ᴄᴏɴꜰᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ

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 are you doing here?" she asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious after seeing him there.

He smirked. "Same as you. Escaping the world for a bit."

She raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you read?"

"Since I figured it makes me look mysterious and brooding," he teased a little, stepping closer to her.

Aarini rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips.

Before she could say more, Revansh took her hand very gently, without his usual arrogance. "Come with me."

She frowned. "Where?"

"You'll see. Just come...okay?"

Something about the way he said it, the rare softness in his voice, made her hesitate. But then, she nodded.

He led her outside to his car, and after a short drive, they reached a secluded spot on the outskirts of the city. A peaceful lake stretched before them, the water shimmering like gold under the golden sunlight. Birds chirped in the distance, and the soft rustling of beautiful leaves filled the silence.

Aarini inhaled deeply, taking in the beauty of the place. "This is... breathtaking, Revansh."

Revansh leaned against his car, watching her with a small smile. "It's one my escape. Whenever things get too loud, I come here and find peace in this silence."

She looked at him, seeing past his confident smirks and arrogant remarks. "You don't seem like someone who needs an escape."

He chuckled dryly. "Everyone needs one, Aarini, everyone does. Everything is not exactly how it seems like.." his words seemed calm yet sad at the same time as if he was remembering some painful memories of his own past.

For a moment, silence stretched hard between them, thick with unspoken words. Then, Revansh exhaled sharply, running a hand through his jet black hair.

"I want to confess something, Aarini. I like you," he said, his voice steady but sincere. "Not as a game, not as a passing interest or a passing fancy I like you, Aarini. And I want to be with you. I want to date you."

Aarini's heart pounded so hard that she was sure he could hear it.

"You don't have to say anything right away," he added quickly, as if afraid she'd reject him. "I just... I wanted you to know. And if you feel even a fraction of what I feel for you, then--"

"I don't know. I feel attracted towards you." Aarini blurted out. She felt as if she was enchanted by a magic, a spell which made her speak something she never intended to speak.

Her soft words cut through his rambling and his eyes widened for a whole second.

Revansh froze. "What?"

Aarini took a step closer towards him, gathering every ounce of courage she had. "I do feel attraction for you. I was scared to admit it, but after last night... after seeing you for who you really are... I couldn't deny it anymore."

A slow, disbelieving smile spread across his face. "So... you're saying you'll try to...spend time with me...until you discover what you really feel for me?

She bit her lip, then nodded. "Yes."

The relief that washed over his face was almost comical. He exhaled a laugh, then, before she could react, he pulled her into a huge tight hug.

"You won't regret this, dove," he murmured into her hair, his voice laced with emotion.

Aarini closed her eyes, letting herself sink into his warmth for sometime.

For the first time in forever, everything felt right.

***

Aarini pulled away slightly, her hands still resting against Revansh's chest as she looked up at him. His dark eyes held something she wasn't used to seeing.

It was genuine happiness, an unguarded softness that made her heart stutter the more she looked at him.

"So, what now?" she asked, feeling a little breathless.

Revansh smirked, but it wasn't his usual cocky expression. This one was softer, tinged with something deeper and softter. "Now, we gonna make this official. Come on, atleast let me tell everyone we are something. I don't want anyone else to take the chance amd sweep you off your feet, away from me."

Before she could respond, he reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers effortlessly. Aarini glanced down at their joined hands, her heart flipping at how natural the touch felt

"Are you always this direct?" she teased slightly, trying to lighten the moment.

He chuckled. "When I know what I want? Yes." His thumb brushed lightly over her knuckles. "And I want you."

Aarini felt warmth bloom in her chest, but she rolled her eyes playfully. "You're impossible, Malhotra."

"And you love it," he said back.

She huffed, but a smile betrayed her demeanor.

They stood by the lake for a few more minutes, letting the peaceful silence settle between them. The sound of water gently lapping against the shore mixed with the occasional rustling of leaves, creating a moment that felt almost... magical and serene.

Then, Revansh tugged on her hand. "Come on, let's go grab something to eat."

Aarini hesitated. "I don't know if going put with you, if giving us a chance and if trying to have feelings for you is a good idea."

His grip tightened slightly. "Why?"

She bit her lip, searching for the right words. "Because I know you. You're charming, we are from two different worlds, and you get what you want. But I don't want to be another girl in your life, Revansh."

His expression grew serious at her words. "You're not just another girl."

Aarini looked into his eyes, trying to gauge the sincerity behind his words. And to her surprise, she found no trace of deception.

The only thing she met with was honesty.

She sighed. "Fine. But if you annoy me, I'm leaving you halfway."

Revansh grinned. "Deal."

They drove back into the city, and to her surprise, he didn't take her to one of those expensive, high-end restaurants she had expected. Instead, he parked in front of a small, cozy café tucked into a quiet street corner.

Aarini raised an eyebrow as they walked in. "This isn't what I expected."

Revansh pulled out a chair for her before sitting across from her. "I figured it out. But trust me, their coffee is the best, and the food is great too."

She studied him for a moment. "You come here often?"

He shrugged. "Sometimes. It's quiet here, and the owner doesn't treat me like some rich brat."

Aarini smiled a little at that.

Maybe Revansh Malhotra wasn't as predictable as she thought.

They ordered, and as they waited, the conversation flowed surprisingly easily. They talked about little things such as books, music, childhood memories. Revansh made her laugh more than she expected, and for the first time, she saw him beyond his reputation, beyond his arrogant rich brat behavior. He seemed like a normal boy with blue eyes and beautiful hair which she suddenly had the urge to ruffle.

Halfway through their meal, he suddenly reached across the table, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear softly

Aarini froze from his action. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," he murmured, his gaze lingering on her face for an entire second.

Her heart pounded hard inside her chest, and she quickly looked away, focusing on her plate but the butterflies she felt in her tummy were too chaotic to ignore.

Revansh chuckled. "You're adorable when you're flustered, dove."

Aarini groaned. "Stop calling me that."

"Nope. You're stuck with it now," he said smugly, sipping his coffee.

She rolled her eyes but didn't argue with him anymore and as the afternoon sun cast golden hues over their table, Aarini realized something she wasn't scared anymore now.

Maybe, giving Revansh Malhotra a chance wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

Only if she knew this was just an illusion which would break apart along with her heart.

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