TejRan : In Every Heartbeat

Part-37

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.

Karan called Teja on the morning of his award show. It was a sunday and luckily Teja had a day off.

"Hmm bolo....good morning...." She said sipping her morning coffee.

"Good morning...." he chuckled softly. "My stylist will go to your place and help you with the clothes okay?"

"What?" She was taken aback. "Karan there is no need of that....i have clothes to wear...."

"I know that babah....but mai bhi toh pehen raha hoon....toh maine socha tum bhi pehen lo...." He said trying to make her understand.

"Tumhara aur mera alag hai Karan....you have to wear your stylist's clothes....please Karan....i will wear whatever i have...."

"Teja please no....i insist...." He said like a kid.

I will pamper you with everything Teju. Whatever I have is yours. Stylist toh kuch bhi nahi hai.

"Okay...." She whispered.

I know it is a big event. I know you will be embarassed if i don't look presentable. That is why you are insisting on me taking help from your stylist.

*****

Parvez had picked Teja up and took her to the venue and she had gone inside with Nikhil and Omi. Karan had come a little before because he had to attend the red carpet. She had worn a green saree and kept her hair open in soft curls.

Karan had finished his interviews and came inside and sat beside her.

"Thanks for coming...." He whispered in her ear making her smile softly.

His name was announced for the best award in his latest web series and he got up , gave her a side hug and went on stage.

He took his award and thanked his team and friends , and then thanked his family and looked at her making an eye contact. She smiled softly.

Karan came back to her and sat beside her.

"We can leave okay?" He said in her ear.

"Okay....whenever you want...." She said looking at her.

"Bhook lagi hai mujhe...." He said like a kid.

She chuckled silently.

"Thik hai chalo...."

He got up and held her hand and they walked out.

They were papped as they walked out and he took her safely to the parking guarding her from the crowd. She didn't look at the camera and held his hand tightly.

In the parking they met his costar from the show and he introduced Teja to her.

Teja smiled politely and stood there as they spoke. Karan laughed with his costar who was also wearing a saree and also complemented her that she looked beautiful.

Teja smiled sadly at herself. In the last one hour he had not once complemented her.

She shrugged her thoughts off as his costar hugged them bye and Karan opened the door of the car for her. They settled in the back seat and Karan asked Parvez to drive them to a restaurant.

"Kya hua Teja?" Karan leaned back on the headrest and looked at her. She was quieter than usual.

"Kya hoga?kuch bhi toh nahi...." She said with a smile and took the trophy and started to check it out to avoid him.

He stared at her for a moment. He knew something was not right. But he didn't want to force her into saying anything.

May be it is her work.

They reached the restaurant and he took her inside.

"Will you have wine?" He asked her and passed the menu card to her.

"Yeah....aaj tum order karo....most days i order....and it is my treat...." She said smiling.

"Okay....thanks...." He said sheepishly and ordered food and wine for themselves.

Karan knew something was wrong with her and he kept making small talks. She also answered normally but her eyes seemed distant.

Karan's phone was ringing and it was Omi. He took the call and Teja started to fidget with her phone. As Karan was talking to him , she had zoned out but she had heard him talk about twitter.

She looked at him and concentrated on what he was talking. She couldn't decipher much from his side of the conversation but something made her curious about twitter.

Something is not right.

She quickly googled twitter and logged in throught the browser using her mail.

She quickly typed his name and his blue tick account showed along with his hashtag. She went to the hashtag and people had congratulated him for the awards. She smiled immediately and kept scrolling as Karan was talking about his next day schedule.

She saw her picture with him and some people were really sweet and happy for him while some posts made her cringe. They had compared her with his ex.

How is he gonna stay with her?look at her and look at the women he had been with.

Seriously. Saree?really?

This is called guts. How did she even think he is gonna stay with her? He is Karan Kundrra for heaven sake. Look at him and look at her.

She thinks he will be attracted to her for long. Dream on girl. It is a matter of months.

Teja immediately kept her phone away and licked her lips. Her eyes had started to water and her hands were shaking. She looked at him and he was still on call about some important meeting.

"I will use the washroom and come...." She told him trying to be as composed as she can and walked to the washroom.

The washroom was thankfully empty. She leaned on the basin counter and breathed out letting her tears fall.

This is why he never comes close to me. This is my first time and me being nervous is expected. But he is an actor. He had dated before. Mai samajh hi nahi paa rahi thi why he never... She shut her eyes and sobbed.

Isiliye he insisted on making me dressed by his stylist. He must be embarassed. Yeh sab family ke liye kar raha hai. I should have known. Apne costar ko complement kar sakta hai. Obviously. These people are right. My guts.

She splashed water on her face to calm herself down.