The day was one of those hot, sticky afternoons, typical for the end of May. 

Revathi was seated at her desk in her tiny flat, papers, notebooks, and textbooks scattered around her like a battlefield. 

The only light in the room came from her desk lamp, which cast a soft yellow glow across the mountain of notes she had piled up for her third-year music exams. 

She could barely see the clock, but she didn't need to; she knew exactly how much time she had left before she needed to head to the exam hall.

Her phone pinged, and she glanced at it, half-expecting it to be a reminder from her mom or one of her friends. 

Instead, it was a message from Shubman.

Shubman

Hey, baby, how's the brain-frying?
Need a break or wanna scream at me
for distracting you? 😜

She smiled to herself despite the stress. It was just like Shubman to check in like this, always playful but so fucking endearing. 

Even after everything that had happened between them—his busy cricket schedule, her hectic study routine—their relationship had remained as sweet and intense as it had been from the start.

Reva

I'm about to lose it if I see another note.

Please come rescue me 😂

Shubman

You know I would if I could, baby girl.

But I'll be waiting for you afterwards,

so make sure you ace it.

You're always the smartest, you've got this 💪

Revathi rolled her eyes but couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. He always knew how to make her feel like she was on top of the world, even when she felt like the world was crushing her.

Shubman had been a solid presence in her life since their relationship had started. Even though he was a six-years-older, the captain of a damn cricket team and always surrounded by his teammates, he still made time for her. 

Whether it was to send sweet texts like this, or when he'd show up at her flat in his casual style—usually in a hoodie and joggers, looking too perfect for her to focus on anything else—he always found a way to make her feel special.

She picked up her phone to text him back, but just as she was about to hit send, her doorbell rang.

Her stomach did a somersault.

"Is that—?" she whispered to herself.

She jumped up, quickly running to the door, hoping it wasn't just another delivery or some annoying neighbor. 

When she opened it, she was greeted by none other than Shubman standing there, looking utterly effortless but somehow stylish as hell in a black crew-neck t-shirt, faded blue jeans, and white sneakers. 

His hair was slightly messy, probably from the game or practice, and his smile—oh, that smile—made her heart race in an instant.

"Surprise, baby," he grinned, his voice deep and warm.

"Shubman!" she gasped, half-laughing and half-incredulous. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, holding a coffee cup in his hand. "I came to make sure my girl doesn't stress herself out too much," he said, winking at her.

"You seriously came all the way here to check on me?" she said, raising an eyebrow, though the butterflies in her stomach were betraying her calm demeanour. 

"You know I can't afford a break right now, right? Finals are literally tomorrow."

He shrugged, nonchalant like it was no big deal. "You've been working your ass off. You deserve a little distraction. Besides, you always ace everything anyway. I figured I could give you a little break from the stress and get you to laugh for a second."

Her heart melted. "You're unbelievable," she muttered, rolling her eyes playfully. "You've got that 'too good to be true' vibe about you."

Shubman laughed, his voice deep and smooth. He leaned down, brushing a stray hair out of her face. 

"And you're my favourite, Revathi. Always making me proud."

It was true. 

Revathi had been the top of her class for as long as anyone could remember. 

Despite the chaos that came with living on her own, juggling her studies, and somehow managing a whirlwind relationship with one of the most famous cricketers in the country, she still managed to keep her head above water.

"I have no idea how I'm gonna get through this exam," she said with a sigh, flopping back onto the couch. 

"The pressure's killing me. I swear I'm gonna screw this up, I can already feel it."

Shubman placed the coffee cup on the table in front of her and sat down next to her. His leg brushed against hers, sending a jolt through her body. He gave her a soft, knowing look.

"Stop doubting yourself. I know you, Revathi. You'll crush it. You've been killing it since day one." He placed his hand gently on hers, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. 

"You've got this. Always have. You don't need anyone's approval to know you're a fucking genius."

She snorted, shaking her head. "I wish it felt that easy. But okay, I'll try. You're right, I've put in the work." She felt a little more at ease, but the pressure was still there. Her mind kept racing.

Shubman let out a little sigh of frustration. "But you are the damn genius of your class. Even the professors are in awe of you. Don't pretend like you don't know that, baby." 

He then leaned in, brushing a soft kiss to her temple. "And don't forget, I'll be waiting for you after all this stress is over."

Revathi bit her lip, trying to keep herself together. "You just keep making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world, you know that?"

"I know," he teased, nudging her playfully with his shoulder. "And you should, because I'm one hell of a catch."

Revathi couldn't help but laugh, the weight of the last few days suddenly feeling a little less heavy. 

"Shut up, I'm supposed to be studying, not listening to you flirt with me. But..." She paused, looking at him, then quickly averted her eyes. 

"You're right. I know I've got this. It's just... hard when you're the one everyone expects to be perfect."

Shubman's face softened, and he lifted her chin gently, forcing her to meet his gaze. 

"Don't ever let anyone make you feel like you have to be perfect, Revathi. You're allowed to be human. I'm proud of you for everything you've done. Just... don't kill yourself over trying to do everything all at once. I'm here. I'm always here, babe."

The vulnerability in his words hit her harder than she expected. She smiled up at him, shaking her head in amazement at how calm and steady he made her feel.

"Fine. You win. But I'm still stressed as fuck. Can I at least get a hug before you leave?" she asked, her voice softening.

Shubman grinned, his dark eyes twinkling as he pulled her into his arms, her head resting on his chest. 

"Of course, baby girl. Whatever you need."

Revathi closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling the scent of his cologne mixed with the faint scent of sweat from his cricket practice. 

It was the kind of warmth she needed, and for a moment, it was like nothing else in the world mattered except the two of them.

She felt him press a soft kiss to her forehead, and his voice rumbled in her ear. "I'll be here for you, always, Revathi. No matter how crazy life gets."

Revathi let out a sigh, letting the calm settle into her bones. She had the support she needed, even in her most chaotic moments. 

Maybe everything would be okay after all.

"Thanks, Shubman. For everything."

"You don't need to thank me, baby. Just go crush this exam, and then we can celebrate. I'll take you out, how about that?"

"Deal," she said, her lips curling into a smile. "But I'm picking the place."

"Deal," he grinned back. "I'll let you pick anywhere. Just promise me you won't keep your brain frying all night. We both need a break after all this."

Revathi laughed softly as Shubman stood up to leave, but before he walked out the door, he turned back with one last wink.

"You've got this, babe. No one's better than you."

And with that, he was gone, leaving Revathi with a little more peace in her heart and a lot more determination to show the world—especially her fucking brother—that she could handle whatever life threw at her.

SOUP RANTS!

welcome to the eighteenth chapter of this book!

i wish he came and checked
in on me during my exams too
did we like this chapter?
I'll see you guys soon!
yours truly,

soup 🫶