Nothing's Real Here ~ It's All An Illusion | A #ShaKhi fanfiction

Part 9 - A Christmas Birthday

"Happy birthday Anokhi"

Everyone cried out as Anokhi stepped out of the elevator. She was momentarily confused and bewildered but then a bright smile appeared on her lips.

"Shit! They remembered!"

Ahir walked up to her and gave her a comforting hug, "Many many happy returns of the day and Merry Christmas dear," he whispered.

"Anokhi tum kitni lucky ho. You have your birthday on Christmas!" Bebo quipped.

"Hain na? Mujhe to lagta hai yehi Jesus hai. Gender badalke aa gayi hume save karne.." Aditya, as usual, cracked a silly joke to which noone laughed.

"Kya yaar, itna bhi lame nahi tha." He seemed disappointed a little and then went up to the birthday girl with a huge bouquet.

"Happy birthday angel face" he kissed her on the forehead.

Everyone wished Anokhi, one by one, all the cast and crew members, but her eyes were searching for one face. Shaurya. He was nowhere to be seen. How could he not be there? Anokhi wondered. Ahir noticed her restlessness and said to her in a low voice, "SS yahan nhi hai. Subah hi nikal gaye."

"Kahan?" The disappointment and surprise was evident in her voice.

"Unke parents ke ghar. They live in La Villete. Yahan aate hai to ek do bar jaate hai udhar. After all, the entire funds are provided by the Saberwals. Aur aaj Christmas bhi hai na? Unke parivaar sab milte hai aaj ke din."

Anokhi's heart sank. Did that mean he didn't remember her birthday? But that's impossible! Everyone knew then how couldn't he?

Anyways, she tried to hide her feelings and put on a plastic smile. Only Ahir could guess what she felt. He could almost see through her. And though he didn't like it, he kept mum. After all, it was her special day. The team had arranged for a small celebration at the hotel itself. They made her cut the cake, singing the quintessential birthday song, and smeared her face with cream. Then they gave her an amazing treat of all her favorite dishes. Aditya had arranged the menu for the same. Before the shoot began, the team left no stone unturned to make Anokhi's birthday special. And it was also Christmas. The hotel was decorated in a glitzy fashion. Everyone was decked up in red, white and black. It was a blast!

Anokhi tried to enjoy everything, but a part of her heart wished and hoped that a familiar face will walk through that door, smiling at her and signalling to her to meet him some place safe and away from prying eyes. But it didn't happen. Soon the team got ready to leave the premises for their shoot spot. They had 4 more days to wrap their outdoor shoot. Anokhi got inside Aditya's car with 2 other people. She tried to keep that smile on her face so that nobody gets suspicions but inside, she was slowly breaking apart.

Meanwhile, in La Villete, Shaurya argued with his uncle, Mr. Tej Saberwal who gave him a strange proposal that ruined his day.

"Are you out of your mind bade papa? How could you expect me to be okay with it? This is a lifetime commitment that you are talking about. And how could this be related to business? It's my life for God's sake!"

Shaan, Yash and others stood quietly, unable to decide what to say in the matter. Shaurya was pacing up and down in the room. Devi, his aunt, tried to calm him down.

"Shaurya, beta samajhne ki koshish karo. Humare paas koi aur upay nhi hai. Bank ne hume ultimatum de di hai. Agr hum 6 mahine tak loan nhi chukaye to humare ghar pe kabza ho jayega."

"Haan to ho jane dijiye badi maa! Chale ana aap sablog India. Eksath rahenge na hum?"

"Aur yahan ke business?" Tej had a straight voice, "Pichle 5 saalon se jo projects mein invest ki hai, jo sapne dekhe hai, unka kya Shaurya? Aur kis dum se bol rahe ho tum ki India chale jaye? Tumhare khud ki movies humare funds se hi chalti hai. Your last two movies did not even make the 100 crore club. Tum hum sab ko paloge? Hai kya tumhare paas Shaurya?"