The dark side of the fame

PART - TEN

Manik leaned against the headrest while lying on the bed, and nandini rested her head on his stomach, scribbling on his bare chest with her finger. She avoided looking into his eyes, she did not want to see regret in his eyes, although it was inevitable.

"Nandu," called manik and touched her face softly. She did not respond and looked anywhere but his face.

"Won't you talk to me nandu?" asked manik. She shook her head in refusal.

"Why nandu? Did I hurt you in any way?" Nandini looked up for the first time and her eyes glistened with the tears building up, ready to roll down any moment.

"I don't want you to go, but I know I cannot stop you manik," replied nandini and sat up.

Manik stared at her for some moments silently, and then said, "Even I want to spend such beautiful moments with you again. But both of us have our commitments to our job, nandu. People might be waiting for you at the studio."

Nandu stood up, covering herself in the white bedsheet she headed towards the bathroom. She felt used and humiliated. The passionate moments with manik last night had been divine for her, but for him it must have been nothing more than fanciful moments of a "one night stand". As the hot water sprinkled from the shower on her skin, it got mixed with her tears that kept on flowing uncontrollably. Manik had already left by the time she came out of shower.

The next two days were grueling in the sets for nandini. She had to work extra hours to compensate for the two days lost in her sickness'. But this did not bother her, as it was a welcome relief for her from the pangs of remorse. On the third day, the shoot ended earlier than usual. Nandini was thinking what to do with rest of the evening when her phone started ringing. It was a call from Mukti.

"Hey nandu!! Where are you?" asked mukti.
"I am on my way back from shoot." "Good, come quick. Siddharth and I are coming to your place in an hour." Nandini felt good that very instant. She would be able to congratulate her friends and have some good time with them.

After having a splendid dinner, all three sat back and relaxed in the couch of nandini's living room. They spoke about siddharth and mukti's romantic encounters and their plans ahead.

Suddenly mukti asked nandini, "Hey what's the time?"

"It's 11. Why are you getting late for sleep?" asked nandini.

"Arrey nahin budhdhu. We came here for a purpose and don't want to forget it completely." Nandini gave a confused look to both of them.

"It's MM sir's birthday. So we had planned to surprise him by going at his house and wishing him at 12 in the night. You are also coming with us," said Siddharth with a smile.

Nandini's face pale. "I am very tired, and have to go early to the studio tomorrow. You two go, if you are getting late already," said nandini cautiously.

"No way nandu. Stop giving us that lame excuse. We have all worked together with MM sir and he will be very happy to see us on his birthday, especially when alia ma'am is also not with him to celebrate," protested mukti.

Before nandini could cook up some more excuse, she was literally dragged out of her home and abducted in their car which reached MM's house just before midnight. mukti already had the birthday cake and flowers ready in her car, so they stood in front of the main door, waiting for someone to open it.