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“Really? Okay, and I suppose it’s just coincidence that you keep ‘accidentally’ watering his patio every other morning…?”

Nandini was caught. She hadn’t realised Priya had noticed that much from her villa. If Priya had seen it all so clearly… who else had? Thankfully, before Priya could deliver her next set of questions, Varun stormed into the kitchen.

“We need more chilli flakes and oregano,” he declared dramatically.

“Oh, sure,” Nandini replied, turning back to the fridge.

A beat later, a sharp yelp filled the air.

She whipped around just in time to see Varun hopping on one foot, his face twisted in exaggerated pain. Priya, who had apparently been standing suspiciously close, took a quick step back, her expression a picture of innocence.

“What happened?” Nandini asked, brows raised in suspicion.

“I—uh—sprain,” Varun announced. “Came out of nowhere.”

Nandini folded her arms. “Who gets a sprain just by standing?”

“With me, anything is possible,” he said with a grin.

Before she could retort, Grandpa’s voice rang from the living room, “Nandini! The cheese dip’s finished!”

Varun clutched his chest. “Your country needs you, Captain. I’ll recover. Don’t worry.”

Nandini narrowed her eyes at him and then turned to Priya. “Check the bottom drawer. The extra chilli flakes and oregano should be in a red-lid jar.”

And with that, she hurried out of the kitchen with the dip her grandpa needed so badly.

****************

A few hours later

The party was in full swing. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

Everyone except Nandini.

She stood quietly by the corner table, holding an untouched glass of cola in her hand, watching the chaos unfold from a distance. Or rather, watching him from a distance.

Shaurya was seated comfortably on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, drink in hand, looking dangerously relaxed as if he was more than enjoying the attention. Because right now, hovering around him like he was the centre of gravity, were her friends Jyoti and Kavya, practically glowing as theylaughed at something he said. He looked smug and annoyingly handsome, and worst of all, he knew it.

“Shaurya,” Kavya began, leaning slightly forward with a grin, “why don’t you come to the community pool anymore? We used to see you there every other evening.”

“Yeah,” Jyoti chimed in. “You practically owned the pool for a while.”

“You once said your villa pool was always a mess because of the mango leaves and rotten fruits, remember?” Kavya asked.

Shaurya gave a quiet chuckle, setting his drink down. “That’s still true. It is a mess.”

“So what happened?” Jyoti asked with mock concern. “The pool misses you. We all do.”

He shrugged. “I haven’t found the time lately. I’ve been… occupied keeping a check on Mr. Raichand’s recovery. That takes up my time.”

“But now that Grandpa’s doing better,” Kavya said, nudging him playfully, “can we expect you back at the pool sometime soon?”

Shaurya didn’t answer right away. His gaze drifted straight to where Nandini stood silently in the archway between the living room and the kitchen.

Then, his lips quirked. “Yes. Of course. Very soon.”

Nandini’s jaw clenched. Her grip on her glass was so tight that it would probably shatter if she squeezed any harder.