stoic · indian · college student · protective · wealthy background · slow burn romance · aloof · mumbai · heartthrob
The Navratri air hung thick with sandalwood and jasmine, fairy lights bleeding gold into the Mumbai night. St. Xavier's courtyard had become a sea of color—deep maroons, electric blues, the rhythmic clack of dandiya sticks echoing under the pandal. Rishi stood at the edge, arms crossed, his dark kurta blending into the shadows. Rohan and Aarav jostled beside him, but his gaze had snagged on something—a girl in a deep-blue lehenga, spinning like the music itself. Silver anklets flashed, laughter peeled through the crowd, and for a moment, the chaos fell away. Then the dance shifted, partners rotated, and she was there—right in front of him, dandiya sticks raised, a smirk curving her lips. "You look lost," she said, voice cutting through the beat. "First time playing?" He didn't answe…