Flames Of Fire ✗ (A PaNi FF)

Chapter 2

I shot a cursory look, only to catch him observing me. Why was he looking at me? Isn't his girlfriend giving him a good enough time, with her hands running along his chest? The fact that he was already somebody else's, brought me back to sanity. Stop thinking about him, it's just a stupid dream.

One thing about dreams is even if it's a mere glance at a person of the opposite sex, it feels too personal and real, almost etching itself into the heart. That explains why I have this weird feeling with Parth even though he isn't mine. This is dangerous, Niti. Don't let a man get to you like this.

I restricted eye-contact, and so did he. I occupied myself with the script I was handed over. So the first few scenes were to be shot with only me, and some guest actors. Good enough, lesser heat to handle. I shot about two episodes worth of my shots all day and then packed up. As I was leaving my vanity, I spotted Parth approaching me. Avoid him, avoid. I walked a couple of steps, without looking up, but neither did I watch out for the ground because before I knew it, I had tripped over the stairs and was about to fall flat on my face. I felt two firm arms hold me just in time, saving me from serious injuries.

"Careful there..." He nudged me to raise my face. I craned my neck awkwardly in the position that I was, my eyes meeting straight with his. Oh God, those eyes! He should've never really revealed them because ever since, they were just too intense to make contact with. A weird feeling stirred inside me, breaking my dreamy thoughts. I stood on my own feet, flustered. Niti, what the hell was that? I looked upwards, through the gap between my eyebrows stealthily to find Parth lost elsewhere, with his hand over his face, taking controlled breaths.

"Thanks." Without turning back, I walked as rapidly as I could, playing with the shoulder strap of my vanity bag. I really wanted to know what was going on, but I couldn't dare face him after that incident. Forget it, just avoid from now. The moments we shared from the first day we spent together eating food now seemed insignificant. He's with someone, you should stop giving into these lame dreams.

I booked a cab and headed home. I rang the doorbell and as soon as it opened, I wrapped my arms around her. "Chandu, chandu, listen!" Parth Samthaan was the first thing I told Chandni when I reached home. She knew about the dream I had and how everything was perfect until his girlfriend came into the picture. She was excited when she heard that we shared a moment together, yet again, though I felt extremely irked.

"Wow! Imagine a handsome man, with ripped jeans showing off his perfect thighs, staring into your eyes with such intensity as he holds you!" She let out a sigh of dreamy sigh. I rolled my eyes as Ador barked and ran into my lap. I gave him a few kisses and some rubs while he sat quietly in my embrace. At least he was mine to keep! Ador, you are not going to fall for anyone baby, okay?

"Yeah, but he's seeing someone. That makes the whole situation weirder." I couldn't be having weird feelings around him when he was already someone else's. "Hey Ni, okay let's forget about him for now, I made pancakes for you!" She hopped to the kitchen and returned with some pancakes and maple syrup. My mouth watered. I was glad she was there with me, to make me such tasty food even when my family was kilometers away, in Delhi.

My parents would occasionally visit. The roots of my family belonged to different communities and their marriage was proof enough that there were no barriers when it came to love. My mother is from a traditional Bengali Christian family and my father was a conventional Gujarati. Neither of them was very fond of Mumbai, after all, they lived in 'Delhi', capital city, blah! I was doing my BA degree here until I took a year gap last month, to work. They weren't pleased with my profession but they trusted me enough to let me do whatever I wanted, and I love them so much for that.