Shubman's POV

The shrill sound of my alarm jolted me awake, dragging me from a dream where Shobhana and I were stranded on a beach, with her looking ethereal in a white sundress. 

Reality hit as I reached out to the empty side of the bed.

Her absence wasn't surprising, though. Shobhana had a tendency to wake up way too early for someone who stayed up late scolding me for scrolling through Instagram. 

I sat up, yawning and stretching until my back cracked. My feet hit the cold floor, sending shivers up my legs.

Her saree from yesterday was folded neatly on the bag, and her scent lingered faintly in the air. It was unfair how much her presence lingered even when she wasn't in the room.

After freshening up, I stepped into the living room, running my fingers through my messy hair. Kriti was there, scrolling on her phone, looking like she was about to drop the latest gossip on an unsuspecting victim.

"Morning," I greeted, my voice still raspy from sleep.

"She's upstairs," Kriti replied without looking up, already knowing I was going to ask about Shobhana.

I chuckled, heading to the kitchen to grab coffee before making my way to the terrace.

As I stepped onto the terrace, the soft rustle of the wind greeted me. Shobhana stood there, her hair cascading down her back in messy waves. 

She wore one of my oversized shirts, paired with tiny shorts that peeked out just enough to drive me insane.

I leaned against the doorway, watching her silently for a moment. "Enjoying the view?" I finally asked, walking toward her.

"Yeah. It's calm," she said softly, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

I slid my arm over her shoulder, pulling her against me. She tilted her head, resting it on my chest. For a moment, everything was still.

"When does practice start again?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"Next month," I replied.

"You should visit your family before that," she suggested, her eyes lifting to meet mine.

"Yeah," I admitted. "I should."

The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was peaceful, the kind of silence that only comes when two people are completely at ease with each other. But the moment was shattered by the sudden buzz of her phone.

"Sorry," she muttered, stepping out of my arms to answer it.

"Hello?"
"Yes, this is Shobhana Kumar."
"What?"
"T-thank you, I'll check and let you know."

She hung up, her face pale, like she'd just seen a ghost.

"You okay?" I asked, concern lacing my voice as I placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, give me a minute," she said, her voice shaky. She opened her email, her fingers moving so fast I thought she might shatter the screen.

Her eyes widened, and then she shoved the phone into my hands, backing away like it was a bomb. She covered her mouth with her hands, her breathing uneven.

Curious, I looked at the screen.

To: Shobhana Kumar
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the photographer for Vogue.
You are required to be at NYC Vogue by July 8, 2019, at 10:00 am.

The other details are attached in the PDF below.

Regards,
NYC VOGUE

"Babe!" I shouted, grinning like an idiot. "This is amazing! You got your dream job! Oh my God! Congratulations, sweetheart!" 

I pulled her into a tight hug, lifting her off the ground as she laughed and cried at the same time.

"I can't believe it," she whispered, her voice shaky with emotion.

"You're incredible," I said, kissing her forehead.

"But—" She started pacing. "God, we have so little time! I need to finish Virat Sir's shoot, submit my project, tell Sundar and Kriti, pack—"

"Whoa, relax," I interrupted, grabbing her by the shoulders and holding her still. "It's all going to be okay."

"But—"

"No buts, baby," I said, cupping her face in my hands. "Here's the plan. Virat bro is here on the 25th, so you'll do the shoot then. I'll probably leave that day to visit my family, but before that, I'm taking you shopping. We're going to buy everything you need for NYC, and you're going to look so damn good, even Vogue will be jealous."

She stared at me, her lips twitching.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," she said, finally breaking into a smile. "You just seemed so into that."

"Of course I am!" I laughed, pulling her close again. "I'm your number-one fan."

I kissed her, slow and deep, savoring the way she melted into me. Her fingers tangled in my hair as she pressed herself closer, her lips warm and soft against mine.

"Thank you," she whispered when we pulled apart, her forehead resting against mine.

"For what?"

"For always supporting me."

"Always, baby," I said, grinning.

"I love you," she murmured.

"I love you too, sweetheart," I replied, kissing her again, because with her, once was never enough.