The city lights glittered far below Shatrughan and Shruti like spilled stars, scattered across the valley. Cold wind rushed through the hills, carrying the smell of rain, petrol, and the faint fizz of freshly opened Coke cans.
They sat on the bumper of his car parked at the edge of the viewpoint, shoes dangling above the rocky slope. His leather jacket was tossed beside him, and hers was draped over her shoulders because she had complained about the cold exactly three minutes earlier.
He cracked open his Coke with one hand with the sound of- "Tssshh..."
SHATRUGHAN- you know, the girl at the fuel station almost proposed to me today. Mast thi na wo.?
Shruti stared at him looking with her unbelievable stare.
SHRUTI- She asked you if you wanted a receipt. What is "mast" in that.?
Shatrughan forwards her the one of the coke can while he giggles at her words.
SHATRUGHAN- She asked very passionately.
SHRUTI- You are actually unbelievable.
Shatrughan grinned, taking a slow sip of Coke like he was the main character in every bad decision ever made.
The wind blew her hair across her face. He reached over instinctively and tucked it behind her ear. Then immediately ruined the moment.
SHATRUGHAN- You would look cute breaking hearts.
Shruti fakes a smile at him and pushed his hand away from her.
SHRUTU- Unlike you, I believe in commitment.
Shruti corrected his words and continued having her coke while Shatrughan rolls his eyes.
SHATRUGHAN- you believe in fantasy...
Looking at Shatrughan shooking his head in disbelief and correcting her words lazily, Shruti looks straight at him.
SHRUTI- No, I believe in love. A fairytale love.!
Shruti have that twinkle in her eyes- a dreamy twinkle, while Shatrughan pointed his Coke can toward the valley dramatically.
SHATRUGHAN- Love is a scam invented by couples who post blurry sunset pictures. Love wagera jaisa kuch nahi hota hai.
Shruti's mouth dropped open. And she quickly and playfully hits his hand.
SHRUTI- bakwas.! Yeh typical ladko wala answer tha.
Shatrughan uplifts his shoulders in an obvious look and Shruti shook her head in disbelief.
SHRUTI- you won't understand, because you flirt with every breathing woman you meet.
Shatrughan looks at her in shock and he shook his head negatively.
SHATRUGHAN- kuch bhi, not every woman.
A girl walked past nearby with her friends and the both of them turned to look at the group of three girls. Shatrughan smile smirking looking at the girl moreover and he winks looking at Shruti.
SHRUTI- You literally just proved my point in real time.
Shruti shook her head for again in disbelief and Shatrughan shrugged proudly.
SHATRUGHAN- And yet...
Shatrughan interrupted while jumping his shoulder lightly against hers.
SHATRUGHAN- here you are. On a mountain. At midnight. Drinking Coke with me.
She tried not to smile. But failed miserably. Shatrughan noticed her and smirks looking at her.
SHATRUGHAN- There it is... The fairytale princess smile.
Shruti rolls her eyes while laughing and shoved him lightly. He pretended to nearly fall off the bumper.
SHATRUGHAN- Attempted murder. Wow.!
Shatrughan laughs at her and Shruti giggles at his gimmicks.
SHRUTI- You deserve it. For acting like feelings are some contagious disease.
He leaned back against the car, eyes on the distant city lights. For a second, his teasing expression faded into something quieter.
SHATRUGHAN- Feelings make people stupid.
She looked at him carefully. Shruti could sense that silence on his face now.
SHRUTI- Maybe they just make people honest.
He glanced at her then. The wind suddenly felt louder. Too much eye contact happened between them. So naturally, he ruined it again.
SHATRUGHAN- You know, if you keep looking at me like that, I might start believing in your little fairytale nonsense.
Her heartbeat betrayed her immediately. She quickly shook her head to deny and Shatrughan giggles at her.
SHRUTI- kisne kaha ki me tumhe taad rahi hu.?
He smirked into his Coke can to hear Shruti's words.
SHATRUGHAN- I flirt professionally. I can tell.
She rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the heat creeping into her cheeks. Then his phone buzzed beside him. A notification flashed across the screen-
"Hey baby, we are catching up tomorrow for the coffee right.?"
Shruti raised an eyebrow slowly while both of them have read the text into his screen's notification. Shruti smile looking at him in disbelief while Shatrughan without even opening the message, turned the phone face down on the car roof.
SHATRUGHAN- savdhan! Kahi tumhe aise kisi lover boy se pyaar na hojaye...
Her expression softened before she could stop it and he caught that too. She took a sip of Coke to hide her smile.
SHRUTI- never.!
She said sweetly. He laughed quietly, shaking his head while she tried and failed not to smile back.
And under the cold hilltop wind, with Coke cans in their hands and grins they couldn't hide, they sat there smiling at each other's words a little longer than either of them meant to.
And maybe that was the funny thing about love. One person spends their whole life flirting with the world, pretending their heart belongs nowhere. The other spends theirs believing in impossible fairytales. But somehow, against logic, timing, and all their stubborn little arguments... their hearts still find each other on a cold hilltop at midnight.
Because eventually,
"Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha..!"
Some hearts are simply meant to meet.!
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