As Fate Would Have It - Part 2 (Completed)

Chapter 16 : Do you love me?

Author's P.O.V:

Anna had seen Lilly talk for her segment of the video and was extremely impressed. She wanted to congratulate her immediately but had seen that she was surrounded by people so stood aside waiting for her to be free. As Lilly got free, Anna saw that she ran to Aman. She had slowly approached them, her gaze fixed on Aman, she had not seen him look this happy before. He had a genuine smile stuck on his face. It was as if he was a different person altogether. He was never this way with her.

Aman had then asked Lilly to join in their performance for the final show which had not gone well with Anna. He had not discussed with her before inviting in Lilly like that, this was very unlike him as he was always careful to follow protocols.

Not that she didn't like Lilly, in-fact she loved Lilly, she seemed to her as a really sweet person. But now that she saw how Aman seemed to be drawn to her she felt it wasn't really a good idea. And it was their first ever performance together, she wanted it to be a special memory for both Aman and her.

Aman and Lilly soon joined Anna in the rehearsal room to show her the rap songs that they both had shortlisted for the show. She went through them and they finalized two rap songs to mix with Anna's two originals and they started to practice together. To their surprise, the mix came out amazing, better than they ever imagined. Even Anna loved it.

The rehearsals turned out to be more fun than work and all the three would always end up either making jokes or having food than singing songs. Anna would notice how Aman's eyes lit up when he would talk to Lilly, and how Lilly would blush when Aman complimented her, but she brushed aside the thoughts.

The final day came when they had to perform together. All the three went around nervously prepping and doing last minute warm up. Anna sat at one side meditating while Lilly kept drinking water constantly. Aman was arranging his brushes and colors and keeping the canvas ready.

"You are on in five minutes", said the Event Manager and all three looked at each other and came together. "We have got this", said Anna. "Lets go rock the stage", said Lilly. "May the odds be ever in our favor", Aman winked and all three laughed. They group hugged and finally took over the stage.

The song turned out to be the highlight of the night. The crowd went wild, mesmerized by Anna's melodious voice, slayed by Lilly's rap and awed by Aman's illustration. By the end the crowd kept screaming 'once more' and all the three couldn't stop smiling. They took a last bow to the audience and left the stage.

"Oh my God! We rocked it guyyyysss", said Anna. "Yess", both Aman and Lilly said in unison and they hugged again. Everyone congratulated them and they hung out back stage for a while before they left for meet and greet.

Anna's meet and greet was earlier than Aman's and Lillys as she had a couple of interview after that. After her interviews were done Anna sat down in one of the rehearsal rooms and relaxed when someone came to her and handed her the invite for the after-party. She immediately got excited. I will ask Aman to be my date, she thought excitedly and went looking for Aman.

Aman was almost done with his meet and greet with only few people remaining. She stood behind the curtains and watched him as he so affectionately interacted with his fans. She smiled at how polite and caring he was. One little girl shrieked as she approached him, "Oh my God I can't believe it, I am meeting you, I am your biggest fan", and he smiled, "oh thank you". Anna laughed and watched on. "Hey Aman, I saw you and Lilly perform together tonight, does that mean Amilly is real again??", she winked. Aman laughed and said, "You people won't get enough of it will you", and he cleverly changed the topic.

Anna was confused, Amilly is real again? 'Again?' What does that mean?

She knew people ship every other person with each other on the internet, so she wasn't surprised with Amilly. But what concerned her was the word 'Again'. She took out her phone and opened Google. All this time, she never checked on Aman's personal life on the internet. Firstly because most of the things on the internet was not true, and secondly, she never felt the need to invade his privacy. Until today. Today she was very curious to know.

Google search - Amilly.... Loading.... And then the pages opened. She was shocked to see so many pictures of them together. All the way from five years back. Oh My God! She gasped... She is the one?? She was his girlfriend with whom he broke up with ??

She couldn't believe what she was seeing and she felt tears stream down her cheeks. She walked away crying.

After reaching the hotel she took sometime to compose herself and then she texted Aman.
"Hey, needed to talk to you for a bit. Can you come to my room after you are done?"

...

Lilly was done with her meet and greet, she was free now, because she didn't have any interview. She got the invite for the after party and she sighed. Though she wasn't really tired, she didn't want to attend any partys anymore. She was gathering her stuff before heading back to the hotel when she found Aman's brushes. Ah this guy!! She thought and took them. She figured out she would give him at the hotel and she put them in her bag.

When Lilly reached the hotel she went straight to her room and kept all her stuff before heading out to Aman's room. She needed to hand him back his brushes before she forgot it and took it back to her home. She reached Aman's room and knocked the door. When he didn't open for a long while she figured out he wasn't there. She pulled out her phone and dialed his number.

...

After Aman was done with his meet and greet he headed back to the hotel. He got a message from Anna while on his way, she had asked him if he could meet her in her room. So he went straight to her room once he reached the hotel.

When she opened the door Aman looked at Anna and noticed that she had been crying.

"Anna..", he went to her but she backed off. "What happened?", he asked her, his voice clearly concerned. She kept silent for a while and finally spoke up.

"Ink... Am I a bad person?", she asked, her face serious, her eyes hurt.

"No Ann... who said tha-", he was replying when she cut him off

"May be I am not pretty enough... ", she said and looked into the mirror beside her on the wall.

"No Anna, you are beautiful", Aman said, he was confused with what she was trying to say, and a bit worried for her.

"May be my hair is too short... you know... and the wrong color", she said touching her hair, her gaze still on her reflection in the mirror.

"Ann what are you talk-", Aman tried talking but she cut him off again.

"May be I should have had hazel eyes", she said and a tear slipped out of her eyes.

Aman was about to say something but it suddenly dawned to him what she talking about. Lilly...

"Ann...", he whispered, he didn't know what to say to her.

"May be I am cursed.. ", she said and looked back at him.

"Ann... please... Nothing is wrong with you, You are not cursed", said Aman.

"Then I must be a horrible person Ink", she said now moving a little towards Aman. "Ann please stop!!", Aman said, his voice almost breaking.

"Then why??", Anna said softly, "Why don't you...", her voice trailed out and she looked away.

"Remember Ink, the time I had asked you to think about us once...?", Anna asked.

Aman nodded, he was looking down. He couldn't look her in the eye anymore. It hurt to see her hurt, and it hurt more to think that he cause her this pain.

"So you thought about us?", she asked softly. Aman did not reply. She walked up to him and gently lifted his head.

"I love you Aman...", she said and looked up into his eyes. She searched his eyes for an answer but he looked away. She gently touched his cheek, "Look at me Aman... Do you love me?", she asked her eyes were welled up and she was surprised to see his eyes were too.

"I...", he said but was interrupted by his phone ringing. Both looked at his phone as he took it out.

It said Lilly Calling...