Smash, Score, Surrender

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The sound of shuttlecocks being smacked across the court filled the air as Dhruvin lunged forward, returning a powerful shot to his opponent. The upcoming inter-state competition had pushed him into overdrive, leaving him exhausted, drenched in sweat, and with a permanent crease of stress lining his forehead. His movements were sharp, precise—almost ruthless—as he practiced relentlessly, determined to perfect every shot.

Aashna watched him from the sidelines, her fingers curled around a water bottle. He was good. Too good. But she could also see how tense he was, the weight of expectation pressing down on his shoulders. His usual cocky smirk was missing, replaced by a hardened focus that she didn’t like. This wasn’t the Dhruvin who stole her food, who whispered things just to see her blush, who pulled her close like she was the only thing keeping him grounded. No, this Dhruvin was wound up, lost in his own head.

When his practice match ended, he bent over, hands on his knees, breathing heavily. Without a word, Aashna walked up to him and handed him his water bottle.

"You’re overworking yourself," she said.

He took a deep swig before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I need to. The competition isn’t going to win itself."

She crossed her arms, tilting her head. "And exhausting yourself before the actual match is a great strategy?"

He gave her a sideways glance, a ghost of his usual arrogance flickering in his expression. "You got a better plan?"

She grinned. "Yeah. How about a match against me?"

Dhruvin raised a brow, finally looking at her properly. "You want to play me?"

She shrugged. "Why not? You need a break, and I need some entertainment."

A slow smirk spread across his face. "Fine. But let’s make it interesting. Loser has to do whatever the winner says."

Aashna scoffed. "Done. Hope you’re ready to be my personal servant for a day. I’m already making a list."

Dhruvin chuckled darkly, spinning his racket in his hand. "Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea what you just got yourself into."

The game started with Aashna serving first, and to her credit, she was fast. She had played casually before, but Dhruvin was on a different level. He let her win a couple of points at first, just to watch her gloat, but then he got serious. Within minutes, she was running across the court, trying to keep up with his deceptive drops and smashes.

Her hair stuck to her forehead, breath coming in short pants as she tried one last desperate shot—only for Dhruvin to return it effortlessly, ending the match. He won.

Aashna froze, her racket slipping slightly in her grip. She had been so sure she could at least put up a fight, but he had completely dominated her. And now… she had to do whatever he said.

Dhruvin, still catching his breath, walked toward her, his smirk firmly back in place. "Well, well, well. Looks like you’re mine for the day."

Aashna swallowed. "Fine. What do you want?"

He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a husky murmur. "Kiss me."

Her eyes widened. "W-what?"

He grinned. "You heard me. That’s my demand. You owe me a kiss."

Aashna’s heart pounded in her chest. She had expected him to ask for something ridiculous, like carrying his gym bag or buying him coffee for a week. But this? This was way worse.

Dhruvin folded his arms, watching her flustered expression with amusement. "I mean, if you’re too scared—"

"I’m not scared!" she shot back instantly, before realizing she had walked right into his trap.

He took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "Then do it."

Aashna hesitated. This wasn’t their first kiss, but somehow, this felt different. More intense. More dangerous. She reached up, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder before leaning in.

The moment her lips touched his, she felt him stiffen for a second, as if caught off guard. But then, as if something inside him snapped, he pulled her flush against him, deepening the kiss with a hunger that made her knees go weak. One hand slid around her waist, the other tangling in her hair, angling her just how he wanted.

Her fingers clutched his jersey, trying to keep up as he kissed her like he had been holding back for too long. His tongue teased hers, and she felt the heat crawl up her spine, her body melting against him. A low, satisfied hum vibrated in his chest as he tasted her, like he had finally won something far more important than any badminton match.

Aashna pulled back first, gasping, her lips tingling. Dhruvin didn’t let her go, his forehead resting against hers, his breath warm against her skin.

"You should challenge me more often," he murmured, voice rough with restraint.

She swallowed hard, trying to regain some control. "You… you cheated."

He chuckled, brushing his lips over hers again in a teasing ghost of a kiss. "

And looking at him, at the smug, utterly satisfied expression on his face, Aashna realized that this time, he really had won—because she had never stood a chance.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Author’s Note

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