Chapter 6: The Proximity Trap
[System Notification: Heart Rate Increasing... 110 BPM]
The backseat of Ishaan's SUV felt smaller than a prison cell.
Because of the "NDA lie," our mothers had insisted we all travel in one car to "foster professional synergy." Ananya was upfront, pretending to take a very important, very fake business call in English.
That left me in the back. With him.
Ishaan had discarded his doctor's scrubs for a black muscle tee that should have been illegal in residential zones. Every time he shifted gears, I could see the flex of his forearm.
Don't look at the arms, Meera. Look at the road. The very boring, dusty road.
"You're staring, Meeru," Ishaan murmured, his voice a low vibration that seemed to settle right under my skin. He didn't even turn his head, his eyes fixed on the rearview mirror, catching my gaze.
"I'm not staring," I snapped, pulling my dupatta tighter. "I'm observing the lack of legroom. This car is a health hazard."
"Funny. You didn't complain about the legroom when you fell asleep on my shoulder during the school trip to Agra," he teased, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.
Thump. My heart hit my ribs.
Flashback: A 16-year-old Meera, drooling slightly on a 17-year-old Ishaan's shoulder while he sat perfectly still for four hours so he wouldn't wake her.
"That was ten years ago! I was sleep-deprived!"
"And now?" He pulled the car onto the highway, the speed increasing. "What's your excuse for looking at me like you want to either punch me or kiss me?"
The Shared Earbuds (The Ultimate Trope)
The silence that followed was heavy. Ananya had finally fallen asleep in the front, her head lolling against the window.
Ishaan reached over and handed me a single wireless earbud.
"What's this?" I whispered.
"A truce," he said. "The radio is playing nothing but sad Ghazals, and you look like you're about to start a riot. Listen to this."
I put the earbud in.
It was a playlist titled 'M & I: 2015'. My breath caught. It was all the songs we used to listen to on his old iPod—the ones we shared while sitting on the terrace, dreaming about lives that felt so far away back then.
"You kept the playlist?" I asked, my voice trembling just a fraction.
Ishaan's hand left the steering wheel for a split second, hovering over the center console, inches from my knee. "I didn't just keep the playlist, Meera. I kept everything."
The atmosphere in the car shifted. The "Nok-Jhok" was gone, replaced by a raw, magnetic pull. As we hit a bump in the road, I was thrown toward him. Ishaan's arm shot out, steadying me, his hand firm against my shoulder.
For a heartbeat, the world stopped.
The scent of sandalwood and rain filled my lungs. His eyes were dark, searching mine, asking questions I wasn't ready to answer.
"Ishaan..." I breathed.
"We're here!" Ananya suddenly chirped, waking up with the timing of a comedic genius.
Ishaan pulled his hand back, his grip tightening on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.
"Right," he muttered, his voice gravelly. "Lonavala. Let the 'business trip' begin."
[Author's Corner]
OMG! Did you see that? Ishaan has a playlist named after them?! 😭 My shipper heart can't take this!
Status Update:
Meera: Confused & Flustered (Level 99)
Ishaan: Secretly Pining (Level Max)
Ananya: Third Wheel (Level 100)