6:30 pm, 24th February, Galaxy Villa, Madh Island, Mumbai.
Well, shit. I can't believe that I'm actually on the set of 'The Bachelor'!
If you'd told me, a month ago that I'd be sitting in the makeup room of a posh villa in Madh Island, waiting for one of the A.Ds to summon me, on this particular day, I'd have laughed hard in your face.
All through my teen years, I'd made so much fun of this particular show, along with Manik and Cabir.
I mean, the whole premise of it had always been too corny for me to digest. How could one fall in love under the prying eyes of the entire country's population?!
It was outright ridiculous! In my opinion, the only kind of people who took part in such shows were only doing it to gain their fifteen minutes of fame or make a quick buck.
So, imagine my shock when I stumbled upon the name of this year's suitor while casually reading the newspaper, more than a week ago.
It was Manik! My best friend Manik!
The first thought which had popped into my head was that the article was fake. The Manik I knew and loved would never agree to be part of such a superficial and cheesy show!
However, when I looked it up online, I found that all the websites were reporting the same piece of news.
I still remember how frantically I'd called Manik, after that.
"Hi Mukti. What's up?" He'd said casually, but I could already sense the discomfort in his voice.
"What's up? Manik, when were you going to tell me that you're the suitor for this season of 'The Bachelor'?!" I yelled over the phone.
"Relax, Mukti. It's no big deal. I just..." He was about to complete his statement, when I cut him off.
"Are you fucking crazy?! I know you've been a mess since Alya left, but this is a whole new level of self-destruction! I can't believe you're letting her rule you like this." I screamed, without giving my words much thought.
I could hear a deathly silence on the other end. Ever since Alya left, there was an unspoken pact between Cabir and me to never mention her name in front of Manik again.
Manik finally spoke after several moments.
"This has nothing to do with...her. Mr. Malhotra. He wants me to do it. He says he wants me to choose a wife, so that the tabloids stop writing scandalous stories about my antics. And if I don't, then he'll never allow me to start my own music label." He said in a deadpan voice.
I gasped at his words. I knew Mr. Malhotra was very cold and calculating, but I'd never imagined that he would blackmail his own son.
"Manik. You don't have to do this. We'll figure something out. There's no way you can get married like this!" I tried to reason with him.
"No Mukti. I've made my decision. And I'm not going to marry anyone. I have a plan in place." He said, rather determinedly.
"But Manik..." I argued.
"Mukti. Let me handle it. I'm a bit busy now, so I'll speak to you later." He said, before he cut the call.
I knew that there was no use in trying to convince Manik. There was no changing his mind once it was made. Cabir had said the same thing when I eventually shared my worry with him.
And now, however much I hated it, Manik had entered into some sort of a pissing contest with his father!
The whole situation was spiraling out of control. I'd been in the U.S for the last couple of days on a work visit, and I hadn't been able to speak to Manik at all due to the wretched time difference. Besides, I knew Manik wouldn't be too eager to speak with me.
However, when the first episode aired on T.V yesterday, and I saw that Alya was one of the contestants, my stomach had dropped instantly.
There used to be a time when Alya and I used to be thick as thieves. She was one of my best friends.
However, ever since our band broke up after Alya cheated on Manik, I'd never spoken to her again. I hated her for what she did to him. I knew how much she meant to Manik, and all she'd done was stomp on his heart and walk out on him! And the guy she left him for...best not to think of it, to save my blood pressure from rising!
After catching the first few minutes of the episode, I tried to give Manik a call to check up on him, but he wasn't picking up!
I'd grown increasingly worried as the night progressed. Manik was still not over Alya...he was holding on to all the hate and anger inside him, and I knew that it would finally erupt out of him in a very violent manner.
So, when I finally received a call from him this afternoon, I was relieved to a great extent.
He'd sounded fairly morose on the phone, when he asked me if I'd agree to be part of an episode. Apparently, the production team had asked Manik to invite a close friend to the show. The drill was that the friend would personally interview and get to know each contestant. After that, it would be the friend who would save one contestant, and recommend one for elimination.
As soon as I heard the question pop out of his mouth, I accepted almost immediately and cleared my entire schedule for the rest of the day.
I had to say 'yes'. I had to make sure he was alright. I had to find out about the twisted plan that was forming in his head to avoid a marriage!
My thoughts were interrupted by a voice at the door.
"Mukti ma'am. We're ready to shoot. Are you done?" One of the spot boys called out to me.
I checked my hair and makeup one last time and took a deep breath.
I opened the door and came face-to-face with the spot boy who seemed to be ogling me from head to toe.
"If you're done staring creepily, can we just go and get this shit over with?" I hissed.
"Of course...ma'am. Sorry ma'am." He stuttered.
I shook my head as I followed him.
It was time to find out which contestant was the least bitchy of the lot.
*******
7:00pm, 24th February, Galaxy Villa, Madh Island, Mumbai.
I straightened the pleats of my dress one last time before I finally pushed open the large wooden door that led to the terrace of the villa.
It was the fourth day on set and it looked like things were being taken up a notch. All the contestants had been informed that a cocktail party was to be held on the terrace of the mansion. In addition, we'd been told that there was a special surprise for us tonight. The stylist had even delivered dresses to each one of us for the occasion. Thankfully enough, the stylist had already understood that I'd never agree to wear overly risqué clothes. She had selected a sleeveless black shimmery dress, which came up to my knees due to my short stature.
After the elimination ceremony, I'd immediately reported to the outhouse to speak to Chacha-Chachi over the phone. Chachi had watched the first episode and that's all she wanted to talk about. Immediately after inquiring about my health, she'd asked me why I didn't tell her about the little moment I'd shared with Manik.
I was quite puzzled at her words, but as she explained, I realised that the editors had completely skipped over the part where I poured chilli sauce on Manik's shoes, and directly telecast the part where he'd gripped me tight and asked me to apologise. What was even more annoying was that they had apparently added some background music to make it look like some romantic eye lock.
I wanted the earth to swallow me whole when I heard this. I explained to Chachi that the production team had manipulated the whole incident, and she seemed a bit unconvinced.
I quickly bid goodbye to her after asking about Rishab, and proceeded to call Aryaman after. I knew he was still in Goa, and there was a bleak chance that he'd watched the episode. However, the clips were probably already posted on social media, and I had to explain myself before he saw any of it.
However, as luck would have it, he didn't pick up my call. I rang his phone three times, but he just wouldn't pick up. I started to get equal parts worried and angry at his behaviour, and wondered if I should call Abhimanyu and ask if he'd heard from Aryaman. But, whether I liked it or not, I was stuck in this show for another episode, and the only silver lining to Aryaman not picking up the phone was that I didn't have to explain that I'd been kept on for yet another episode.
"Nandini! Wow! You look super cute. If I were the stylist, I would have gone easier on the glitter, but it's a great outfit!" Alya said, as she walked towards me, dressed in a classy cream coloured cocktail dress.
I smiled when I looked at how happy and calm she seemed.
"How was your counselling session with the doctor today? It was your first day, right?" I asked.
Her smile faded slightly, but she answered all the same. "Yes, it was. And if I'm being truthful, it was hard, Nandini. It's hard to come to terms with the fact that I have a problem. It's all so new. But we've come up with a diet chart that I have to follow, and I'm trying my best to stick to it."
"That's great Alya. I really hope these sessions help you. And if you need any help, don't hesitate to ask!" I said, warmly.
She was just about to reply when Jeff came up to us and asked. "Hey, guys! What are you chatting about?"
"Oh nothing...I was just wondering about what surprise they've planned for us. The spot boy was so mysterious about it when he came to deliver my dress." I covered up, because I knew Alya wouldn't be comfortable talking about her counselling.
"Ah...the rest of us are wondering that too. I think there's going to be a special guest tonight." Jeff said.
"Really? But Manik never..." I realised that I was about to blab about the fact that I was with Manik in the morning and stopped myself immediately.
"Um...Alya, did Manik mention something to you about it when you spoke to him earlier?" I asked her in order to redirect the conversation, despite the slight unease I felt upon recalling their little exchange.
"No, he didn't. I'm just as clueless as you guys." Alya shook her head.
"Alright girls, by now, you know what to do. All six of you in one line, please! Manik is here!" The director screamed as Raghav finally moved forward and took his place against the backdrop of the beach which was just a stone's throw away from the villa.
The fabulous view from up here made me want to leave the villa and play around in the beach sand, but sadly, we weren't allowed to leave the house.
"Manik'll shed some light about the surprise for tonight as soon as we start rolling. Get ready girls! Three , two, one, and action!" The director screamed.
"Hi everyone. Welcome to another episode of 'The Bachelor'-powered by Veet! After the last elimination, things are definitely getting more competitive! And we have quite an interesting night planned for the ladies, as well as Manik." Raghav said in his usual tone of mock excitement.
The camera mounted on the crane took a panoramic shot of all the contestants and I scoffed as Inaaya winked and waved at it on cue.
"Don't they look absolutely lovely? So, let's not keep them waiting and call Manik, immediately. Please welcome this year's suitor, the dashing, Manik Malhotra!" Raghav exclaimed.
One of the side entrances to the terrace were pushed open and Manik entered the enclosure, with that staple grin on his face.
He was dressed in a jet black suit and as always, much to my annoyance, he looked more dapper than ever.
I looked at my own dress and realised that we were wearing similar colours. We'd look good together...
Wait! What?!
Nandini, get this stupid thought out of your head right now!
"So, Manik, why don't we finally put the girls out of their misery? I'm sure they're dying to find out about what we've got in store for them." Raghav said, cheerfully, as he handed Manik the mike.
"Thanks Raghav. Yes! I'm super stoked for tonight, because we have a special guest on the show. And she's none other than my childhood friend, Mukti Vardhan! Both of us have grown up together and she's like my family. She knows me like the back of her hand. So, how could I choose my future wife without her approval? So, girls, please welcome-Mukti!" Manik said, excitedly.
The door on the other side opened and a tall and queenly girl entered the terrace area with a large smile on her face. As she walked up to Manik and Raghav, the cameras focused on her.
When she came closer, I realised how strikingly attractive she was. She was dressed in a silver-grey backless dress that I'd never be able to pull off even on my best day. She'd paired it up with some killer high heels that added an extra few inches to her already substantial height. She had a very interesting tattoo on her arm and it seemed like that wasn't the only one.
"Oh my god! It's Mukti! I'm so excited! I haven't spoken to her in so long!" Alya squealed next to me.
It was only then that I connected the dots and realised that Mukti must've been one of the members of Manik's band-'Fab Five.'
I watched as Mukti went forward and gave Manik a warm hug. I could sense a slight hesitation on his part, but he got over it soon enough, and whispered something into her ears which was inaudible.
"So, Mukti, how does it feel to be here?" Raghav asked as soon as they broke apart.
Mukti took the mike from Raghav and said with a smile plastered on her face. "Honestly, it was a bit of a shock when I heard that Manik had decided to do the show. But, now that he's here, what can I do? So, when he called me today, I couldn't refuse the offer to come here and get to know his so called 'future wife'"
Mukti's sarcastic tone alarmed Raghav a little, and he laughed awkwardly as he reclaimed the mike.
I could see Manik trying to suppress a smirk, and I could sense my lips curving into a smile out of amusement.
Mukti's remarks made her come across as a no-nonsense person who seemed to disapprove of the fact that Manik was on the show. I'd started liking her already.
"So, Mukti, who's the first one you'd like to interview personally?" Raghav asked, trying to get back in flow.
"Oh. I guess, I'd like to start with..."Mukti halted, as she scanned the queue of contestants.
As she did so, I couldn't help but notice the fact that she completely ignored Alya's friendly wave. Was it possible that Mukti was upset with Alya because of what she did to Manik? It wasn't totally improbable...
"Inaaya!" Mukti finally declared, making me snap out of my thoughts.
Inaaya had a smug look on her face as she walked forward.
"Brilliant. Let's have you two escorted to the pavilion on the other end, to give you both some privacy. Manik and the rest of the contestants shall remain here." Raghav said, as a spot by came and gestured Mukti and Inaaya to follow him.
"Others, wait your turn. Until then, enjoy the party! I've heard the martinis are to die for!" Raghav winked as he finally concluded his bit and moved away from the camera lens, loosening his tie.
I watched Manik as he went towards the bar and asked the bartender for a drink. His actions were getting quite predictable. Was it me, or did he drink every day?! At this rate, he would die of liver cirrhosis before he hit forty.
As I watched him down the drink in one go, I realised that our conversation was still unfinished...
I walked up to him and leaned against the bar counter as I ordered a coke for myself.
He gave me a sideways glance for a second but shifted his attention back to the whisky soon enough.
"Why didn't you tell me your friend Mukti was coming, today morning?" I tried to break the ice by asking a milder question.
"What are we, now? Besties? Why would I share anything with you?" Manik asked, in a frustrated manner.
I didn't really understand why, but his words hurt me. He was right. We weren't best friends. He wasn't obligated to tell me anything. However, maybe I'd started expecting it from him ever since he told me about Dhruv...
But at this point, I was certain that he was hiding something from me.
I picked up Manik's injured palm in order to check if appropriate first-aid measures had been taken, and much to my relief I observed that the cut now had a tiny piece of gauze wrapped around it.
"Who bandaged your wound?" I asked.
He took another glass of whisky and said in a dry voice. "I did. In the last one year, I've suffered enough cuts and bruises when no one was around to help. So, needless to say, I learned to patch up my own wounds."
The tone which he used made me quite shocked on the inside. I'd clearly underestimated the extent of his pain...
"Manik. What are you sitting here for? Let's dance! The music is so romantic!" Soha's high pitched voice, diverted my attention.
Soha gave me a nasty look when she saw me holding Manik's palm and I rolled my eyes in annoyance.
Manik swallowed the peg in his hand and said, giving a scarily superficial smile. "Splendid idea! Nandini, will you join me for a dance?"
He turned towards me to gauge my answer and I nodded eventually, when I realised that it was his way of avoiding Soha.
As soon as I accepted, Manik rose from his seat and took my hand. However, after he took one step forward, Soha blocked his path and said, keeping her hands on his chest. "Manik, that's not fair! I asked you for a dance first!"
Manik's gaze shifted to Soha's hands on his chest and I could sense the fury in his eyes. He flicked her hands off with great force, nearly making her stumble backwards.
"Don't. Touch. Me." Manik said in an ice cold voice, as he looked at her with such contempt that it frightened me as well.
Whenever he'd behaved rudely with Alya, there was always an indication that he was quite affected by her...that his anger and hatred stemmed from hurt and heartbreak. However, it was completely different in Soha's case. He absolutely detested her.
So, why had he kept her on?!
Manik walked a few steps forward to the dance floor and wound his arms around my waist, pulling me close. He dug his fingers into my back making me wince slightly. When I looked up at him, I could see that he was still fuming in anger, and staring into space.
"Manik. It's hurting." I whispered quietly, breaking him out of his fit of rage.
"Huh?" He asked distractedly as we swayed to the music.
When I used my eyes to gesture to his fingers, he immediately loosened his grip and said. "Oh...um...sorry."
Another apology from the monster! I never expected one so soon...
"Manik, who's pressurizing you to keep Soha on the show?" I tried asking him the question once again.
His ridiculously sharp nose crinkled up and frown lines marred his forehead.
"Why can't you just stop poking your nose in others' business?" He asked.
I just shook my head as an idea struck me. I slipped my hand into the side of my dress and disabled my collar mike.
"Now, it's just me listening." I said, just like he'd remarked at the ball.
He sighed as he answered. "The channel wants me to keep her on the show because Mr. Khurana is funding some of their shows. I have to retain her until the finale."
"What?" I asked, flabbergasted.
I never expected Mr. Khurana to give into his daughter's whims like this. He seemed to be such a strong and savvy businessman from what I'd read about him.
"I can't do anything about it. I signed the contract too quickly without having my lawyers review it, because Mr. Malhotra was rushing me. And the best part is, he knew about the clause and never told me about it! In fact, he thinks Soha is a good match for me, just because she's rich. Never mind that she's a self-centred and delusional individual, who spares no chance to insult all the contestants!" Manik said in a tone of disgust.
I was about to open my mouth to ask further questions when I heard my name being yelled in the background.
"Nandini! You're up next! Let's escort you to the pavilion." A crew member screamed.
Manik let go of me and said. "All the best. Let's hope she doesn't like you. And then I'll have to eliminate you. Because that's what you want, right?"
He gave me a disheartened look and walked away, making me even more confused about what I wanted.
However, one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to dig up more details about Manik's parents, and his relationship with them.
And who better to ask about it than his best friend?
*******
7:40 pm, Galaxy Villa, Madh Island, Mumbai.
"Have you told Nandini that she's next?" I asked the camera man who was switching the shot angles.
"Yes, Mukti ma'am. She's on her way." The man replied.
I was seated on a plush couch in a secluded pavilion and I had just finished interviewing Inaaya. I'd already known that she was quite the gold digger. The fact that she didn't believe in relationships was something that she'd never hidden from the media, anyway.
I completely respected her opinion, but I also wanted to see if she was playing around with Manik's emotions. Manik definitely knew how to take care of himself, but in Alya's presence I was sure that Manik would be less in control of himself. Thankfully enough, Inaaya didn't seem to be doing anything of the sort. However, I had to admit, she was quite a good actress. When she said that she'd had an instant connection with Manik, I almost believed her for a split second. Later on, I figured that she was saying such cheesy things so as to stay on for more episodes and increase her earnings.
I just wanted to get this over with and go and speak with Manik.
"Mukti? Hi. I'm Nandini." A voice said in the background making me return to the present.
I looked up to see Nandini extending her hand towards me, with a friendly smile on her face.
"Yes. Please take a seat." I said, as I shook her hand, warmly.
I had been looking forward to meeting her ever since I watched the first episode. The way they'd projected her interaction with Manik seemed super romantic, but I had a feeling that I was missing something. Manik looked pretty pissed off with her...but then again save for a few people, Manik was always pissed off with everyone.
As soon as she took her seat, I looked at the camera man and said. "Are we good to go?"
He gave me a thumbs up sign, and I proceeded to start the conversation with her immediately.
"So, Nandini, tell me something about yourself." I asked the trademark ice-breaker question to make her feel comfortable.
"Oh, there's not much to tell really. I'm just a BSc. student with a clichéd dream of becoming a scientist. I live with my aunt and uncle along with my brother Rishab. I'm one of the lucky-draw contest winners. So, the whole reason I'm here is a fluke, really. " She said, smiling.
She really was quite pretty in a simplistic sort of way. She didn't give off the glam-doll vibe I got from most of the contestants and it was a refreshing change.
"So, Nandini, what was your first meeting with Manik like? I'm not sure if you know this, but after the first episode, it's you that the audience is rooting for! They think you and Manik make a great pair." I said, egging her on to spill the details about the first episode.
"Well, I doubt they would be rooting for me if they knew that I poured chilli sauce on his shoes." She scoffed.
The cameraman immediately gestured her to stop talking, but she ignored him entirely.
As soon as her words sank in, I couldn't stop myself from bursting out in laughter.
"You did...what?! Why?" I asked in between giggles.
She smiled a bit sheepishly and said. "He was more than an hour late, and I don't like people who don't value others' time. Plus, he was being super smug about it. So, I lost my cool and poured chilli sauce on his shoes. That seemed to piss him off a great deal..."
By this time, I was literally in splits and I could see the cameraman throwing looks of disapproval at Nandini for being so brutally honest.
"I'll bet..." I said, as I finally stopped laughing. "I wish I could've been there to witness it in person."
My respect for the girl was increasing by the second. It took some guts to stand up to Manik like that.
"So, is that what you still think of Manik? That he's a pompous and unpunctual ass?" I asked in amusement.
She paused for a few seconds as she collected her thoughts.
"He is arrogant and short-tempered. But, I also know for a fact that he's a good friend. He puts up a tough front, but he's actually quite harmless. He's also a very gifted musician, and the heft in his voice makes me believe that he's not as hollow as he portrays himself to be..." She said, gravely.
My eyes widened at her description of Manik. I probably couldn't have described him better myself, despite knowing him for years. One thing that stood out was the fact that she didn't mention a word about his looks or his money-the only two things girls ever noticed about him.
"Okay, Nandini. That will be all. It was really nice talking to you." I said, giving her a genuine smile.
I nodded to the cameraman, to stop rolling and he switched off his steadicam on cue. He went off on a short water break, as Nandini rose from her place.
She took one step forward, but stopped soon after.
She turned around and said. "Mukti, you're one of Manik's best friends and you've known him for years. What exactly is the problem between him and his father?"
This question surprised me even more!
I stood up from my seat and asked, in shock. "Manik told you about his father?"
"Well, no. Not really. Not much anyway. All I know is that he's forcing Manik to do the show." She said, cautiously.
There was something special about Nandini for sure. Manik never shared any details about his family with anyone. He even refrained from talking about his parents in front of me and Cabir.
"Nandini, it's a bit complicated to explain. But all I can say is, Mr. Malhotra may be the best businessman in the country, but he's a really shitty father. Everything is transactional for him, and nothing is more important than his reputation! That's why despite the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Malhotra haven't seen eye to eye in years, they still stay together and keep up the charade of a perfect family in the eyes of the media. And now, Manik is on this show because of him and I'm so worried..." I summarized my thoughts in a few sentences, but it came out more like a rant.
"Worried? Is it because of...Alya?" She finally squeaked out the words, in an unsure manner.
Since she knew so much about Manik already, it didn't surprise me that she knew of Manik's past relationship as well.
"Yes. She not only broke Manik, but ruined our band as well. Manik puts up a tough façade, but he's really fragile on the inside..." I confirmed her suspicions.
"But Mukti, isn't it better that Manik let's go of his anger and gives Alya another chance? I think she's realised her mistake." She asked, sincerely.
I gave her a bittersweet smile as I said."Some people don't deserve a second chance, Nandini. One day, when you know the whole truth...you'll understand why I'm saying this."
Nandini raised her eyebrows at my statement and was about to say something. However, at the last moment, she decided against it and said. "It was nice meeting you Mukti."
With a final wave she left the pavilion, leaving me to stew in my own thoughts.
The cameraman soon returned from his water break, and I continued the interviews. The next girl I interviewed was Riddhima. Although she was fairly docile, I really enjoyed talking to her about her art. After all, being a tattoo artist myself, I loved having interesting conversations with others in the same field.
After her, it was Soha Khurana's turn. I'd seen her at a few social gatherings before and she seemed to be a snooty and self-obsessed individual at first glance. Fortunately or unfortunately, I'd judged her well enough and she turned out to be even worse than I'd expected. Frankly, she seemed a bit unstable to me. It almost seemed like she'd been stalking Manik during Fab Five's performance days.
I took a sip of the red wine on the table and gestured the cameraman to send the next girl in.
A few seconds later, a girl dressed in a lovely pale pink dress entered the enclosure, and sat down on the seat opposite mine, all nervously.
"It's Jeff, right?" I asked for confirmation.
"Uh...Yes." She answered with an awkward smile.
"Hey. Are you tensed for some reason? There's no need to be!" I smiled.
"Well...a little bit...you're just so intimidating...and...pretty..." She stuttered.
I handed her a glass of wine and said. "Haha. Thanks for the compliment. But, I think you need to relax and this will help."
She accepted the glass and gave me a polite nod. Once the videographer started rolling, I said. "So, Jeff, could you give us a brief introduction about yourself?"
"I'm a mass comm. student, and I want to specialize in sport's journalism. I'm a huge sports buff, be it cricket, football or even hockey. Apart from that there's nothing much to say really...I just belong to a quaint little Parsi family in Mumbai." She said.
"That's great! Sports, huh? That's so kickass! We definitely need more female sports journalists in the country! People just have the opinion that girls are fit to report on the fashion and film industry and that needs to change!" I said, bringing the feminist in me out.
"Exactly! That's what I've been saying all the while! It's so great to meet a kindred spirit! All I get from others is discouragement!" She exclaimed, all flustered.
"Well, growing up with Manik and Cabir has made me quite passionate about sports as well! I'd love to see more girls get out there and play the sport as well as report on it." I said, cheerfully.
"Wow! That's awesome." She said, giving me a warm smile.
"So, what's your rapport with Manik like? What do you think of him?" I asked, taking another sip of the wine.
"Oh, he's such a sweetheart! He's so playful and funny...I really enjoy his company..." She said, immediately.
There was something odd about the way she spoke of him. No inhibitions, no bashfulness. She was very comfortable speaking about him...a little too comfortable speaking about someone who's supposed to be courting you.
"And do you see yourself as his partner, in the future?" I asked, cautiously.
"I...uh...of course...yes. He's just so handsome and charming...of course I do!" She exclaimed with an uneasy laugh.
All of a sudden her words seemed insincere and forced. Even the tone of her voice had changed. I realised that there was something terribly wrong. I knew of this kind of behaviour all too well...I'd seen it way too many times over the years in Cabir. For the longest time, Cabir had pretended that he was straight and hidden his true self from all of us. Around three years ago, he finally summoned up the courage to tell us the truth. Although, Manik, Dhruv, Alya and I were very upset with Cabir for hiding this from us, we eventually assured him that no matter what his sexuality was, he'd always be one of our best friends.
The reaction that Jeff had given me right now, reminded me of how desperately Cabir used to pretend to be interested in the conversations that Dhruv and Manik had about attractive girls.
Was it possible that Jeff was facing the same struggle alone?
I had to find out...
"Jeff, you're such a cool girl...how come you're still single? Guys must be swarming to you all the time...did you never like anyone at school?" I asked a supposedly general question.
She stared into space as if I'd reminded her of a painful memory...
She remained quiet for several seconds until finally, she whispered. "There was someone...my friend...Adit..."
"Yes?" I said, egging her on to continue.
"Adit-ya. My friend Aditya..." She said, quickly, coming out of her trance.
However, she seemed pretty shaken by my question. I didn't want to distress her further.
"All right Jeff, that will be all...It was really nice meeting you...and all the best!" I said, brightly.
She stood up from her seat, downed the glass of wine in a go and left rather quickly.
I got up from the seat and took my wine glass along. I was pretty hungry and I needed a quick snack break before I conducted the last interview-the one I was dreading the most- Alya's.
I slipped out of the pavilion and started walking towards the food counter.
However, when I was half-way there, I bumped into someone, which made the wine glass topple from my hand, and stain my dress thoroughly with its contents.
"Oops. Mukti! I'm so sorry...I totally didn't see you there..." Soha said, in a sickly sweet voice.
Her apology sounded extremely fake, but I didn't want to cause a scene on set.
"It's okay, Soha..." I said, through gritted teeth and walked off towards the washroom.
I knew that she'd ruined my dress on purpose, but I couldn't really figure out why.
Was it because she sensed that I didn't like her...or did she have something else on her mind?
*******
8:30 pm, 24th February, Galaxy Villa.
"Woah. That was a really bitchy move! You ruined her dress!" Inaaya chuckled excitedly as she came and stood beside me. "Well, done...I don't particularly like her."
"I don't like her either...she has no right to be so close to Manik! Only I can get that close! But...that's not the reason I spilled the wine on her. It's all part of the plan..." I smirked.
"What plan, Soha?" Inaaya asked me in confusion.
"Ugh! How slow are you? The plan to expose Jeff, remember? Haven't you been observing her? It's so obvious that she's got the hots for Mukti...now all we have to do is catch them in a compromising position, so that Manik knows how disgusting she is..."
As soon as I finished, Jeff walked past me sluggishly, seemingly in deep contemplation.
"Hey, Jeff. Mukti said that she needs your help in the washroom." I shouted from afar, as Inaaya raised her eyebrows.
"Oh...um...okay. I'll go and help out..." She whispered quietly.
As soon as Jeff set off in the direction of the washroom, I walked up to the closest spot boy I could find and said. "Take a camera to the bathroom, right now!"
"But why, ma'am?" He asked, puzzled.
"Trust me. You don't want to miss this..." I exclaimed.
He nodded and set off in the direction of the camera crew.
"Soha, don't you think you're going too far with this? What if they telecast something scandalous on T.V? Her life will be ruined!" Inaaya exclaimed.
I scoffed at her weak will.
"No, Inaaya. Manik needs to know her truth...and when it comes to winning Manik, I can do anything."
*******
8:40 pm, 24th February, Galaxy Villa, Mumbai.
As I walked to the washroom, I couldn't help but imagine what a disaster it would have been if I'd answered Mukti's question truthfully.
I'd shoved my feelings for Aditi to the back of my heart for a long time now. But today, when she asked about it...it's almost as if the pain of being rejected by her came back all of a sudden.
Either way, I knew that I had to ignore it and move on.
Come on, Jeff! You're on 'The Bachelor' for Christ's sake! You should just focus on Manik and no one else.
When I pushed the door to the washroom open, I found Mukti partially undressed, as she tried to clean the stains on it. She had unzipped her dress and was washing a large mark off of her bustier, exposing half her breasts in the process.
I immediately turned around in alarm as my cheeks heated up, and croaked. "So, sorry. Mukti. I'll just leave the washroom and give you some privacy."
"Jeff, it's completely fine. I'm almost done. Could you please hand me the towel?" She requested.
I hesitated a great deal, but ultimately picked up the towel, and moved towards her, trying to look anywhere except in her direction, as she zipped up her dress.
I handed it over to her, without meeting her eyes and attempted to walk out of there as quickly as possible.
"Jeff, wait. I wanted to ask you something." She said, once I'd taken a step.
"What?" I gulped as I turned around to face her.
"I'm getting the feeling that you weren't completely honest with me during your interview. I understand why...it's because there were other people listening...but now, there's no one else. You can be honest...Is there anything bothering you, Jeff? Are you okay?" Mukti asked, her voice laced with worry.
Was I okay? I asked myself.
My eyes stung slightly as I processed her question. No one had bothered to ask me that in a long time...no one had ever really wanted to know about my feelings and...my pain...
"Why are you asking me this?" I asked in a choked voice.
She took a step towards me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Because Jeff, if I've understood you correctly...I know that you're going through a very tough time. And you shouldn't have to deal with it alone...Bottling everything up will just make things worse. Let it out Jeff, let it out..." She urged.
My voice finally cracked and the words almost started pouring out of me like vomit. The fact that I was three wine glasses down didn't help my case either. I couldn't fake it anymore...I just couldn't...
"You're right! I lied to you, Mukti! The only person I've ever had feelings for is my best friend Aditi. But she...she never liked me in that way..." I said in between choked sobs as Mukti tried to comfort me by rubbing my shoulders.
"I felt so rejected...and dirty when I saw her with another guy. Dirty for wanting what I wanted. I tried so hard, Mukti...I tried so hard to be normal, but I failed every time! That's why I came on the show...it was my last shot! I love Manik so much, I really do...but I don't think I'll ever be able to fall in love with him no matter how hard I try!" I squeaked, as fresh tears made their way down my cheeks.
"Jeff...it's okay...everything will be fine." She tried to console me.
"Please help me! I don't want to be like this, Mukti! I want to be normal just like everyone else!" I wailed like an infant that had been deprived of food.
Desperation had nearly driven me to the point of insanity...I couldn't keep calm anymore...
I could see tears prick Mukti's eyes as she looked at my sorry state. She engulfed me in a warm hug and said, softly as I sobbed against her chest. "You don't need help to fix yourself, Jeff. You're not abnormal! Your sexuality is a part of who you are, and you can't change it. But it doesn't have to define you as a person! Trust me, Jeff, the people who truly care about you will accept you just the way you are. It might take time, but everything will be okay..."
My whimpers subsided slightly as I listened to her words. They were so comforting and heartfelt...
As soon as she drew back slightly, she smiled at me and wiped my tears.
No one had ever shown so much care and concern for me...neither my family members...nor my friends.
At that moment, I had no idea what came over me, but I leaned forward and pecked her on the lips.
As soon as I withdrew, I noticed that the door to the washroom had been pushed open and a crew member was standing there with a camera in his hand, utterly shell-shocked.
When he saw my alarmed expression, he dashed out of the washroom with the camera in his hand and screamed. "Director Sir! Director Sir! You have to see this footage!"
I covered my mouth in fear and took a few steps backward. I was utterly mortified and disgusted at my own actions.
Now, due to my impulsiveness, they would telecast the footage on T.V, which meant that my life was over...My family...what would they think of me?
"Jeff. Relax. It's alright. It' s alright..." Mukti tried to calm me down.
However, I shook my head and screamed. "No, It's all over...It's all over!"
Without wasting a second, I ran out of the washroom as she called after me. However, I ignored her cries and ran as fast as I could. I wanted to run away from the show...run away from the contestants...run away from Manik...but most importantly, I wanted to run away from myself.
*******
Hey guys! Hope u liked the chapter! I just wanted to request you guys to read my new short story called 'A Decent Encounter' ! Pls vote/comment if you like it! Especially if you're a Jab We Met or Cocktail fan! You'll find it on my profile!