Disclaimer : All the characters written below are imaginary and a work of pure fiction. There is no resemblance to any incident or situation and is written as work of fiction.
The shoot was done by 9 o'clock the next day. He went to his vanity and changed quickly. They had decided to go for dinner straight from the set. He was setting his hair when he heard a knock and smiled instantly. He knew it was her.
He quickly opened the door and his breath hitched. She was standing there wearing a read bodycon dress with open hair and to say that she looked beautiful would be an understatement. She looked heavenly.
"What?" She asked frowning as she found him staring at her. He shook his head and moved aside allowing her to get in the vanity.
"Ready birthday boy?" She asked with a small chuckle.
"Yes madam...." He said softly. "You look beautiful....bohut soni lag rahi hai...."
"Even you are looking good...." She said softly and she was not lying. He did look good with his white T-shirt and layered black jacket with faded loose jeans.
"Chalein?" He asked holding her hand.
"Yes...." They walked out of the vanity hand in hand and went to his car.
"You want to drive?" He asked looking at her and she looked at him shocked.
"What?" She whispered not believing what he said.
"No i thought you would want to....since I don't know where you are taking me so i thought might as well you take me there literally....as in you would want to drive and not let me know where we are going till the end...." He shrugged his shoulder.
"Ideally yes but i know you don't let anyone drive your car except Parvez or Om....may be some other friends...." She said looking at him.
He gave her the keys and sat in the passenger seat.
"What?we will get late....i am hungry yaar...." He said looking at her who was still standing outside. She smiled a bit and sat inside and started to drive.
"I have not booked the entire place okay?because i don't mind anyone seeing us there....do you mind?" She asked with a straight face. "May be you will....i am not sanjana right....you can be okay getting papped with her in a restaurant but not with me...."
And he knew it was a taunt. A good one.
"Shani...." He muttered and played some music.
"What did you say?" She frowned immediately.
"Bohut shani hai tu...." He said looking at her and put her hair behind her ear. She smiled softly at his touch. The entire day they had not been close. The scenes they had were all in group and so they had no chance to be just with themselves.
She drove into the parking and he smiled immediately. He knew the place. It was a famous place there and he could already guess she had arranged for a beach set up.
They got down and she gave the keys back to him and they walked inside. The manager greeted them and took them to the booked area.
He smiled softly seeing it. He had guessed it right. They had their table just by the side of the beach and a pool on the other side. The place was dimly lit and another couple was having dinner but away from them. Although the plac had dim yellow lights , he saw a few candles on all the tables. On theirs as well.
He quickly pulled the chair for her and helped her sit and sat on the opposite side across the table.
"Thanks...." He chuckled looking at her.
Before she could sya anything they were served red wine and his favorite snacks. He frowned immediately. How does she know everything that i like.
"How do you know what I like?i never told you...." He clicked the glass with her's and had a sip.
"I have my sources...." She said giggling.
"I think i know your source...." He rolled his eyes.
"No you don't....it's not Om...."
"Then?" He frowned looking at her.
"I contacted one of your exes...." She said casually.
"Excuse me what?" He almost choked on the wine.
"Just joking....look at your face...." She laughed holding her stomach. "I asked Jess....and nishant....and not directly....they said on their own....i was just attentive...."
"Bonding vibes...." He rolled his eyes. "How do you end up making friends so quickly when you don't even talk to people the first time you meet....i mean i am curious....you contradict yourself...."
"The not talking to anyone is applicable only for actors...." She said casually. "Otherwise i can make friends quickly...."
"What wrong have actors done to you?do you realise that you yourself are an actor?" He frowned.
"Most actors start to flirt on the first meet yourself....and you are one of them....you are subtle but you also flirt with girls....not me but others...." She said narrowing her eyes and he chuckled.
"I don't....i am just polite....i talk to everyone....but i don't let everyone come inside my circle...." He said innocently.
"Exactly....and that makes people think that you are hitting on them...." She rolled her eyes.
"Makes sense...." He said nodding.
"You really were not hitting on anyone?" She frowned. "But i really thought Vidhi liked you...."
"Nahi re pagal hai kya?" He said immediately.
She was about to say something but a cake was brought and kept in front of them. She said a polite thank you and then looked at him.
"Cut it....and make a wish this time...." She said softly. "Happy birthday Karan...."
He closed his eyes and said in his mind again "Tejasswi" and blew the candle. He cut the cake and fed her a bite and she did the same.
He again forwarded his hand and wiped the corner of her lips to remove the cream. She smiled softly. Karan noticed her smile and immediately sat straight getting red.
"It's okay...." She said softly to make him relax. He looked at her softly.
Dinner was served and they started to eat.
"Umm....actually...." He said while looking at his plate.
"What?" She asked while chewing her food.
"I....i think....i don't know how to say...." He said in frustration.
"Arrey say what?" She frowned in confusion.
"I like you...." He said slowly. "I mean i found you endearing from the first day itself and I thought i will handle it but it didn't lessen....infact i started....started to like you more....as in....it started of as a crush and it kept growing and i couldn't stop....it happened slowly...." He said nervously looking at the plate.
She smiled softly and blushed. As if she didn't know. As if she didn't feel the same.
"And i obviously know there is nothing like that from your side...." He added immediately and looked at her.
Yes you know everything. Can i just smack your head?she thought in her head.
"But i just wanted to tell you because it is getting too much now for me to keep it inside....as in....you will anyway end up knowing it from my gestures but i wanted to be clear....see i know i am not the kind of guy you will like....not someone who will get you balloons and chocolates....or you know....i don't know...." He said restlessly.
She chuckled silently and he immediately looked at her.
"Tu meri le rahi hai nuh?" He asked with a frown and she shook her head immediately and pinched his cheeks.
"You are very cute you know nuh?"
He made a face and continued to eat. This girl just takes his case. Always. 24*7.
"I get happy with the small things that we do together....like our drives home....or when we drink chai from tea stalls....or have ice cream while sitting at bandstand....all these are the only thing i seek in life...." She said softly. He looked at her and relaxed a little. She knew how to comfort him.
"You are very special for me Teja...." He said in a low voice.
"I know...." She said softly and held his hand. "I don't know how to put it in words...." Before she could complete he cut her off.
"I get you....you don't have to say anything aloud for me to understand...."
But you don't get it Karan or else you wouldn't have said that there is nothing from my side , she thought in her head.
"You should feel it right?do you?" She asked looking into his eyes.
He nodded softly.
They finished their dinner and had their dessert and Teja got up.
"Do you want to walk on the wet sand?" She asked softly. He nodded and got up.
They walked to the sand and opened their shoes and went to the went sand and let the waves touch their feet.
"You want to run?" She asked looking at him in excitement.
Anything for you , he wanted to say but just nodded.
He held her hand tightly and folded his jeans till his knees and they ran on the wet sand with the waves coming and touching their feet from time to time. Their laughter echoed in the night sky.
They stopped running and panted for breath and laughed their heart out. Karan didn't know when was the last time he felt so free. Felt like himself.
"Pick me up nuh....why are you so shy...." She frowned and he picked her up holding her waist with just one hand and twirled her making her laugh more.
They laughed till they had tears in their eyes. Both of them sat on the dry sand and Karan laid down on the sand with his arms under his head and Teja looked at him while sitting beside him.
"What kind of a partner do you want?" She asked softly.
He frowned immediately.
"As in?" He frowned.
"What are the things you want in your partner....any specific quality?" She asked softly.
"I want a girl Teja....not a thing....how can i say it about any person that for example i want someone who talks more or talks less....someone who is for example tall or short....we say all this when we buy things....like we need a big screen laptop or a small screen laptop....you know what i mean?if i say something like this about my partner i am technically making her feel like a thing and not a human and i would never want my partner to feel that....nobody should feel that irrespective of gender....two people meet....they along....they feel that they want to spend their life together and they do....what qualities you want is something that i would never think...." He said and looked at the stars.
Teja felt tears in her eyes. How can a person be this good?how can someone be like him?