Nothing's Real Here ~ It's All An Illusion | A #ShaKhi fanfiction

Part 2 - A mistake!

Hey peeps!

Here's a looooong update for you 🥰

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Anokhi was finally selected. Her look tests turned out to be promising. She was more than overjoyed at having to meet the superstar, Aditya Kanwar. He seemed a little distant but friendly. The contract was signed and it was decided that Anokhi would be trained for the role before the shooting starts. She also needed some grooming, and stylist Mehr Sinha decided to work on that. She was an eminent stylist in the entire B-town. Everything seemed so surreal for her that she was almost out of words. Ahir had been of great help to her so far. He had managed to erase her initial hesitance and even offered her for a coffee date after a hectic day at a nearby café. 

Anokhi was relieved to be done with all the formalities. 

“Whew!” she exclaimed after taking a seat at the café, “I never knew there were so many formalities. The advertisements that I did so far are mostly for influencer marketing. And I also did a few regional movies. But those didn’t have so many formalities. So, I had no idea. This is all so hectic.” She made a pout. 

Ahir smiled at her cute expression. The girl was cute, no doubt. He thought. 

“Khair chalo. Sab thik se to ho gaya na?” he tried to raise her spirit. 
“Haan, shukahr hai bhagwan ji ki ke sab theek se ho gaya. Aab bas shooting start ho jaye.”

“Itni betaabi thik nahi hai Anokhi. Tumhe sabar rakhni padegi. The training phase is going to be tough. You should not leave a single scope for complaint. As it is your first big banner movie, things are not going to be that easy. But thank God, you were selected by SS himself. You will get an edge in everything.”

“About that…” Anokhi pulled her chair closer, “Why do you think he selected me?”

Ahir felt a lump in his throat. Now, how was he going to answer that?

“What do you mean why you were selected?” He tried to laugh the matter off, “He saw your audition. That’s why.”

Anokhi didn’t seem to take it, “No…Yeah.. that’s fine. But I think there were more experienced people in the audition. What you think he noticed in me specially? I want to know your take on it.”

Ahir fidgeted with his hands. What he knew, or could guess, he couldn’t tell that to her, though he wished he could. The girl was so naïve, innocent. He didn’t want to break her spirit. 

“Arrey! He has experienced eyes. He can know from a single glimpse, who will fare and how. And he also knows the role well. It is of a small-town girl who makes it big as a businesswoman in the metropolitan city. So, yeah, maybe he got that vibe from you.”

Anokhi leaned back, “Maybe. But…well.. I think I will ask him myself when I meet him. If I meet him that is.”

“You will. Definitely!” Ahir said to himself. And the thought of it made him sad somehow. He was growing fond of her chirpiness, bubbliness. In fact, he was suppressing a liking for her. These few days, they had interacted a lot during the formalities, look tests and everything. He liked her. But he also knew that it wouldn’t be good for him to pursue that liking. She was marked by SS. And that meant she was out of his league. 

“Soo, what you do plan to wear for the party?” he tried to change the subject. There was a party going to be held at the Saberwals to introduce all cast and crew to each other. The shooting would start in a few weeks but they needed to get warm and cozy with each other before they fly for France. Yes, more than half of the movie was to be shot abroad. 

“I…I don’t know. I don’t know if I have anything suitable to wear for such a big event. I need to talk to Mehr, my stylist.”

“Yes, you should. You are the heroine. You should not appear in just anything. Talk to Mehr and see what she has in store for you.”