2024

Later that night, after hours of driving through quiet roads, Shubman and Navya had pulled off to a quiet spot by a lake. 

They had left the car running, the music playing softly in the background, but for the most part, the world outside felt distant—far removed from the chaos and noise of their lives.

Now, the two of them were lying in the backseat of the car, the seats folded down to make a makeshift bed. 

Navya was on top of him, her head resting against his chest, her hair spread across his shoulder like a tangled blanket. 

Shubman played with her hair absentmindedly, his fingers running through the soft strands, occasionally twirling a piece of it around his finger as they both simply enjoyed the quiet.

The night air was cool, but the warmth between them created a comfort that made everything feel alright. 

Navya's breathing had slowed, and she was almost drifting off to sleep when her phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket.

She groaned, pulling herself up slightly and grabbing it, her face lighting up as she saw the group FaceTime call coming in. 

It was from her friends—Dulquer, Samantha, Trisha, and Keerthy. She smiled at the sight of their names flashing on the screen. 

It had been too long since they had all caught up.

"Hey, hey! Don't leave me hanging!" she grinned, accepting the call and lifting the phone so that all four of her friends could see her face.

The moment the call connected, she was met with a chorus of excited greetings.

"Navyaaaa!" Dulquer's voice came first, followed by the happy, loud voices of the others.

"Where the hell have you been?" Samantha chimed in, her face appearing on the screen, her dark eyes wide. 

"We need an update! We've all been dying to know what you've been up to!"

Navya laughed softly, glancing back down at Shubman, who was still lying there with his hand resting on her back, his thumb brushing gently against her skin. 

He raised an eyebrow at her, giving her a soft, knowing look. She winked back playfully before returning her focus to the phone. 

"You know, just the usual. Busy, doing this and that."

"You are so full of shit, girl," Trisha laughed, her voice full of teasing as she leaned into the camera. 

"Come on, spill! You haven't responded to any of us all day!"

Keerthy, always the straight-shooter, added, "And we know you've got some big news. Don't even try to hide it."

Navya chuckled, knowing exactly where this was going. She settled back against Shubman, her legs still draped over him. 

"Okay, okay," she said, sitting up slightly to play along with them. "I've just been... busy. Nothing too crazy, honestly."

"Oh, come on, Navya," Dulquer groaned, looking like he was about to drag it out of her. 

"We can see right through you. You're hiding something. Spill."

"Alright, alright!" she said, laughing again. "But first, how was your day, you guys?"

Samantha immediately took the bait, leaning in. 

"Ugh, you know, just another day in paradise. Shot some insane stuff today, met a bunch of crazy people, and—" she stopped mid-sentence as she noticed something. "Wait. Is someone else with you, or am I just seeing things?"

Navya froze for a split second, feeling Shubman tense up beneath her. The connection was good enough that the others hadn't quite noticed where her attention was focused. 

They were all busy chatting, but Samantha's perceptiveness was sharp.

"Yeah, yeah, who's that?" Trisha added suspiciously, squinting at the screen. 

"We've been calling you all day, and now you're just chilling like this? Come on, tell us."

Navya grinned, trying to hide her surprise. "No one's here. Just me. You guys know I'm always alone," she said smoothly, her voice light. 

But the way she adjusted herself, the way her legs still lay over Shubman's lap, gave the game away.

"Don't play dumb with us," Keerthy piped in. "We saw that look. What the hell is going on, girl? Who's with you?"

Shubman's voice came out low and playful from underneath Navya. He shifted slightly, his arm wrapping around her waist as he pulled her closer, his fingers tracing the hem of her shirt. 

"Tell them, baby," he teased, his breath warm against her ear.

Navya's heart skipped a beat at the nickname. "Shush," she murmured, but the tension in her voice only made the others more suspicious.

"Wait," Dulquer asked, squinting his eyes at the screen. "That voice... Is that... Shubman?"

The sudden realization hit the group at once, and all of them burst out into laughter, their faces lighting up with amusement and a hint of surprise.

"Shubman fucking Gill?" Samantha laughed incredulously. "Is that really you, or is this some sick joke?"

Navya bit her lip to suppress a smile, her heart racing as she looked down at him. She could feel his smirk against her neck as he shifted his weight beneath her. 

"Okay, okay, fine!" Navya admitted, laughing. "You guys know everything now. It's Shubman. And yes, he's been here with me."

The reactions were instantaneous—Dulquer, Keerthy, and Trisha all gasped in unison, while Samantha simply shook her head, the smile on her face never fading. 

"Well, well, well," she said, eyes twinkling. "I knew something was up, but this? Didn't see that coming."

Navya could barely stop laughing, feeling Shubman's hand gently trace up her back, his fingers lightly brushing the fabric of her shirt. 

It was a strange mix of intimacy and chaos, being with him and letting everyone know she'd been hiding this for so long.

Keerthy was the first to speak again. 

"You've been keeping him a secret all this time? Damn, girl, I hope this doesn't turn into a Bollywood movie. Next thing we know, you're getting married at the Taj Mahal."

"Shut up, Keerthy," Navya shot back, still laughing. "You guys are too much."

Shubman let out a small laugh, his voice warm and teasing. "I'm just here for the show, you know. She's been keeping all of this to herself for years."

Samantha chuckled. "I'll give you credit, Navya. Keeping this from us was one hell of a secret. Now, tell us—how is he? Does he live up to the hype?"

Navya shifted slightly, her legs still comfortably resting over his lap. She turned to look at him, her smile softening as she met his gaze, feeling a flicker of affection in her chest. 

"Yeah. He does," she said quietly, her voice soft but full of warmth. "He really does."

And as the banter continued with her friends, Shubman held her close, silently thanking the universe for finally giving him another chance to be with her, for letting them come back together after everything. 

The rest of the night passed with laughter and teasing, but as they sat there in the backseat of the car, something deep within them had shifted.

And for the first time in years, it felt like they could finally be themselves—unafraid, unguarded, and with each other.

As the call finally ended, Navya let out a long breath, slumping back against Shubman's chest. 

She tossed her phone to the side, its screen going black as it landed on the edge of the seat. Shubman's arms instinctively tightened around her, his chin resting gently on her shoulder.

"Your friends are... lively," he said with a smirk, his voice a soft rumble in her ear.

"Lively?" she teased, turning slightly to look at him, her cheek brushing against his. "That's one way to put it. They're nosy as hell."

He chuckled, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. "They care about you. I like that. Even if they're roasting me every two seconds."

Navya smiled, letting the moment linger before sighing softly. "They only roast you because they've heard... everything. What happened back then, how I felt after... you know." Her voice faltered, her words growing quiet.

Shubman's hand stilled on her back. He took a slow breath, the weight of her words pressing against him. 

"I deserve it," he admitted, his voice heavy. "I deserve a hell of a lot worse than that."

"Shub..." she started, her voice softening as she reached for his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. 

"We've already talked about this."

"I know," he said quickly, squeezing her hand. 

"But it still eats me up, Navya. The way I just... left. The way I let you think I didn't care. You were everything to me, and I threw it all away because I was scared. Scared of losing you, scared of ruining us. And I ended up ruining it anyway."

His voice cracked on the last word, and Navya turned fully to face him, her hands cupping his face. 

His eyes glistened, his usual confidence replaced with raw vulnerability. 

She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his, her thumbs brushing away the faint tear tracks on his cheeks.

"Shubman," she said softly, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "You messed up. And it hurt. God, it hurt so much. But... you're here now. You came back. And that means everything to me. Do you hear me?"

He nodded, his hands coming up to rest on her waist. "I hear you, jaan," he whispered, his voice barely audible. 

"I just wish I could go back and change it. I'd give anything to take it all back."

"You can't," she said gently. "But you can make it right now. And you are. You're here, and I'm here, and for now, that's enough."

For a long moment, they simply stayed like that, their foreheads pressed together, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. 

The tension that had hung over them for years seemed to ease, replaced by a fragile but undeniable sense of peace.

Finally, Navya pulled back, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Alright, enough with the heavy stuff. We're supposed to be acting like nothing happened, remember?"

He let out a soft laugh, the sound lighter than it had been in a long time. "Right. Nothing happened. Just two old friends... lying in the backseat of a car."

She rolled her eyes, giving his shoulder a playful shove before settling back against him. "Exactly. Totally normal. Nothing to see here."

As she rested her head on his chest, the sound of his heartbeat steady beneath her, Shubman wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. 

The quiet of the night enveloped them, and for the first time in years, they both felt like they were exactly where they were meant to be.

"Hey," he murmured after a while, his voice low and teasing. "When are your friends gonna find out I'm not just here for one night? That I'm sticking around?"

Navya smirked, her eyes closing as she snuggled closer. "Oh, they'll find out soon enough. But let's not spoil the surprise just yet, Mr. Gill."

He chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "You've got it, jaan. Whatever you want."

soup rants!!!

the twentieth chapter is here!
did we like it?
do comment your favorite part
what do you think will happen in the next chapter?
until then
yours lovingly,

soup <3