispered as our eyes finally met before I made my way back to the car, without taking my eyes off him. As I unlocked the door, I watched his confused but amused eyes stare at me for one last time before jumping in.

And as Kartik zoomed off into the distance, I couldn't shake the kaleidoscope of butterflies brewing in my stomach.

Maybe coming to this reunion wasn't that bad of a decision after all.

________________

that was kinda cute and hella unexpected, wasn't it?

here's a recurring character, who was not a part of the main cast, from Secrets and Sins for you! And he's gonna play a major role in this one!

so stay tuned and till saina's chapter comes out next thursday, make sure to vote, comment and share the book as much as possible!!!

love,
Bosedisha