Shobhana's POV

I hung up the phone and turned to Shubman, who was lounging on the couch with that mischievous grin of his. 

I had called Susan to confirm the party details, and now I was ready to have a little fun. "Hey, wanna come to this party?" I asked, watching his reaction closely.

His eyes lit up at the suggestion, and he raised an eyebrow. "What party?" he asked, feigning curiosity.

"A casual one. My friend is throwing it. Nothing too crazy," I replied, trying to keep it casual, but I knew Shubman would add his chaotic energy to the mix.

"Sure. I'm free anyway," he shrugged, already looking like he was up for anything. "When is it?"

"6:30. So we have about an hour to get ready," I said, glancing at the time.

Shubman raised an eyebrow again. "That's in an hour. Should we get ready now, or...?"

"Yeah, we should," I admitted. "It takes me forever to look this good."

He chuckled. "I'm sure it does."

We both headed to our rooms to get ready, and I spent an unusually long time choosing what to wear. 

I finally settled on a black velvet dress that hugged my curves just right, with a hint of shimmer, and strappy heels that clicked seductively when I walked.

 I was feeling bold tonight.

When I came out of my room, Shubman was standing in the living room, looking... well, dangerously good. He had on a classic white button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up just enough to show off his strong forearms, and a pair of black jeans that fit him like they were custom-made. 

He looked like he had stepped straight out of a romance novel.

"You look nice," he smiled, his eyes lingering on me for just a moment too long.

"You look great too," I replied, trying to sound casual, but I could feel my heart speeding up.

"Ready to head out?" he asked, his voice low and teasing. He was always the confident one.

"Let's go," I said, grabbing the car keys and heading for the door.

The 20-minute drive was filled with the usual playful banter. Shubman teased me about my driving, and I teased him right back about his obsession with classic rock. 

But despite the lighthearted moments, I couldn't help but notice how good he looked, how comfortable we were together.

When we arrived at the party, the house was already buzzing with energy. My coworkers and some mutual friends were there, and the music was loud enough to make it impossible to hear anything but the beat.

"You made it!" Susan greeted me with a big hug, and I couldn't help but laugh. "Shubi, you're here too! Perfect."

We stepped inside and immediately got swept up in the chaotic energy of the party. Music was blasting, people were dancing, some were having deep conversations, and others... well, others were more concerned with making out than socializing. 

Shubman and I exchanged a glance and laughed.

"I remember when we were like this," I muttered under my breath, feeling a rush of nostalgia.

"Oh yeah," he replied with a chuckle. "But you were way too cool to make out at parties."

I snorted. "I was definitely not too cool for that. You just didn't get it."

Suddenly, James spotted me from across the room. 

"OH MY GOD, OUR SINGER IS HERE!" he yelled, and before I could protest, he tackled me into a hug, lifting me off my feet.

"Okay, we definitely need a song right now," he said, grinning like a maniac.

"No, no, James, put me down!" I exclaimed, trying to wiggle free, but it was no use. The man was relentless.

Shubman laughed from a distance, obviously enjoying my predicament. "Good luck with that," he called out.

James didn't listen to my protests. He practically dragged me over to the couch, plopped me down, and shoved a guitar into my hands.

"Okay! Song time!" he yelled, as the entire party turned to watch.

I sighed, knowing there was no way out of this. Shubman was sitting at the bar stool, watching me with a soft smile, and it made me feel a little less embarrassed about the situation.

I strummed the guitar and started singing, the crowd's energy fueling my performance:

He said, "Let's get out of this town
Drive out of the city, away from the crowds
I thought Heaven can't help me now
Nothing lasts forever
But this is gonna take me down."

The moment I hit the chorus, I saw Shubman's eyes soften. He always had that look when I sang. It wasn't just admiration, it was something deeper, something we'd both been hiding for so long.

He's so tall and handsome as hell
He's so bad, but he does it so well
I can see the end as it begins
My one condition is...

I could feel his gaze burn into me. He was so lost in the music, and I was lost in him. I tried not to focus too much on his reaction, but his eyes never left mine.

Say you'll remember me
Standing in a nice dress
Staring at the sunset, babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just in your wildest dreams, ah-ah, ha...

As I sang, I could feel the tension building between us, the familiar pull that we tried to ignore but never truly could. 

He had always been my wildest dream, and I had always been his.

The song ended, and the room erupted in applause, but all I could focus on was the way Shubman was looking at me. 

It was the same look from all those months ago—the one that made me believe in us again.

Shubman's POV

I took a sip of my drink, my eyes following her as she finished singing. The way she had just completely owned the room with her voice was mesmerizing. 

But what hit me the hardest was the way she was looking at me. It was as if she was singing directly to me, and that feeling... god, it was overwhelming.

I smiled as she walked toward me, her eyes never leaving mine.

"God, this happens every time we have a party," she laughed, sitting next to me.

"You're so talented," I muttered, my voice thick with emotion. But even as I said it, my mind was consumed with the fact that I still loved her. 

I never stopped. And I knew it then, with certainty, that if I didn't act on this soon, I'd lose her again. And I couldn't let that happen.

The party raged on, but I barely heard the chatter around us. I kept my eyes fixed on her. She was wearing that bracelet—the one I gave her. 

She never took it off. I couldn't believe it.

"You still have it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, trying to control the flood of emotions threatening to spill out.

She looked at me, her hand instinctively touching the bracelet. A smile tugged at her lips. "I never took it off," she admitted softly.

We both stood up and walked toward the car. It felt like old times, the air thick with unspoken words. When we got into the car, I couldn't resist anymore.

"Why?" I asked her softly, glancing at the bracelet on her wrist.

She looked over at me, her eyes locked with mine. "Because..." she trailed off, her voice barely above a whisper. 

She paused for a moment before meeting my gaze again. "Because I never stopped loving you."

The words hit me like a wave, and I felt all the air leave my lungs. My heart was pounding in my chest as I realized I felt the same way.

"I never stopped too," I admitted, my voice hoarse with emotion.

We stopped at a red light, and I couldn't hold back any longer. I turned to her, my hand gently cupping her face. 

She gasped, but before she could react, I pressed my lips to hers. It was a kiss like no other—slow, passionate, filled with everything we had been too afraid to say.

We pulled away, breathless. Our foreheads rested against each other as we both tried to regain our composure.

"I missed you, Shubman," she whispered, her voice shaking.

"I missed you too. I'm not losing you again," I promised, my voice thick with emotion. "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered back, and for the first time in so long, everything felt right again.