The Superstar

27

Pari looked outside the window and ignored Salem who was looking at her, hoping she would talk.

"So, you are going to be quiet the whole ride? You could initiate a conversation." Salem suggested.

"I had a good day. I don't want to ruin it by fighting with you." Pari said without looking at him.

"Why fight? We can talk as well. You want to play...twenty questions?" Salem was not into these games...infact, he hated it when his dates used to ask him the generic questions but for Pari, he could change this.

"Okay." He was surprised when she agreed at one go.

"Why are you still acting? You can go back to the party and enjoy with that girl or other girls."

So...she had seen him dancing with the fresher.

Salem smirked, "Jealous? Can't say it suits you."

"Jealous? Who me? My foot!" Pari sassily replied. "Admit it, you were dancing with her because you didn't suspect I'd be there. If you knew, you would have put on the facade of your 'feelings.' You let loose, so unsuspecting and that's why you lost. Isn't that what you must be doing? Wherever I am not there, you'd be taking your chances with other girls. And when you meet me, you are acting like a victim of love."
She hated the idea of being played with.  Pari was certain that Salem had not let go of his previous ways. All the times she is not around, he must be fooling around with other girls. She didn't care if he was with one girl or 100, she just wanted his love confessions to stop.

Suddenly, the driver of the bus pulled the brakes and all of them were jerked ahead. As Pari was about to hit her head on the rod of the front seat, Salem kept his hand in between and prevented her head from being hit.

He had travelled less from the public buses. He'd rather prefer local trains but more than that, he liked his cars and bikes. The weird metal smell of the bus, the noise from the engine and the careless drivers didn't make it exactly a comfortable ride but today he took it because of Pari.

Pari didn't say thank you which he noticed. "Say thank you." He commented. It was strange that he expected thank you from her. A lot of times he had done so much more for his friends and never expected anything in return, not even a thank you. But with her things changed. He expected her to acknowledge his efforts. Her 'thank you' would be a recognition of his act.

Pari, on the other hand, hated being ordered. Even though, he saved her head from the hit, she hated being given directions. She decided to remain quiet instead of saying anything.

Salem just looked at her closely and muttered, "One day, my love. One day, you will say all that I'd like to hear from you." It was more like a challenge to himself.

"I was with the girl because she saw me in the ad and wanted to have a dance." Salem explained but Pari didn't respond. She was clear that she didn't want to fight.

"You know I have realised the most you have talked to me was back in the library." Salem said. In the library, she would often ask him about his day, his other projects and was eager to hear from him. But now, she just doesn't talk.

As her bus stop came, they both got down. Him following her.

"Please leave. I will walk and go." She looked down and spoke softly, unsure if he would listen to her. They were at the bus stop. Her home was at a distance of five minutes from the stop but she didn't want anyone to see a boy dropping her off. It would just provoke people to talk shit about her.

He took the liberty of cupping her cheeks and making her look up. "Okay, love. Take care, okay? Next week, my two new ad campaigns drop. It's going to be a big one. Can't wait for you to see that." He leaned a bit forward and kept his head on hers. Their foreheads touched each other and she could feel a spark ignite. She didn't speak a word. She wanted to push him off but somehow his words captivated her. The night was silent with noone around....she wanted to blame everything else but herself.

"I am not going to be here. I will be missing you." He intertwined his fingers with hers. He wanted to tell her how difficult it is going to be to be away from her. Whenever, he gets time from work, it's just her thoughts that run in his head.

"Miss me too, okay?" He kissed her forehead and then kissed her cheeks lightly. He wanted to kiss her hard but for now he settled for this.

He wanted to laugh at himself. It was so unlike him. He used to laugh at couples and teenagers who kissed on cheeks to show their affection. He believed it wasn't the real kiss and a childish act. Yet, today he did it. It's the heart making you do things you wouldn't.

She came out of the trance and pushed him away from her. Pari pointed a finger at him and was firm when she said, "Stay away from me."

She stepped a bit back and continued, "Are you happy? You got what you wanted....oh no, there must be more that you want from me. I am...I am so ashamed of myself for the first time." Pari couldn't help but utter the honest truth.

"Stay away from me, Salem." She warned him and left the place.

***

"Ohho!! Dropping shopping and all Haan!" Priya teased Pari when she told her about Salem coming to drop her but she didn't mention the further details. Pari still has to deal with what happened between them.

"No shopping, just dropping." Pari replied.

"Shut up! It's a way of saying. But....did your heart race?" Priya wiggled her eyebrows to know more.

"No. Just that he looked really handsome. Especially in shirts." Pari thought of Salem. His wardrobe was of different outfits and he experimented a lot with fashion. He wore pattern shirts, cool and funky T shirts and sometimes those jumpers. But today's dark blue formal shirt made his look supremely handsome.

"Hmmm. Preferences! Why don't you tell him that you like him?" Priya really hoped her sister has a fairy tale romance and secretly wished

"Because not everything you like is right for you. Har woh chiz jo hume pasand ho, jaruri nahi woh sahi ho."
A tear left her right eye and she was quick enough to rub it off. She wanted to cry because of what happened and how she felt towards Salem.

She didn't want to be weak by liking him and feeling like this. Somehow, the notion of being weak in her head was associated with love and crying.

He made her feel a certain way, especially when they used to talk in library. He was unlike she had thought of him - snob and arrogant. He had a very soft and kind tone with a hint of mischief in his voice when he talked. When he confessed his feelings, her heart started to race faster. A lot of boys had confessed to her before but Salem made a difference. May be because she actually found him interesting and good?

But then, why did he have to have girlfriends? Can't she be the first one and only?

She decided to bury these useless jitters and sleep. He was useless. This crush business was useless.

Something in her told her it's a trap. She would rather die than fall in his trap.

_____

7/11/23

Yayy!! Early update :)
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