Well well, couple ban jane se ghar nhi chalta, and Noor took that seriously. With Diwali season, the shop was bustling with women, and Noor, seated at the counter, had a hectic day ahead. Dressed in her Patiala suit, she sat with her legs folded on the chair, busily making bills.

Despite the hustle and bustle around her, Noor remained focused on her task. The air was filled with the chatter of customers discussing their Diwali preparations and the aroma of sweets and spices wafted through the shop. Noor's fingers moved swiftly as she tallied up purchases and handed out change with a smile.

Leaning back slightly to steal a moment of relaxation, Noor's thoughts drifted to a certain someone, and a smile tugged at her lips as she recalled the events of last week. She remembered how they had gone from crying and shouting to cuddling within the span of an hour, ready to embrace the new phase of dating life together.

They had expressed their desire for a year of exploration before considering marriage to their parents, who were not very fond of the idea but reluctantly agreed. Noor couldn't help but feel grateful that they had at least agreed to part of their plan.

Just as Noor was about to text him, a ding from the boutique's entrance signalled the arrival of a new customer. She looked up to see a cheeky grin smiling back at her, accompanied by a warm smile. In front of her stood her boyfriend and his mum.

As Noor quickly got up to welcome his mother, she ignored her boyfriend's pout and frown, leading his mum inside the boutique. She called for the salesperson, saying, "Ohh Parminder, aunty nu sabto vadia pieces dikhao, kirpa karke."(Ohh Parminder, show aunty the best pieces, please) The salesperson nodded, and Noor turned to his mum, saying, "Aunty, apna samah le ke gallan karo, te koi vi lorh hove taan meinu dasso." (Aunty, take your time looking around, and if you need anything, just let me know)

Mumma Gill nodded, smiling and gently caressing Noor's cheeks, while subtly pointing her eyes towards her dramatic son, who was still pouting. Noor winked at her, silently signalling that she would handle him.

She looked at him with folded hands, but her eyes wandered around the shop. All the young girls' eyes were on them, swooning over the cricket heartthrob, and for the ladies, gossip seemed to be served. Shubman's eyes followed hers, curious about what had caught her attention. His pout turned into a smirk when he saw her glaring at them, and his smirk widened even more when he noticed a girl approaching him.

"Can I get a picture with you?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Sure," he replied with an extra dose of sweetness, fully aware that it was going to hit a nerve with his hot-headed girl.

As Shubman posed for the picture with the eager fan, Noor's jaw clenched slightly, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. She watched with a mix of frustration and resignation as the girl draped herself around her Kaake, flashing a bright smile for the camera.

Once the picture was taken, the girl thanked Shubman enthusiastically before returning to her friends, leaving Noor to simmer with suppressed irritation.

Noor let out an angry sigh, knowing she couldn't stop him from interacting with his fans, but she couldn't resist the twinge of jealousy as she watched the girl cling to him without any protest from Shubman.

Deciding that walking away from the scene was the best solution, Noor turned and began to make her way through the bustling boutique. Mumma Gill sighed as she watched her Noori walk away, sparing an irritated glance at her son's antics. She couldn't help but wonder how these kids would manage once they got married.

Noor sat at the counter, her mind still buzzing with irritation and jealousy from the encounter with Shubman's fan. She absentmindedly tried to adjust things around her, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Suddenly, a hand gently stopped her movements, and she looked up to see him standing there.

"Calm down," he said softly, his eyes searching hers.

She snapped back, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Calm down? Calm Down wali hai teri harkatein?"

He pulled a stool and sat next to her, his expression softening. "Bp badh jayega shant meri ammi," he said gently, trying to lighten the mood.

"Since childhood, you've been doing things that could affect my BP," she remarked, her tone tinged with exasperation.

He narrowed his eyes, giving back, "As if you are a saint. Should I remind you of what you did to Pammi Aunty's son when he tried to bully me at school?"

Noor gulped, looking at him as she remembered. They were in 9th grade back then when she overheard Pammi Aunty's son, Lucky, plotting to throw her best friend into the dirt. She recalled how she had covered Lucky's face with a cloth before single-handedly picking him up and throwing him into the drain, before running away.

When Lucky came out and complained, Shubman quickly surmised who was behind it. He was apprehensive, fearing they could get suspended for the incident. However, to his relief, the matter was dismissed due to lack of evidence. Noor's sneaky little plan had been smartly executed, leaving no trace of her involvement.

Noor, stuttering and scared, spoke up, "Kiya bhi toh tere liye tha na, he was gonna throw you into the dirt. How could I let that stupid Pammi's aunty's son do that to you?"

He rolled his eyes in response. "But what you did was scary, and you know the consequences could have been worse if anybody found out. And this isn't the only instance; there are many."

Noor blew out her cheeks in frustration. "But what you did there was not right, flirting in front of me, your future wife. No, no," she exclaimed, shaking her head.

He pinched her side gently to get her attention. "Well, it was tit for tat, you ignored me and I ignored your jealousy," he pointed out with a smirk, teasing her.

She rubbed her side, pouting in annoyance, before retaliating by pinching his cheeks. He whined in pain, and she stuck her tongue out before muttering, "tit for tat," with a mischievous grin.

Shubman was about to scold her for pinching his cheeks so hard when a voice interrupted them. Their eyes gazed up to see Pammi Aunty leaning on the counter with a sarcastic grin. "Heard you two are dating. My, my, I wonder how kids like you can get married," she remarked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Both of their faces turned bored as they saw the annoying woman in front of them. However, as she spoke the next words, Noor's expression shifted to one of disbelief. "Shubman beta, you are such a big cricketer. Marrying Noor, who runs a small boutique? My girl Tavleen is an aspiring model. She is your type. Weird of you to choose Noor," Pammi Aunty remarked, her words causing a mixture of shock and hurt to wash over Noor.

Noor, seething with anger, gritted her teeth and said, "Oh Auntyji, your girl who struts around in fancy clothes and shows off her style. Remember, I'm the one who stitches them."

Shubman, sitting next to her, coughed and then burst into laughter. Pammi Aunty, not one to back down, retorted with a smirk, "Well, Noor dear, stitching clothes might be your skill, but it seems like manners and grace are lacking in your stitching kit."

Noor, not one to be outdone, shot back with a steely glare, "Auntyji, manners and grace may not be in my stitching kit, but at least I don't need to borrow someone else's identity to feel important."

Pammi Aunty, her anger flaring, retorted sharply, "Well, Noor beta, at least Tavleen has aspirations beyond stitching clothes in a small boutique. Maybe if you focused on more than just your little shop, you'd understand."

This made Shubman angry. How dare the woman in front insult his best friend and his future wife? Banging his hand on his knees in frustration, he gave it back, his voice laced with irritation, "Auntyji, just because someone aspires to be a model doesn't make them better than anyone else. Noor's talent and hard work in her boutique are just as valuable as any other profession."

Fisting his hand, he struggled to control his anger, but his reply was more than enough to make Pammi Aunty go quiet. "I won't tolerate anyone talking about Noor Bajwa, my Noori, like that. She's my girlfriend and future wife, and you'd better respect her. As for your girl, you might need to keep a check on her midnight activities outside," he retorted firmly, his voice carrying a warning tone.

Pammi Aunty, taken aback by Shubman's stern response, fell silent, her expression shifting from arrogance to surprise. She realized she had crossed a line and decided to retreat, mumbling an excuse before quickly making her exit from the boutique. Shubman let out a sigh, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly as the tension diffused.

Controlling his breaths, Shubman turned towards Noori, who had tears in her eyes as she fiddled with her chunni. He reached out a hand, gently brushing away her tears with his thumb, his gaze filled with concern and remorse.

"What happened?" he asked softly, his voice laced with worry.

Biting her lip, Noor hesitated before responding. "She was right... Somewhere, I feel like I'm just running a small boutique. Even though I want to become a big designer, I'm not trying hard enough for it. I feel like a failure," she confessed, her voice trembling with emotion.

Shubman wiped her tears gently, his expression tender. "Are you mad? Today, the entire Mohali comes to buy clothes from you. Tomorrow, the whole of India will come. Just have patience. My mum didn't want any other designer for Diwali, but yours," he reassured her, his voice filled with conviction.

He pulled out his phone and showed her the tickets. "And I guess it's time to mix art with your creations. I think this will help you," he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Noor's hand flew to her mouth in shock. "London? A tour with you?" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief and joy.

Holding her hands together, he muttered, "Yes, I want you to come with me for my next tour as my family member. And who knows, maybe a bit of exploration there could be the first step towards your dream."

Excitedly, she hugged him tightly, burying her face in his neck. "Ohh, thank you, thank you," she exclaimed with gratitude.

Shubman blushed slightly, feeling the warmth of her embrace. "Noori, everybody's looking at us," he whispered, noticing the curious glances directed their way, some filled with jealousy while others with admiration.

She pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes with a playful smile. "So what you're my boyfriend and best friend? I'm not hugging anyone else," she declared with a mischievous grin. Without hesitation, she hugged him again, causing him to laugh as she affectionately embraced his panda.

As she settled back into her chair, she declared, "But I am paying for my ticket." Her tone was firm, indicating her determination to contribute to the trip.

He rolled his eyes. "Did I ask about the expenses ?" he retorted, teasing his best friend affectionately.

Noor was about to argue when Mumma Gill interrupted, placing the selected dress on the desk. "No 'buts.' You are not paying the money, and yes, I selected this dress," she stated firmly, effectively ending any debate.

Shubman was about to remove his card when she stopped him. "Then consider this my gift from me," she insisted, a determined expression on her face.

"No, Noor. This is your hard work, and it deserves to be respected. I am paying for it, no matter what," Shubman insisted, his tone firm and resolute.

She was about to complain when both mother and son shushed her, their expressions conveying a united front.

As Mumma Gill made her way towards the boutique's exit, she turned back to remind Noor, "Don't forget, there's Diwali dinner tonight at home." Noor nodded in acknowledgement, blowing a kiss to her favourite woman apart from her mother, which made her chuckle. Mumma Gill repeated the gesture before finally leaving.

Meanwhile, Shubman, who had been holding the bags, didn't mind the attention of the other customers. As his mother moved out, he leaned in to kiss Noor's cheek before dashing off, leaving her feeling flustered. A few snickers could be heard from the women around the boutique, amused by the couple's affectionate display.

*****

ᴄʜᴀᴘʟɪɴ ꜱᴘᴇᴀᴋꜱ

Hey there! Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter 'Jealous Hearts Dance'! I had a blast writing it. Now, I'm curious: what part of the chapter did you like the most? Drop your thoughts in the comments below, and don't forget to hit that vote button if you enjoyed it! Your feedback means a lot. Thanks for reading!

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CSG228