Shubman Gill was lounging in the corner of the yacht, a little detached from the rowdy celebrations happening around him. 

The rest of the team was drunk on good vibes, loud music, and endless drinks, but Shubman wasn't in the mood to party too hard. 

He was more interested in something—or rather, someone—he couldn't quite shake off his mind.

Earlier that night, after matching with Apoorva on Bumble, he had been surprised. 

Usually, it takes a few exchanges before things get interesting, but she had been bold and straightforward—the kind of refreshing confidence he liked. 

She had a certain attitude, a self-assuredness that intrigued him, which was definitely different from what he was used to.

Now, as the yacht bobbed gently in the water and the sound of the party roared in the background, Shubman found himself scrolling through his Instagram, mindlessly flipping past the pictures of his teammates and fans. His fingers paused on the search bar.

He typed in "Apoorva" without much thought, his curiosity getting the better of him.

A few seconds later, her profile popped up, and Shubman couldn't help but stop. Her profile picture was a little unconventional—her face half hidden by her hair, but the messy bun she wore gave off an effortlessly cool vibe. 

And there it was, a huge rose tucked in her hair, bold and unexpected. He smirked at the picture. Definitely not your typical Insta model.

The name at the top of her account read Apoorva Rahul . But what caught his eye even more was the list of people following her. It wasn't just the typical crowd of random followers; it was a mix of high-profile accounts. 

Shubman's eyes went wide as he saw that KL Rahul, Athiya Shetty, Anushka Sharma, and several other celebrities were all following her.

Wait—what? Shubman frowned, squinting at the list, his mind racing.

He knew Rahul well enough—more than enough to know the guy was protective of his family. But he hadn't heard much about Apoorva. 

He hadn't even met her in person. But seeing that her profile was followed by so many high-profile names made him wonder—who was this girl, really?

He clicked on her account, and the first thing that jumped out was the variety in her posts. They weren't the usual polished influencer pics. 

The first post he saw was a lipgloss tube, with the caption: Just because the world needs more shine. It was unapologetic, the type of post that oozed confidence, and it made him grin.

He scrolled further.

Next was a picture of a golden retriever, the dog's goofy grin matching her own. 

The caption simply read: My best friend and constant reminder to smile through the chaos. Shubman chuckled under his breath. 

He liked this vibe—simple, real, and not trying too hard.

And then there was a photo of her against a stunning city skyline. The backdrop of Sydney's glittering lights in the night sky was breathtaking, but it was her presence that held his attention. 

She was standing there, looking off to the side, almost lost in her thoughts, her messy bun wild, as if she had just stepped out of some bohemian movie. No makeup, no overdone filters, just pure natural beauty. 

The caption under the photo read: The city speaks, but you have to listen closely.

Damn.

And then, he came across a post that made him stop dead in his tracks. It was a picture of KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty. 

The couple looked as adorable as ever, their faces lit up with goofy smiles. 

It wasn't some magazine-style glamour shot—it was raw and personal. No posing, just the two of them enjoying their time together. 

The caption read: Family first, always.

Shubman's heart skipped a beat as his mind raced. Wait... This is KL Rahul's cousin? 

He leaned back against the plush seating of the yacht, trying to process everything. 

The realization hit him hard, almost like a punch to the gut. No wonder she seemed a little familiar earlier. 

The Shettys and Rahuls were always in the limelight, but Apoorva seemed to exist in the background, quietly observing, not seeking attention.

Shubman smiled to himself. So that's why she's so damn intriguing.

His fingers hovered over his screen for a moment. He had to admit, this girl was something else. Most people would have shied away from their high-profile connections, but she didn't seem like she gave a damn. 

She was confident, grounded, and wasn't trying to live up to anyone's expectations. There was something about her that pulled him in, and now he was even more curious to know what she was really like.

The more he scrolled through her profile, the more Shubman found himself intrigued.

What's her deal?

He knew he had to meet her in person to figure that out. He wanted to see if she was just as bold in real life as she seemed online. 

But for now, the only thing he could do was sit there, nursing his drink, trying to ignore the flutter in his chest.

Before he could overthink it too much, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Apoorva.

"Dinner sounds good, but you'll have to impress me first. A coffee date seems more like a warm-up session, don't you think?"

Shubman grinned to himself. Okay, now we're talking.

He quickly typed back:

"Challenge accepted. I'm up for the game. Let's see if I can keep up with your pace."

He hit send and leaned back in his seat, feeling a rush of excitement. There was something about this girl that felt different. 

She wasn't just another pretty face in a crowd. She was a mystery—one he was determined to solve.

The yacht was still buzzing with activity, but in his mind, Shubman was already thinking about their first meeting. The chaos, the thrill—it was all just beginning.

Back in the suite, Apoorva felt the familiar buzz of her phone again, this time with a message from Shubman. She quickly unlocked the screen, reading his response with a raised eyebrow.

"Challenge accepted. I'm up for the game. Let's see if I can keep up with your pace."

Her lips quirked into a smile. She wasn't sure where this would go, but for the first time in a long while, she felt the thrilling pull of something new. Something exciting.

She glanced up at Athiya and Anushka, who were now watching her with amused expressions.

"Dinner tomorrow night," Apoorva said, trying to sound casual. "Let's see if he can handle it."

"Oh, he will," Anushka said with a smirk, raising her glass. "And I've got a feeling this is going to be way more entertaining than we thought."

Apoorva just chuckled, but deep down, she knew this was only the beginning of something unexpected. The game was on.

soup rants!!!

the fourth 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