Shape of the Sun

Leading man

Manmeet Chatterjee kept running, tears blurring her vision. Her eyes stung, her hands and knees covered by scrapes gotten from falling numerous times and there were times that she could feel the surprised eyes raised at her appearance, and she wondered if she should stop, if she should pause just enough to explain what had happened. But there were also times that she couldn't feel their stares. Instead, she felt her throat closing, her vision turning to black, and to white, just at the thought of what had happened in that office. And her legs took off on their own, the need to move, to get away stronger than any other considerations combined.

In this state, she couldn't see the stone in her path and thus, move to avoid it. Manmeet tripped on it and fell on all fours. And as she fell, Manmeet's tears just overflowed like it they had been in a dam, waiting to burst. They spilled, falling on the concrete path, and across her hands bruised from her fall. She was so tired. Why did they try to place stumbling blocks in her path, just because she was a woman? Why did she always meet these wicked people? Why was she still so weak, disappointed even after all the years she had spent in this industry?

And this was how Rajkumar met Manmeet, her figure looking so frail like she was fed up with her treatment by the world even after paying all her dues. His first reaction was to glare at all the onlookers and motion to the head of security that he had brought along. No one should be able to leave the premises now and have their devices thoroughly screened before being allowed to. After getting that assurance, Rajkumar then dashed to Manmeet and grabbed her upwards by the arm, pulling her into his.

From the initial surprise, her expression shifted into one of relief on seeing him. Manmeet clutched at his shirt like she had caught a lifeline, and she tried smiling through her tears, but her expression came out uglier than crying. Rajkumar firmly held her face, thumbing her cheeks, his expression serious. Yet, his voice was gentle.

"You don't have to laugh if you don't want to. Cry if that is how you feel. You can cry to me, love."

At his words, Manmeet choked her repressed sobs, her shoulders racking heavily. He pulled her closer in and patted her back.

"Raj...Raj...T-Take me away f-from here." Take me away from all these people.

She didn't voice those latter words but Rajkumar could tell what she wanted. He too, wanted to take her somewhere she could get changed and relax. And he knew where to take her to. At this moment, his earlier grudges against Choti were wiped away.

"Alright, love. I'll take you away." he nodded to one of the security guards, "Lead the way to the hotel."

"Okay, sir."

Rajkumar swept Manmeet off the grounds and into his arms, causing her to grab at his shirt. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck.

"Hold on a bit, love. Just hold on a bit."

He had to pass the side of the hall and through a narrower garden to get to the hotel, so many people watching even as Manmeet furrowed deeper to breathe in his scent. Rajkumar never dropped her even when they got in and before the front desk.

"Room 316. Under the name of Raju Reddy." His grudge meter went up a bit. Choti knew how much he hated his childhood nickname out.

It was like Manmeet in his arms could feel the frivolous change in his mood after hearing him speak to the front desk officials. Rajkumar could feel her smile a bit across his skin and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

The officials hurried to attend to him upon noticing that room 316 was one of their most luxurious suites. One of them rushed to direct them but Rajkumar motioned him to wait, before turning around to the security guard that had led them here, his hands readjusting Manmeet's position in his arms. They were starting to feel sore a bit.