It was night time. Shilpa was very tired after the hectic schedule. Back to back rehersals of finale performance and later back to back interviews took a toll on her. In the last 3 days she could hardly get any sleep.
And now this shoot of a chat show. Uff. She nearly fainted on the shoot. But finally she will be able to have a well deserved rest.
She got into her car with her helper. She started the engine but to her shock the car did not start. She tried several times but to no avail. It was almost 1 am and it was almost impossible for her to get a mechanic at this hour. She got very annoyed and a frustrated scream escaped her mouth.
"Arrrghhhh"
But her expressions changed when she heard his voice.
"Want a lift?"
"Nahi, main manage kr lungi."
She said without looking at him.
"Chaliye Shilpa ji hum dono padosi hi to hain. Itni raat kaise jayengi."
"Maine kaha na main manage kr lungi" She said while forcefully trying to start the engine with her key.
Vikas was astounded by her gestures.
How can someone be so stubborn!!!!
But luck was in his side. The key broke with shilpa's force. He smiled.
"Ab chalein?" He said with a smirk.
Shilpa frustratingly got down of the car.
"Chalo Chotu"
"Ruko Chotu. Tum car ke sath hi raho ab towing wale aate hi honge"
To shilpa's confused expressions vikas replied. "Wo actually maine hi phone kra ta. Arey aap khadi kyu ho gyi chaliye"
Shilpa got suspicious. She very well know this man. She know something is fishy for sure. But she had no other choice.
She opened the back door of the car and sat.
"Jldi apne baki doston ko bula lijiye mujhe late ho rha hai"
"Dost to actually mere aadha ghnta phle hi chle gye unhe kisi party me jana ta."
Even before shilpa could decipher the meaning of his words he hurriedly sat in the car and called driver to go.
The driver started the car and their journey begin. Shilpa started to look out of the window. Many thoughts came into her mind.
I thought I will finally get away from this man but here I am stuck with him again. Destiny has been very cruel to me.
Should I talk to him? What will I say? Should I say how even though it's been just 1 day away from him I miss him. His smile. His laughter. His pampering. His idiotic attention seeking antics. His roaming around me like a magnet. His hugs. His touch.
And how can I forget his eyes. His deep brown eyes from which I always shied away cause looking at them meant drowning in them. I couldn't have risked it and specially not in front of the whole nation.
Her train of thought got broken down when suddenly she saw a hand in front of him.
"What are you doing?"
"Main kabse bol rha hu ki car ka ac khrab h window khol lijiye but aap sun hi ni rahi.
"Konsi window?" She was too shocked with this sudden interruption.
"Kahan kho gayi? Main hi kr deta hu."
With that he leaned on her with one hand on window's control and other just side of shilpa's head. She froze with this intimacy.
He looked at her and their eyes locked.
Damn his eyes.
His eyes was intensely seeing into her's without blinking. She didn't even realise how much time passed in that position. She realised that he is slowly closing the distance between them. His face was too close to her's. She closed her eyes like this was natural thing fir her to do.
A cold breeze touched her cheeks and suddenly she saw had Vikas returned to his side of seat.
"Lo hogya" he said so coolly that shilpa started to question her mental state.
Was I hallucinating?
She looked at him dumbfounded.
"Kya hua Shilpa ji? Any problem?
"Haan.. nahi koi problem ni"
But before she could return to her thoughts she noticed a slight smirk on his face.
He is playing with me. Again. I hate him.
"Stop the car."
"Kya hua shilpa ji?
"I said stop the car." She screamed so loud that driver out of shock pressed the breaks and the car took a jolt. Shilpa fell on Vikas. But she composed herself pretty fast.
"Get out" she shouted in the air.
"But maine kya kiya"
"Aap nahi aapka ye driver."
"But.." seeing shilpa's deadly glare vikas stopped in mid sentence.
"Kaka ab ye paise lo. Cab krke aajana"
Driver frustratingly went out of the car.
"Ab boliye kya hua?"
"Ye kya khel rahe hai mere sath"
"Konsa game?"
"Ab to koi camera bi nahi hai. Ab to ye sab band kariye."
"But kya band karu?"
"Yehi sab jo aap krte rehte hai. Achha bnne ka jo mask phna hua hai na aapne ache bnne ka. Aise....Aise...."
"Bolo"
"Aise meri jhoothi care krne ka. Aise mujhe dek..."
"Dekhna ka" his smile was back.
"Ha. Ye faltu ka angle kyu bnna chahte hai ab bi bigg boss ab khtm ho chuka hai"
"But meri feelings to khtm ni hui"
Shilpa eyes widened with this confession.
He took her hands into his and started to make soft, small circles with his thumb on her hands.
"Ghar ke andar main kabhi keh ni paaya. But aaj main kehna chahta hoon. Mujhe ni pta tum mujhpe vishwas krogi ya ni ya tum khud bi aisa mehsus krti ho ya ni. Par aaj main bolunga."
"Main.." he shushed her by putting his finger on her lips.
"Shilpa.. I have always liked you not only as an actress but also as a person. Par BB me maine jis shilpa ko dekha usne mera dil jeet liya. Uska bholapan, uski naadaangi, uski wo blushing jo wo abhi bhi kr ri hai." An involuntary smile crossed her face.
He continued, "aaj main apne dil ki baat tumhe kehna chahta hu."
Her heart was beating in her chest so hard that she can sense that even Vikas can feel it.
"I...Love...You"
With that he bent down, his lips against her cheek, brushing it lightly—and still that light touch sent shivers through her nerves, shivers that made her whole body tremble. All emotions of last 3 months came rushing.
The confusion, frustration, want and most of all LOVE.
Yes. LOVE.
‘If you want me to stop, tell me now,’ he whispered. When she still said nothing, he brushed his mouth against the hollow of her temple. ‘Or now.’ He traced the line of her cheekbone. ‘Or now.’ His lips were against hers.
‘Or—’
But she had reached up and pulled him down to her, and the rest of his words were lost against her mouth. He kissed her gently, carefully, but it wasn’t gentleness she wanted, not now, not after all this time, and she knotted her fists in his shirt, pulling him harder against her. He groaned softly, low in his throat, and then his arms circled her, gathering her against him, and they rolled over on seat, tangled together, still kissing.
Finally they broke and she whispered in his ears softly, "I Love you too"
