21/01/22

Dear Diary,

I wonder when did she become so pretty?

Her, Sachin sir's daughter.

I was supposedly mistaken, I never really mentioned it, but she is actually here for an event like Jugnu insisted.

I was aware that she did own a cosmetic brand, what I wasn't aware of, was that it was thaaat famous.

Probably I shouldn't have accused her of stalking me.

The more I see her, the prettier I find her.

She was indeed always good looking.

But this?

It looks like there's some black magic in the air, or on me.

I cannot possibly be attracted to her.

Not to Sara Tendulkar, Never to Sara Tendulkar out of all people.

I don't like her, and I don't see myself liking her in the near future let alone being civil with her.

That woman drives me crazy.

Shubman watched as Ishan spoke to Aditi and sighed, turning away.

He was bored.

Ishan wasn't going to play any video games with him anytime soon.

Not when Aditi just called.

Because that's exactly what he needed after a long day.

Pouring his heart out to her, he looked at the screen and she looked right back at him, patiently listening to him.

He couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as he saw them.

Almost everyone around him was committed apart from Jugnu and Abhishek.

Shreyas had Trisha, Ishan had Aditi.

His seniors were happily married and absolutely head over heels for their spouses and vice versa.

Only Shami and Siraj had no one, Shami having personal problems and Siraj...well Siraj....Shubman shook his head.

" Miyan will definitely find a girl too someday." He muttered to himself.

" I'm going down to take a stroll." He told Ishan who nodded, and he heard Aditi exclaim a bye from the other line.

Reciprocating it, he opened the door and pressed the elevator's button.

Surprisingly, before he could call Khushpreet to join him, he was already there.

" Bored, Your Highness?" He arched a brow at him and he sighed.

" Very. The practice is already over, everyone's busy talking to their partners or children. Virat bhaiya got a call from Anushka Bhabhi right when we were coming back to the hotel. Sammy called Ro Bhaiya at the same time too. Iyer has gone shopping for Trisha. I bet Kuldeep Bhai is asleep. Hardik Bhai must be on FaceTime with Agastya. Jasprit Bhaiya must be talking to Sanjana Bhabhi and Miyan must be busy watching some action movie. Everyone is busy!" He whined.

" And the Prince has no one to give him attention." Jugnu chuckled.

" I feel so single at times, especially with Virat Bhaiya and Anushka Bhabhi."

" Then find yourself a girlfriend."

" I can't!"

" Tch tch, such a famous cricketer, the nation's crush, and you cannot even get a girlfriend?" He tsked at him.

Shubman rolled his eyes at him.
" They don't want me for being me Jugnu. They want me for being the famous cricketer Shubman Gill, the Prince of Indian Cricket Team. They don't want me at my lows. They just want to put a leash on me, own me, and show me off to the world. I want someone who'll want me for being me, for being Shub, for being Kaka, someone who would be willing to stay by my side through my ups and downs. Like Anushka Bhabhi has been with Virat Bhaiya."

" Their story is straight out of a novel." Jugnu shook his head.

He nodded in agreement and as his gaze flickered in the front, the elevator opened and she was there.

Again.

" How are you everywhere?" He grumbled and she rolled her eyes at him.

" Does this hotel belong to you?"

" No?"

" Is this place yours?"

" No?"

" Then what's your problem? Me breathing the same air as yours?"

" Look...I don't like you!" He declared.

" Okay and?"

" What do you mean by and? I said I don't like you Miss Tendulkar!"

" Then what do you expect me to do Mr.Gill? I cannot possibly have everyone like me, can I? And if I recall correctly, you'd said this four years ago too."

" You recall it right. You're...you're too haughty! Like a perfect starkid! No one will believe you're Sachin sir's daughter!"

Sara sighed.

She got that a lot.

No, not about her being haughty, people would say the exact opposite.

Many found her well mannered, polite and extremely sweet, including Shubman's sister as well.

But the sheer dislike for being a starkid?

It came her way quite often.

Now there was just one more person saying the same.

Shubman Gill had never liked her.

She knew that.

She never really understood why.

She'd snapped at him only once, because he'd driven her mad.

He claimed it was fun annoying her.

So he did, till she got mad, and then he started calling her rude.

But she'd stopped caring.

She didn't have an accurate reason to give a damn.

She'd genuinely admired him for the excellent player he was, but his personality?

God, he was a self obsessed narcissist who would do anything to rub it in her face as to how he harboured a strong dislike for her.

Exhaling deeply, she looked at him.

" No one would believe you're Shahneel's brother either. She's sweet and friendly, meanwhile you...." she shook her head as she pushed back a few strands of her hair.

Shubman stared back at her, barely having comprehended her words.

The red dress fit her perfectly, hugging her soft curves, her collarbone being flaunted since it was off-shoulder, she looked stunning in whatever she wore.

But when she wore red, god, when she wore red, she looked no less than a celestial being descending from heaven and Shubman wondered how did other starkids have a massive fan-following when she simply existed?

It was a crime to breathe the same air as her.

" Shubi...you're giving her heart eyes." Jugnu murmured, holding back a chuckle and he snapped out of his reverie, his eyes enlarging as he realised what he was doing.

Feeling enraged with himself, and her, for looking so pulchritudinous, he glared at her.

" You—you should stay away from me!" He snapped and stormed away on his heel.

" Does he think I'm dying to run into him?" She exclaimed as she watched his retreating silhouette in disbelief.

" Quite the opposite actually." Jugnu murmured and a frown spread across her pretty features, confused.

" What do you mean?"

He's the one dying to run into you Jugnu wanted to say but he shook his head and rushed after his best-friend, bidding her a quick bye, leaving her muddled up in confusion.

" Did he mean he's dying to run into me? Nah. How would that be possible? Shubman Gill dying to run into me? What bullshit! He'd rather turn away and change his way each time he sees me even if his route is the same as mine and even if it's an emergency. He would never even willingly cross paths with me!" She shook her head at the mere idea.

Except, that it wasn't really true, and she wasn't discovering that anytime soon.