There's More To Her

8. A Touch of Fantasy

"Bhansali? Is he a photographer or-" Arnav frowned, the name seeming familiar.

"-arrey Sanjay Leela Bhansali! Hindi film director."

"Of course," Arnav muttered.

"He's known for his grand designs. Also, he has worked with everyone - Amitabh Bachchan ji, Aishwarya ji, Shah Rukh ji, Salman ji-" Khushi gushed, "-but Akash ji, you're quick to catch my reference. And you're being too kind!" Akash scoffed at her humility.

"No way! It's one thing to see a song and another to bring it to life. This is a replica of Chand Chupa-"

"Badal Main!" Khushi shrieked, yanking a bemused Payal's hand. If anything, Akash and Khushi's budding friendship only made her fall faster and harder Akash.

"No, the moon does not hide. Scientifically it's a matter of perception-" Khushi and Akash simultaneously rolled their eyes.

"They're talking about a song in a film." Payal clarified. Arnav had the grace not to turn red out of embarrassment.

"Yes, I was only speaking about the futility of this metaphor. Thank goodness I've never seen such films-" Payal signaled Arnav to stop talking. He did, after noticing Khushi gawking at him.

"You... you've NEVER SEEN Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam?!"

"No-" Arnav, belatedly caught Payal miming a movement of a belt buckle. What the hell? Payal wears belts? What shitty move is this? Oh shit... is this a Salman Khan film?

"And you've NEVER seen Chand Chupa Badal Main?" Khushi emphasized, forgetting the man in front of her refrained from almost any and every Salman Khan film.

"Chand Chupa Badal Main!" She stressed, wildly gesticulating to the entire studio. Arnav nodded negatively. Payal's plan to rescue Arnav from Khushi's hysteria was interrupted with Akash handing her a white rose. It was a nice interruption.

Khushi unpinned her dupatta and lifted the white translucent fabric high in the air. The faint glow of the candles and moonlight danced across her face.

"Chand Chupa-" Khushi's smile halted at his haunted eyes. Arnav's hand itched to pull the fabric away. Against every will, his hand rose.

"Khushi ji," Akash said. Arnav froze and violently tucked his hand back into his pocket. Khushi dropped her dupatta like a hot coal. "Bhai has not even seen the film, so the song's a long shot! But I have-"

It's the precise moment Akash realized his brother was staring at him.

"I have... heard, heard about the film. During my tenth board exams, when I left for tuition classes - my friends told me about the film. I did not watch it. I did not skip classes - Bhai you know me." Payal gripped Akash's arm to stop his verbal diarrhea.

"Your tenth grade results suddenly make a lot of sense." Arnav folded his arms, staring at a pale Akash.

"What are you saying Bhai?! I got ninety four percent, despite watching-" Payal pinched his arm. Khushi, if not worried about her to-be-brother-in-law's future at the hands of his brother, would have cooed at Payal's concern.

"-birds." Akash croaked, "and Bhai, you were anyways miles away at Harvard. It's not that you would've known-"

"Known how wonderfully talented Khushi is!" Payal interjected. Akash nodded, so quickly that Khushi was afraid his head might fall off. Seriously, what's the big deal? It's not that Arnav ji would kill Akash ji for watching a Salman Khan film!