A RoNakshi FF- Hero for Hire

Chapter 2

'Owner ki beti nahin, khud owner hain!'
Rohit was stunned.

He came out to find Sonal hovering outside.
'You okay Rohit?'
'Yeah! Let's go!'
Several people turned to look at them, many recognising them as the popular couple from the show.
'Wow! That's Zoni!' A girl gasped.
'Who's Zoni?' her friend asked.
'Aray! Zain and Roshni from Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai!'
'So hot yar!'
Rohit heard the last part and turned around and winked. The girl was left with her mouth hanging open.
Beside him, Sonal laughed.
'Tum bhi! Koi moqa nahin chorrte!'
'Kya karen..kuch fame ka asar kuch aadat se majboor.'
'Tum mere dost na hotay to tumhari baaton mein hi ajaati! Ab chalo, tumhe ghar chorr dun. Sameer sir ki call aayi thi. Aaj ke liye pack up kar diya hai or tum se kal off lene ko bola hai.'
'Off kyun? I'm fine! Or mein kaam ke maamlay mein koi samjhota nahin karta. You know that!'
'Han han! Sab jaante hain..tum apne kaam se kitna pyaar karte ho. Friends, parties, kisi ke liye waqt hi nahin chorrte.'
'Ab aisa hi hun..take it or leave it!'

Rohit reached home. His mother, Veena Sippy, opened the door. The smile on her face turned to concern as soon as she saw the bandage on his arm.
'Rohit! Yeh kya hua? Tu theek to hai? Kaise hua?'
'Chill Mom! Choti so chott hai. I'm fine.'
'Lekin..'
'Andar to aane den ya saare sawaal yahin darwaze pe?'
Veena moved out of the way and followed him to the lounge.
'Aaj shoot pe thori chott lag gayi thi bas..' he saw her about to speak, 'or is se pehle ke aap poocho, doctor ne dekh liya hai or stitches bhi laga diye hain.'
'Stitches? Oh God! Or tum bol rahe ho choti so chott.'
'Don't fret Mom! Theek hun or kal off bhi hun..khush?'
'Acha hai! Warna tum to har waqt kaam kaam..'
Rohit rubbed a hand over his eyes.
'Thak gaye ho na? Chalo mein khaane ko kuch laati hun, phir tum rest kar lena. Baqi sab ne to khana kha liya hai.'
'Okay, jo aap ka hukum.' He smiled at her.
As she left, he touched his injured arm. It was paining now like anything. Taking out the prescription from his pocket, he sat back on the sofa. Pain shot up his arm. Grimacing, he remembered telling the doctor that there was none. He had a sudden vision of the doctor who treated him. Man, she had been beautiful! He smiled.
------
The first thing Sonakshi did on reaching home was to take a shower. After a full days work, she was now relaxed. Donned in t-shirt and pajamas, hair in a ponytail, she went in the lounge.
'Sona! Tu agayi beta?'
Suman Rastogi, her mom, came out of the kitchen.
'Ma! Baqi sab kahan hain?'
'Papa to sonay lait gaye, Pulkit aaj on call hai hospital mein. Mulaqat nahin hui tumhari?'
'Nahin! Aaj subah se lagataar cases thay mere. Mil hi nahin paayi. Or Pari? Woh?'
'Parh rahi hai shayad. Tum aao na..khaana kha lo. Itni der der se aati ho. Sab kha chuke hotay hain.'
'Not again Ma!'
'Aray kehne mein kya burai hai ke apna work load thora kam karo. Abhi to tumhari shadi bhi nahin hui.'
'Mujhe nahin karni abhi shadi..kitni baar bataun?'
'Lekin..'
'No lekin Ma! Ab khana kha lun ya daanti hi rahengi?'
She smiled to soften her words.
'Theek hai..phir kabhi!'
They both laughed and chatted for a while.

As Sonakshi was going back to her room, she saw the lights on in Pari's room. Hearing voices, she peeped inside. Pari was lying on the bed, on her stomach, her books spread around her. But she wasn't studying, her eyes were fixed on the TV screen.
'Caught you!'
Pari was startled. She turned around.
'Di! Aap kab aayin? Aayen na!' She sat up.
'Parhai ke bajaye TV dekha ja raha hai? Ma ko pata hai?'
'Diiii..ab aap bhi? Ma kafi nahin thi? Parh hi rahi thi..abhi abhi break li thi. Mere favourite show ka repeat araha tha na. Aayen aap bhi dekhen.'
'Sorry! Not interested. Tumhe pata hai na, mere pass time nahin in cheezon ka..'
She glanced at the screen and stopped.
Eyes so intense filled the screen. Such emotion was portrayed in them. As the camera panned back, a familiar good looking face came into view. It was the same guy who she had treated today! So he really was an actor.
'Yeh to..'
'Sshhh..di..sun ne to do..' Pari stopped her.
'Roshni, tum jaanti bhi ho ke mein tumse kitna pyaar karta hun? Or tum keh rahi ho ke tumhe bhool jaun? And what do you mean tumhari shadi ho rahi hai? Aisa mein nahin honay dunga!'
He caught hold of the girl, whom Sonakshi recognised as the one creating a fuss in the ER.
Just then, a commercial break came on.
'Yeh larka larki..dono ko dekha hai maine.'
'Di? Aap to keh rahi thi aap TV nahin dekhti? Zoni..' she sighed dreamily.
'Zoni?
'Zain or Roshni! Yeh hero heroine..naam saath jorr ke Zoni! Or Zain to bas..he's so good looking!'
'Zain..ya jo bhi hai..'
'Rohit Sippy..'
'What?'
'Is ka real name Rohit Sippy hai na.'
'Whatever..I'm just telling you ke aaj maine in dono ko dekha..'
'What? Really? Kahan?' Pari screamed.
'Hospital mein..woh..'
'Kya? Aap ke hospital mein shooting ho rahi thi? Mujhe bataya kyun nahin?'
'Poori baat to suno..tumhara yeh hero Rohit..whatever..injure ho ke aaya tha. Us ke arm pe stitches maine hi lagaye.'
'Oh God! What? Kya hua usse?'
'Tum to aise bol rahi ho jaise tumhara koi saga hai. Mujhe kaise pata? Arm pe 8 inch ka wound tha, 6 stitches lagayin.'
'Di! You are so clinical! Itna good looking banda aap ke saamne tha or aap ko koi romantic khayal bhi nahin aaya?'
'Ha ha! Funny! Woh ek patient tha! Patient ke liye romantic khayal kis ko aate hain?'
'Di you are crazy! Young ho, khoobsurat ho, hospital ki owner ho! Aap ka dil nahin karta ke aap ka koi boyfriend ho?'
'Pari! Bas! Tum bhi Ma ki tarha bolne lagi?'
'To sab hi concerned hain na aap ke liye. Career hi to sab kuch nahin hota..pyaar mohabbat..'
'Acha bas! Tumhe pasand hai na yeh sab? Tum dekho apne romantic hero ko..' her voice trailed off as Rohit came back on the screen. He was taking the girl in his arms now, tears in his eyes. She couldn't take her eyes off the screen as he emoted the scene so well.
A shiver ran down her back. She stiffened. Getting up suddenly, she left the room.