Shruti's eyes widened in surprise as she read the message. She looked up at Siddharth, who was watching her with a concerned expression. "What's going on?" Shruti asked.
Siddharth let out a frustrated sigh, shaking his head in exasperation. "This girl...what's going on in her head?" he muttered, trying to call Roohi again. But her phone remained unreachable, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of concern.
Shruti placed a calming hand on his arm, her voice soothing. "Her phone must be in flight mode," she said, trying to reassure him.
Siddharth's frustration began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of disappointment. He looked at Shruti, his eyes searching hers. "Let's go back home too," she suggested, her voice gentle.
But Siddharth was hesitant. "No...I mean, you were so excited for this trip, and we came all the way here. And who goes back home without seeing the Eiffel Tower?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
Shruti's expression turned uncertain, her brow furrowing. "But Roohi...?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Siddharth waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about her, she's traveled alone so many times. She'll be okay. Come on," he said, standing up and holding out his hand towards Shruti.
Shruti hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in his. As soon as their palms touched, a jolt of electricity ran through both of them, leaving them breathless. They exchanged a sparkling glance, the tension between them palpable.
For a moment, they just stood there, hands clasped, the world around them melting away.
As soon as they realized they were still holding hands, they suddenly let go, their faces flushing with embarrassment. Siddharth couldn't believe he had been so caught up in the moment that he hadn't even noticed what he was doing. He felt a surge of self-consciousness, wondering what Shruti must think of him.
Shruti, too, looked flustered, her eyes avoiding Siddharth's as they walked to the hotel. They arrived at the reception, and Siddharth gave his name to the counter. The receptionist handed him a key, and Siddharth asked, "Where's the lady's?" pointing at Shruti.
The receptionist smiled and replied, "There is only one room booked in your name, sir."
Siddharth and Shruti exchanged a shocked glance. "No, there must be two," Siddharth said, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Can you please check again?"
The receptionist apologized and checked the system again, but the result was the same. "Sorry, sir, but there is only one room booked."
Shruti turned to Siddharth, her eyes questioning. "Didn't you check while booking?" she asked.
Siddharth shook his head, feeling a twinge of guilt. "Actually, Roohi booked the rooms for us, so I didn't check."
He turned back to the receptionist, his voice laced with frustration. "Can we book another room?"
The receptionist sympathized with him, but her response was negative. "Sorry, sir, there are no extra rooms available right now."
Siddharth turned to Shruti, his eyes searching for a solution. "Let's find somewhere else," he suggested.
But the receptionist interrupted, her voice gentle but firm. "It's very difficult to find rooms by this time of year."
Siddharth ran his hand through his hair, feeling defeated. He tried calling different hotels, searching for a room, but after an hour of searching, they still hadn't found anything available.
Finally, with a sense of resignation, Siddharth accepted the key to the single room. As they entered the room, they were met with a sight that made them both blush: a single bed, with no other options.
They looked at each other, their faces burning with embarrassment, unsure of what to say or do next. The air was thick with tension, and the silence between them seemed to stretch on forever.
The silence between them was palpable, until Siddharth finally broke it, his voice a little softer than usual. "You should go and freshen up," he suggested, his eyes avoiding hers.
Shruti nodded, grateful for the distraction, and headed to the bathroom for a bath. The warm water and soothing soap helped to calm her nerves, and she felt a little more composed when she emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later.
Her hair was still wet, but she looked radiant, her skin glowing with a soft, dewy sheen. Siddharth, who had been sitting on the couch, browsing through his phone, looked up when he heard the sound of the door clicking.
As he caught sight of Shruti, his heart skipped a beat. He felt a sudden jolt of attraction, "Damn, she is looking so hot,"
But as he gazed at her, he realized that he was staring, and his cheeks grew red with embarrassment. Shruti, oblivious to the turmoil she had just caused, smiled sweetly at him. "You should freshen up too," she said, her voice innocent and unaware of the effect she had just had on him.
Siddharth snapped out of his trance, his eyes darting away from hers as he struggled to compose himself. "Yeah, yeah, I'll go," he muttered, his voice a little gruff as he hastily retreated to the bathroom, desperate to escape the temptation that Shruti presented.
As they both finished getting ready, Siddharth turned to Shruti and said, "We should go somewhere for breakfast. You must be hungry." He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Shruti nodded, her stomach growling in agreement. "Yeah, a little," she admitted, her voice soft.
They came downstairs and stepped out of the hotel, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city. The cool morning air carried the scent of freshly baked bread and coffee, making their stomachs growl even louder.
As they walked, they searched for a place to have breakfast. Soon, they stumbled upon a charming little café, its windows adorned with colorful pastries and bread. The sign above the door read "Café de la Paix".
They pushed open the door and stepped inside, greeted by the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The waiter, a friendly-looking man with a bushy mustache, came over to take their order.
Siddharth passed the menu to Shruti and smiled. "You order first," he said, his eyes sparkling with courtesy.
Shruti scanned the menu, her eyes widening at the variety of options. Finally, she made her decision. "One Viennoiserie, one chocolate pastry and a coffee," she said, her voice confident.
The waiter nodded, his pen scribbling down her order. "And what will you have, sir?" he asked, looking at Siddharth.
Siddharth smiled, his eyes meeting Shruti's. "I'll have the same," he said, his voice low and smooth.
The waiter nodded, his face breaking into a warm smile. "Excellent choice," he said, before turning and disappearing into the kitchen to place their order.
As they sat at the small café, waiting for their breakfast to arrive, Siddharth turned to Shruti with a curious expression. "It seems you like sweets," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Shruti's face lit up with a bright smile. "I love them," she said, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
But then her expression turned slightly wistful. "But my dietitian doesn't allow me to have them," she added, her lower lip jutting out in a playful pout.
Siddharth's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled sympathetically. "That's sad," he said, his voice filled with mock sorrow.
Shruti leaned in, a conspiratorial glint in her eye. "But I steal a bite every now and then without letting her know," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the café.
Siddharth chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "You are cute," he said, the words slipping out before he could stop them.
Shruti's cheeks flushed a deep red, and Siddharth realized his mistake. He had meant to tease her, but the words had come out sounding more like a genuine compliment.
"I mean...uh," he stuttered, trying to recover from his mistake.
But just then, the waiter arrived with their orders, saving Siddharth from further embarrassment. "Ahem, our breakfast," he said, gesturing to the steaming plates of food.
They both dug into their breakfast, chatting and laughing as they ate. The tension between them dissipated, replaced by a warm and comfortable camaraderie.
Just as they finished their breakfast, a young couple approached their table, looking enthusiastic and energetic. "Excuse me, can we have a minute?" the guy asked, flashing a bright smile.
Shruti and Siddharth turned to them, curious about what they wanted. The couple introduced themselves as representatives of a company that was organizing a game for couples.
"Our company has organized a game for couples, and we were wondering if you'd like to participate?" the guy asked, holding out a template with the game's details.
Siddharth looked at Shruti, then back at the couple. "Actually, we're not a couple," he said, his voice polite but firm.
The girl's face fell, but she quickly recovered. "No problem, you both can participate as friends too," she said, her smile unwavering.
Siddharth and Shruti exchanged a skeptical glance. They hadn't planned on participating in any games, and they weren't sure if they wanted to spend their day doing something so...unpredictable.
But the couple was persistent. "Please say yes, we have a target to complete, otherwise our superior will scold us," the girl said, making puppy eyes at them.
The guy chimed in, pointing to the template. "And also, the winning prize is awesome too. You'll get to have dinner at a lavish hotel with a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower."
Siddharth's eyes widened as he read the template. He looked at Shruti, and she nodded. "Fine, we don't have anything planned for today anyway," she said with a shrug.
The couple cheered, relieved that they had convinced Siddharth and Shruti to participate. "Great, let's go to the venue!" the guy exclaimed, leading them out of the café.
As they followed the couple, Siddharth turned to Shruti and whispered, "What have we just gotten ourselves into?" Shruti smiled and whispered back, "I have no idea, but it should be interesting!"
