HIS SOLACE HER ARMOR

CHAPTER-05: ZAKHMEE-DASTAAN

Tejasswi stood there. Star-struck. She opened her mouth as wide as her eyes and immediately shut it down unable to frame words to form a sentence or a phrase even. She tried so hard and again and yet she stood there like a gaping fish, unable to utter a word or to even normalise herself back from the shock she was going through.

"What is he doing here?" The words were so dry and hoarse and that came out like a mere whisper and even a handful people who heard it, thought that she spat those words at him with distaste.

"Uh, so yeah. Tejasswi, Karan is the lead against you. He is Rithvik Bharadwaj."

She grittered her teeth and mentally gave herself a pep talk as to why this was so important to her. This was her biggest break working with such an amazing production. She had spent waiting days and sleepless nights to finally bag the role and that was the reason she had never told this to anybody because she could not get it jinxed. That was the reason, she got down way before he could spot her and she ran three roads away and came from the back gate and now the man, who thinks that she's a hot headed lunatic, is casted against her. She cursed all her stars.

There was some part in her that she never wanted to agree that she was happy. Karan was actually someone, Tejasswi started to admire and working with him was something respectable for her as well for the gentleman he is.

Karan never ever thought that fate is so weird. He knew it was strange, but this was way beyond weird. He did have no retaliation nor any apprehension towards working with her but he just could not help the tinge of crescent that curved on his lips at the thought of Tejasswi on the set and the mood being so much lighter.

"Okay, now is the time to check your chemistry. Let's do this guys. Tejasswi has aced the Role Ramya and Karan has bagged Rithvik. Now if the chemistry doesn't work out, it'd be something sad so brace yourself guys." The director tried to assure them but he was not very sure himself. Tragic romance was a very rare blend and there would be seldom people who could spark the magic to the scene. So the best had to happen else they would have to change the entire script whcih he did not want to happen in a million years.

"Lights"

Tejasswi took a breather stepping in for her performance.

"Camera"

Karan smiled while looking down. He knew he had to ace this. Nothing else mattered to him.

"Action"

They both took a step forward. A wave of pain flashed in eithers' eyes. There were tears flowing that was mostly glycerine. Yet another step forward and their heartbeats rose. Inching closer towards each other they stood at an palm distance. Tejasswi gently held his hands while Karan turned his face away from her towards another camera that was at a ninety degree angled position with respect to their frame of reference.

"Rithvik, please don't leave me". She sobbed.

"No Ramya, I can't stay with you. For me, my career has always been my utmost priority and now I cannot just sacrifice that whilst staying with you. Going to London would be my biggest break and I cannot let anything come in between me and my career."

"Think about everything. The time we spent together. The memories we had together. Do you remember our very first conversation? I was so stuck with a question and there was only five minutes for the exam and you called me and showed me the answer. I was so petrified to look at you due to my trepidition towards new people and yet you made me feel so comfortable around yourself."

Karan smiled as if he was remembering the memory. But his smile never felt fake. It felt genuine to the utmost extent because his emotions was true. He was remembering their first meet where she absolutely ignored him and then acknowledged him with an apology.