Apoorva stared at her phone, biting her lip nervously. She had just sent the message to Shubman, the one about her connection to KL Rahul, and now she was waiting for his response.

On the couch across from her, Athiya was flipping through a magazine, her pregnancy glow making her look ethereal even while half-distracted. 

Apoorva knew her sister-in-law wasn't paying much attention to her, but there was something comforting about being around someone who understood the madness of their world.

The phone buzzed again. It was a reply from Shubman.

Wait, wait... so you're really KL Rahul's cousin? Like, no joke? I should've figured that out when I saw your last name. Shit, now this is getting interesting.

Apoorva let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. His response wasn't what she'd expected. It wasn't shock or hesitation—it was curiosity, maybe even a little humour. 

She smiled to herself, feeling a little more at ease.

Yep, no joke. My whole family is a bloody circus, so brace yourself. I'm sure you've heard stories.

Her finger hovered over the send button. She wasn't sure if she should downplay the family connection more, or if she should just be upfront. But after a moment's hesitation, she hit send.

The message was bold and cheeky, exactly how she felt at that moment. This was her life, and she wasn't going to hide it from anyone.

Her phone buzzed again almost immediately.

Haha, I think I've heard a few. Rahul definitely has the reputation of being protective. Guess I'll have to keep it lowkey for now. But honestly, this whole situation just got a lot more fun. Dinner tomorrow's still on, right?

Apoorva's heart skipped a beat. Of course, the dinner was still on. She wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that—especially not some family drama. 

She quickly typed back, trying to keep her tone light and playful, even though her mind was racing.

Yeah, dinner's still on. But no promises that you won't get some unsolicited 'brotherly' advice from KL if you try anything funny.

She hit send with a grin, half-expecting him to respond with a joke or something equally casual. But what came next was more direct than she had anticipated.

Haha, fair enough. I'm not in the habit of getting my ass kicked, so I'll play nice. But just so you know... I'm really looking forward to this. Don't let me down.

Apoorva stared at the message for a second, her fingers paused over her screen. There was something in his words that felt different than all the other casual chats she'd had before. 

Maybe it was the mix of confidence and respect. 

Maybe it was the fact that he was acknowledging her without treating her like just another girl.

She felt her cheeks flush a little and quickly put the phone down on the coffee table, hoping Athiya wouldn't notice.

Athiya looked up at her, sensing the change in her posture. "What's got you smiling like that? Something happened?"

Apoorva rolled her eyes, trying to act nonchalant. "No, nothing. Just... texting."

"Uh-huh. That 'nothing' looks a lot like the kind of smile you get when you're talking to someone," Athiya teased, winking.

Apoorva shot her a mock glare. "Don't make me spill this tea all over your precious couch, Shetty."

Athiya raised her hands in mock surrender. "I didn't say anything. But if you do, I'll happily take a sip of that tea once you're done."

Apoorva couldn't help but laugh. She loved how easy it was to banter with Athiya, even when the conversation could turn into something completely ridiculous.

Before she could say anything more, her phone buzzed again. 

Apoorva quickly scrolled through the messages, her mind flickering back to Shubman's text. She was still unsure about the whole situation with him. 

Yes, they had chemistry. 

Yes, they were going to meet for dinner the next day. 

But was it too soon to dive in? 

Was she really ready to complicate things with someone who was so closely tied to her family?

Athiya's voice broke through her thoughts. "You good, girl? You seem a little off."

Apoorva nodded quickly, faking a smile. "Yeah, just thinking about tomorrow."

"Don't overthink it," Athiya said, sitting up and giving her a gentle nudge. "You're having dinner with a guy you like. It's that simple."

Apoorva raised an eyebrow. "And if my 'big brother' finds out?"

Athiya gave her a knowing look. "That's where things get interesting, isn't it?"

Meanwhile, on the yacht, Shubman was still processing the whirlwind of emotions that had come with talking to Apoorva. 

The brief interaction had left him intrigued, even more so after learning about her connection to KL Rahul. 

He knew that if he wasn't careful, this could turn into something that would either be a great story or a disaster. But one thing was for sure—he wasn't about to back down now.

As he leaned against the railing, watching the lights of Sydney in the distance, his mind couldn't help but wander back to their conversation. 

Dinner tomorrow, he thought to himself. Apoorva Rahul... let's see what you're really about.

A shiver of excitement ran through him at the thought, and for a brief moment, the loud laughter and chatter of his teammates faded into the background. Tomorrow was going to be interesting.

soup rants!!!

the seventh 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