A little bit of Revansh’s scene from last chapter while he was waiting for Aarini)
The night was glamourous. Music filled the huge hall of Malhotra mansion. Everyone were high on chaos except Revansh. He knew Aarini would come, she had to and so he wanted silently, calmly, delicately for his prey to enter in the trap. His sharp gaze scanned the crowd, ignoring the usual faces, his so-called friends, the girls who always clung to him, the business associates his father forced him to acknowledge. None of them mattered at all. He was looking for her. For the girl who had become his latest game. And when he finally spotted her near the grand staircase, his breath caught in his chest. Aarini Joshi was stunning. She wasn’t wearing anything overly fancy or revealing like the other girls. No, her elegance was understated but impossible to ignore. The deep blue gown hugged her curves in all the right places, the soft fabric flowing effortlessly as she walked. Her dark hair cascaded down in waves, framing her delicate features, and her lips were painted in the softest shade of pink. She looked like a dream. And yet, she wasn’t his. Revansh smirked, picking up his glass of whiskey as he leaned against the bar, watching her with an intensity that made several people around him shift uncomfortably. Aarini felt the weight of his gaze before she even turned. When she finally met his eyes, something inside her shifted for a second and Revansh had noticed it. But then Tanya came interrupting the two which made Revansh internally groan. The time passed and after the dance, Aarini managed to have a distance between the two of them. And Revansh...he hated it. He hated the fact that a simple girl like Aarini was ignoring him. *** "Aarini," his deep voice cut through the chatter as he appeared beside her, holding out a glass of juice. "Enjoying the party?" She turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Do you really expect me to?" He chuckled, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "You wound me, sweetheart. I went through all this trouble, and you’re not even a little impressed?" Aarini sighed. "Let’s not pretend you threw this party for me, Malhotra." "Touche." He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "But I did dress up for you." Aarini fought the urge to roll her eyes. "How thoughtful." Revansh smirked. "You know, you should really consider smiling more. It would make this night a lot easier for you." "I would," she replied sweetly, "if you weren’t standing next to me." She mocked. Revansh laughed, hr genuinely laughed, and the sound sent an unfamiliar shiver down Aarini’s spine. He tilted his head. "You’re the first girl to reject my charm so effortlessly. I should be offended." "But you’re not." "Exactly," he admitted, eyes gleaming. "It makes you even more interesting." Aarini sighed. "Revansh, we both know what this is. You’re doing this for fun. I’m not." He took a sip of his drink, watching her carefully. "Who said I’m doing this for fun?" She blinked, caught off guard by the seriousness in his voice. Before she could respond, the music changed. A slow, haunting melody filled the air. The couples around them drifted towards the dance floor. And then Revansh held out his hand. "Dance with me, again." Aarini froze. She wanted to deny. For a moment, she genuinely considered saying no. But the way he was looking at her… like he had already won… like he knew she wouldn’t refuse… It infuriated her to no extent. And so she squared her shoulders. "Fine." Revansh smirked, pulling her onto the dance floor before she could change her mind. *** The second his hands touched her waist, she knew she had made a mistake. He was too close, his warmth seeping through the thin fabric of her dress. His scent, the mix of rich cologne and something distinctly him wrapped around her senses. She placed her hands on his shoulders, careful to maintain a respectable distance. Revansh, of course, had other ideas. "You’re tense," he murmured, his fingers pressing lightly into her waist as he guided her across the dance floor. "I wonder why," she shot back. His lips quirked. "Relax, Aarini. It’s just a dance." "With you? That’s hardly just anything." Revansh chuckled, his grip tightening slightly. "Flattering me already, aren't you??" She glared at him. "You’re insufferable and stubborn, Malhotra." "And you’re adorable when you’re mad." Aarini huffed, trying to focus on the steps instead of the way his thumb was tracing lazy circles against her back. The dance floor felt smaller. The world outside blurred into nothing. All that remained was him. And it terrified Aarini. Revansh noticed the shift in her expression. For the first time, she looked uncertain and that did something to him. His grip on her tightened. His teasing smirk faded. "You’re not like the others," he murmured. Aarini blinked. "What?" He stared at her, his usual arrogance momentarily replaced by something raw. Something new, something soft. "You get under my skin, Joshi," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. Aarini’s heart skipped a beat. Before she could respond, the music ended. But Revansh didn’t let go. His fingers lingered on her waist, his dark blue eyes locked onto hers. Aarini felt her breath hitch. And then he smirked. "Bet you’re falling for me already." Just like that, the spell was broken. Aarini pushed him away, stepping back with a glare. "Not in this lifetime, Malhotra." Revansh grinned. "We’ll see." Aarini turned on her heel and walked away. But she could still feel his eyes on her. She could still feel the warmth of his touch. She could still feel the danger of the game she had unknowingly entered. And for the first time she wasn’t sure if she could win. Because Revansh Malhotra was getting under her skin and it was....dangerous. ࿇ ══━━━━✥◈✥━━━━══ ࿇ So how was the chapter yall?The next Sunday evening felt different than others.Aarini still couldn't believe that she had agreed to give a chance to Revansh Malhotra. The most arrogant, insufferable, yet strangely captivating boy she had ever met in her life so far.And now, here she was, walking beside him in a quiet park, their hands occasionally brushing but neither of them making a move to hold the other."You're awfully quiet today," Revansh commented, glancing at her.Aarini sighed. "I'm just thinking about something. ""About?"She bit her lip, hesitating before answering, "Us."Revansh smirked. "Already obsessed with me, huh? Even when we haven't officially started dating yet"Aarini shot him a glare. " Shut up. You're annoying, Malhotra.""And you're adorable when you're flustered, Joshi."She huffed, looking away to hide her beautiful smile but Revansh had already sensed the red hues covering her soft cheeks which made his smirk deepening more.They continued walking, the soft crunches of gravel bene
Aarini got into the car, and within minutes, they were driving away from school campus, the noise and chaos of school fading behind both of then.Revansh drove in silence, one hand on the wheel, the other casually resting on his thigh. He looked relaxed, but there was something different about him today.His eyes seemed more softer and gentler than before."Where are we going?" she asked."You’ll see."Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up to a quiet lakeside park. The place was nearly empty, the water reflecting the pale afternoon sun, shimmering like a silver glass.Aarini stepped out, as she let out a breath in the crisp air. It was peaceful, soothing and serene."You like it?" Revansh asked, watching her peaceful expression.She turned to him, nodding her head in a yes. "It’s beautiful, serene."He took a step closer, brushing his fingers against hers before lacing them together as if they were pieces of the same puzzle. "I wanted some time with you, without everyone watching us.
Aarini got into the car, and within minutes, they were driving away from school campus, the noise and chaos of school fading behind both of then.Revansh drove in silence, one hand on the wheel, the other casually resting on his thigh. He looked relaxed, but there was something different about him today.His eyes seemed more softer and gentler than before."Where are we going?" she asked."You’ll see."Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up to a quiet lakeside park. The place was nearly empty, the water reflecting the pale afternoon sun, shimmering like a silver glass.Aarini stepped out, as she let out a breath in the crisp air. It was peaceful, soothing and serene."You like it?" Revansh asked, watching her peaceful expression.She turned to him, nodding her head in a yes. "It’s beautiful, serene."He took a step closer, brushing his fingers against hers before lacing them together as if they were pieces of the same puzzle. "I wanted some time with you, without everyone watching us.
Sunday melted into the soft hues of the evening, and the air between Aarini and Revansh had changed. There were no more games, no more suspensions, what remained was just an unspoken promise that lingered in their exchanged glances with each other.Aarini still felt the ghost of his touch on her forehead as they drove back to the city. She peeked at him from the corner of her brown eyes. His hands were steady on the wheel, his gaze fixed ahead, yet there was a certain lightness in his posture."You're staring at me, dove," Revansh teased without looking at her.Aarini scoffed and looked away feeling embarrassed. "You wish."He chuckled, the deep and huskyrich sound making her stomach flutter from inside. This was new.The teasing, the warmth, the softness in hos eyes. It all felt so dangerously comfortable.It was like a dream. A dream Aarini wished to continue see forever.As the car slowed to a stop near her home, a haunting silence stretched between them. Neither of them moved t
The next morning, Aarini woke up to the soft glow of the Sunday sun filtering through her curtains. The events of last night replayed in her mind, especially the warmth of Revansh's behavior, the way he had helped that little boy, the emotions swirling in his eyes when he thought no one was watching him.She sighed, running a hand through her hair. What is happening to me? She thought. Needing some fresh air, she decided to step out and visit a small bookshop she had been meaning to check out. The old, cozy store sat in the quieter part of the city, surrounded by lush trees and the scent of freshly brewed coffee from a nearby café.As she browsed through the bookshelves, lost in the scent of old pages, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts."You really love books, dove."Aarini turned sharply, her heart skipping a beat. "Revansh?"There he was, standing with his hands in his pockets, dressed in a fitted black turtleneck and jeans, looking effortlessly handsome as always."What
The next morning, Aarini was determined to act like nothing had changed at all. She convinced herself that the warmth of his jacket, the way his fingers had brushed against her skin, meant nothing. That Revansh Malhotra was still the arrogant, insufferable flirt who thrived on playing games with her.But yet....She found herself hesitating before stepping into school, her heart racing when she spotted him leaning against his sleek black car, arms crossed, watching her with an unreadable expression.He looked effortlessly cool in his dark jeans, white shirt, leather jacket and completely unbothered by the whispers and stares of students passing by.But the moment their eyes met, something shifted inside him as it did from the past few days.His lips twitched. "Morning, Dove."Aarini rolled her eyes, brushing past him. "Don’t you have anything better to do than loiter around like some street thug?""Now, now," he tsked, falling into step beside her. "That’s no way to greet your favorite