Hey guys,

I know it's been a month and I have been offline. But now I decided to manage studies and Wattpad together. Updates might take a little time than usual but you will get it.

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⛧°。 ⋆༺ ＳＡＲＡ'Ｓ ＰＯＶ ༻⋆。 °⛧

I made my way to school without much fuss, but Arjun Bhai was being a real pain the entire time. Finally, we reached the school, and there I spotted Shanu laughing with a few girls. I walked over to her, and she grinned, saying, "Come on, madam, today's an important day for you."

I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why?"

"Drama lead selection," she replied.

I couldn't hold back my excitement and let out a squeal. Without wasting another second, we dashed to the auditorium. As I entered, my eyes landed on him—Shub. He was talking with the drama teacher about something.

A smile tugged at my lips, but I quickly controlled myself as he started walking toward us. Well, more like toward Shanu. He stopped in front of her and said, "Shanu, mumma said she sent my lunch box with you."

Shanu nodded, and Shub added, "You can give it to me later."

I stood there, my heart racing, watching the whole scene unfold. The drama leads were about to be announced, and I could barely breathe with the anticipation. The auditorium was buzzing with excitement, but all I could focus on was Shubman. He was still talking to Shanu, his voice calm and collected, while my mind raced through countless scenarios.

I'd always wanted to be the lead in a school play, but this time—this time—I was more determined than ever. The role of the female lead had to be mine. I mean, who else could play opposite him? I imagined us on stage, together, our lines perfectly timed, the chemistry undeniable. A smile tugged at my lips just thinking about it.

The drama teacher, Mrs. Mehra, stood at the front of the auditorium, holding a clipboard in her hand, scanning over the list of names. Everyone grew quieter as she began speaking.

"Alright, everyone," Mrs. Mehra said, her voice authoritative, "This year's play is going to need strong leads. After much consideration, we've made our selections."

I felt a wave of nerves wash over me, my hands suddenly cold. I looked around at the other girls who had auditioned, trying to gauge who might be a serious contender for the role, but honestly, all I could think about was Shubman. Would he be my partner? Would we share the stage? I had to make sure I got the part. *I couldn't let anyone else steal this moment from me.*

"First, for the male lead," Mrs. Mehra continued, "The male lead role goes to..." She paused, making everyone hold their breath. "Shubman Gill!"

I couldn't help but let out a little cheer, clapping my hands a bit too enthusiastically. Of course, it was Shubman. He had the looks, the charm, and not to mention, everyone adored him.

He smiled, his face lighting up as Mrs. Mehra called his name, and my stomach did this strange little flip. It felt almost... right. He was the prince, after all. Now all I had to do was make sure the main female lead was going to be me.

"And for the female lead," Mrs. Mehra's voice broke into my thoughts, "goes to..." My breath hitched as she looked straight at me, her eyes locking with mine for just a second. "Sara Tendulkar!"

A surge of relief and excitement flooded through me, and for a split second, I couldn't believe it. I did it. I was the leading lady opposite Shubman! My heart pounded as I made my way to the front, trying to hide the grin spreading across my face.

Shubman was already clapping, and I could see the glint of approval in his eyes. "Congratulations," he said softly as I reached the stage, his voice carrying just enough to make me blush. "Looks like we're partners, huh?"

I nodded, feeling a little breathless. "Looks like it."

And in that moment, I realized that this wasn't just about the play. It wasn't just about acting. Being the lead opposite him—it felt like it could be the beginning of something more than just a school project. Something exciting. Something... real.

Now all I had to do was make sure I didn't mess it up.

꧁・┆✦ʚ 𝚂𝚑𝚞𝚋𝚖𝚊𝚗'𝚜 ♡ 𝙿𝚘𝚟 ɞ✦ ┆・꧂

I am so hungry. And Shanu still hasn't brought my lunchbox. It's been twenty minutes since the lunch bell rang, and I'm honestly losing my patience. How hard is it to just *bring* a lunchbox? I asked her to hand it to me after the drama selection, but clearly, she's forgotten—or worse, just doesn't care. My stomach is practically eating itself right now, and I'm getting angrier by the second.

I tried to focus on anything else, but every time I glance at the clock, it feels like time is mocking me. *Twenty minutes...* I tap my fingers on the desk, the frustration building.

How careless can she be? She knows I don't eat much in the morning, and I'm already running on empty. And yet here I am, sitting in class, staring at everyone else's lunch like some kind of starving animal. I could practically feel my temper rising with every tick of the clock.

I glance around the room, hoping she'll come bursting through the door any second with my lunchbox, but of course, she doesn't. No, Shanu's probably out there chatting with someone, completely oblivious to how badly I need to eat.

I rub my temples, trying to push down the irritation bubbling inside me. It's ridiculous, but I can't help it. My stomach growls louder this time, making it impossible to ignore. Great. Now everyone around me can hear it too.

I lean back in my chair, resisting the urge to storm out of the classroom and track her down. But I don't. I'm not about to make a scene. Not yet. Instead, I clench my fists under the desk, fighting the frustration that's threatening to spill over. Just wait a few more minutes, Shubman. Don't lose it yet.

But seriously, I hope she comes soon. Because at this point, my hunger is starting to feel like rage.

I was still stewing in my frustration, when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I glanced up, ready to shoot a quick, annoyed look, but it was just Raghav, a guy from the row next to mine. He had this clueless smile on his face, like he didn't notice I was on the edge of snapping.

"Hey, Shubman," he said, leaning a little too close for comfort. "You think you're gonna be able to handle the rehearsals today? Mrs. Mehra's kinda picky, y'know."

I could feel the tension in my body, tightening like a coil ready to spring. The last thing I wanted right now was a conversation. All I wanted was to eat and get rid of this gnawing hunger that was making everything feel ten times worse. But instead of ignoring him like I should've, I shot back before I could even think.

"Dude, can you not see I'm busy?" I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. "I'm starving, okay? You can talk about rehearsals later. Right now, I just need to eat."

I saw Raghav flinch, his face dropping into an awkward silence. For a second, I almost felt bad. But then I heard another growl from my stomach, and the guilt instantly faded. My hunger was the only thing I could focus on.

Raghav didn't say anything more, just nodded quickly and turned back to his seat. I didn't even look at him again. The frustration had settled in so deep that I could barely see past it.

Come on, Shanu. Where the hell are you?

Finally, the door swung open, and there she was—Shanu, rushing in with my lunchbox in hand. She looked flustered, her hair a little messy, as if she'd been running around trying to find me.

I didn't even wait for her to say anything before I grabbed the lunchbox out of her hand, the frustration still boiling inside me. "Took you long enough," I muttered, tearing open the lid with more force than necessary.

Shanu blinked, taken aback by my tone. She hesitated for a second, probably trying to figure out whether she should apologize or just leave me to my food. I didn't even care at this point. The hunger was a beast inside me, and I was ready to devour everything.

"Sorry," she said quietly, standing there awkwardly. "I got caught up talking to some people... didn't realize the time."

I didn't respond. I just dug into the food, the first bite instantly making me feel a little more human. The anger slowly started to ebb away as I chewed, but the irritation still lingered. The fact that I was this close to snapping over a lunchbox felt ridiculous, but the way my stomach had been screaming at me—it was hard to think straight.

Shanu lingered for a moment longer, watching me eat in silence. I knew she was waiting for me to say something, but I was too busy shoveling food into my mouth, trying to make up for the time lost.

Finally, when I could talk without sounding like a complete jerk, I glanced up at her, swallowing the last bite. "Next time, just... don't forget, okay?"

She nodded, looking relieved that I wasn't yelling anymore. "Got it," she said, and turned to leave, muttering something about needing to get back to class.

I didn't watch her go. Instead, I focused on the last few bites of food in my box. My mind was already drifting back to the play, the rehearsals, and the role I was about to start playing. Even now, though, part of me couldn't stop thinking about how it was all going to play out with her—Sara.

But for now, at least, my stomach was finally quiet. And that was enough.

⛧°。 ⋆༺ ＳＡＲＡ'Ｓ ＰＯＶ ༻⋆。 °⛧

I was heading out of the classroom when I accidentally bumped into someone.

"Oops—sorry!" I exclaimed, quickly trying to step back and fix my bag, which had somehow swung around and tangled with my arm. But then I realized who it was.

Shubman.

He was standing right in front of me, his hand already reaching out to steady me. His fingers brushed lightly against my arm as he caught me, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze.

"Watch where you're going," he said, his voice calm, but there was a hint of something in it that I couldn't quite place.

I looked up, about to say something back, but the words died in my throat. His eyes—their dark brown depths—suddenly felt like they were pulling me in. It wasn't just a glance, it was like something in the way he was looking at me made everything around us blur.

I didn't know why, but I felt a heat creep up my neck. What is this? I thought.

I'd never really noticed how intense his gaze could be before. There was something magnetic about it, something that made the air between us feel charged. I couldn't look away. His eyes were deep, warm, and full of... I don't know, something.

For a brief second, I felt a little dizzy, caught in his stare like it was pulling me under water. But then the world snapped back, and I blinked, suddenly aware of how close we were. I took a small step back, feeling my heart race for no reason at all.

"Uh, thanks," I mumbled, my voice sounding weirdly breathless as I tried to regain my composure.

Shubman's hand was still hovering near my arm, his fingers twitching like he wasn't sure whether to let go. And for a second, I caught a glimpse of something in his expression—a flicker of surprise, maybe even... softness?

Then he cleared his throat, pulling his hand back, and it was like the spell was broken.

"No problem," he said, his tone more casual now, though I still saw the faintest hint of something in his eyes as he glanced at me. "Be careful next time."

I nodded, feeling a little silly. "Yeah, sure," I replied, before quickly stepping around him, walking down the hallway to get away from the strange fluttering feeling in my chest.

I couldn't help but glance back over my shoulder as I walked away. Shubman was still standing there, watching me with an unreadable expression on his face. It made me wonder... Did he feel that too?

I shook my head, trying to shake off the weirdness. Get it together, Sara. This wasn't Shah Rukh Khan's romantic movie. It was just a bump.

But somehow, I couldn't quite stop thinking about those dark brown eyes.

꧁・┆✦ʚ 𝚂𝚑𝚞𝚋𝚖𝚊𝚗'𝚜 ♡ 𝙿𝚘𝚟 ɞ✦ ┆・꧂

I watched Sara walk away, my mind still locked on that moment. Her eyes—damn, those eyes. For a split second, I'd completely lost myself in them. They weren't just brown. They were deep, like looking into a warm, swirling pool of caramel, and I couldn't look away.

I'd caught her as she stumbled, but I hadn't expected the way it would make my heart stutter. She was close—so close—that I could feel the heat of her body, the soft scent of her perfume, even the light touch of her skin where I'd steadied her. For a moment, it felt like time had slowed down, like everything else faded, and there was just her—standing right in front of me, her eyes locked with mine.

I couldn't breathe.

The second she stepped back, I felt this strange emptiness, like she'd pulled some invisible thread between us and then walked away, leaving it hanging in the air. My chest tightened as I stood there, still feeling the pulse of her presence. I shook my head, trying to shake the sensation off, but the image of her face, the way her eyes had widened slightly when she looked up at me, lingered.

What the hell was that?

I'd spoken without thinking—something about being careful, as if I'd suddenly turned into some concerned guy who watched out for people. But it wasn't just about the collision. It was about that look. That moment when everything else had felt like it stopped, and it was just the two of us. It wasn't like I hadn't noticed Sara before. She was always there, part of the school scene, always laughing with her friends or running around, but today... today, it was different. There was something about her. Something I couldn't quite figure out.

I rubbed my hand through my hair, trying to clear the fog in my mind. This was ridiculous. I didn't even know her that well. Sure, she was in the drama selection, and she'd gotten the female lead. I'd heard people talk about her, how she was talented and funny and—okay, fine—pretty, but I didn't usually get lost in someone's eyes like that. Especially not over a casual bump in the hallway.

I leaned against the wall, forcing my mind to focus. My lunch, the drama rehearsals, my friends—anything to distract me from this... feeling that was still gnawing at me.

I glanced down the hallway where Sara had disappeared, just in time to see her turn a corner.

Her laugh echoed down the hall, a light, carefree sound that somehow made everything feel more... alive. I stared at the spot where she'd been for a moment longer than I should have.

Snap out of it, I told myself. I needed to stop thinking about it.

But her eyes, damn... They were stuck in my head now. And I couldn't figure out if that was a good thing or not.

*********