Perfect Mismatch

Ch 52 - Baatein Karo

"Guys, ready?" Mehul asked, standing at the door. They had reached the venue and the valet parking was just 50 mts away from them. Sana took in a deep breath and Sidharth looked at her from the rearview mirror. 

"Shehnaaz? hmm?" he whispered, asking her if she was ready and she nodded confidently.  Sidharth stepped out with a smile and Mehul rushed to open the door for her and she whispered a thank you. There were multiple eye-blinding flashes and they smiled through them all before the event organizers received them with greetings and smiles. Their hands brushed, as they posed for the photographers. His fingers lingered on for a second more, like they always did whenever he wanted her to be feel ok and check if she was in fact ok and she whispered a "hmm" just loud enough for him to hear after which he would walk ahead of her confidently, knowing that she would be right behind her. 

They walked inside with media and the organizers surrounding them and reached the hallway where the ribbon had to be cut. They had been chosen to do the honors post which, there was a small celebration cum meet-and greet with some lucky draw winners and the media where some industry colleagues were also going to be present.  

The ribbon-cutting was a quick ceremony after which they were moved to a hall. There was ample security, including two body guards which had been hired for her by them a couple of weeks back, so, he let her be her own person and gave her some space to interact with the fans and the media. She did not know the other celebrities who were a part of the event but Sidharth clearly did and exchanged pleasantries. They stood a step apart from each other, just so that they could have their individual interactions and not look like a couple but close enough to reach out to each other by covering just two steps in the other person's direction.

"Sidnaaz! Abhi toh saath ho na aap? Shadi kab karoge?!" a jolly natured journalist threw a question at them and Sidharth dodged the ball with his usual "Meri shadi, meri barbaadi me tereko kya milega bhai? Main aise hi khush hun. Tu kab kar raha hai bhai! Apni mein bulana zarur. Teri photo main khud khinchunga!", making the audience laugh. He avoided looking at her the whole while, knowing very well how the way they look at each other gave out a lot more than they wanted to at the moment. 

"Mam, aap hi bata do! Sir toh kabhi nahi batayenge!" he asked Shehnaaz this time, who smiled and replied back - "Sir ki shadi ka toh aap Sir se poocho? Meri kismat me toh ye sab nahi hai! Kuch nahi abhi toh" she said and Sidharth and Mehul could not help but notice the pinch of disappointment in the way she said, while many others jeered at her, clearly calling it a pretence.

"Accha, shadi, bacchon ke alawa kuch baat hain tum logon ke paas? Chalo hamein bhi koi gossip sunao! Tumhe toh sab pata rehta hai!" she giggled, changing the atmosphere. 

________________________________________________________________

As Sidharth say his goodbyes to his old colleagues, possibly faces which he would only meet at such events once in a blue moon, he noticed Shehnaaz wiping sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand while holding a big smile and nodding at something the host for the event told her. He called Mehul and told him to get her a tissue and a water bottle in a whisper and got back to his conversation. 

Shehnaaz thanked Mehul for the help and gulped down the water. He often went beyond his job description since she was more than just a client for her. They were close and he would do anything to protect her. She looked at Sidharth as he was still shaking hands with people who seemed to know him from before. 

"Abhi time lagega?" she asked Mehul, who nodded "nahi nahi, gaadi bula lun? ho hi gaya bas" and she thanked him in relief. The car was back and she went ahead to sit back after thanking after gesturing a quick goodbye to the people he was talking to. He nodded and followed in two minutes and the moment the car drove off, so did the smile plastered on her face and she kicked away the heels, folding her legs Indian style.