The hostel room was buzzing with excitement. Because..... It was finally the day!!!!! The day for the party. The two girls were more happier than Thabal. They were so excited that they left everything to search the perfect dress for her, perfect jewellery, perfect makeup, perfect hairstyle. Everything!
Thabal stood in the room completely still, while Shreya circled her like a professional stylist. Meera sat on the bed, legs crossed, supervising with unnecessary seriousness.
"Bilkul hilna nahi" Shreya warned, pinning the pleats of the saree carefully. The saree was a faded coffee brown. It was a lightweight, sheer fabric that was covered in tiny, shimmering sequins, giving it a beautiful sparkle. The saree was paired with a matching, grey sleeveless blouse, creating a glamorous look.
Her hair was left open, a few strands flying near her face. She wore minimal jewellery, small jhumkas, a few bangles and a necklace. Cherry on top was the bindi.
Shreya finally turned her toward the mirror. Thabal stared. Eyes slightly wide, in stunned. She couldn't even believe her eyes. Her fingers on its own started tracing the fabric of the saree.
"Dekha meine bola tha na fire lagogi" Shreya winked with a grin. Thabal smiled shyly, not able to digest her look. Meera stood up from the bed and walked towards her.
She rubbed the lower part of her eyes and dabbed it behind Thabal's ear.
"Kisi ki nazar na lage. Thu thu thu" she muttered. Thabal groaned at it, feeling embarrassed of the sudden attention.
"Bas karo tum log. Mein sharam se mar jawungi" she huffed. Meera and Shreya laughed at it.
"Abhi bas hamare ek do tarif se hi itna sharma gayi?" Meera teased with a smirk.
"Wahi toh. Officer sahab dekhenge toh yeh toh hospitalized hojayegi" Shreya sighed dramatically.
"Ishhhh! Nahi karni mujhe tum logo se baat" Thabal stomped her feet in annoyance and glared at them. The two didn't give any heed to her irritation, instead they laughed more.
"Shreya. After Thabal. I am going to try this. Isko pehene bina nahi marungi mein. This piece of shit is so damn gorgeous" Meera clutched her chest in a dramatic manner. Shreya smirked and lifted her invisible collar.
"Dress kiska hai?" She proudly stated. Yes, the saree belonged to Shreya. It was a gift from her aunt.
Suddenly Thabal's phone buzzed. All eyes turned towards her screen.
Strict Sharma ji 😤 ❗
Calling....
And that's it. The hostel room suddenly turned chaotic in just a second.
"Oh my God. Oh my God. He is coming. He is coming. Jaldi chal niche" Shreya rushed, going here and there.
Shreya held Thabal's hand and pulled her to the door, rushing out. Meera quickly grabbed a paper bag fill with the gift. And ran out, following them.
"Aare aare aaram se behen. Heel pehen rahi hoon. Muh ke bal giri na, party jane layak nahi rahungi" Thabal tried to calm Shreya down. As they were descending down the stairs in a hurry.
As they hurried down the last flight of stairs, Shreya suddenly skidded to a halt, arms flying out instinctively.
"STOP. STOP. STOP" she hissed. Before Thabal could even process what was happening, both Shreya and Meera jumped right in front of her like human shields, backs facing her, arms spread wide as if protecting a national treasure.
"Aye kya kar rahe ho tum dono?" Thabal whispered urgently, confused and slightly panicked.
"Chup! Ek kadam bhi aage nahi" Meera snapped in a hushed tone. She quickly handed her the paper bag to her quickly. Thabal couldn't react anything. She was lost, confused and what not.
Shreya peeked through the railing and immediately sucked in a sharp breath.
"Aagaya aagaya. He is there, near the gate" Thabal's heart skipped violently.
"Abhi!? And tum log kar kya rahe ho" she hissed at their behaviour.
"Surprise hai pagal. Aur tu agar abhi saamne chali gayi na, toh surprise ka satyanash ho jayega" Meera shut her up quickly. Surprise? Yeh kab huwa? Thabal wondered internally. She wasn't aware of all these plans they made.
Before Thabal could argue, Vikram's tall figure came into view near the hostel entrance. He stood beside his car, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone, scanning the entrance calmly. He was dressed in a classic black suit that looks sharp and polished. It was a well-fitted black blazer worn over a crisp white button-down shirt. He wore a brown tie in the coffee shade, and a watch glinting faintly under the lights. He looked composed, authoritative like always.
As soon as his eyes landed on the trio descending the stairs, two girls block one. His girl. His brows immediately furrowed. He could see a shine seeping out from the corner between them due to the light. But couldn't see the figure properly.
He straightened slightly, confusion clearly written on his face. His eyes narrowed as he tried to look past them. Meera immediately plastered on an innocent smile and spoke.
"Sir, sorry but ek choti si request hai" Shreya nodded vigorously beside her.
"Haan sir. Please" she added. Vikram glanced between their overly eager faces and then instinctively tried to look around them again.
"Thabal kahan hai?" he asked.
"Woh yahi hai. But abhi nahi" Shreya replied quickly, spreading her arms wider. That earned them a sharper look.
"Abhi nahi ka matlab?" he questioned, suspicion creeping into his tone. Meera cleared her throat dramatically.
"Sir, actually... aap please thoda cooperate karenge?" She requested. Shreya clasped her hands together in mock pleading.
"Please sir, aankhein band kar lijiye na. Surprise hai" Silence. Vikram stared at them like they had just collectively lost their minds.
"Aankhein band?" he repeated flatly.
"Yes. Bas thodi der ke liye" Meera nodded enthusiastically. His gaze flicked behind them again, trying unsuccessfully to catch even a glimpse of Thabal.
"Sir pleaseee. Ek minute ka sawal hai" Shreya dragged out the word dramatically. He exhaled slowly, clearly debating whether to refuse, then shook his head faintly.
"Fine" he said at last. Muttering something under his breath. And to their absolute delight, he actually closed his eyes.
Shreya instantly spun around. She grabbed Thabal by the wrist and gently pulled her forward, positioning her right in front of Vikram. Meera tried hard to bite back the grin but failed.
"Okay so sir, ab aankhein khol sakte hai aap" Vikram opened his eyes. And froze. For a solid second, his brain simply stopped working.
Thabal stood right in front of him, soft lights catching on the sequins of her coffee-brown saree, making it shimmer subtly with every breath she took. The sheer fabric draped perfectly over her frame, elegant yet delicate. The grey sleeveless blouse complemented her skin tone so beautifully it almost hurt to look at. Her hair fell freely over her shoulders, framing her face, a few loose strands brushing her cheeks.
The small bindi on her forehead felt like the final strike to his heart. She looked... unreal. Just damn breathtaking.
His eyes slowly travelled from her face to her attire and back again, disbelief melting into something dangerously close to awe. His eyes settled on her lips. Pink and rosy. So fucking perfect. It would feel so good, moulding with his own.
His jaw tightened, not in anger, but in restraint. Thabal shifted slightly under his intense gaze, fingers nervously gripping the edge of her saree.
"K-kaisi lag rahi hoon?" she asked softly, voice barely above a whisper. That snapped him back.
"Sundar. Bohot sundar. Aankhein kabhi thakengi nahi tumhe dekhte dekhte. Itni" he murmured, eyes still locked on her, voice low and stunned. Thabal felt her face flushed.
Shreya and Meera exchanged smug looks.
"Mission successful" Meera whispered. Shreya grinned.
"Sir ka system hang ho gaya" she whispered excitedly. Shreya suddenly clapped her hands.
"WAIT!!" She shrieked. Vikram tore his eyes from Thabal. Raising a questioning look of brow at them.
"Photo" Meera said simply, already pulling her phone out.
"Exactly" Shreya nodded seriously. Thabal's ears turned red instantly.
"Aye nahi nahi. Abhi nahi-"
"Tu chup kar. Teri rai nahi puchi" Meera interrupted her. She had already positioned herself a few steps back, phone raised. Shreya quickly adjusted Thabal's pallu, fixing it neatly on her shoulder.
"Sir, Thabal ke side khade ho jao" Shreya instructed like a director. Vikram smiled, slightly. Enjoying the moment, the look of shyness and embarrassment on her face. He inched closer to her. Looked at her for a second, before pulling her closer by her waist.
"Ohhhhhhhh!!" The two cheered giggling at the sight. Thabal felt her heart skip, her entire body felt like she got an electric shock. In the heat of September, she suddenly felt cold. Just due to his warm and big palm over her bare waist.
"Smile" Meera said. Thabal smiled shyly. Vikram smiled, or more like smirked. Because he knew, he knew what was his touch doing to her. He was well aware. And he fucking loved it.
Click. One picture. Then another. And thrice more. From different angles each.
"Perfect" Shreya announced happily, checking the screen. She immediately shoved the phone into her pocket and grabbed Meera's hand.
"Hum jaa rahe hai. Enjoy your evening. But jyada nahi haan" Shreya added over her shoulder, before going towards the college building with Meera.
"Shreya!" Thabal protested, mortified. But the two girls were already walking away, giggling uncontrollably, not even looking back. And just like that, they were alone.
The evening air felt quieter. Softer. Vikram turned slightly toward her, eyes dropping to her face again, slower this time, deliberate.
"You know. I feel like kissing the hell out of you right now. Maan karta hai kha hi jawu. But then, your makeup would be ruined" he stepped closer towards her, cupping her chin with his hand.
"Tumhe jitna dekhta hoon utna hi control rakhna mushkil ho raha hai" he murmured, tracing her soft skin gently with his finger. Her breath hitched.
"V-vikram" she stuttered, not able to form any words. She looked away, looking here and there nervously.
Vikram leaned in, bending slightly to her height, forehead touching hers. His lips hovered dangerously close to her lips. Thabal took a breath in slowly. He caressed her jaw, slowly and intimately. With full on restraint, bend to her cheek and he placed a deep, lingering kiss over. The kind that made her knees weak.
His lips didn't left immediately. He rest it there, over her cheek. Sniffing her alluring scent. The one that drives him crazy.
He slowly pulled away from her and looked at her intently, fingers still caressing her cheeks gently.
"Chalo" he said quietly. He moved back and opened the car door for her before he completely lost control.
As they settled inside, Thabal reached for her bag. She looked at him, he was about to start the engine when she hurriedly clutched his wrist. Vikram turned towards her and looked at her with a confused gaze.
"Kya huwa? Kuch problem hai?" He asked but she quickly shook her head. Her free hand clutching the bag tightly in nervousness.
"Woh. Umm. I- i have something for you" she smiled shyly, releasing his wrist and rubbing the back of her neck. He turned to her properly by now.
"What is it?" He asked her calmly, with patience. Slowly and shyly, Thabal showed him the paper bag, and shoved it gently towards him.
"Yeh kya hai?" He asked examining the packet and then looked inside it. He found a box, a familiar brand.
"I ummm, thought to gift you something. Sooo ...." She dragged slowly, nervous whether he would like it or not.
Vikram already knew it from the cover but didn't said anything. He took out the box and opened it. He froze for a half second before looking at her.
"Itne paise kaha se aaye?" He directly questioned. Straight to the point. Thabal was almost taken aback by his blunt question.
"Huh?" She reacted, not able to process. Vikram sighed and closed his eyes for a split second before opening again. He looked at her, with more gentleness and warmth this time.
"Chand, this thing cost 20 to 30 thousand. Kuch shops pe thode Kam bikte hai. But the minimum 17 to 18 pe. How did you buy this?" He asked her. Thabal paused for a second, feeling nervous.
"Puja aa raha hai so offer diya tha sab chizo ka. Wahi se liya. Sachmein" she mumbled slowly. He swallowed and didn't said anything for a moment. Thabal felt her heart stopped. Was he angry? Did she make him angry?
She felt as if her heart was being pinched. A pang of pain pierced on her chest.
"Vikram. Aap gussa hai kya?" She asked slowly and carefully. Vikram paused but then smiled. He chuckled inaudibly.
How fucking innocent. He was gushing over her cuteness and innocence internally when she aimed him with another level of cuteness. He caught her hand and brought it near his lips. Slowly and gently he kissed on her palm.
"Mein kabhi tumse gussa ho sakta hoon kya? I am not angry. But yeh fhir nahi karna, hm? Focus on your career now Thabal. Yeh sab baad pe. When your salary comes. Proper doctor jab ban jawogi, parai khatam hone ke baad dena. Thik hai?" He assured her gently. Thabal quickly nodded in a yes.
"Now. Pehenado" He held out his wrist. A small smile on his lips, gesturing for her to put it on his wrist.
Thabal swallowed, nerves fluttering wildly in her chest. Slowly, she took the watch from the box. Vikram watched her quietly, eyes softened. She lifted his wrist carefully, aware of how warm his skin felt against her fingertips. The metal clasp clicked softly as she fastened the watch around his wrist, adjusting it until it sat perfectly.
"Achaa lag raha hai" she said softly, finally looking up at him. He glanced down at the watch and then back at her, a slow smile spreading across his face.
"Tumne pehnaya hai. Isliye achha lag raha hai" he replied quietly. Her lips curved into a shy smile, eyes dropping again. Before she could pull her hand away, he gently caught it, intertwining his fingers with hers.
He brought her hand up once more, pressing a warm kiss to her knuckles this time, lingering just enough to make her breath hitch.
"Thank you, for this" he said, his voice was low and husky. Her cheeks burned, but she nodded.
He smiled, squeezing her hand lightly before finally letting go. He started the engine. The car pulled away from the hostel gate. Thabal leaned back into the seat, heart still racing, fingers unconsciously brushing against her cheek where he had kissed her earlier. Vikram drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually near the gear.
His eyes flew back to Thabal and to the watch from time to time. And every single time, his smile returned.
________🌸_________
Hope you enjoyed it
Stay safe sweeties🫂🍓✨
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