Chapter 5
She took the red veil in her hand. He suddenly felt hot. Fire. The last element. He was yearning for her to look into his eyes. She was, all along her performance looking everywhere but him. He called her in his mind voice… "Khushi!" and that's it. His whole world came to a standstill.
He saw her. No. She saw him. And she was still. The stage was designed to throw flares into the air when she was to portray fire. She was standing like a statue. It was as if their fire of desire was bursting in their sight. He didn't want the moment to end. It felt like forever. It was as if his main purpose of his existence was served. He was in fact even ready to give his life for this girl. She was worth it. He was enjoying the moment… But just then the music came to a loud concluding note and she broke the eye contact. That's when he was brought back to reality.
He could see a series of emotions playing through her face… first content, as if her thirst was quenched, then shock, then hurt, concluded by an expression of shame and guilt… Tears started to flood her eyes… He wanted to go and comfort her. He couldn't stand her tears. But the curtains came down. He could no longer see her…
*~*
"Phew! Finally! I've reached the destination of this stupid never ending journey" mumbled Varsha to herself. Adjusting her dress, and checking her pocket mirror if she was presentable, she was sending silent prayers to god.
'"Please, god! At least this time… No let this be the only time… I'm tired of this… Let she be The One!" she prayed. "And don't forget this, god, please save me from the wrath of Lord ASR!"
Carefully, taking care that she didn't tumble because of her stiletto, she made her way to the hall. Her eyes grazed the whole place. The curtains were down. "Ooopsie! Looks like I'm really late!!!" Talking to herself, she heard an authoritative voice scolding someone..
"What have you done, Khushi? You've spoiled everything… EVERYTHING! I've been spending years on you and within a fraction of a second everything's destroyed!"
"What can I do Mehul? I didn't know what happened… I was completely blank… I don't know… I-"
'I've heard this voice somewhere! Why is it so familiar?' mused Varsha.
"Now how will I face Mr Raizada? I'm sure you have created such a mess… He'll surely not select you…."
And THAT stopped Varsha. "Ooohhh No! This is not happening!" She frantically searched Arnav.
"I've got to do something" by this time she had spotted Arnav.
"Arnav!!!! I'm so sorry! I got stuck on the way! Damn these roads! Update me. How was the performance? Have we found the perfect ambassador?" asked Varsha who was keenly watching Arnav's reactions. She was happy to see a microscopic smile lighten up his face. But just like how a rubber-band comes back to its original shape; his face gained its Always-angry look. But at least this time, it came up to a smile… 'Impressed, eh? -check'
"Totally crappy… She forgot her steps and was frozen on stage! She's no way becoming AR's ambassador!" he said in an unusual tone. He who was so long looking into her eyes and speaking turned away…. 'Lying, eh? –Something fishy' It took extraordinary talent to spot the tiny naughty smirk of ASR. But Varsha caught that. 'After all I'm Varsha!' She thought to herself. So she figured it out. The reason behind the artiste's block on stage was surely Arnav. He surely must've done something.
"So, Arnav, describe her … I wasn't here, right? I very badly want to know about her." Arnav didn't answer. He was in deep thought. 'Hmmm, he's fallen for her.-Check'.
"She's beautiful, mesmerizing, right?" asked Varsha, who was deliberately trying to bring out the truth from him.
"Yes…. I mean NO! She wasn't" said Arnav who was cursing himself for his carelessness.
"Oh, really?" asked Varsha in Arnav's style.
"We're leaving this place. Right now!" said Arnav, trying to switch the topic.
"Nah. No way am I leaving this place without seeing her!" yelled an adamant Varsha.
"Where IS she?" questioned Varsha.
"That doesn't matter. It's getting late. Come 'on let's get going" he said.
"Just once, please? Just once!" Varsha was running behind Arnav who was walking toward the exit.
"Mehul, just leave me alone!" Varsha heard from a distance.
A feeling of familiarity flooded her. She wanted to make sure whether the girl talking to the lady was the girl who she thought to be or not. Varsha heard Arnav say something about an important deal. But she completely ignored him and went in search of the source of the voice she just heard.
*~*
"So Varsha, I today talked with our associates-" Arnav said turning back to face Varsha. He got the shock of his life.
She wasn't there anymore.
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