Birds With Broken Wings

8* How It Started

I didn't stop as I said to him, "Just say whatever is on your mind."

I heard exhale loudly before his hold sort of tighten against the steering wheel, "I'm sorry about the music tour thing, it... You weren't supposed to find out like that,"

My heart dropped and I pressed the penciled mouth even harder against my palm.

I wasn't supposed to find out like that...

Not that it wasn't supposed to happen because it was okay for me to get tossed out of an idea I suggested to him but I wasn't supposed to find out like that.

I was probably supposed to find out over dinner or a plate of suya and ice cream.

"I told my manager," He continued his pathetic excuse and I also continued to stare at him, "I told him I was going to call you and explain why that had to happen. He wasn't supposed to send an email to your manager. I'm sorry."

"For?" I had to ask him and he startled, glanced at me for the briefest second before he focused on the road again.

"For everything... For finding out in that kind of crude and rude way and for-"

"I didn't know you and Sameera were close before the Lithe deal," I interrupted him, successfully cutting him from an apology that wasn't going to change anything and he glanced at me again, his left brow aching up in confusion as if he didn't know how to answer me.

"We weren't that close actually. We just shared a relationship that was basically hi's and hello's."

"Wow! I had no idea love could happen that easily and fast. You guys were practically strangers six weeks ago and now, you're the number couple in the whole country." And Sameera had suddenly become an everyday topic with her followers on all her social media platforms increasing in millions. But I didn't add that and he chuckled, seemingly amused by my statement.

"I know, right? It's unbelievable... I didn't even think I was going to get close to her in just three weeks, not to talk of falling in love with her," He rapped out and I could detect the smile and cheer in his voice.

I realized with a sinking dread that he sounded like how I always sound whenever I act like I was in love on screen.

"But we got close and I discovered that she's even more amazing than the media had always painted her..." I tuned him out when I realized that he was going to gush and gush about how amazing his new girlfriend was and instead, I focused on the pain that was being sent to my brain wave as I pressed the heels deeper and deeper into my palm till the blood that was coated beneath the heels started to drip down my palm.

"-And our managers thought that it'd help if we could do my next project together."

The project I suggested to you.

"I initially didn't want to agree because it was originally your idea and I know you were looking forward to it and how you've dedicated your whole time to it and all that-"

Really? And here I was thinking that you had a temporary memory loss and you've forgotten everything.

"-But you know how pressing and demanding my manager can be and eventually, I had to concede and now, I'm thinking if we could change the theme to accommodate two females so you'd..."

God forbid.

"No, of course not!" I can neither be the second option nor the third wheeler. "It's totally fine and congratulations on your relationship." I simply told him and I released the hold on my shoes before tucking the pair in the bag where they initially were.