Chapter 5: The "Business Trip" Blunder
The morning after the party, Meera woke up to a frantic knocking on her balcony door. She stumbled out of bed, tripped over a stray T-square, and pulled the curtain back.
Ishaan was standing on his own balcony, holding a cardboard tray of coffee. Between their balconies was a gap of about four feet—the "Leap of Faith" they used to jump as kids.
"Are you insane?" Meera hissed, opening the glass door. "It's 8:00 AM on a Sunday!"
"Pack a bag," Ishaan said, his voice urgent but his eyes dancing with mischief. "My mom and Ananya's mom spent the morning planning the 'Headquarters' site visit. They've picked a farmhouse in Lonavala. We're being sent there to 'survey the land' for Ananya's tech hub."
"I am not going on a fake trip with my rival and the man who stole my Harry Potter book," Meera snapped, though she was already reaching for her suitcase.
"Too late," Ishaan grinned, effortlessly jumping the gap between their balconies and landing softly on her side. He was suddenly very close—smelling of expensive espresso and fresh rain. "The car is already downstairs. And Meera?"
"What?"
He reached out, his thumb brushing a stray hair away from her forehead. "Try not to fall in love with me during the drive. It'll make the fake business meetings very awkward."
Meera's heart did a somersault. "In your dreams, Malhotra."
"Every night," he whispered, so softly she almost missed it, before turning back to jump to his own side.
[Author's Note: THE TENSION IS REAL! 🔥 The fake trip trope is finally here! Who do you think will crack first under the pressure of the lie?