Abhir sat in his studio for rehearsal, his fingers drumming absentmindedly on the wooden surface of his desk.
The dim lighting cast shadows across the walls, the only source of brightness being the soft glow of the lamp beside him.
His guitar rested on his lap, his fingers lightly grazing the strings as he tried to focus.
He was supposed to be practicing for his concert in a few hours-refining every chord, perfecting every note.
But for the past hour, he had done nothing but strum random melodies, only to stop midway, frustration simmering beneath his skin.
His mind was a mess, his thoughts restless.
And he knew exactly why.
No.
Don't go there.
He shook his head, exhaling sharply.
Music was his escape, and right now, he needed to drown himself in it.
He adjusted the guitar in his arms and strummed a few chords, trying to get back into the rhythm.
The melody was there, teasing him at the edges of his mind, but something kept throwing him off.
Before he could regain focus-
"Abhirrrr!"
The door to his studio swung open, and in walked Sira, her energy lighting up the space like a thunderstorm.
He sighed dramatically, setting his guitar down. "Kyun tum kabhi bhi bina mausam ki barsaat karne ajati ho, Sira?"
Sira rolled her eyes as she walked over to him, already pulling out her comb and styling products. "Bina mausam ki barsaat nahi, main tera guardian angel hoon, samjha?"
Abhir scoffed. "Guardian angel? More like mere baalon ki magician."
She smirked, running her fingers through his hair as she assessed the damage. "Haan, kyunki tu khud toh apna dhyan rakhne se raha. Dekh Zara, itne messy ho gaye hain tere baal. Ab kuch ghante tak yeh kharab nahi hone chahiye, tumhara itna bada concert hai."
Abhir groaned but let her work, too tired to argue.
Sira was more than just his hairstylist-she was one of the few people in his life who didn't walk on eggshells around him.
They had been friends for years, and she had a way of annoying him into relaxation, something no one else managed to do.
"So, what's with the gloomy mood?" she asked as she styled his hair. "Tera rehearsal theek se nahi ho raha ya koi aur tension hai?"
Abhir clicked his tongue. "Bas thoda stuck hoon. Guitar se tune sahi lag nahi raha aaj."
Sira raised a brow. "Hmmm chill karo thoda... guitar tune nahi, tera dimaag kisi aur jagah tune hua hai?"
Abhir shot her a look through the mirror. "Tujhe har cheez me masala kyun chahiye?"
She grinned. "Kyunki main tujhe jaanti hoon, Abhir. Tujhe jab kisi baat se farq padta hai na, tu music pe focus nahi kar pata."
He huffed, closing his eyes as she worked on his hair. "Abhir exhaled sharply. "Sira, tu meri hairstylist hai ya therapist?"
Sira winked. "Dono. Chal, bata, kya chal raha hai tumhare dimaag mein?"
He scoffed, shaking his head. "Kuch nahi."
Sira let out a dramatic sigh. "Humesha denial mode on rakhta hai tu. But mark my words, tu jis baat se bhaagta rahega, woh utna hi yeh tere sir pe chadega."
Abhir didn't respond.
Because he knew exactly what-or rather who-was distracting him.
And he hated it.
--------
The golden glow of the evening sun bathed the city in warmth, yet Charu felt an odd restlessness brewing inside her-like an itch she couldn't scratch, and the source of that irritation had a name: Abhir Sharma.
She had spent the entire day avoiding him-choosing to blend into the background while Kiara and Abhira gushed about his upcoming concert.
Not that she cared. No, she definitely didn't care.
And yet, her mind kept replaying his harsh words from earlier.
Stay the hell away from me.
Ugh. The audacity.
After freshening up, she decided to take a quiet stroll around the resort, needing some air to clear her jumbled thoughts-or more specifically, to stop thinking about a certain infuriating man who seemed to be taking up way too much space in her head.
The vibrant blooms and quiet ambiance helped calm her nerves, but just as she started to feel a little bit like herself again, the universe decided it wasn't done messing with her.
A loud motorcycle engine revved in the distance, making her brows furrow.
Curiosity-or maybe an unconscious instinct to invite more annoyance into her life-led her to the resort's entrance, where Abhir was straddling a sleek black bike.
Of course.
Dressed in a casual leather jacket, looking every bit the reckless, self-assured celebrity he was rumored to be, he looked maddeningly unbothered.
Meanwhile, she had spent all day simmering in irritation.
Just great.
She was about to turn away, because she had no interest in whatever Abhir Sharma was up to, when something caught her eye-the bike's side stand was still up.
One wrong move and the bike could tip over, possibly taking him down with it.
And wouldn't that be a sight?
Before she could stop herself, she rushed forward, her hand moving instinctively to fix it.
Abhir froze mid-motion, staring at her with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. "What are you-?"
Charu didn't meet his gaze as she clicked the stand into place. "You're welcome," she muttered, brushing off her hands as though it was no big deal.
Abhir blinked, then smirked. "Didn't know you cared for me that much, Bansal."
She scoffed, arms crossing in that signature no-nonsense stance. "I don't. I just don't want my client bearing the brunt if India's golden boy decides to faceplant on the pavement hours before his concert."
Oof. Harsh.
Abhir grinned, tilting his head. "How considerate. You truly have a heart of gold... buried under layers of sarcasm and legal disclaimers."
He gazed at her with a longing smile ,he wasn't sure if it sounded ridiculous, but damn, he had missed this.
The snark.
The effortless back-and-forth.
It was like a pressure valve for his stress, something he didn't realize he had been craving all day.
"Where were you going like that?" Charu called out, her voice laced with disbelief.
"For a ride," he replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Her expression deadpanned. "Your concert is in a few hours."
"So? Planning to report me to the organisers?"He leaned trying to provoke her intentionally.
She rolled her eyes. "Unlike you, I have better things to do. But I do think it's an epically dumb idea to go zipping down Jaipur Highway right now."
"Relax, Bansal. I'll be fine."
"I've been riding for years," he replied nonchalantly. "It helps me clear my head before a show. It's called pre-show therapy."
"More like pre-show stupidity," she countered. "Do you always do reckless things when you're nervous?"
Abhir smirked. "Who says I'm nervous?"
"You don't need to say it's obvious," she retorted, taking a step closer.
He clicked his tongue, mock-offended. "Ouch. Always thinking like a lawyer. Where's the heart, Bansal?"
"She took a step closer, her sharp eyes scanning him like she was building a case. "Look, I just don't want you showing up to my client's concert in pieces because you couldn't resist playing Fast & Furious at the last minute. So do me a favor-get back in one piece."
Abhir held a hand to his chest. "Roger that, ma'am. But you could've just said you'd miss me."
She was still irritated by Abhir's antics, but a small part of her couldn't deny that his banter was... oddly endearing.
"Get lost" she snapped, though her tone lacked conviction
His grin widened.
Damn, she was fun.
Revving the engine, he was just about to take off when-
A flash of fear coursed through her, and before she could stop herself, her hand shot out, gripping his arm
He stilled.
"Go slow," she muttered, softer this time, betraying more concern than she probably intended.
Oh.
For a moment, something shifted in the air. Charged.
Heavy.
Heavy with something she refused to name.
Abhir tilted his head, gaze flickering with mischief. "I hear concern again, Bansal. For me?"
Charu stiffened. "Idiot."
He chuckled, tapping his fingers against the handlebar. "Didn't know you had a soft spot for reckless idiots."
She looked like she couldn't decide if she wanted to smack him or walk away.
Honestly, that was his favorite part.
He smirked, resisting the urge to push further-just enough to get her to snap at him again.
It was funny how her scoldings did what an entire team of stress therapists couldn't-ground him, distract him, make him feel so chaotic yet calm.
Abhir chuckled as he revved the engine.
As he sped off, Charu stood there, her hands clenching at her sides, her thoughts a chaotic mess.
He had the audacity to tell her to stay away-and then turned around and acted like nothing happened.
Infuriating.
Absolutely infuriating.
And yet...
She hated that her heart had skipped a beat when he looked at her like that.
Scowling at herself, she turned on her heel and stormed back inside, determined to forget this ever happened.
Easier said than done.
--------------
The air was thick with anticipation as the crowd buzzed outside the concert venue.
Fans clutched glow sticks, their faces painted with excitement, eagerly waiting for Abhir Sharma to step onto the stage.
The chants of his name filled the air, and the stadium vibrated with energy.
Abhira stood in the backstage area, nervously checking her watch for the umpteenth time.
Her eyes darted between the bustling staff and the empty stage.
"Where is he?" Sira Abhir's hair stylist murmured "Abhir was always punctual, always there when it mattered , he never kept his fans waiting like this before".
Charu, leaning casually against the wall, raised an eyebrow as she saw the tension in Sira and Abhira's face
"What's happening?" she asked, her voice light but laced with concern.
Abhira's gaze remained fixed on the stage entrance, her fingers twisting a strand of her hair. "I don't know. I just... something doesn't feel right. Bhai should have been here by now."
Charu's eyes softened.
She hadn't seen Abhira so nervous before.
Usually, Abhira exuded confidence, but tonight, there was a quiet anxiety clouding her usually bright eyes.
"I saw him earlier," Charu said slowly. "He took his bike for a ride. He said he'd be back soon, but it's been over an hour."
Abhira's breath caught in her throat. "bike?" She glanced at the clock.
"What's taking him so long? The show's about to start, and he's still not here."
Charu, too, felt that gnawing sensation in her gut, the one that told her something wasn't right.
She could sense the same unease in Abhira.
There was a premonition, something that neither of them could explain.
"I don't know... but I'm getting a bad feeling," Abhira said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Charu's eyes widened. "Bhabhi, lets just wait for some more time if not we will go find him"
Abhira nodded gripping her palm and gazed at the buzzing crowd.