Lights, Camera, Drama!

NINETEEN: To Love and To Lose

Akshara

The half an hour that I've just spent having breakfast with Abhimanyu is the most awkward we've been in each other's presence.

Even more awkward than the first time we met and he helped me at the award function or when we were stuck in the lift together. I mean even doing an intimate scene with him is easier than what I just experienced.

We didn't speak except for a few words here and there. But he spoke a lot, I mean his eyes did! I should really tell him some day that his eyes speak more than he ever does.

The way he kept stealing glances with a slight smirk on his face told me that I did or said something to embarrass myself and I couldn't bring myself to ask him what happened last night.

While I sat looking at him and trying to get over my hangover, Berry sat in his lap like he's the parent and I'm the stranger. Aren't dogs supposed to be loyal?

He left five minutes ago and she's still sitting next to the door waiting for him to come back. He didn't even initiate any conversation about last night before leaving. He probably doesn't want me to feel ashamed but who's gonna tell him that the suspense is killing me?

Suddenly my phone beeps and I open it to see a message from Abhimanyu

Hi Akshara,

I just wanted to thank you for the amazing breakfast. I hope you'll feel better soon.

Also, if you're wondering about how I ended up bringing you home, I got a call from you while you were at the party. I guess you dialled it by mistake but I was worried so I came to check on you. I found you standing alone in the parking area and I couldn't bring myself to leave you there.

I hope you didn't mind and I apologise if any of my actions made you uncomfortable.

We can also speak about this in person when we meet in the evening for the shoot.

Take care.

I read the message over and over again and when finally I am done sulking over my stupidity, I take a nice, warm shower.

As I'm getting ready, I get a call from Taabish that a casting director wants to speak to me in person and he has invited me for lunch.

I quickly dress up and reach the venue when I spot Veer in the same restaurant.

"Hi Babe" he gives me a hug and I awkwardly hug him back.

"Hey"

"Aditya is running a little late, he'll reach in 10 minutes"

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Aditya Sharad"

"You're here to meet him too?"

"Yes, he's casting for his upcoming movie and he wants to cast us together after he saw our previous work, I mean he knows our chemistry is off the charts" he winks and I nod half-heartedly.

"Hope you reached home safely"

I immediately blush as I recall whatever bare minimum information I remember from last night.

"I mean I could've dropped you home-"

His sentence is interrupted when Aditya walks in and greets us, ending the forced conversation, thank God!

As we order lunch, Aditya makes small talk about our ongoing projects and then proceeds to tell us about the movie he's looking to cast for.

By the end of the hour, I know in my head that I'm not looking to do such a project at the moment because it's really similar to my debut movie and I want to experiment after I wrap up the shoot for the movie I'm doing currently.