A few months later, the sun streamed through the windows of the classroom as Thalia sat at her desk, marking papers, her pen moving swiftly across the sheets. 

The soft murmur of her students working on their assignments filled the room. 

Every now and then, she would look up, catching snippets of their discussions. She had always loved this—teaching literature, inspiring her students, and watching their minds grow.

Her phone buzzed on the desk, and without thinking, she reached for it. A message from Shubman popped up on the screen:

Shub < 3
Hey baby, how's class going? I miss you already 😘

A smile tugged at her lips, her heart skipping a beat. Even though they'd just spoken a few hours ago, his messages always made her feel as if they were right next to each other.

She quickly typed back:

Thals
I miss you too. Class is going well, just marking papers. How's the match?

She paused, rereading her response before sending it, not wanting to sound too distracted. But she couldn't help herself—she was constantly thinking of him.

Just as she hit "send," her phone vibrated again, but this time, it was a call from him. She couldn't resist answering.

"Hey, handsome," she whispered, not wanting to disrupt the class too much.

His voice came through, warm and familiar, "Hey, baby. I just wanted to hear your voice. You doing okay?"

Thalia smiled, her heart melting as always at the sound of his voice. 

"I'm good. Just buried in papers. How about you? How's Vizag treating you?"

"Same old, same old. It's hot as hell here, and the pitch isn't looking great for us, but we're going to do our best," he said, his voice steady but filled with the usual competitive fire she admired. 

"But I wanted to check-in. How's my girl? You know I miss you, right?"

She chuckled softly, her eyes softening as she stared at the stack of papers. 

"I miss you too. A lot. But hey, focus on the match, alright? I know you've got this."

"I'll do my best. But hey, make sure you're taking breaks. I don't want you stressing yourself out with all those papers." His voice had softened, turning almost concerned.

"I'm fine, Shubman. Really," she reassured him, but her smile couldn't hide the way her heart fluttered. 

"Besides, who else is going to make sure you eat when you're busy with cricket?"

He laughed on the other end, a low chuckle that she adored. 

"Only you, babe. You're the only one who knows how to handle me. You should be here right now, sitting in the stands, cheering me on like you always do. I miss having you there."

"I'll be there soon enough, don't worry," she said softly. 

"Just focus on the game and get those runs, okay? I'm rooting for you."

"Always my biggest cheerleader," he murmured, his voice filled with affection. "You know I can't wait to get back home to you. These matches suck without you here."

She smiled, wishing she could be with him. "I'll be waiting. Go win this one for me, captain."

"I will. I promise. I love you, Thalia. Don't forget that."

The words made her heart swell. "Love you too, Shubs. Now go make me proud."

After a few more exchanged sweet words, they hung up, and Thalia returned to her work. But her mind couldn't help but drift back to the conversation. 

It was moments like these, small but meaningful, that made her realize just how much she had changed since meeting him—how deeply she had fallen for him.

She glanced at the clock—just a few more hours before class ended, and then she could finally relax. Still, her thoughts lingered on the man in Vizag, the one who had become her everything.

soup rants!

- hello everyone!

- I hope you guys are having a great day so far, and I also hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

- they're so cute ahhh

- also comments on the chapter?

- I hope you guys liked this one!

- with lots of love, supraja 🫶