Locke and Key

1

"So backstage before a show can be incredibly hectic," Arohi explained quickly as she moved around people preparing for the performance. "Arjun is getting ready on his own, but a hundred other people are working together to make this happen. Don't get in their way."

Yogita nodded, taking mental notes as she tried to keep up with the fast-paced tour manager. "Does he usually get ready alone?"

"Yes," Arohi confirmed. "I've been his tour manager for six years and he's never once asked for anyone in his dressing room at least two hours before a single show. No one knows what he does, but he's spectacular on stage, so we don't ask."

"What about his assistant?" Yogita asked. "Shruti, right?"

Arohi stopped abruptly and spun to face the new girl, causing Yogita to slam into her nearly. "Don't call her that. Don't let her hear you call her that and certainly don't let him. Shruti has been a part of this family for a very long time and we all decided a long time ago that calling her his assistant was degrading to what she does here. Without Shruti, this entire ship would sink in minutes. No one can do his or her job without Shruti doing hers."

"Got it," Yogita muttered, feeling adequately shamed. "She uhh, dates Shivam, doesn't she? I'm just trying to get up-to-date here."

Arohi sighed and went on walking. "That's speculation that hasn't been confirmed. They're lifelong friends, and they swear it's nothing more than that."

Before Yogita could respond, Shanaya, Arjun's sister and stylist stopped them. "We have a problem. My sweet brother is saying that he won't wear the jacket tonight. He's worn it everywhere on the tour, but suddenly, he's refusing."

"Shanaya, I don't have time for this," Arohi rolled her eyes.

"You're the tour manager!" Shanaya cried. "This is exactly your problem."

"No, I deal with tour issues," Arohi corrected. "All Arjun issues are deferred to his actual manager. Find Neil."

Shanaya frowned. "He'll take your side and tell me to deal with it."

Arohi admired her wedding rings. "Yeah, he's good like that. Goodbye, Shanaya. Come on, Yogita."

"Who's the new girl?" Shivam asked as he joined his sister, watching the two women continue their backstage tour.

"New assistant tour manager," Shanaya explained. "Arohi finally replaced Anushka."

Shivam nodded. "Think she'll survive working under Arohi?"

"It wasn't Arohi that got Anushka fired," Shanaya reminded him. "It was her constantly coming on to Arjun ."

"Yes, I do seem to recall her batting her eyes quite a bit at him," Shivam nodded. "Can't for the life of me figure out why. I mean, I'm always around, so she needn't slum with him."

"Ewwww," Shanaya gagged, shoving him away.

After the tour, Arohi excused herself from Yogita and hurried away to speak with the sound technicians, so Yogita tried to make herself useful by checking on Arjun. Just as she went to knock on his dressing room door, a soft voice called to her.

"Don't do that."

Yogita looked up to see a pretty girl in jeans and a simple blue t-shirt walking towards her. "He goes on in fifteen minutes, so I thought I'd make sure he's ready."

"He knows," the girl assured her. "He's never missed a show by even a minute, so he'll be ready. You must be Yogita?"

"I am," Yogita confirmed, offering a hand. "You are?"