The Cricketer's Jockey (#MyStoryIndia) (#MissionDesi)

Chapter 12

"So meri behno and unke hot bhaiyo dil tham ke bethiye because, as promised before, we have a little celebrity guest today. Unke bare main kya batau. Unhe dekh k ladkiyon kin saansein ruk jati hai and that literally happened to me. " Aniruddha rolled his eyes, "Aur baki jo ladke, dadaji, papaji, fufaji sab hai wo unke baare main baat karte nahi thakte. I know I am exaggerating. But I am not the perfect person to describe him and still, I am the one interviewing him. Let's not blabber more and please welcome Aniruddha Jayakar. India's most beloved man in blue. Hi! Aniruddha."

Aniruddha leaned on a little and smiled, "Hi Bulbul. Mumbai's most beloved loquacious RJ."

"Well, thank you. The Aniruddha Jayakar..."

"You can call me Aniruddha."

"I thought it would be inappropriate to call a great batsman by his first name only."

"So you are giving me respect."

Bulbul snorted.

"Oh please. I would rather be gagged than give you some respect." Nuts' eyes went wide open and she signaled her to stop. Bulbul covered her mouth with her hands, still shocked. Aniruddha seemed pleased with her words.

"Why do you make me say these stupid words whenever I am live?" She hissed.

"You are still live." He offered.

"Anyway, before we start this interview, how about your favorite song?" Nuts chipped in.

"Oh, right now, I can think of only one song. Yeh ladki hai diwani from kuch kuch hota hai." Aniruddha smirked as Bulbul stared at her in disbelief.

"What? I love SRK and it's a good movie."

Nuts played the song and turned to them.

"You guys. Please behave properly, people are hearing you."

"Nuts, why don't you take over?" Bulbul asked even though she knew it wasn't possible.

"Come on, I am just a referee here. I am here to enjoy."

"Hmm. Whatever. I forgot what I had to ask him about."

"Just go with the flow. You both are experienced in these things. Kill each other afterward." Nuts gave the only solution she could think of. In her mind, she saw Raman happy by this development. Off the track, Bulbul was more entertainer than organized one in his opinion.

"Okay. I promise not to use any bad words."

"Good. Aniruddha?" Nuts questioned.

"I will try." Nuts shook her head.

So when the next time they went on air, Bulbul gained her composure and asked neutral questions where Aniruddha didn't have any possibility to mess up things. Of course, once in a while, they both went off script and Nuts had to practically and silently beg them. An hour and a half later, when they finally wrapped up, Nuts exhaled in relief. She left the room and headed to pantry without saying anything to both of them. That left Bulbul and Aniruddha alone for the first time. A silence fell as Bulbul collected her things and Aniruddha debated whether he should initiate the conversation or not. He wanted to give up, but then he remembered why he was there and the extent he went to be there.

"So, it was nice." He started.

"Yeah. Me too." She stood up to leave and as she was to open the door he asked the question.

"Are you free?"

"Sorry?"

"Are you free? Right now?"

"Ummm.." She furrowed, "I guess I have some work pending."

"Okay." He dreaded the idea but blurted out anyway, "How about coffee?"

She almost laughed internally. He could feel it when she suppressed her lips tight but her eyes gave away.

"With you?"

"Why would I ask on someone else's behalf?"

"True."

"So?"

She studied him a full minute.

"I will get my bag. Meet you outside."

As she left, Aniruddha finally relaxed. When he has told his PR guy to make a call to schedule interview with Bulbul, he was surprised. He went to only the mandatory interviews. So when he asked for this specific RJ only, he knew something was cooking or maybe it might be the latest interest. Aniruddha always attracted enough amount of female attention that gossip of him seeing one or another girl never dried out and it was always someone new. Though his friends, family, and the team knew that he would have hardly talked with most of them, he still dated some of them just for company. Those weren't relationships.

On the way out, Aniruddha met Raman. He was already done with photos and autographs. He talked with him for a while in Raman's office and when he left he found Nuts on the way out.

"Thanks for coming." She shook hands.

"Your welcome."

"And. Thanks for her too. She almost forgot her current situation."

"Okay." He started walking when Nuts called.

"And Aniruddha, she hasn't eaten today. If you want to win her heart you'll need more than coffee." Nuts winked before turning away.