Meant to be

Chapter 1 continued....

The first night was spent in the rush of settling into the house and also the hustle bustle and the energy of the start of this adventure. Everyone was on their best behaviour. Sidharth who always was a cautious person as a player is even more guarded and help his cards closely to his chest. He was sufficiently friendly and was just observing everyone and then taking his time to mingle and read how much ever he could about his fellow contestants. Though he himself had never followed the show closely, he had spoken to a few friends and acquaintances  of his who had participated in the show and from them he had understood that the pressure points of the show were the household tasks, the food and the weekly tasks. So all he wanted to do was settle into things such that he ensures that other people and their enthusiasm does not spoil his space and his pace of easing into things. While he was doing this he noticed that while the other girls were sizing each other up, the girl from Punjab was genuinely all over the place meeting people and getting to know them. He also noticed that whichever circle she was in that circle seemed to be laughing the loudest and there was a cheer and a buzz around them. He found himself gravitating towards wherever she was.

The lights of the house had dimmed to allow the contestants and Shehnaaz and Mahira who had naturally clicked because of their age were sitting on Asim and Mahira's bed and Paras was there too. Paras has started his strategies even before the word go and was everywhere and also tried to make his mark on everything. He tried to give Shehnaaz extra attention but also knew that she is not a stable wicket yet given her raw personality and lack of exposure to a national audience.

At this point Sidharth who is now ready for catching up on sleep goes to wish this lot goodnight, for some reason once he left the group Shehnaaz too felt bereft and walks back to her bed which she shares with Sidharth Dey.  

While everyone was in an overdrive to form connections there were two people in that house unbeknownst to each other had started becoming aware of each other and yet completely unaware of the tugging and pulling and gravitating game that had begun between them. This game where either both would together win or together lose. Life altering and rewarding if they allowed it for themselves.

Sidharth extremely self assured Shukla who has always possessed this ability to shut out the world for his benefit finds that today, even when his body needs the sleep is disturbed not by the snores of Sidharth Dey but the giggles of that chit of a girl Shehnaaz Gill. When she giggles he is just not able to ignore it and he somehow is unable to sleep still she sleeps! Strange but he does. It think much of it, Shehnaaz on the other hand is genuinely amused and perplexed at her bed fellow's strange bed manners but the fact that this became something that she and Sidharth Shukla can share a giggle about thrills her more than it should.

In the midst of all this, there were two ladies who are privy to the aura and traction that an association with Shukla would mean. Rashmi is secretly glad that she has already been paired with Sidharth Shukla and if she plays her cards right she can once more get her way around him. He after all of a great looking guy but more than that he is a rock solid guy to have on your side. Another lady who walked into the show with great confidence about an instant connection with Sidharth is Arti Singh.

While a connect with Sidharth would definitely serve her well in the game she was hoping to use this time to also see if they could come close to each other because hey let's admit it he was a great catch.

The first day Paras to set the ball rolling made Asim his punching bag almost at the word go, while people started then latching onto the issue at hand Sidharth maintains a sensible silence and Shehnaaz even though is now hanging out with Paras takes time out to listen to what Asim has to say and also concur with him wherever necessary.

Sidharth starts now talking to Shehnaaz along with Shefali Bagga and Sidharth Dey and is pleasantly surprised that when this girl imitates him he feels a strange warmth spread through him and when she has the innocent audacity to imitate dey's snoring he despite himself burst out laughing and instinctively they slap hands together in camaraderie.
As it is with most things in life once the ball sets rolling you hardly notice how the time flies and before you know it once is well and truly in the thick of things.

On day 2 after Paras has gotten ready for the day, being very smug about his 'designer' wear, he goes out expecting to get some reaction from Sana and when he goes out he sees her with Shukla sitting around the dining room discussing fitness. ' haiye meko na gym ki Aadat bilkul nahi hai na meko dieting ka willpower' she quips to Dey, Shukla and Fify.  Sidharth starts wondering to himself when was the last time he actually heard a girl from this industry say this. He then tells her 'Punjab mein khaana tho is very important  na and am sure very difficult to avoid', on and on their banter goes the people around them immaterial and the conversation they keep is also actually immaterial but for some inexplicable reason no one can take their eyes off the two of them and Paras is actually shocked because he can't point it particularly or articulate it but this thick and chubby unknown girl is actually ignoring him to spend time with an older much quieter guy like Sidharth Shukla. He decides then and there that he can't put all his baskets in one egg with her and that she is a natural player at this game and such players one should always be extra cautious about. And immediately starts giving his attention to Mahira Sharma.

Sidharth Shukla on the other hand is spending time talking less observing more but irrespective of what he does this girl called Sana is always either with him or in the vicinity and he has now gotten pleasantly accustomed to that.

When on day 2, the clever nomination task was announced, sana by choosing Fifi cleverly dodged being in the first nomination list.

After the task Sidharth, Shehnaaz, Asim and Arti we're sitting in the bedroom discussing the nomination and Sidharth then sharply looks at Sana and says,'to at sana tu kitni smart hai bey! You are safe the first week!
Sana sighing loudly and dramatically says,' ha ha ha dimaag ka patha nahi lekin aaj dil ne saath nahi choda! ' and then she burst out laughing and turned to Fifi and said 'Fifi ab toh tujhe show jeet kar hee jaana hai!' Fifi looks endearingly at this girl and says ' my dear girl agar tumhara aisa saath ho tho hammey koi jeetney say nahi tok sakta!

Sidharth with a genuine smile is just basking in this freshness with this girl. Every other girl he met on this show or in the industry were always so bothered about turning up to the PAPS ,there was this insatiable need to be perfect and what you could not achieve by hard work you achieve through surgeries and other not so sane measures. Here is this girl not bothered about how everyone has already sized her up and dismissed her. He somehow felt protective about her. He was so sure that she will never be able to distract him that he slowly started getting more familiar and comfortable with her and starts noticing her demeanor, mood and general disposition.

They soon find themselves at the first task of the season.

Hello dear readers thank you for stopping by. I will not be able to cover day to day incidents but the big turning points in the journey of Sidnaaz. The first two updates were just to set the tone and hopefully the rest of the chapters are more meaty and relevant . Thanks for stopping by!!!!