The girl in the black crop top and mini skirt looked like the kind of woman who lived for male attention. At least, that's what the world would assume the moment they glanced at her. Confident posture, perfect eyeliner, legs crossed like she owned the damn café.
But the truth?
Her hands were shaking under the table.
Annu kept staring at her phone, pretending she was unbothered. "It's been thirty minutes and that guy isn't even here… urgh," she muttered under her breath. Her foot tapped relentlessly against the floor, betraying the nerves she tried so hard to hide.
Then a spark hit her brain.
Wait. He's late. I'm on time. Perfect. I can use this as an excuse to leave.
She grabbed her bag and started to rise—
—and froze.
A man was walking toward her.
Handsome wasn't even the word. He looked like trouble wrapped in tailored perfection. Black shirt fitted just right, black formal pants, a coat folded neatly in his hand. Clean, sharp jawline. Confident steps. That effortless kind of good-looking that made women turn twice and then pretend they didn't.
Annu instantly sat back down, eyes widening for a second before she forced her expression into something cool and bored.
He reached her table and pulled out the chair opposite her.
"Annu, right?" he asked.
She nodded, then mentally slapped herself. "You're Dhruv, right?"
Why is he so hot? Ugh. Focus, idiot. You have to ruin this date. Run, destroy, sabotage — anything.
Dhruv offered a small, apologetic smile. "Yeah. Sorry for being late. I had an importa—"
"Yeah, yeah," she cut him off, flipping her hair dramatically. "You had so much work you forgot your date. If you didn't want to come, you could've just said it. Why waste my time, huh? I could've spent the day with my boyfriend instead."
She smirked, satisfied with her own line.
Dhruv didn't react the way most men would. No defensiveness, no irritation. Just calm curiosity.
"So you have a boyfriend?" he asked.
"Yeah, I have like four."
She paused.
"Actually six."
She said it proudly, chin up.
Dhruv held eye contact this time, steady and unreadable. "Then why did you come on a date with me?"
"Because my parents made me," she shrugged. "And you're… quite handsome, so it's not that big of a waste."
Her eyes slid down his shirt and back up, completely shameless.
"Alright then," Dhruv said smoothly. "Let's order something."
Before she could process that shift, he added, "Are you okay with alcohol?"
Her smile twitched.
This wasn't the plan.
She wanted chaos, not… drinks.
Her brain raced.
Wine was my plan, it wasn't supposed to go like this. But what if he's a jerk? What if he spikes something? What if—
"I don't drink," she said quickly. Then corrected, "I mean, I only like drinking at clubs. With music, dancing, that whole vibe… you know? That's when it actually feels fun to drink and… cross every limit."
She mentally patted herself. Nice save, Annu.
Dhruv leaned back slightly, a slow smirk forming. "Oh? Then let's go to a club. And honestly, your outfit is perfect for clubbing right now."
That one line rattled her.
She hadn't expected him to play along. She definitely hadn't expected him to flip the game on her.
Panic hit—so she did the first dramatic thing her brain came up with.
She "accidentally" knocked the glass of water toward herself, splashing her clothes.
"Oh my god— seriously?" she cursed, standing up instantly. "I need to use the washroom."
And without waiting for his response, she rushed off.
Inside the café washroom, Annu stood in front of the mirror, aggressively dabbing her crop top with paper towels. Her reflection stared back at her — annoyed, anxious, trying too hard not to look like it.
"Great. Just great," she muttered. "He isn't even bothered. Like he's used to women throwing drama at him every day. Urghhh."
She tossed another wet tissue into the bin.
What am I even doing?
Club? No. Hell no. I don't trust him. Handsome so what? Handsome guys are the biggest red flags. Ughhhhhh—
She pulled out her phone and tried calling her best friend. No network. Of course. Perfect timing, universe.
"Cool. I'll suffer alone," she groaned.
After one deep breath and a forced smile, she walked back to the table.
The silence between them was thick — the kind that made her want to scratch her face off. She sat, and Dhruv looked at her like he had been waiting to resume some interview she hadn't prepared for.
Then he asked something that completely shifted her mood.
"So, what do you do for a living?" he said casually.
Annu straightened her posture and gave him her brightest, fakest smile.
"I do… nothing," she said proudly. "And I'm not planning to do anything. I get everything from my parents. I love spending money — doesn't matter if I use the stuff or not. Spending feels good."
She leaned forward slightly.
"By the way… you are rich, right? I mean, I can tell you're rich, but I spend very fast so…"
Dhruv smirked, unbothered. "I earn more than enough."
Her smirk fell flat.
She hated not having the upper hand.
"Which kind of girls do you hate?" she asked suddenly.
Dhruv leaned in, elbows on the table, eyes steady. "Don't worry. You're not one of them. Honestly… at first, I was going to dismiss this date. But you're surprisingly honest. I like that."
The compliment didn't warm her; it irritated her.
"Well, you're not my type," she said bluntly.
He didn't respond, but something subtle shifted in his expression — a small crack in that calm, confident exterior. It wasn't dramatic, but she felt it hit his ego. And strangely… that made her feel powerful again.
Before either of them could say more, his phone buzzed. He checked the screen, jaw tightening for a brief second.
"I'm sorry, Annu. I have to go," he said, standing. "I'll contact you."
And he walked out.
No drama.
No reaction to her tone.
No attempt to convince her.
He just left.
Annu sat there, stunned. The frustration rose so fast she almost knocked the table over. This entire date was supposed to fall apart because of her, not end on his terms.
"Ughhhhhh," she groaned, burying her face in her hands. She wanted to break a glass. Punch a wall. Scream.
An hour later, she stormed into her apartment. The moment she closed the door, her phone rang. Mom.
"How was the date? Did you like him?" her mother chirped.
Annu hung up immediately.
Then she grabbed a pillow and started whacking herself with it — partly out of frustration, partly because she couldn't believe she had let someone annoy her this much.
"This was supposed to be MY disaster," she yelled into the pillow. "Not HIS exit!"
She fell back on her bed, breathless, irritated, and weirdly… intrigued.
Because she knew one thing:
This wasn't over.