One Shots #VariaSquad

What's A Soulmate

The first time he ever sees her, Varun Dhawan swears he's seen Alia Bhatt somewhere before.

When he voices the thought to Sid, the older actor shrugs and says she probably looks like an actress or something. The younger of the two boys snorts in amusement at that. 'Of course she does. She's Pooja Bhatt's little sister,' he says. 'But that's not it. I don't know yaar. There's just something familiar about her.'

'Maybe you two met at some Bollywood party or event then? Or you ran in to her on a set when you were younger? Your dads worked together right?' Sid asks, tone dismissive.

'No,' he denies. 'I mean, they did, yeah. But my dad was only an editor, he didn't go on the sets. And, even if he had, it was before either of us were even born. Vaise, Bhaatsaab doesn't exactly attend industry events.'

'I'm not sure what to tell you then,' Sid tells him with a little shrug. 'Maybe she just has one of those faces.'

'She look familiar to you too then?'

Sid's answer takes a minute to come and, when it does, it's a negative. Varun simply nods at that, a contemplative look on his face, aware that it's pointless to continue trying to explain what he's feeling. Hell, it doesn't even make sense to him if he's honest; there's no chance anyone else will understand it.

But, if there's one thing that's clear to him, it's that somewhere, somehow, he's seen this girl before.

Not just seen her in fact. He's sure that he knows her.

***

The very first time she meets him, Alia Bhatt can't help but think that she knows Varun Dhawan.

Logically, she knows that's just not possible. Despite the fact that they both come from filmi families, there's no chance they would've crossed paths at industry events; her dad isn't exactly the social type and, even if she ever had attended an industry event, he's six years older than her – they wouldn't have been hanging out.

It's strange she thinks, how much they have in common for two people who don't know each other. Apparently, their parents know each other well, are good friends in fact – something she hadn't known until she mentions to them that she's working with David Dhawan's son. What shocks her more is that when she mentions his name to Kanchi, her best friend begins to talk about him as though she's known him for years. 'How the hell have I never met this guy before?' she wonders, confused.

'It's not that big of a deal Alia. We do have different friends you know,' Kanchi says with a laugh.

'No, it's not just that. I feel like I have somehow. He just looks familiar, feels familiar, you know? Not just like I've seen him but like I know him, really know him,' she tells her best friend, getting a shrug in response. 'Come on Kanchi, help me out here.'

'I dunno,' she laughs, silent a minute before making a sound of recognition. 'Maybe this is a sign or something; maybe you knew him in a past life.' Alia fixes her with a get real look but she persists. 'Come on, think about it. It's just like in all the movies. You see a guy and you feel like you must've seen him somewhere before, like he's oh so familiar. Maybe he's your soulmate,' she teases, nudging her.

'Like hell! He's cocky and argumentative and annoying as anything. Makes everything into a competition and he's figured out how to push all my buttons.'

'All of them?' Kanchi asks with a raised eyebrow. Alia rolls her eyes but doesn't bother to deny the implication. 'He does huh?'

'He's not a bad looking guy, I'll admit that,' she concedes. 'But he's just so – ugh!'