Meant to be

Chapter 5 : The awakening

It was the day of the WKV shoot, everyone was busy getting ready and were hurrying to finish the chores of the house and then the extra time it took lto get ready for the shoot. In all this there was a strange drop in the energy of the house and everyone was slightly puzzled at what happened. Suddenly It all made sense when Rashmi quipped "hamaari nautanki aaj low battery mein hai isiliye chup chap hai. Kidhar hiding mein hai?"

An already peeved Paras said "baithi hogi apni guru shukla Kay saath."

Aarti who knew this all too well added "voh kal sey low hain toh meiney hi bola tha mananey ko."

Sidharth himself woke up with a thud in his heart thinking if this is the last day in the house for her then firstly they have not spoken about anything significant should he tell her to get in touch with his mom and family and then once when he is out he would like to stay in touch with her. He was surprised and slightly embarrassed at the thought. She will go back to Chandigarh, she had her life, would she even want to be in touch with him. Outside of the house what is it that would hold them together. Even as he was saying this to himself he also could not in anyway deny that last evening her resting her head on his shoulders felt right. It felt complete. It felt like home. He decided to focus on what was in his control, to kind of tie things up in case she went today, wow! talk about making a big impact in a short time. He hates talking, he hated showing himself up as vulnerable. Swirling emotions and a straight face that was him. He saved his best for his mum and sisters, suddenly he wanted her to see him, know his heart. He chuckled at that thought. What was in heart? Friendship? That yes most definitely Sibling? he cringed at that thought, romantic that felt strange but not as ridiculous as it should seem. He shook himself out of his thoughts with the resolve that if she stayed he can explore what any of this meant but for now he wanted to just make her feel safe, so he went to look for her and found her sitting by the pool with her feet dipped into it and lost in thought!

"Hello" he said in his husky and sexy but playful voice "Kya aap voh hi Shehnaaz Kaur Gill ho? Punjab ki heartthrob?"

She looked up and gave him a customary smile that did not reach her eyes and that upset him "hello ji!" She said lamely.

"Kya bey Kya hua tereko, raat mein big boss vaalo nay silencer fit kar diya Kya? Tu kitni haraami hai re! Kal tak toh baatein kar kar ke dimaag ka dahi banna liya, lekin abhi Mouni baba ban gayi! Can I sit here?" He squints his eyes against the sunlight and says all of this with a grin on his face.

"Here Kyoon? sar Pei baith thu. Bada aaya celebrity.television ka badshah! Haye Sidharth mein aaj gayi na toh phir chulu bar Paani mein doob marna hai. Soch rahi hoon ke iss swimming pool
Mein woh karloon toh izzat bach jayegi." She looked up at him as she said this with a pout of irritation.

Sidharth was filled with this urge to just grab her and hug her till all her disappointments flew away. Instead he grabbed her open hair and said "abey drama uth, kahin nahi jaa rahi tu! Chal sharth lagaatey hain. Agar tu aaj gayi toh jab mein bahar nikloonga na tab Tera goa ka dream poora karoonga saath mein chalenge for a trip."

"Aah baal toh chod kuttey! Aaaah! Aur agar mein nahi gayi toh?" She winced in exaggeration more than the slight pain and asked

"Agar tu ruki to Roz champi. Whenever I demand" he said looking into her eyes and suddenly he left the grip on her hair and held her face and lifted it to meet his eyes and said in an intimate voice which meant to comfort her "aur mujhe na tujhe aur champi Dono pasand hai, so I hope you don't go! Come now chin up and Shehnaaz brave Gill bankey face what's coming your way!" Saying this he held her hand and took her in and they both went in.

All the housemates were ready and Shehnaaz she was nervous, the fact that Sidharth was there by her side gave her a lot of confidence. No one in her life had taken over on behalf of her. Not on behalf of her emotions not on behalf of her situations. As much as she did not want to enjoy this she found a voicein the back of head saying maybe it is time she allowed some one else to take care of her. But what with a guy she met 2 weeks back? He was a good guy but who she had no idea of, how he was in real life? And what was it that he was giving her what was it that she was receiving. Friendship? Very sweet kind yes, an elder brother? Oh never he was too hot and with that personality impossibly never! Mentor? Yes could be but someone who respected her and spoke in love. Before she could continue these thoughts the housemates were asked to seat themselves on the couch for the shooting.

Shehnaaz was rooted in her spot and did not want time to go ahead because she wanted to stay, suddenly Sidharth walked past her and as he passed her casually held her hand and led her to walk with him to the living room and he made sure both of them were settled next to each other. As they both leaned back into the couch his bulky self covered her shoulder and pressed it back to the couch. She liked. She liked that she could sneak a glance at him and also the comfort emanating from him gave her confidence.

As soon as Salman Khan absolutely thrilled to announce she was safe, Sidharth dipped his head in relief and gave her a naughty and smitten smile and reaches out and pecked her head and whispered," bola na?!"

Shehnaaz was thrilled overwhelmed and now excited. The course of the weekend something shifted for her, the way Sidharth Shukla drew her into himself. It made her feel special? It felt like for the first time in life someone actually saw her. Because she started becoming aware of him she also started becoming aware of the fact that he was like that only with her! She noticed with everyone else he raised an invisible and impenetrable perimeter. He could be speaking to them but it was a fraction of himself he brought to that interaction. He never gave himself away but he just held her face and said that he likes her. She wanted more of it.

Once the shoot was over and she had gotten into her night clothes and was chatting with Arti on the bathroom parachute bed and they were talking about Daljit and how she was sweet and could have stayed longer but good she would now get to meet her son. As they were saying this Sidharth just came out of the bathroom after his shower and was smelling fresh and clean.  Walked up to the wash basin to brush his teeth, at this point Arti went into the luggage area and seeing it was only the two of them he quickly scooter next to Shehnaaz and flicked his wet hair at her and said "champi yaad hai na!"

Shehnaaz flinched as water droplets fell on her face but also felt some thing like a tug of attraction at his fresh soapy smell "ha ha ha ha ha ha tabhi mein soch rahi hoon ki shuklaji ko itni kya khushi ke iss naacheez bach gayi." As she was saying this Arti walks back and asks "Kya hua? Kya bol raha hai Sidharth" and before Arti could notice Sidharth quickly gestures to Shehnaaz to not say anything, and he quickly changed the topic.
"Bol raha tha ki abhi mera bed khali hai toh enjoy karoon ke share karoon. aap ka khayaal hai Artiji?" He says winking at Shehnaaz.
Arti unable to hide what is in her heart says "agar mein aati hoon toh app ko bhi comfortable lagega instead of someone you don't know. Sid aajati hoon mein"

Both Sidharth and Shehnaaz were surprised at the disappointment that spread through them, just then bagga walks in and asks Arti to share a bed with her as Koena too is not there.

Sidharth at this casually says "Shehnaaz tu aaja na phir. Anyway night mein kitni baat toilets ne darshan karti hain, easier ho jaayega without disturbing anyone else."

Shehnaaz and Sidharth shared a happy smile and thus it was decided that both of them would now be bed partners.

As they wished goodnight to each other, something about lying next to each other felt very pure and very fulfilling. It felt like a big gulp of cold water on a hot and sunny day. They quietly wished each other and silently grateful to have found a pure connection. For today this was satisfying and it was healing and it was good.

Thank you for taking time and reading. Hope this help ties in some of the loose ends. Wish we were shown all the Sidnaaz content. Imagine if they did! Sigh.