Chapter 1

A/N: Hola! I had this sudden urge to write on PaRsh. What follows is a bunch of random ideas clubbed together chaotically. As a matter of fact, there is so much more I want to pen down but I am currently clueless as to how. So, do tell me if I should continue such efforts on the uber-cute couple.

Dedicated to Couch_Potato for getting PaRsh into my head in the first place. Do check out his/her ineffable OS >>> https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/3958413

Stranger Than Fiction

"I love Sanyukta, Di."

He glanced at his confidant out of the corner of his eye. She was, as always, a picture of serenity. Eyelids shut, limbs caressing their beloved pugs, a subtle smile gracing her features as the wind played with her strands.

It had rained that day. And he was faced with the unusual prospect of leisurely hours. Nothing appeared as inviting as a stop at his juvenile abode to this man of simple tastes. Also, he was in a dire need to calm his overworked senses. Not that he ever realised the fact before-hand.

The perpetual rocking of their porch yard swing had spread an unfathomable equanimity through his entire being. Old habits die hard for it was a childhood ritual between the Bhatia siblings.

Sensing her brother's gaze, she opened her eyes and flashed a crooked grin at the person in question. One that he was quite familiar to.

Of course, she knows. Sighing inwardly, he turned his eyes back to the overcast sky that reminded him of his state of mind and thought back to when it all started. Unfortunately for him, his brain was unable to pinpoint exactly when the girl that haunted his heart began holding his gaze longer than usual. When he began longing for the sequences that enabled him to drown himself in those doe eyes unabashedly and the crew around them ceased to exist.

"But..." The questioning voice brought him back to the present.

Param was not surprised in the least. At an early age itself, he had made peace with the fact that nothing ever escaped his elder sister and yet, he had this self-indulgent urge to outsmart her for once. From a stolen candy at seven to a drinking spree at seventeen, his Sona Di always gauged the state of affairs and guided him to the right path deviously.

Not to mention, the day when he brought Di to the sets. He had gone to drastic lengths to keep his emotions in check. Avoiding his co-star was a major blunder. The amorous scene that they filmed later had overwhelmed him to the extent that he had to ball his fists to refrain himself from taking Sanyukta into his arms.

"You've become quite an actor."

His sister's parting words that day never quite left his head. It was the only instance that she ever commented on his proficiency. And he couldn't help but wonder about that twinkle in her eyes and the implication in her expression.

Words were never really a facet of this unique bond. And so his confession out-loud certainly hinted at some complexity in the situation.

The thing is that he wasn't nearly as obstinate as his character, Randhir. The newfound feelings were obviously shelved as the after-effects of extensive shooting hours at first. But when his heart-strings started fluttering at the oddest circumstances, the actor gracefully accepted the fact that he, like his character, had indeed fallen for Sanyukta, a figment of imagination.

And this is where the main problem lies.

Though being an artist himself, he had committed the universal error of separating the actor from the character. As a matter of fact, if one assigns a bunch of performers to portray the same character, they'll find that each actor has an inimitable approach of portraying the fictional individual.

On the surface, Harshita and Sanyukta were undoubtedly poles apart. An upcoming model-cum-actress and an aspiring mechanical engineer painted two entirely different pictures. But these were strikingly similar when seen from a fresh angle. And to be honest, being conservative at heart, he was always a tad-bit intimidated by Harshita's wild ways. Her portfolio had certainly taken him aback for one. But the times when he glimpsed flashes of Sanyukta in Harshita, he couldn't help but get drawn to her. From the actress's slightly domineering air to her empathetic nature, he found her diverse shades infuriatingly enticing.

The jolt of realisation had surprisingly come in the form of an Insta snap. A selfie with a guy whose frequency on the sets seemed to be on the rise. And Voila! The green-eyed monster had made its presence felt.

But that was sixteen hours ago. And here he was, in his cocoon, trying to make head or tail of his overpowering sentiments.

"Harshita..." He trailed off. The name itself wreaked havoc with his senses. Di's hand found its way to his. The warm gesture appeased his turmoil to an extent as he slipped into the realms of fantasy.

whinyteen962014-06-16 15:45:25