Hi everyone, I am collaborating on this story with NilzStorywriter
Unfortunately NilzStorywriter is not available today and the unreliable me has been tasked with updating the next part..
Alright!! I hope i was able to reply to everyone's awesome comments and satisfy some of the curiosity without giving away too much!!
I don't have the PM list or the access to change the story title.. Lets see who replies without PM or story title update
Our lovely campers! its your time to shine
Part 7
G- Wo... that ... umm the other day... you mentioned you wanted to eat seafood pasta.
M-Hmm did I? I don't remember.
G- Of course you did!! When I asked you why you-.... well, you did. I remember it clearly for both of us.
M- So what of it ... (still hiding half his body behind newspaper)
G- That... i... I made some for you.
M-Oh... thanks... you didn't have to
G-But I wanted to!!
M-Why?
G- Cos... cos... ah... why don't you have taste first and tell me how it is?
M-You can leave it here... I'll have it in some time...
G-But it will be cold, and it won't be tasty then!!(and she has favor to ask...how can she do that if she leaves!!!!!)
Geet feels that Maan is deliberately being obtuse... teasing her on purpose...
Maan slightly lowers a corner of paper and looks at her finally.
M-I really am busy... will have it later, ok?
G- No No.. later is no good. Here, taste!!
She rolls a bit of pasta on the fork and brings it to his mouth.
Maan paused, then very slowly opened his mouth, and ate the pasta on the fork.
G-Is it good? You like it? How is it?
Maan is chewing slowly…mulling over it carefully.
M-Hmm... seafood you said?
Geet realizes that the bite she fed him in haste had none of the seafood ingredients!!
She quickly forked another bite, this time with some seafood bits in it and fed it to him again.
G- Oh!! Try this bite... see!! Try! Try!
Maan accepts another bite ... this time, there a small smile hidden in his lips as he slowly chewed the pasta.
M-Hmmm... no crab?
G- There is!! Of course, there is!!
She spoons a 3rd bite of pasta with a bit of crab.
And then another bite ... and then another bite...
Soon the pasta was finished.
And all she got him to acknowledge was that she had made a proper seafood pasta with all the required ingredients...
G- How .... how did...
Maan made some more comments, expecting to get another bite of food...
G-There... there is no more....
Maan also shuts up feeling quite surprised.
M- Ahemm… it was quite good... ahh... so thirsty (he tries to divert the subject)
Geet grabs his drink with an umbrella straw in it from the nearby table and brings it to him for sipping (completely missing her queue)
Maan paused and then lowered his face to draw a sip, managing to hide the upturned edges of his lips...
Once again feeling in control, he straightens up.
M- umm... thanks... just what you need-
G - after eating pasta, right? I know everyone gets a bit thirsty... Hehe..
Maan puts down his paper finally and pulls down his shades a little with his finger.
He looks directly at Geet and asks-
M- Are you auditioning for a chef role or a reality show host role?
G- ....
M- No answer?
G-Of course I am here as a contestant for the host role! It's just you wanted to eat p-... I thought I would do something nice for you...
M- Do something nice for me!? Why? Have you suddenly fallen in love with me? Suddenly started liking me? Even after I almost ruined your catering business... you still want to flatter me instead of hating me?
G- It's ... it's not like that... after I thought calmly about it... it's not your fault entirely... you did pull me over to the dance floor but... you didn't consider the consequences... so it wasn't like you were deliberately trying to harm me.... I understand that now... and I want bygones to be bygones.
M- Wow!
Geet looks away uneasily, that last drivel really was stretching the truth very far and very thin... but that's all the sugar coating she could come up with. After all she isn't expecting the mighty him to apologize to the little her... and that’s kind of morally high attitude really won't work when she wants favor from him. She has no choice but to bow down and grovel and bootlick.
M- So you finally found out I am rich. I am surprised it took you so long.
G- I didn't...
Geet thought of denying it and making up more flattering stories... but she couldn't really go further than this or she will vomit on her own disgusting groveling behaviour.
With a resigned sigh Geet hangs her head and then nods whispering a small 'yeah'
M-So I'll ask again what do you want? Here to be a chef or a celebrity?
G- I just got too deep in the act of cooking okay... I mean... I am here to be a celebrity of course! As I said, that meal was to bury our hatchet.
M- Fine. Consider it buried. If you can also truly forgive me for putting you in trouble at that party.
G- Of course I... well yeah why not…sure... it's buried.
She extends her hand to shake on it.
Maan politely touches the edges of her finger and gives it a faint shake.
M- So what do you want from me?
G- What? Nothing. Didn’t we just agree-
M- tsssk
Maan tsks getting irritated.
G- I want the auditions to be fair.
M-Isn’t it fair? Audience voting and all?
G- They are changing votes and favoring contestants with connection for the 3rd segment ... I don't want special treatment, just fair competition.
M- You can try asking for special treatment... I can guarantee number one spot.
G- No! ... I ... to be honest I don't think I can afford asking you that. And if you make this competition fair, then it's not a favor to me but it's to yourself…. If the votes are rigged you won't find the best host for your main show.
Maan leans back on the deck chair and gives Geet a long hard look.
Not a total idiot after all. She finally learnt not to beat around the bush and be honest. And on top of that make it sound like it's all for his own good, Maan thinks.
M- Okay. Fair competition from now on. You can be rest assured.
G- Really?! uh thanks!!... umm yeah... thanks a lot!! Thank you very much!
She smiles happily.
After thanking him a few more times she leaves quickly.
++++
Once out of his sight, Geet crouches on the ground. Her legs feeling weak, her heart thumping hard.
That last question of his... Thank God she refused his temptation. The look that he gave her afterwards cemented her belief that she gave the right answer.
She really can't afford his favors... she didn't even know what the price will be, and it won't be something simple like hooking up... no... this man is too dangerous... too cunning... she really can't afford entangling with him.
Neither his grudge nor his favor.
Praying that their paths don't cross again for the rest of the show, she starts working hard for the next episode.
++++++++
True to his word; the very next day, there was a big switch up in the crew.
Few people got replaced, some got demoted, others got promoted and everyone received the warning message loud and clear - 'Don't f*ck with the show's votes and content!’, ‘Don't show any favoritism!' And ‘Don't, under any circumstances... just don't piss off the big investor! '
To switch things up more; the crew decides to do a special episode with live interaction with viewers. It would give the show an even greater authentic reality show feel.
Geet did very well on the new segment and immediately got pulled up in ratings.
Just yesterday, she was in danger of being eliminated and yet today she was in the top 3... how the tables had turned!
The contestants who weren't putting in much effort coz they had behind the scenes dealings, got a wakeup call and panicked. After asking around they understood that a very big shot had just shot down their pre secured ranks and now any one can win.
It really turned into a reality show.
The audience also felt that compared to the past few episodes, this time their votes were reflected much better in the contestant's popularity ratings.
All in all, it was as Geet had said, ‘it's not a favor to her but to himself’.
Maan agreed, but felt a bit disappointed. This means Geet isn't indebted to him and he can't collect on any favor... how boring!
As the days proceeded, soon only 3 people were left including Geet.
That meant only 2 more episodes.
Geet was really happy after a long-long time.
She really got to experience the feeling of hard work paying off and regained a bit of that lost confidence in her abilities.
She really wanted to share her happiness.
Unfortunately, her family didn't care, and her friend was in closed door shooting and couldn't be contacted.
In a melancholic mood she wondered, if she were to suddenly stumble into the sea and drown... would anyone really care?
Unexpectedly Maan’s irritating face flashed in her thoughts... he might care.
Edited by mj90 - 5 months ago
. Because Maan has been so blatantly mean arrogant, in contrast its easy to forget that Geet isn't an innocent person either.
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