“The bachelor whom everyone loved and adored, Akshant Mehra, guitarist of Amity, has recently announced in an exclusive interview, that he is taken! No one expected the answer except the three boys beside him who sat on the couch. No details of the lucky lady were given out by the boys, hope to see her soon though,” the news reporter reported before he moved to the next news. The news had flooded the internet and the social media and she wasn't expecting any of that. Having to idea why this was suddenly revealed but she wasn't angry, just clueless.

“Akshant Mehra, what is this !?” she shouted at her boyfriend who was in the kitchen baking a new recipe given to him by his best friend, Kiara Shekhawat. Both of them were a disaster in the kitchen but no one could stop the two adorable beings.

“Zara Raichand, that's me declaring my love!” he claimed as he came in front of her wearing an apron and flour in specks all over his face. She giggled noticing him but came back to the topic after looking at the glares that she received.

“But when did we decide this?” she questioned. “You didn't want this?” he questioned back. “Arey, I just wanted to know before you announced it. I am ecstatic about it, chill,” she said and he released the breath he was holding back unknowingly.

“Umm-” Akshant started as he scratched the back of his neck while Zara looked at his face waiting for him to continue.

“IhaveburntwhateverIwasmaking,” he said it faster than a bullet train and Zara as any normal person didn't get a word so he had to repeat it, “I kinda burnt whatever I was making so let's go on a date,” he muttered like a shy bride looking exceptionally cute that no one could deny him.

Zara giggled and moved towards, wrapping her arms around his neck, “I will get ready till then you have the job to clean the kitchen, book us a table if needed and get ready,” she whispered making him groan hearing the first task but nodded knowing he was responsible for the mess.

“Yeah! Yeah! Go ahead, aur karo atyachar,” he complained but moved towards the kitchen anyway, making her laugh. She quickly moved to her room and took a short shower before slipping into her white short dress which had detailed design and bell sleeves. Next steps were - make up and hair - which didn't take much time but an hour and half. Well, time just flows.

She moved to the living room where Akshant stood talking to someone, presumably booking a table. She stood in front of him scrolling through her instagram feed.

“You look gorgeous, Zara,” he complimented her, making her blush slightly as she replied, “You cleaned up well too,” he laughed at her and took the car keys before exiting their apartment. They had been private about their relationship as it was still blooming and then as they liked the privacy. Both of them weren't against making it public, they were just …. letting it go in a flow.

“So where are we going?” Zara asked.

“Butterfly High,” he said. He hadn't planned much as it was an impromptu date and neither was Zara expecting much from him. A dinner date with lots of talking was what they had in mind. Both of them sat in a private booth which was booked by Akshant and ordered their food.

“Aksh, remember our first meeting?” Zara giggled as she questioned Akshant remembering that day when those brown eyes clashed with the grey ones.

Amity were launching their second album which had created a buzz among the youngsters. The four good looking boys, on the stage and music videos, had all the girls screaming and to add to the looks was their melodious voices. Each one of them had made their fandoms and the announcement of a second album had spread like wildfire.

The four boys had their group and solo photoshoot scheduled for the day but they couldn't manage getting all solos done. Akshant and Zahan were again called the next day for the photoshoot with a different photographer, assistant of the previous one, Zara Raichand.

“We will also be taking duo shots,” their manager informed them. Both the boys nodded their heads and wore the outfits chosen. Zahan completed his solo and Akshant moved in next.

Let's say camera wasn't the most favourite thing to Akshant. Getting yourself clicked with people around him was awkward and therefore the shots seemed to be too fake and rigid.

Zara giggled at Akshant and moved towards him after a few clicks, “Okay, you need to be yourself. Just forget there's anyone in front of you or around you. Be goofy or serious, but be natural,” she advised him while Akshant nodded her head.

“You know, you shouldn't laugh at anyone's misery,” Akshant playfully teased her while Zara answered, “You can't help it when you see the clicks which look as rigid as a stone,” she laughed while Akshant too smiled.

Click!

That small conversation just clicked into something as beautiful as those shots of Akshant.

“You were sooo funny,” Zara laughed at Akshant who made faces in return.

“Oh shall I remind you of the first date ha?” Akshant smirked.

Akshant and Zara had bumped into each other quite a few times as the management had picked her for the tour photography. They had small conversations but those smiles and looks when they saw each other were much more than the talks. The boys had seen the sparks and encouraged Akshant to ask her out.

But it was the other way round, Zara had enough of all the secretive looks, she walked to Akshant's room and as soon as he opened his door, “Look I know you like me and so do I, so let's go on a date,” these were her exact words and that did shock Akshant to an extent but then he laughed and agreed on the condition that he would be the one organising it.

The two went on their first date, organized by Akshant. Both of them were in Jaipur due to the concert and Akshant didn't have much idea so they decided to go for a simple date. They just sat there in his room with a movie playing on the screen and a candle light dinner followed.

Once they were done with their dinner, Akshant asked her to stay back for sometime and she agreed. Everything was going on well, until Zara excused herself to go to the washroom, leaving her phone behind which was continuously ringing.

Akshant picked up the phone and before he could say that Zara would call in sometime, a loud voice interrupted, “Did you kiss him? No wait, first tell me how the date was? Was he a gentleman? Did you tell him about you fangirling on him ever since their first album? Did-” he couldn't help but burst out laughing making the girl on the other end stop.

“Whoever this is, thank you so much for the information,” he said. Zara, who just came out, looked confused on his sentence and asked who it was, he passed her phone still laughing. She looked at the screen and saw the name, Nitya Malhotra - her best friend - she quickly put the phone to her ear, “What the hell did you say?” she asked.

“I may or may not have told him about you fangirling over him,” she muttered and said a quick bye knowing she would be dead as soon as she met Zara. Zara looked embarrassed while Akshant was still laughing.

“Stop laughing! You weren't supposed to know that !!!!” she exclaimed or maybe whined.

“Aww! It's okay babes, I am glad to know it and that too on our first date,” he laughed.

The two of them had formed a bond there after it was date after date, be it cooking together or ice skating. Be it an amusement park or simple coffee dates. They found themselves.

“Oh shut up! Aksh.” she muttered with a red hue on her cheeks. They had their dinner with all these memories, all their firsts. It was indeed a simple but a beautiful evening. As they moved out, both of them were swarmed by the media and they expected this. So both of them were ready to face it. They knew the repercussions of Akshant being a star and had accepted it to be a part of their life.

Akshant moved behind Zara with both his hands around her, protecting her from the crowd and guiding her towards the car that was waiting for them. Once they settled down, Zara looked at Akshant who was already looking at her with guilt in his eyes.

“No no no, it wasn't your fault,” she immediately moved towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist and her head on his chest. “But-” Zara stopped him and looked up at him, “Aksh, we knew this was coming, it's okay, it will die down soon,” Zara convinced him but it wasn't as easy as it looked.

The next few days were difficult for Zara. The fans had swarmed his Instagram handle, while some were happy for the couple, others had much more to say. Judging her for her looks or job! To add to it, the media had been following her everywhere, from their apartment to her studio or anywhere she travelled.

She was not only getting frustrated but also exhausted. Being ready didn't mean you would get used to it and Zara was feeling suffocated, she wanted to run away from those creeps. Akshant was there for her but he too had his interviews and shoots for the music video, which made it difficult for them to get time for each other.

Zara had the support of her boyfriend and she knew it too but she wanted him to be there. He was her safe heaven but time was the issue for the time being. Akshant, on the other hand, tried hard to get done with his work as fast as he could. They had their last interview today, followed by a 4 days holiday, before they are on the road again.

“Akshant, we finally know the mystery girl, tell us about her,” the interviewer asked. Akshant just smiled and replied in a few words, “Yes, you found the mystery girl. Just know, she means a lot to me,” the interviewer understood that he had dodged the topic with a small but sweet answer.

After completing the interview, the boys moved to their vanity, “Akshant,” Ridhan called him. He looked at him and raised his eyebrows silently asking him ‘what’.

“Know that, we are always here and so is Zara. It's just that the revelation has created a buzz but it will settle down,” Ridhan said and Akshant needed that right now. He smiled at the boys and all of them moved out.

Akshant knew about Zara's frustration because of the media but the Instagram trolls were unknown to him. Him being busy lately hadn't helped too much either, they needed to find a solution or get used to it somehow and today, when he was finally free, he thought it would be best to talk with Zara.

He entered their apartment and moved to their room, “Kiara, it's getting difficult each and every day! I don't even know what to do at this point but what I know is I am done with all this,” he heard Zara talking with Kiara, Ridhan's fiance but he misunderstood the last statement. He took that in the context of himself and their relationship while Zara was talking about the media and the trolls.

He didn't want to hear anything more and moved out of the apartment silently, going towards the walking track in their building. The words kept on revolving in his head while he sat on the bench thinking about it. Being sensible wasn't in Akshant's dictionary and assuming everything was. Of course they had their share of fights but not once had Zara said she was done with it! Was revealing it to the media a mistake? He thought.

“Aksh,” someone whispered. He immediately looked up and there stood Zara. Staring at her was all that he could do. He couldn't let her go but at the same he wouldn't keep her bound to him too.

“Please don't leave,” he whispered immediately and took her in his arms while Zara was confused. Was she going somewhere? Nonetheless, she hugged him and both of them stood there in each other's embrace.

“Am I supposed to go anywhere ? Except the tour coming up but that's in 4 days time na?” she asked being confused about this sudden emotional Akshant she was facing.

“I meant don't leave me,” he said, again pulling her towards him. Practically caging her. He directly came to the point, not wanting to waste anytime.

“I ain't leaving you! Who told you that! Are you mad!?” she came out of his hold and whisper yelled at him, looking at the amount of people around them. She shook her head and dragged Akshant with her to their apartment, wanting yell at him properly. Ha!

On entering the living room, Zara turned towards Akshant, who immediately pulled her to himslef and sat on the couch with her on his lap. “Explain yourself Mr,” Zara narrowed her eyes at him. Akshant pouted, seeing his angry girlfriend and said, “You were the one who said I am done with all this to Kia, what should I understand!?”

“TALK WITH ME! How could you assume this, Aksh!” she exclaimed. “Yes I am done with all this, but it meant the media and the trolls, not our relationship!” she looked at Akshant with disbelief. Such a child he was.

“What do you mean by the trolls ??” he questioned while Zara sighed and fetched her mobile phone from her pocket and opened her post underwhich there were thousands of comments insulting her.

Akshant looked at Zara who was fiddling with her fingers and turned her face towards him, “Why was I not told about these?” suddenly turning into a hulk. Zara shook her head, “I was going to - today,” she whispered.

“Why not earlier, Zara,” he sternly questioned her.  “They are your fans, Aksh!” she said.

“But that doesn't give them any permission to say all the shit that they have to my girl. They aren't my fans if these are the words they use for you or any girl!” he said. Zara looked at him and hugged him tightly. She didn't know what to say but that man, right there, understood her, she was grateful to have him.

“I love you,” she said as she gave him a peck.

“And, I love you more,” he said and returned the favour. “Ready to post a picture, Ms. Girlfriend?” he winked at her while she giggled.

Click! That's all that it took for them to grow into something much more meaningful and lovable than anyone could ever think of.

─ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─

Hey guys

Here is a new one shot that I am extremely nervous about! A spin off story about Akshant Mehra from our previous story for one and only Iris262702 I hope you liked it ! ✨

What was the favourite part about this one shot? Anything that I could improve on while writing? Literally write this in 12 hours so if there are any mistakes do point it out freely.

Thank you for the amazing response on the previous chapter guys 🥺❤️

*I am nervous*

Bye!