The Fame Changed You - A Narbhi Story - Complete

~3~

As they reached their flat, they drowned into their usual routine, with her doing her homework and him cooking, but she was curious to know what was eating him alive and despite her good will to let him reveal it by himself, she wanted him to spit it out, once and for good.

"Babe?" She called out. He didn't answer. He was still in his lalaland. "Babe!" She called out again. This time, though, he looked up to her and hummed.

"You're killing those poor onions." She simply said before hugging him from behind. "Tell me what's wrong please.." She pouted against his back. He turned to her and cupped her cheek before kissing her forehead.

They were sitting together, well actually, she was sitting on the slab and he was standing between her legs, trying to calm her down while she was sobbing silently.

"Calm down.." He said cupping her cheek. But she pushed his hand away.

"But how do you want me to calm down Noxie? Are you only realizing what you're asking me to do?! Damn! You're fucking asking me to keep our relationship in the dark! Noxie we've been married for two years dammit! I know that's your dream but don't you have another alternative?" She asked with a pout.

"I understand you but you also need to understand me Chandu.." He said, cupping her cheek.

"I understand but I'm not ready for this sacrifice Noxie. You're asking me too much.." She removed his hand from her cheek, got down from the slab and simply left to their room. He just stayed there and looked at her back as she did so. It was the first time that she said 'no' to one of his demands. It was the first time that she refused to accept a sacrifice. Maybe he was asking too much but, she had to understand him and his dreams.

He looked around himself in frustration. He didn't know what to do. He was feeling his dream slipping through his fingers and didn't know if listening to her was the right solution...However he didn't know if following his dream was the right one neither.. after a long debate with his inner self, he went to their room and saw her on the bed. She was curled into a ball and had kept her head hidden under the bed sheets. She was probably already sleeping, he thought. He went to the bathroom, took a quick shower and joined her on the bed. He was about to hold her but thought against it. He turned to his side, turned off the light and slept.

Surbhi let the sob she was retaining out of her chest. She wasn't sleeping at all. How could she? After all, she was debating whether or not she should let him go on with this fake dating plan. Her issue, however, wasn't the fake dating plan itself but was more about the consequences of this plan. Would their couple survive through this? Would they be able to be strong enough through this test on their own love? If she was to agree with this plan, only time could tell whether or not they would make it.

The morning after, she woke up to see the bed and the room empty. He had probably left for jogging as he would do every time he had to think or every time they had an argument. So, she went to take a shower and get ready for her day out with Shrenu, Neha and Mansi. They were her closest friends and she needed some time to relax, away from her husband.

As she dialed her friends to organize their meeting at the mall, Nakuul made his entry in their house. He looked at her intensely but she completely ignored him. How could she face him, the one who put this rift in their couple with one dilemma? After a while, she hung up and he called her.

"Chandu... I got a call from the producer.." He trailed off. She knew what he was about to say but she wanted to hear it from his mouth.

"I accepted the clause.. and I also put some conditions... I told them that the masquerade had to go on for a maximum of three months and that it would be only paparazzi spotting us at dinner dates or hanging at the mall. I told them that I wouldn't do any romantic gesture like kissing her.." He was about to continue but she raised her hand.

"What the point to tell me what you decided to do with her or not? You already took your decision and I didn't have anything to say in that. I'm going now." She said and picked her bag to leave.

"Where are you going? I thought that we would watch movies together.." He said as she was standing at the doorstep.

"I prefer spending my day with my friends. Maybe you can call your new girlfriend and ask her to join you!" She spat.

"Come on Surbhi, you're making a fuss out of nothing. It will be over soon. It is just temporary. Please stop being childish." He said and she sighed.

"You're fucking asking me to share you with some other girl and then you want me to stop being childish? You stop being a moron Nakuul!" She shouted and stormed out of the house after banging the front door shut.

Precap

 Even though she was angry with Nakuul she couldn't stop herself from buying a gift from him. After all, they were about to complete three years as a married couple. Their anniversary was the week after. As she bought him his gift, she prayed to the almighty that this third anniversary of theirs, wasn't the last one as well.