The Comfort Of Her Presence

CHAPTER 6

JAY'S POV

After the shoot, we're on our way back to the hotel, but something feels different this time. She's sitting next to me in the back seat. I blink a few times, wondering if it's just another one of my wild imaginations, or if she's really here.

It all happened so fast. We were just about to leave for the hotel when I saw her sprinting toward me. She was running so fast that I couldn't help but ask, "What happened?"

"I'm running from Naina! She wants me to sign contracts for other projects as an actress," she says, breathless and flustered.

I couldn't resist. "Let me help you sneak out this time," I said, grabbing her hand, and we dashed towards the car together.

And now, here we are, sitting next to each other in the back seat. I can still feel the warmth of her hand from when we ran, and I keep stealing glances at her, wondering if this is real or just another dream.

"Seriously, how can she do that?" Aditi says, still catching her breath. "I just agreed to do one, and now she's telling me to do ten others just because I look good on screen."

"You look beautiful in real life too," I say, unable to stop myself.

She rolls her eyes, still breathing heavily. "That doesn't mean they will force me to be an actress, Jay!" she exclaims, half-frustrated, half-amused.

I chuckle softly, watching her. Even in her frustration, she's effortlessly captivating, but I get it-she never wanted the spotlight like this.

"Listen, let's just stop here," I say to Harsh, who's driving.

"Alright," he replies, pulling over to the side of the road.

We get out of the car, and I turn to Harsh. "You can go. We'll come ourselves."

He smirks knowingly, giving me a nod before driving off, leaving just the two of us standing there. The quiet settles in, and for a moment, it feels like the world has slowed down around us.

"Let's walk," I say softly.

She looks at me for a moment, then gently holds my arm, and we start walking together.

"I feel forced," she begins, her voice soft but filled with a heaviness that I hadn't heard before. "I mean, I'm never allowed to do what I really wanted. When my mom died, my father became more protective of me. Before that, he let me do anything I wanted... but now, he's concerned all the time. It feels like a cage."

She pauses for a moment, looking down at the ground as we walk. "He wants me to be in this industry so he can help build my career. I've told him over and over that I don't want to do this, but he keeps pushing me into things."

"So, you wanted to travel the world?" I ask, trying to connect the pieces of her story.

"Hmm," she nods, "I was a travel vlogger."

"A travel vlogger?" I ask, surprised but also amused by the thought of her in that role.

She smiles faintly, but there's sadness behind it. "Yeah, I used to document all my journeys. But when my mom died, my dad stopped me from traveling. He said he wanted me to have a stable future. And so, here I am, doing something I don't even want."

"Where can I find those videos?" I ask, genuinely curious.

She laughs a little, but it's a sad sound. "I deleted all of them," she admits.

"What? Why?" I ask, surprised.

"They used to remind me of the best times of my life," she says, her gaze distant. "Which I can't live anymore..."

I stop and look at her, feeling a pang of sympathy for her loss.

"I could just mess up this shoot and run away," she continues, glancing at the sky before turning her gaze back to me. A small laugh escapes her lips. "But that's not my style."

"But..." I try to say, wanting to offer her some comfort.

"Come on, let's not talk about this," she interrupts, her tone lightening. "It's good weather; let's enjoy it now." She holds my arm, urging me forward, and I can't help but smile at her resilience.

----

"Jay, tell me something about you," she asks, her eyes curious.

I shrug lightly. "Me? I'm an actor."

She lets out a small laugh. "Woahh, what a new piece of information," she teases, giving me that playful look. "Come on, tell me something about your life."

I hesitate for a second, then exhale, deciding to go for it. "I'm a puppet," I say, the words surprising even me.

She raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

"I mean, I don't feel like I have much choice these days. It's all about meeting people's expectations, doing things I never wanted to-attending parties, giving forced interviews, acting all nice in front of the paparazzi just so they don't post anything bad."

Her teasing smile fades as she listens closely.

"I've always dreamed of being an actor," I go on. "I left everything behind for it-my house, my parents, my brother. I worked as a stuntman, gave thousands of auditions, because I didn't wanted a normal life. But now... now I crave one. I want privacy. I want time alone, far from all these expectations."

She doesn't interrupt, just keeps looking at me as if she understands.

"When I finally made it, when I went home... my father wasn't there. He died before I could show him what I'd become. That's when I realized how important it is to spend time with the people you love. You never know when they'll be gone."

I glance away for a second, the memories making my chest tighten. "And now that I have everything I need to take care of my family, it feels pointless because I never have time for them."

She holds my hands tightly, her grip firm, grounding me as if to say she's here, truly here for me. I feel a quiet reassurance in her touch.

When we finally reach the hotel, she keeps walking, lost in her own thoughts.

"Aditi, we reached," I say softly, bringing her back to the present.

She stops, blinking as she looks at the hotel in confusion. "What? I didn't even realize when we got here..." she says, almost surprised.

She turns to me then, stepping closer. Without hesitation, she cups my face gently in her hands, her touch soft but steady. "Jay," she says, her voice tender and full of care. "Just because times are difficult right now, it doesn't mean our lives are over. We still have time to make things right."

I look into her eyes, feeling a warmth in her words.

"You have your mother, your brother. Just take a holiday. Forget everything else for a while and spend time with them. You need that," she says, her voice soothing and full of conviction.

As she speaks, I feel a wave of emotion rise in me, and before I know it, tears are welling up in my eyes. She notices immediately, her thumbs gently brushing them away.

"You're very strong, Jay," she whispers, her words like a balm to my heavy heart.

....

"Do you ever long to share your thoughts with someone the way Jay and Aditi do?"