The Superstar

32

The morsel choked in her throat. She coughed loudly, trying to look for water to ease her breathing. She couldn't believe this man was infront of her. She thought college would be the last time she saw him.

And to think, he saw her in this state - stuffing the pizza in her mouth like a thirsty man in the desert.

He walked closer to her and offered the small packaged drinking bottle. She quickly opened it and gulped it down and got up from her seat.

He wasn't the college student who studied in the same class as hers. He was a guest of the hotel. She has to behave professionally.

She smiled a fake smile and said, "Hi Mr.Ahmed, how can I help you?"
Why wasn't he in the party? Was he lost?

He looked intently at her, almost searching for something in her face. Ofcourse, he left the party when he saw her and came behind her, but he wasn't about to tell her the truth.

"Umm, nothing. I was just not feeling good there. So...how are you, Pari? Still love pizza?" He tried to play it cool infront of her. Salem was the type of man who could talk to anyone. He never feared anyone, except his father. He was a chill guy who was never awkward around people for him when he talked to people but with Pari, he always felt a certain way when talking to her, especially when initiating the talk. He feared her reaction and judgement.

"Yes...you know not everything changes." Pari quipped.

Hearing the statement, Salem had a slight smirk on his face. Till now, she wasn't the Pari he knew. She was a professional person working here with 'Mr. Ahmed.' But with her last sarcastic statement, he saw the old her who was always fiery, the Pari he liked.

"You didn't answer me. How are you?" Salem asked again.

"I am good. Thank you for asking." Pari replied formally. She didn't want this to go anywhere more than a conversation.

Salem just nodded at her reply. She was again being formal. Atleast, the job taught her to say thank you, he thought to himself. He asked for a bottle of water and left from there.

That night, Pari couldn't sleep much. The flashes of him came back to her. She had to wake up in the middle of night because she saw a dream where she was angry with Salem and threw something at him and he coaxed her. At least, he was coaxing her in her dreams.

Two days passed and she didn't see him again. She was at peace, atleast that's what she tried to tell herself. The more he was away from her, the better.

Because of her long hours at job, her family was also relieved. Pari was a tantrum queen. Her mother always thought that Pari's tantrums would lessen if she grows older, but she was shocked when Pari would still fight for her clothes from Priya, would still engage in a physical fight with Kabeer. Infact, it was Kabeer who had grown calmer and quieter.

Everyday, Pari's mother would talk to her sister-in-law, Priya's mother about Pari's marriage and who'd marry her.

"God has shown us that only beauty is not the answer to all problems. We pray for a healthy child and a good looking girl, so she has no problems during marriage. But if beauty is as poisonous as Pari's, it's better to have an ugly daughter. I don't know who'd even keep Pari as a wife?"

Priya's mother was also accustomed to Pari's tantrums. But she'd never heard Pari's mother talk so much ill about her own daughter.

She consoled her saying, "You are thinking too much. Men are pigs who only see beauty. If they get beautiful wife, they become a slave of hers. You should be thankful to have a beautiful daughter. If I just tell people we want to marry Pari, there would be a line of men."