Red Like a Tomato & Black Like a Sin

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It was past midnight, the world outside dipped in silence, but Aashna was wide awake, curled up in bed with Shadow dozing beside her. Her phone was pressed to her ear, Dhruvin’s voice filling the quiet space of her room.

On the other side of the call, Dhruvin was sprawled across his bed, lazily running his fingers through Maau’s soft fur. They were both engaged in a very serious discussion—what to wear for the trip.

“I’m thinking something light and breezy,” Aashna mused, absently scratching Shadow behind his ears.

Dhruvin snorted. “Aashna, ‘light and breezy’ for you still means carrying half your wardrobe.”

“Excuse me?” she gasped. “At least I don’t dress like some Bollywood villain—always in black, like I’m about to murder someone.”

“I pull it off though.” His voice was thick with amusement.

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever makes you sleep at night.”

A small silence followed before Dhruvin hummed, “Speaking of my birthday…”

She immediately got suspicious. “What about it?”

“What’s my gift?”

Aashna smirked. “Who told you I got you anything?”

“Aashna, love, don’t test me.”

“Okay, okay. What do you want?”

A pause. Then, in a low, teasing voice, “If I tell you what I want, you’ll turn as red as a tomato.”

Her stomach flipped, and heat rushed up her neck. “Dhruvin!” she scolded, scowling even though he couldn’t see her.

He chuckled, clearly pleased with himself. “What? I was just being honest.”

She huffed. “Honest, my foot.”

“You don’t want to fulfill the birthday boy’s wishes?”

“You wish.”

“I do.”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

Aashna groaned, smacking a pillow over her face while Dhruvin laughed, fully enjoying himself.

The banter continued for a while, full of teasing remarks, playful scolding, and Dhruvin throwing in an inappropriate joke every now and then just to hear her gasp in outrage.

At some point, exhaustion crept in. Their voices turned softer, their words slower, and without realizing it, with their phones still connected, they both drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Aashna woke up to her mom’s voice, listing out a thousand precautions before she could even leave the house.

“Call me the moment you reach.”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Don’t stay up too late.”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Don’t forget to eat on time—”

“Mummaaa,” Aashna groaned. “You do realize I’m not five, right?”

Her mom gave her a look that said she absolutely did not believe that. After a few more instructions, Aashna finally escaped the house and reached Dhruvin’s place.

The moment she saw him, her breath hitched. He was in a black half-sleeve shirt and shorts, casual yet effortlessly attractive.

And when Dhruvin’s gaze landed on her, his jaw tightened slightly. The short jumpsuit she wore did something to him, something dangerous. He had the sudden urge to pull her close and kiss her right then and there.

Instead, he took a deep breath, walked over, and grabbed her bags. “Are you going to war or something? Ever heard of light packing?”

She scoffed. “I packed essentials.”

He gave her a flat look before hauling the bags inside.

The mini-van was already waiting outside, the group buzzing with excitement.

Manan was behind the wheel, Sia claiming her ‘passenger princess’ title beside him. Raj, Advait (yes, after much pleading from Aashna, the boys let him come), and Saumya were in the middle row. The last row, thanks to the overflow of bags, was reserved for Dhruvin and Aashna.

As soon as they settled in, Dhruvin sighed dramatically. “Wow, my birthday trip and I get the least comfortable seat. This is injustice.”

“Chup kar, hero,” Manan called from the front. “You got Aashna beside you. That’s more than enough comfort.”

Aashna smirked. “Exactly.”

Dhruvin side-eyed her. “Are you comforting me or siding with them?”

She shrugged. “A bit of both.”

As the journey started, laughter and music filled the van. Conversations overlapped, jokes were cracked, and snacks were passed around. Somewhere in between, Aashna, as expected, dozed off, resting against Dhruvin’s shoulder.

He looked down at her, his heart clenching. His fingers moved to brush away a stray strand of hair from her face. The stress, the exhaustion, the weight of everything on his shoulders—it faded at that moment. Just her warmth, her presence beside him, was enough to make him feel at ease.

He shifted slightly, adjusting her so she could be more comfortable, her head now tucked under his chin. His fingers absentmindedly traced circles on her back, and for the first time in weeks, he felt something other than pressure.

Peace.

He smiled to himself and closed his eyes, letting the rhythmic hum of the van and the soft rise and fall of Aashna’s breathing lull him into a much-needed rest.

The trip had just begun, but he already knew—this was going to be one of the best memories of his life.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Author’s Note

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