Incandescent

Chapter 8

Khushi sat in a corner, looking at the models posing for the photo shoot. It was the shoot for everyday wear collected titled 'The complete ensemble'. It would include everything one would require to wear in a day including simple everyday clothes, sarees, office wear and undergarments. She was wearing a simply designed kurta in champagne color, straight cut and the collared neckline was embroidered with small, delicate flowers. It was matched with a burgundy color churidhar. She'll have two other dresses, one a indigo saree in handloom cotton and other an office wear shirt and trousers.

She was actually one among those completely  clothed and yet she knew when she had to go and pose she'd take a few takes to get it right. But there were models here who wore only a bikini and seemed completely unfazed.

Embarrassed colors filled her cheeks as she wondered how suggestively they posed in front of a room full of people. For the life of her, she knew right then that she'd never do a lingerie shoot. And there were men only in their briefs. And she was yet to look up and see the men.

But, in the short period that she had been modeling, she knew that those models didn't enjoy it either. They were just taking the opportunity offered to them. On occasions, some have even revealed to her that the agency wouldn't even inform them of it beforehand. In those cases, they said, they'd just come prepared for anything. A girl once told her, it gets better over time and you don't feel shy anymore.

It had been two months since her first show.

"Khushi Kumari Gupta, you're famous!"

Payal had said as she brought her a box of sweets and the newspaper the morning following the show, showing her just how successful her first show had been. It was printed in thefashion page of the local newspaper and Khushi had been thrilled. Khushi was among those lucky few who garnered a mention in the press.

And for this very reason, she knew she'd forever be grateful to Payal. It was an altogether different matter that if not for her she wouldn't have wanted to be here in the first place.

In her short career time, she could sum up what she learned about modeling in a line. Winner takes it all. Because for every successful model, there were thousands who struggled to even get a small mention or make enough to meet their basic expenses for the month.

Khushi's thoughts involuntarily went to the day of the show. She still remembered it with striking clarity. More than the show she remembered what had happened after.

She had no idea how long she had stood entwined in Arnav Singh Raizada's embrace until the honk of an approaching bus had startled them out of the reverie. He had then walked her back inside and Payal had taken over from there. All through the party, Khushi had been constantly aware of Arnav's eyes on her.

Their paths did cross quite often after that. He would come in now and then inside a studio during a shoot and stay for a while scrutinizing the happenings.

But they had never interacted after that. At least, nothing personal.

It was like what happened had all been her dream. She suddenly looked up and saw that he was here right now and watching... her?

She immediately connected with his eyes.

His eyes.

Did he know what she had been thinking?

•••

Arnav had been watching the photo shoot when his eyes fell on Khushi huddled in a corner, lost in her thoughts. A delicious color stained her cheeks as a woman wearing a lacy bra and thongs walked past her and he understood what must be going on in her mind. He could never imagine her doing a lingerie shoot. She'd die of embarrassment first.