"Hey, chill, Raghav! I'm not planning to go all John Wick on him," I reassured him. "And I'm also not about to turn into a Twitter troll either. I just want to have a chat with him, sort out a few things."
"Why are you so hung up on him?" Raghav asked, his eyebrow doing a 'The Rock' impression.
"Well, let's just say he's become my Inception - he's the dream within a dream that's taken over my mind," I admitted.
Raghav's confusion seemed to escalate.
"I've given you all the information I can. Don't expect more," I declared, my hands deftly maneuvering the steering wheel for a turn.
"Understood," he responded, a note of respect in his voice.
"We've arrived. Time to get out," I announced as I guided the car into a parking spot.
He exited the vehicle, smoothing out his attire before striding towards the set. I, on the other hand, lingered by the car, taking a moment to draw in a deep breath of fresh air, reluctant to follow him inside.
"I can't stay hidden forever," I sighed, contemplating the inevitable confrontation with Sana. With that thought, I exited the vehicle, taking measured, hesitant steps towards the building.
As I stepped inside, the first sight that met my eyes was an irate Mr. Das. His brows were furrowed in fury, his face a vivid shade of red, and his voice echoed sharply across the set.
"What on earth do you think you're doing, Sana?" he bellowed, "I expect superior acting from you."
Sana, on the other hand, appeared to be in turmoil. Her eyes, once sparkling with self-assuredness and confidence, now seemed dull and fearful. Her demeanor was a stark contrast to her usual self. As her gaze met mine, she quickly averted her eyes.
"Take it easy, Das," Raghav interjected, his smile a soothing balm, "We always have the option to reshoot the scene, you know."
The director exhaled a dramatic sigh, massaging his temples, "I'm aware of that. But this is a simple sequence. I was hoping to wrap it up quickly, but Sana's performance is off today. She's usually flawless."
"Exactly, she's always perfect," Raghav responded, "So, let's allow her to make mistakes. They're what make us human, after all. Otherwise, she might as well be an android."
"Alright, Sana, take a breather and then we'll continue," he instructed her, simultaneously signaling the crew to ready themselves for another take.
Sana gave a quick nod of acknowledgement before darting off to her vanity van, the door slamming shut behind her with a resounding thud.
I found myself rooted to the spot amidst the ensuing chaos, unsure of my next move. Should I follow Sana, or should I be mentally preparing for the director's metaphorical funeral? The dilemma was real.
Eventually, I opted for the former. I hurried towards her van and knocked on the door. Met with silence, I muttered to myself, "Well, here goes nothing," before pushing the door open and stepping inside.
The sight of Sana was heart-wrenching. Her hair clung to her damp forehead, her eyes were bloodshot from relentless tears, and her sobs came in broken, jagged hitches.
Without a second thought, I rushed to her side, wrapping her in a comforting embrace as she buried her face in my chest, her sobs muffled against my t-shirt. "It's okay, Sana," I soothed her.
"I'm a rapist. I'm a terrible actress. I'm a lousy friend. I'm an awful sister," she confessed in a fragmented whisper, "I don't deserve to live."
Pulling her closer, I murmured, "Sana, you can't give in to weakness now. There are thousands of people who look up to you for your strength and level-headedness. It wouldn't be fair to them."
She sniffled, "I can't, Singh. I-" Her voice broke, "I don't deserve their love. They won't see me the same way once they know about my past."
"Your past actions were wrong, I won't deny that," I admitted softly, "But the person you are now is far better than who you were."
With a sob, she confessed, "Kabir doesn't see it that way."
I shook my head in understanding, "He has his reasons, Sana. As a child, he was sexually violated by the person he trusted most - his sister. That's you." I sighed before adding, "The trauma he carries is deep-seated. It's going to take time to heal."
"I understand I was in a dark place back then, but can't he at least have a conversation with me about it? I was just a child too. I didn't comprehend the gravity of my actions towards him," she murmured, her tears soaking through my shirt as I held her close. "I was manipulated into believing that such a heinous act was acceptable, and I naively accepted that without questioning it."
I gently disengaged from our embrace, looking directly into her eyes. "You were led to believe that assaulting was acceptable?"
With a nod, she confirmed, her eyes swollen and reddened from crying, "When I was a child, I would hear my father assaulting my mother, her pleas for him to stop echoing through the night. I would fall asleep to the sound of her cries. It never sat right with me, but when I confronted my father, he...he justified it as an act of love." I was taken aback by her revelation.
She went on, "So, under that misguided belief, I thought it was okay to do the same to Kabir, my younger brother. I loved him more than anyone else at that time." Her vision blurred again as fresh tears welled up, "I was oblivious to the severity of my actions."
In a gesture of understanding, I nodded and gently patted her back.
"One day, our father found out. He practically exiled me from the house, forbidding me from ever returning," she sniffled, "I've been on my own ever since."
Shocked, I held my head in my hands, "Kabir needs to be aware of this. I don't think he knows that it was your father who instigated all of this."
"I can't bring myself to do it," she confessed, her tone heavy with regret. "He looked up to our father, saw him as this perfect figure. I can't shatter that illusion for him. It's better if he believes our family was happy, even if it means I'm the villain in his story."
"Sana, no," I softly interjected, "That's not a healthy mindset. Kabir deserves to know the truth behind your actions. While it won't erase his pain, it might lessen the resentment he holds for you."
"What good will reducing the bitterness do for me? I can't erase his suffering or the tears he shed over the years, haunted by the memory of his elder sister's betrayal. I can't remove his fear of trust. I can't mend our relationship to its former state, so what's the purpose of all this?" She mumbled, her eyes lifeless.
"You can't continue like this, Sana," I told her. "You told me, you wanted a closure with him today. Why retreat now?"
"Because I've realized it's futile," she replied. "What's the use of discussing when things will never be the same?" She paused, her voice choked, "He'll never trust my love, never trust me, never see me as family again."
"You're making assumptions," I said, feeling the tension rise. "I'm not the best at comforting or advising, but listen. You need to share your feelings with him. Perhaps, just perhaps, things might improve. You both could leave your
shattered pasts behind and step into a present that holds its own beauty for you both."
As she began to speak, Raghav entered the van, his expression filled with sympathy as he glanced at Sana.
He approached her and murmured gently, "Hey, it's time to shoot the sequence. The director is waiting for you."
Acknowledging his words, she moved to the sink at the far end of her van to freshen up, concealing her swollen eyes with makeup. After a deep breath, she emerged from the van alongside Raghav.
Before departing, he turned to me and announced, "I've arranged for you to meet Kabir. He'll be waiting for you at my place." With a mischievous glint in his eye, he tossed a key in my direction, cautioning, "That's my flat key. If you lose it, you'll be in big trouble - and I mean BIG trouble."
I perked up suddenly, an idea forming in my mind. "I was thinking, would he be open to coming over to my place?" I blurted out, realizing that my apartment would provide a more comfortable setting for our conversation about everything – from the shipping debacle to Sana and my job situation.
He regarded me with a cautious expression, clearly sensing something fishy.
"Cross my heart, nothing shady going on," I insisted, crossing my fingers in a makeshift scout's promise.
He sighed, slipping his key into his pocket. "Alright, spill it. What's your address?"
"Jubilee Apartments, Flat number 21, Ganpathnagar," I replied slowly, making sure he got it right.
He nodded in understanding before stepping out of the van. "Got it. I'll let him know," he promised before leaving.
I sprawled out on the couch-like seat, feeling the weight of the day settling heavily on my shoulders. With a deep breath, I gazed up at the metallic ceiling of the van. Each passing moment seemed to make this day even more bizarre, but there was little I could do to change the course of events now.
"Well, Mr. Aryan, aka spot boy extraordinaire, you'd better get back to your job," I muttered to myself, pushing myself up from the seat and stepping out of the van.
I glanced around the set, relieved to see that the shoot was progressing smoothly this time. Thankfully, Mr. Das seemed preoccupied and wasn't subjecting Sana to any humiliation. Satisfied, I hurried back and forth, playing the role of the diligent spot boy, distributing beverages and towels to the crew.
After what felt like an eternity, the sequence finally wrapped up. "Alright, everyone, it's lunchtime. We'll resume shooting the next sequence in the evening," the director announced.
I was ready to make my escape when Raghav caught up to me, panting slightly. He flashed me a smile. "Hey, I've spoken to Kabir. After some consideration, he agreed. He'll meet you at your place by 1 in the afternoon."
As I was about to depart, he halted me with another question. "The shoot starts in two hours. How far is your place from here?" he queried.
I pondered for a moment before responding, "It's roughly a half-hour bus ride."
With a playful grin, he waved me off, saying, "Alright then, you should get going." But before I exited, I leaned in and whispered a warning in his ear, "I understand you're smitten with Sana, and I'll leave you be. But remember, don't reveal my whereabouts or utter Kabir's name. Don't question why, just trust me on this. If I return to find her upset, you'll have to answer to me."
He swallowed hard, nodding in understanding.
With a cheerful wave, I bid my farewell and stepped out onto the road. I scanned the horizon for a bus, but alas, none were in sight. With a sigh of exasperation, I whipped out my phone and summoned an Ola cab. Lo and behold, one was lurking nearby, though it was a bit on the pricey side. But hey, desperate times call for desperate measures, right?
In a flash, or five minutes to be exact, the cab arrived. Talk about speed! I hopped in, settling comfortably into the seat as we pulled away, leaving the bustling film city in our rearview mirror.
About forty minutes (and several traffic jams) later, I found myself standing in front of my apartment. Kabir was nowhere to be seen yet. I unlocked the door and stepped inside, quickly transforming the living room from a disaster zone to a space that could pass for habitable.
In the kitchen, my adorable furballs were snoozing away, oblivious to the world. With a soft smile, I fetched a silky blanket and tucked them in. Mission accomplished, I retreated to the sofa, anticipation bubbling within me.
About 15 minutes later, the doorbell rang, disrupting the silence. I took a deep breath, put on my best composed face, and opened the door. There stood a figure, decked out in a black hood and pants, his face hidden behind a mask. His eyes darted around, assessing me.
"Hey"