SHE SAW ME

MUMBAI

Kahini's palms were slick with sweat, her fingers trembling uncontrollably as she wiped them against her pants. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, every beat echoing in her ears like a drum that refused to slow. Her leg jittered restlessly, tapping against the car floor in a frantic rhythm she couldn't control. Desperate for relief, she slid down the window, letting the cool wind rush over her flushed face. But the air did nothing to soothe the swirling storm inside her. Her anxiety only tightened its grip, making her feel like she couldn't catch her breath, as if the very air around her had turned thin and unsteady, much like her.

"Stop it, K. She's just a singer. Why are you so worked up? She's just a human like you and me," Prashant, seated in the driver's seat, chastised lightly, watching his friend chew on her nails anxiously.

"She's not just a human, Prashant! How can you say that? She's THE SANAM MEHRU, and this is her first time in India. Do you even realize how huge this is?" Kahini muttered, tapping her foot again with restless energy. Prashant rolled his eyes, a teasing grin playing on his lips.

"Yeah, yeah, I know how great she is. After all, her biggest fan is my best friend, so even if I wanted to, it's impossible not to know her," he teased, raising his brows mischievously, earning a sharp glare from Kahini.

"Okay, okay, sorry." Prashant laughed softly, then his tone shifted. "But listen, Kahini, you came all the way from Kullu to Mumbai just to meet her, right?"

Kahini looked at him with a puppy-dog face, nodding, a small pout on her lips. The innocence of her expression, despite being 30, made Prashant smile fondly. He could never quite get used to how she could flip between being a strong, independent woman and this vulnerable, childlike version of herself.

"Then be happy! Go meet her with confidence. Talk to her, tell her how much you admire her," he encouraged, but Kahini turned her gaze out the window, staring at the distant Sea Link with longing.

"She already knows all that, Prashant. It's not that simple," she mumbled, her voice laced with hesitation. The fear in her tone was unmistakable, and Prashant's brows furrowed with worry. He could sense it—this wasn't just typical anxiety over meeting an idol. There was something deeper, something she wasn't saying.

"K, what aren't you telling me?" His voice was serious now, his eyes locked on her profile as She stared ahead, her silence speaking louder than any words, and her focus drifted to the skyline of Mumbai.

"I know we haven't caught up much lately, with you being busy in Kullu and me here with work. But you know I'm here for you, right?" His voice softened as he reached over to take her hand, gently rubbing his thumb across her knuckles, trying to coax her out of her shell. "You can't hide anything from me, K. Tell me what's going on."

Kahini glanced at him, her eyes wide, uncertain. She wanted to speak, but the words felt stuck in her throat, like they were too heavy to release. Prashant's unwavering gaze told her that hiding wasn't an option. Not anymore.

"It's a long story, Prashant," Kahini whispered, her eyes dropping to the floor, avoiding his concerned gaze.

"And according to Google and Mumbai traffic, we still have two and a half hours to reach the airport," Prashant announced with a dramatic sigh, but Kahini remained silent, her face turned toward the passing sea. He knew her too well—she wanted to talk, but her thoughts were tangled, emotions colliding inside her.

Taking a gentler approach, he asked softly, "Okay, tell me this. How did you know she was coming to India today? And why are you going to pick her up? Did someone from your old company help you out with this info?"

"No, no one told me. She asked me to come," Kahini replied quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. She stared down at her shoes, fiddling with her scarf nervously, a habit Prashant had seen countless times.

"She asked you? How does she even know you? Don't tell me you asked one of your singer friends for a favor," he probed, eyes wide with curiosity.

"I'm not that stupid, Prashant. She just... knows me, okay?" Kahini tried to dodge the question, but Prashant, as stubborn as she was, pressed further.

"But how? I mean, she wouldn't just ask some random fan to pick her up from the airport. Unless this is some sort of cheap stunt for the paparazzi?" His eyebrows shot up, throwing out a plausible but frustrating theory.

"No, it's not a publicity stunt. She's here to perform at the Sound of Shore music festival, and no one knows she's coming today except us and the event organizers," Kahini explained, still avoiding his eyes, her voice laced with the burden of holding too many secrets. Prashant's confusion only deepened.

"Wait, isn't that the same event you used to handle for Parakh's company?" Prashant asked, trying to connect the dots.

"Yes. They've been trying to get her for years, and this time she finally agreed. She signed a three-year contract with them," Kahini replied with a touch of pride in her voice.

"And Parakh told you all this?" Prashant's curiosity lingered, but Kahini shook her head.

"No, Prashant, she told me. I already told you, no one else knows she's coming today. Not even Parakh," she sighed, the pressure of her bottled-up anxiety mixing with the barrage of questions making her feel faint.

"You need to talk, K. You can't meet her like this. You need to let it all out before you face her. You know that," Prashant urged gently, pulling over at a red light. His hand rested reassuringly on hers, and when she turned toward him, the helplessness in her eyes nearly broke his heart.

"I can't keep it from you anymore, can I?" Kahini whispered, her voice trembling. She'd hidden so much for so long, but here, with her best friend sitting beside her, it felt impossible to hold back any longer.

Kahini sighed deeply, her chest tightening with the weight of her confession. "Remember that open letter I wrote to her and posted on Instagram?"

Prashant's face lit up in realization. "Oh yeah, that was about... three or four years ago, right? I was in Jaipur at the time."

She nodded, eyes distant as she watched the city whiz by. "Four years ago. It all started with that post."

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Hope you like it please do let me know what you think about storyline. It's my first story so I'm not sure how long one chapter should be I'll have to do some research and try to do better it's just one scene from story hope you like it

Lots of love and wishing you healthy life free of COVID.💕🤗