13/03/22

Dear Diary,

I've hated losing so far.

I've never enjoyed being on the losing side.

So every loss, every defeat only leads me to working harder to thrive towards success.

The taste of defeat is something I abhor.

My setbacks irk me and then I work hard enough to have a perfect comeback.

But today,

I strangely did not seem to hate losing.

The taste of defeat was rather...sweet.

Because when she smiled, after that win, breaking into a fit of giggles, nothing seemed better than losing.

We had placed a bet that whoever loses has to take the winner out for shopping, and then treat everyone else, and despite knowing that I'd have my money splurged today,

I felt, some bets are best lost.

Especially after seeing her smile.

" Uno!" Sara put the last card on the piled up cards and Shubman let out a groan.

" You cheated!" He accused and she gasped.

" Arey yaar maine kya kiya? Dekho, cards tumne hi baate, meri kya galti mujhe acche cards mile?"

" Colour changes to blue!" Aditi exclaimed putting the colour switch card and he groaned yet again.

" I don't have blue!"

" Toh ek card utha lena." Seb said shrugging.

" Easier said, you have only five cards left! Yaar kisi ke paas take four cards vala card kyu nahi hai?"

" Colour changes to...red..and Shubi, pick four more cards." Ishan smiled slyly earning a glare from his best-friend.

" Everyone's so hell bent on making me lose today!"

" Tough luck Your Highness." Sara smiled cheekily.

" There you go!" He scowled putting a number nine card in the specified colour and looked at Jugnu who shook his head.

" My turn is skipped, remember? You only put the card. Sara, it's your turn."

" And I win!" Sara put her last card with an excited giggle and Shubman's gaze flickered towards her.

" I winnn!" She exclaimed yet again, a wide grin spread across her face as she clasped her hands together.

A soft glimmer spread across Shubman's lips seeing her giggle and squeal.

He'd almost forgotten about being on the losing side.

His eyes softened as he saw her genuinely happy for once, as she playfully threatened that whoever was to lose the round, she was going to make their pockets empty.

Chuckling softly, he looked down as the game continued.

And yet again, in the third and final round, Shubman had lost.

But it didn't bother him.

It didn't eat him alive.

It didn't make him feel ashamed on being on the losing side.

Instead, he oddly liked it.

He liked how she giggled yet again, clapping her hands together as she began blabbering that she was making him go broke today.

The taste of defeat did not give him a bitter mood.

Instead, the taste of defeat gave him her giggles, her smiles, and her adorable, empty threats.

He was well aware he'd have to spend a lot today.

But he didn't mind it.

At all.

Not when he got to hear her giggle, see that pleased, beautiful glimmer play on her lips.

" Chale phir? Pehle shopping aur baadmein dinner?"

" Actually...I'm having major migraine issues out of the blue. So..So I'll pass." Jugnu let out a groan, clutching his head, shutting his eyes as he made a look of agony, nudging Aditi.

" Me too, I mean...I think I'm about to get my periods, I cannot handle the cramps. They often get out of hand on the first day." Aditi immediately nudged Ishan who nodded.

" I should stay with her in such a condition. I'll pass too." Ishan harshly nudged Seb who groaned.

" I almost forgot! I got to look into your shoot with Vogue. I mean I gotta know when exactly does the magazine publish. And since we cannot immediately put the photographs, I need to do a few more things. Y'know with the BTS of the shoot. Besides, I need to look into your last shoot as well. Too busy to accompany you Shubi, sorry."

" I think we should also stay behind then—" Sara began

" NO!" Everyone almost screeched making her flinch.

" Sorry...but why skip? Rules are rules. You should follow them."

" Tu kabse rules follow karne laga be Kishan? Aaj achanak rules yaad aa rahe hai?"

Ishan rolled his eyes at his best-friend.

" Chal chal. Tujhe treat nahi deni Bh—Sara ko yeh bol. Kyu jhagadna chahta hai? Mujhse jhagadke kuch nahi milega tujhe."

" Maine aisa kab bola? Ab toh mai jaaunga hi. Chalo!"

" Par baaki sab—"

" Mai tumhe khaa nahi jaayunga....unless you want me to." He muttered under his breath towards the end.

" Kya bole?"

" Saath mein aane se darti ho?"

" Tumse? Darr? Please!" She rolled her eyes at him.

" Oh hello! Acche acche spinners darte hai mujhse. Aur opponent teams bhi. Mai batting karne aata hoon na, toh kaapne lag jaati hai opponent team. Khauf hai mera field par, khauf!"

" Yeh khauf field par hi rakhna, mere saamne nahi. Samjhe?"

" Samjhe?" Her voice turned sterner and he gulped, followed by a nod.

" Samjha." He mumbled,tsking.

" Darta jahan humse, hum tose darte hai—" Ishan, Jugnu and Seb began singing in synchrony and he grabbed Jugnu's hand, twisting it behind his back and screams and laughter echoed in the room.

♡●♡

" How about that red one?" Shubman pointed at the red off-shoulder top hanging nearby.

" It's pretty! You think it'll look good on me?"

" Everything looks good on you." He mumbled incohorently and she knit her brows, not having heard him.

" Kya baar baar dheeme dheeme awaaz mein bolte rehte ho? Koi hai bhi nahi jisse tum dheeme awaaz mein baat karo. Toh kis baat par khusur-pusur kar rahe ho?"

" Kuch nahi! I think you should try this out!"

She nodded, as she took it in hand and walked over to the dressing room.

And when she walked out, Shubman was sure he was stumped, clean bowled, run-out and what not.

" So? What do you think?"

" You....you..." he began, unable to find any words.

She was wearing a white skirt below it, which she wore when she came there, with a powder-blue coloured, ruffled top, and it perfectly complimented the current red top she'd tried on.

He looked away, trying to get a hold over himself.

" Itni buri lag rahi hoon?"

" Nahi!" His retort came so loudly that it bewildered her.

" Sorry...par nahi. Tum kabhi buri nahi lag sakti, chahe tum kuch bhi pehen lo."

" Toh abhi kaisi lag rahi hoon?"

" If I could find a proper word in my dictionary to describe it, wouldn't I have already?"

" What do you mean?"

" Nothing. You should buy this."

" You think so too?"

He nodded his head.

" Great then! Let's go ahead with this!"

" Don't you want to shop more?"

" I don't actually intend to empty your wallet Shubman."

" You can though, I don't really mind."

" Huh?"

" Nothing nothing! How about that dress over there?" He pointed and she gasped in delight, loving the look of it.

They spend the next thirty minutes picking as many dresses, pants, shirts and tops she liked or he felt she'd look ethereal in.

" The total bill is seventy nine thousand sir."

" I'll pay—"

" Will not! Please add on the bags' price as well!" He pushed his card across instructing the lady at the counter to tap the card.

" You could've just let me pay!"

Shubman ignored her and the woman smiled, as she folded the clothes and slid them into the bags, and handed them to him.

" If you don't mind, can I say something?"

" Please do!"

" You both are an absolutely adorable couple! I hope you stay together till the very end!"

The two flushed red, exchanging awkward glances.

" We're not—" Sara began and he lightly pulled her along.

" C'mon we're getting late for dinner." He said beginning to walk out of the store and she immediately rushed ahead too.

As they reached the basement of the mall, he loaded the bags in the car's boot and sat in.

" Can I drive?"

" You can drive?" He looked at her in surprise.

" Nahi mujhe gaadi chaalu bhi nahi karne aati."

" Mujhe laga aaj ka sarcasm ka kota khatam ho chuka hai dono ka? Tum aate wakt drive kar lena. Abhi mai karta hoon."

She nodded in agreement, her gaze flickering out at the busy streets of London.

" It feels so nice to be not recognized for once somewhere. I mean, you don't have people crowding you, you dont have a camera flashlight go off at you, irking your eyesight. You don't constantly have a troupe of paparazzi following you, calling out to you each time you step out."

" It must've been tough on you. Growing up and having paps constantly trail after you."

" Not really. As I grew, they weren't so wild and so neck deep into stalking. But now it's turned even worse. I worry for the upcoming generations who'd be born into a known household and always have a camera flashlight go off on them. No wonder Virat Bhaiya and Anushka Bhabhi prefer not bringing Vamika for a public appearance."

Shubman hummed, not really knowing what to say.

" You never really had dating rumours so far did you?"

" Until now, nope. I've had guy friends, but never really got into dating rumours with them. Quite luckily."

He nodded.
" Have you ever fallen in love?"

" Not really. Though, I have indeed questioned my feelings for someone. What about you?"

" What...you said. I was too confused about my feelings for her."

" And then? What did you realise?"

He chuckled, his dimples making their appearance and Sara's heart fluttered, his chuckle one of the most prettiest ones she'd ever heard after her Father's.

And a smile bloomed on her lips.

Perhaps, Shubman Gill wasn't so insufferable after all.