Chapter-6
Blaze
That night Mugdha had to spend in Rajat's home but she woke up early in the morning and got ready before Rajat woke up.She went to Ritu who was instructing servant what to make in breakfast.
"Good morning aunty!"she said respectfully.
"Morning beta..."said Ritu with a smile.
"Aunty..I should leave now..baba must be worried..."
Ritu's bright face faded suddenly yet she understood her problem,"okay beta..but wait for sometime..breakfast is almost ready..."she said lovingly.
Mugdha could not deny her so she nodded and went to hall.She took the magezine under table for the sake of time pass..it was a famous and reputed magazine of film genre...she started turning pages...suddenly her sight fall on a photograph having a related article..it was a photograph of Rajat and Mauli from there famous show "Woh
chand si..." she was gazing it deeply and crawling her fingers on rajat's pic...her eyes were glimmering with amazement...he was looking a handsome hunk...
She was lost in the pic when heard rajat coming down the staires,she quickly turned the page but he caught her...looking awkwardly he sat beside her on couch...
"Got up too early...you dint change.."he said with a sly smile.
She responded with a smile...he looked at her...her smile was too captivating that he could'nt hold his heart for a second...he slowly raised his hand to her face and caressed slightly on her cheek..a shiver ran down through her body and she closed her eyes...his finger creep on her face making jaw line and slipping down on
her neck...her open hair strains were making her immensly beautiful and he lost his senses for a while...bending his face close to her...he gasped the hot breath coming out...and put his lips on her neck...she breath heavily...
In the very next moment he sprang apart hearing someone's footsteps towards them...It was ritu..."Come on both of you..breakfast is ready.."saying so she went back to dining hall.
They both were feeling uneasy and awkward...Mugdha immediatly turned to go without looking at him...but he hold her arms...
"Mugdha!"he stopped her.
She dint turn yet stopped,he continued..."You still love me,don't you?"
She dint respond as gathering herself to face him...after he again asked her,she turned with a spark..a blaze in her eyes...she said
"Do not live in dream Rajat...that was just a weak moment which had passed...!"
She said so firmly and coldly that Rajat could'nt say anything after that.
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At dining table,there was a deadly silent...neither Rajat was saying anything nor she...they were eating quietly...after mugdha finished her breakfast,she got up to go...
"Okay aunty...bye!"said she.
"One mint beta...rajat will drop you.."Ritu said.
"No thanx aunty..I'll go myself"she said to avoid another deadly time with him but Ritu dint accept.She forcibly send her with Rajat.
In car they both were feeling awkward...to avoid it Rajat started the conversation,
"How is baba?"asked he.
"Fine!"she said
That was an indication that she dint want to talk to him...yet he continued...
"How is everone...kushal,manu,sandhya,yash...Its being a long time..I dint meet them.."he said
"You are a big star and we can't afford a celebrity..."she said curtly.Rajat felt bad of her remark yet he reacted nothing...indirectly she was right on her place as he himself never got time to go back the place from he belongs...!
After half an hour they reached,mugdha came out of the car as it stopped at an old classic buiding of Rajhans theatre, an academy for learning and performing art,a school of acting from where rajat and mugdha learned acting and performed many stage plays together.The building was in a very bad condition due to lack of maintenance...Rajat was surrounded by memories...it was the place where he spend early years of his life,the place where he started struggle for name,fame and success,the place which taught him the basics of acting,the place where he spend some most beautiful years with Mugdha...!
"you have my number,call me when you need me next..bye!"Mugdha's voice dragged him out of his thoughts.
Rajat removed his seat belt and coming out of it he said,"I also wanna meet baba..."
She nodded and he followed her.
Nothing had changed,each and everything was like that as it was 3 years before when he left it,the same 'Lord saraswati' was situated in main hall and being worshiped,same musical instruments seems a bit older,and the same old man who laid the foundation of 'Rajhans' whom students and other teachers lovingly called baba.
Mugdha touched his feet and he tried to find out his spects realizing that it was Mugdha he said,
"Mugdha...are you?"
"yes baba.."said she and gave him spects.He wore it and then lovingly put his hand on her head,"God bless you...where were you?"asked he still not realizing that someone else was also there,Rajat was also there.Mugdha told him,
"baba...Rajat...!"she said making him towards rajat.
His pale face wondered in surprise,wrinkles became even more clear,he could'nt control his happiness and headed towards him..."Rajat" he said lovingly.
Rajat touched his feet and taking his weak hand on his head,he said "baba give me ur blessings...I need them..."he became a bit emotional seeing him so weak and pale.
"My blessings are always with you..."he said in weak trembling voice.
Rajat's eyes became teary...is he the same man who looked so dashing in his youth...used to be most energetic person...but at the end of the day its all about fate...poor condition of this academy,desire to take it on the height again where it used to be,lack of funds,commercialization,lack of people's interest in theatre and plays,everything had broken him,he was looking much older than he actually was...!Moreover his own rules,values and beliefs were the biggest hurdle in his success.He always took acting as an sacred art and never wanted its commercialization,he was the man of values and morals who worship his art and because of that he could'nt cope up with change in society,people's interests and status of art.Now acting is no more limited to theatre and plays..it has been commercialized and actors were making money with this industry.
Many times Rajat,his welwishers,industrialists suggested him to change this academy into a multiplex but he denied.No wonder that Mugdha had grown up with same values and stubborn to the same extent as her baba.
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Mauli was applying an expensive italian polish on her nails when her servant came,
'Manish Jha wants to see you ma'am", the servant said respectfully. "send him in", she tried hard to control her desperation but failed.
The servant nodded and went outside, while manish entered in a second, "do u mind if I say ur servant was wrong, Manish jha actually wants to kiss you", he smirked closing the door behind.
"do you mind if we talk in drawing room instead of my bedroom..."she smirked
"Why?what's wrong with this place?"he said raising his brows..."well don't worry...I am here to remind you that you need to complete all assignments till 25 of this month after that you will be having a bond of 2 years with 'Magic'" Magic was the name of his band and they were signing Mauli for their next music album.
"Yeah..don worry mani..."she said coming closer to him and interwinging her fingers in his hairs...arousing him to the wits,he captured her in his arms with a push and grabbing her waist strongly he snapped,
"That bloody creature was saying that you are his girlfriend...!!!"
"Let him bark...we broke up that night...!"she said
He tight the grip,"then why are you both doing Shahi's show?"he growled
"Its all professional Mani...don mix it with my personal life..."she tried to pamper him.
"It will be good for you...else you know baby...I will throw you out..."he warned.
"I know...!"said she and pulled him more closer.He buried his face in her neck.
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