Lights, Camera... Wait, Rain?!

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The ride had been smooth so far—except for Aashna’s occasional grumbling about Dhruvin taking sharp turns like he was in some Bollywood bike chase scene. But then, out of nowhere, he suddenly pulled the bike over to the side of the road.

Aashna scowled. “Now what?”

Dhruvin ignored her attitude and removed his helmet, shaking out his slightly ruffled hair. He turned to her expectantly. “Helmet utaro.” (Remove your helmet.)

“Why?” she asked suspiciously.

“Just do it, Pathak,” he sighed, grabbing a bottle of water from his bag. “You’ve been stuck in that thing for three hours under this blazing sun. Pani pee lo.” (Drink some water.)

Aashna blinked. He was being… considerate?

Still skeptical, she removed her helmet, letting out a relieved sigh as the cool breeze touched her face. Dhruvin handed her the bottle, watching as she took a sip. “Aur suno,” he added, crossing his arms. “You hungry? Need a break?”

“I’m fine,” she muttered, still feeling off balance from his sudden concern.

Dhruvin narrowed his eyes at her. “You sure? No dizzy feeling? No sudden urge to faint dramatically into my arms?”

Aashna rolled her eyes. “You wish, Deshmukh.”

Dhruvin smirked. “Sahi pakda.” (You caught me.)

After another minute of rest, they got back on the bike and continued the journey. But Aashna couldn’t shake the feeling that Dhruvin wasn’t just messing around—he actually cared.

After what felt like ages, they finally reached the NGO, a humble setup in a peaceful lakeside village. Aashna took off her helmet and groaned, running her fingers through her now disheveled hair.

Dhruvin stared at her and chuckled. “Pathak, tu Jhansi ki Rani se Jhaduwali ban gayi.” (You went from warrior queen to a broomstick lady.)

Before she could retort, he casually reached out and fixed her hair, tucking a few loose strands behind her ear. Aashna froze, heart doing an unexpected flip. She took a step back, crossing her arms. “Don’t touch my hair, Deshmukh.”

He grinned. “Next time, I’ll charge you.”

Aashna scoffed but looked away quickly, hoping he didn’t notice the warmth creeping up her neck.

The next challenge? Lunch.

“I’m having vada pav,” Aashna declared as they reached a small food stall near the NGO.

Dhruvin squinted at the menu. “Misal pav sounds better.”

“Then have misal pav.”

“I kind of want both,” he said, rubbing his chin dramatically.

Aashna gave him a blank stare. “Then have both?”

Dhruvin gasped. “You’re a genius.”

Aashna facepalmed. “I swear, talking to you kills my brain cells.”

“But you’d be so lonely without me,” he teased, handing her a plate of vada pav while taking both dishes for himself.

She sighed, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re adorable when you’re exasperated.”

Once their stomachs were full, they finally got to work. As soon as Dhruvin picked up the camera, his entire demeanor shifted. Gone was the playful flirt—here was someone who knew exactly what he was doing.

Aashna watched in silent amazement as he adjusted the angles, directed the kids effortlessly, and framed each shot with artistic precision. He made the children laugh, coaxed real stories out of them, and captured raw emotions that even she hadn’t anticipated.

For Dhruvin, the camera felt like an extension of himself. He moved with ease, positioning the shots, making split-second creative decisions, completely immersed in the process. He had always dreamed of being a director, of telling stories that mattered, and right now, standing here with the camera in his hands, he felt at home. He had buried that dream for a while, dismissed it as unrealistic, but this… this felt right.

Aashna saw it too—the intensity in his gaze, the quiet determination to get the perfect shot. It was the first time she had seen him so focused, so deeply engaged in something without a trace of his usual smugness.

“Dhruvin,” she said after a while, genuinely surprised, “you’re actually… good at this.”

He turned to her, smirking. “Did you just compliment me? Pathak, are you running a fever again?”

Aashna rolled her eyes. “Never mind. Take it back.”

“No, no,” he said, pretending to wipe a tear. “I will treasure this moment forever.”

She shook her head but couldn’t deny it—she was seeing him in a new light.

“Wait,” she said suddenly, narrowing her eyes. “If you’re so good at this, why did you mess up so badly at the last NGO?”

Dhruvin put on his best innocent expression. “What mess-up? I don’t remember any such thing.”

Aashna folded her arms. “No sound. Camera issues. Kids running away mid-shoot. Ring any bells?”

Dhruvin tapped his chin. “Hmm. Nope. Nothing. Selective memory, maybe?”

What he didn’t say out loud was that, at the previous NGO, he hadn’t been entirely focused on the shoot. He’d just wanted a chance to spend more time with her. But obviously, admitting that would lead to his untimely demise, so he simply gave her his signature smirk instead.

Aashna rolled her eyes. “You’re hopeless.”

“And yet, you’re stuck with me,” he quipped.

Just as they were packing up, a loud thunderclap startled them.

Aashna frowned. “Wait… was it supposed to rain today?”

Dhruvin pulled out his phone and checked the weather app. “It literally said ‘no rain.’”

Aashna sighed. “Wow, even the weather is as unreliable as you.”

Before he could respond, a villager came running towards them. “Beta, you need to stay here for the night!”

They both turned to him in confusion. “What?”

“The news said there will be heavy rainfall all night. The roads will be unsafe, especially on a bike. It’s better to stay.”

Aashna’s eyes widened. “You mean… we’re stuck here?”

Dhruvin, on the other hand, grinned. “Looks like destiny wants us to spend more time together, Pathak.”

Aashna groaned. “I hate destiny.”

But deep down, as she looked at Dhruvin’s amused expression, she wasn’t so sure.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Author’s Note

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