PICTURE PERFECT (FAR FROM PERFECTION)

3.

We give our final shot for the day before Nikhil dismisses us. He is probably going to aid the video till it reaches perfection.

Staying with everyone makes me believe that everyone here is too hardworking. They have separated their own lives and movie lives.

Although, it bothers me a bit because, I still try to find as much time as I can to make Ishaan comfortable and not feel like his mother left him.

As strange as it sounds, Nikhil wants all of us to have breakfast together.

This time, Nikhil is taking up the room beside me. But, before I walk into my room, I see an angry-looking Darshan striding towards Nikhil room. He even forgot the decency to knock on the door and entered like he owned the hotel.

I was worried and went into Nikhil's room behind Darshan, to make sure he doesn't kill him.

As I enter, I see Darshan holding Nikhil's collar.

“What do you mean by we all need to be present there?”, Darshan asked with his furious look on his face.

“Darshan, this movie is your last chance to prove yourself. The board members are coming to inspect the shooting and I don't want you to be their victim again”, Nikhil sighed out.

“For fuck sake!”, Darshan nearly threw Nikhil. “I told you that I don't need anyone's help. I can manage myself!”, Darshan bellowed.

“Yeah! Sure! With all that recklessness on your part when you nearly got into an accident of drinking and driving! Thanks to Aayan that you are all safe and sound, okay?!”, this time Nikhil yelled at him.

“This is my bloody fight! I can handle myself”, Darshan yelled pointing a finger at Nikhil.

“Why won't you allow anyone to stick by your side, haa? You are putting on that cold mask again? Darshan, I have known you from childhood. What happened? Why have you turned into such a heinous person? Why? Why are you hurting yourself without knowing?”, Nikhil's voice came as a mere whisper.

“Because I don't want anyone of you to lose for me, goddamn it! I don't want to get you guys banned in the industry! You guys are living your dream life, so go along and enjoy! Why do you bother to destroy your life by staying with me?!”, Darshan said, his voice between a bellow and yell.

Nikhil looked at Darshan, pain dawning over his features.

“Darshan, you know that you are more important to us than this reputation and all... ”, Nikhil said, his voice heavy.

“And that's the most wrong thing! They should be important to you more than me! You should love your work more than a loser like me! You should walk ahead in your life leaving me behind! When I see you losing projects because of me... I feel more of a burden and I can't help that feeling, because the fire I have seen in your eyes all these days is too much to be burnt out because of a loser like me!”, Darshan yelled in an ice-cold voice.

It was news to me.

Darshan Raval is boycotted in the industry?

Darshan Raval is having a hard time getting movies?

“I have a long life Darshan, and I don't want to cut it short by drinking around, unlike you. That's why my dreams can wait... But I.. I can't lose you. I have lost enough of you... Not any more”, Nikhil choked on the last few words.

“Why do you care, Nikhil? You still have a long life to take care of. You need to focus on the betterment of yourself. Because, tomorrow, if there is any trouble, the first person who will be able to help you, will be you, yourself”, Darshan said, darkly before turning away and it was the first time he saw me.

I stood rooted to my spot as a ghost.

“The Rookie girl is here again. You guys need to get your history cleared up and I am out of here”, Darshan said before sidewalking me to go.

Rookie girl? Seriously?

“What did you hear?”, Nikhil asked dryly without turning towards me.

“Nearly... Everything”, I answered, truthfully.

“I see...”, he said again, dryly.

“Don't get it out to the public, please. It will harass his reputation”, Nikhil said, now turning around.

“Seriously? He was nearly bashing you for a simple breakfast with everyone of the crew!”, I said in disbelief.

Why would anyone want to protect a person who nearly bashed him?

“I know... He has a lot going on. Both in his personal life and professional life. I need to get him for the breakfast, no matter what...”, Nikhil said, to the wind, now.

“Nikhil, what has happened to him?”, I asked, remembering his ice-cold and hot-furious attitudes all the time.

He never smiles or laughs. He does so only in front of the camera. He fakes it all. And, people love him for the fakeness he has. People love him for the fakeness he shows to the world.

“It's not my place to say. I wish I had realized that he needed help from the very first”, he said with a voice laced with regret.

“Anyways, you need to go get some rest. We will have a shoot at some 5.30 AM”, he forced a smile before escorting me out.

I go to my room and fall on my bed. What a tiresome day!

Before I could facetime Natasha, there was a knock on my door.

It was a strong one.

I got up to my feet and opened the door.

A red-eyed Darshan was standing there supporting himself by the doorframe.

“Wha.. What did he say?”, he slurred and I could sense that he was drunk.

“Da.. Darshan, you are drunk”, I gasp in surprise and try to grab hold of him.

“Nothing I can't manage... Now say me, what did he say?”, he asked impatiently.

“We can talk that out later, you get in... You are visibly tired”, I tried to convince him but to no avail.

“To hell with that, tell me what he told!”, he raised his voice slightly and I flinched back, visibly.

Guilt flashed across his features.

“Listen, I—”, he was cut off by me. “He wanted me not to leak it to the media.”, I said, truthfully and he chuckled humorlessly. “So typical of him... He is still trying to make up for all those years he left me”, Darshan chuckled again, humorlessly and turned around.

He stumbled on his way. But, at last got to his room.

It visibly disturbed my mood.

I now have no mood to talk to anyone.

‘I don't think I can call you, today’

I sent Natasha and went under the shower.

It calmed my nerves a bit.

Relax, you won't ever talk to him.

You won't need to.

// Just a short, HAPPY BIRTHDAY D And a HAPPY JUDAIYAAN DAY//