Off Script Story | ✔

35- Drawing the line

Ajay 

I woke up to a throbbing headache, almost recalling what happened last night. My mind gave flashes of last night, making me regret every second. 

I shouldn't have said that to her. She was just trying to help us come out of that hell. But damn, I messed up again. 

I should apologize to her. Suddenly, I remember how I had told her to keep the line. Stupid me. The alcohol must have damaged my brain cells. I wanted to be friends with her, to let her be safe around me and it was me who just said those last night. 

Guilt aroused in my heart as I walked up to my phone when the doorbell rang. I ran towards it, hoping heartily it was Maya and we could talk it out. But it was Dev and Amar who had come.

" So early in the morning? What's wrong?" I asked them as they looked at each other with a frown and serious expressions. 

" Sir, we need to… discuss something," Dev mumbled. I was immediately convinced of some kind of bad news.

"Come in." They got inside and sat on the couch. 

" Ajay, take a look at this," Amar said, handing me his phone. I furrowed my brows as my eyes fell on the screen. A dozen news articles filled the screen. 

Ajay and his rumoured girlfriend, Maya— stealing the limelight? 

The story behind the dating rumours. 

I made a frustrated groan. Seriously, why the hell are they so invested in these rumours? They were even making charts on Bollywood couples and raising questions about our longevity. It was going well, considering our plans of faking it to gain attention but aren't they overdoing it? 

The most shocking thing was the picture of us kissing attached along with the news. That near-kiss scene turned horribly wrong. But the fact that it is surfacing over the net made me rub my temples in frustration. 

It wasn't supposed to get leaked in the first place! 

" How the heck did this get leaked?" I couldn't keep my calm anymore.

" We are still finding the cause of it—" 

" It is suspicious because Rajiv sir said that he deleted the picture because it wasn't following the scene," Dev said, cutting off Amar in between, who nodded at him.

" But the thing is that you know this can affect Maya's career badly. I swear no debut actress would find it as an opportunity to bring their name into the spotlight. It is almost the opposite. Look at how people are describing her. Also, they are saying things that are really mean." 

He then showed me another article which claims that Maya was selected based on contacts. I could seriously see where this thing is going.

I can understand the way the whole thing is getting executed in the media. It will surely turn out to be no good.

And last night, the way the executive team was looking at us, I won't be surprised if they are spreading the dating news around this way. 

It wouldn't be much of a problem for me but it could ruin Maya's career in a snap of the fingers. And how can I let that happen to her?

Not even in my dreams.

" So? Do you have any plans?" 

" I have figured out some way. The first way, you can just publicly announce it. Like, say you have feelings for her. We already know you have. That way it will solve much of the problem," Amar said, without halting for a second.