Translation in brackets.

Happy Reading

"Roko bhaiya yahi rok lo" (Stop) Sonakshi said and the taxi came to a halt

A vegetable vendor was passing by.

"Bhaiya .. Ye Rose Banquet kidhar hai?" She asked him (Where is the rose banquet?)

"Samne to hai memsaheb" He replied (Right ahead ma'am)

"Ho" Sonakshi nodded. (Ok)

She paid the driver quickly and rushed towards the banquet.

The night was resevered for the launch of her show. The promos had been on air for a month and the response was good so far. People from all media houses had assembled for the launch of her show. She didn't want to be seen getting down from a black-yellow taxi. Many people may not know her but still she didn't want anyone to think of her in a low light. What people thought about her mattered to her or as she always said "I am afraid of how history will treat me"
____________

"Sona di ka show launch ho raha hai yaar aur wo mujhe nahi le gayi" Swati cribbed in the girl's room "Kitna man tha mera Sameer se milne ka" (Sona di's show is launching and she didn't take me! I want to meet Sameer)

"Aye Pandit kabhi hum se bhi mil liya kar" They heard the distinguishable voice of Munna coming from his balcony (Aye Pandit! You can meet me someday though)

"Aah" Swati slapped the pillow kept on her lap. She looked at her friends who were busy in their own world, totally indifferent to what she was saying

"Preeti wo khidki ke bahar kya dekh rahi hai tu?" Swati caught Preeti waving a "hi" to someone from their balcony. Preeti turned around quickly and said "koi nahi hai"

(Swati: Preeti what is it outside that window that you are looking at?

Preeti: Nobody. No one. Nada!)

"Meri to kisi ko padi hi nahi hai" Swati looked at Naina and then buried her head in her pillow with frustration. (No one cares about me!)

All the voices in the room didn't seem to reach Naina's ears. They seemed to dissolve in a mist before reaching her. The study table had books over it but below the table she was busy swiping some pictures in her phone.

There he was, right behind her in their class photograph. She was looking right towards the camera while he was looking down at her... Or atleast that's what the camera angle showed it to be.

There was so much that could brew in between them but his one mistake made all her dreams crash.

----------------

The launch and press conference had long been over now. The makers had thrown a party for the cast and crew of the show.

The venue was dimly lit with orange lights. On a far corner of the club the buffet was kept untouched as most of the guests were busy at the bar or were breaking the dance floor.

Sonakshi felt totally out of place. She wanted to eat something but there was no one to give her company. Alcohol was a big no-no for her. She wasn't a great dancer either. She had practically nothing to do in the party. Nikki and Sourabh from her team were giving her company but they had been dragged to join the dance by Shefali and Elena.

She opened her phone to play temple run. She slided and swiped her phone's screen for a while till she felt as if she was being stared by someone.

"Khelo ruk kyu gayi?" Radha Rani (RR), another of her team mate was hanging over her shoulder, like Betal, to look into Sona's phone

(RR: Why did you stop?)

Sonakshi gave her a weird look. She was freaked out by the sudden encounter.

RR settled beside Sonakshi.

"Accha hua tu yahi mil gayi" She started speaking "Mai kya soch rahi thi wo jab Chahat Sahil se takrayegi aur hero usko catch karega tab na hum bhookamp wala effect denge aur bgm bajega dhum tanana .."

RR began screaming the tune under the effect of alcohol. Sonakshi had to run away sensing her condition. She didn't want the typical hero colliding into heroine and heroine ending up into his arms flick to be done in her show. She wanted something different.

She was busy thinking on these lines when she banged into someone's shoulders and accidentally tripped on his shoes.

The next thing Sonakshi knew was she might have fallen right on the floor had the owner of the shoe not saved her. She opened her eyes after the shock and there she was securely resting in the arms of the hero, Dev Dixit who was playing the male lead, Sahil in the show.

"I'm so sorry" She immediately stood up properly even before they could share an eye lock and make it even more cliché.

"Easy Sonakshi" Dev said

"You remember my name?" She was amazed. They had met once before during a meeting at the PH but it was a formal hi hello only.

"Nahi yaad rakhna tha kya?" He laughed a little. (Shouldn't I?)

"No... That's not what I meant" She quickly added

"Want some shots?" He asked her just to change the topic

"You are carrying Dairy Milk Shots ... Here?" She was confused

Dev couldn't control and laughed right in the face of the goofy writer.

"You don't drink ... Probably.. My bad" He began to walk away from her.

Sona immediately grew image conscious. Would he think of her as a misfit if she said she doesn't drink? She was done sitting alone on the couch.

"I drink" She blurted the lines even before she could re-think about it.

"Good ... Good for you" He smiled

"... But aaj tuesday hai and I don't drink on tuesday" She said and regretted immediately. What was the need of adding that fact when he wasn't even asking for it? She hit herself mentally but in her defense she was just setting up a guard in case he offered her a drink.

"Good for you" He smiled and walked away.

"Oh God! What would he be thinking about me?"Sona face palmed herself.

"Hey Sonakshi"

She turned and saw Sourabh dancing with a group of people. She finally decided to join them. She wanted to gel into the crowd and hide her embarrassment.

She had barely started her aarha tircha dance when her eyes fell on two elderly people talking to each other near the bar counter. There was the director of the show Ishwari Bajpayee and Bijoy Bose, her father & her mom's ex husband.

He was merrily talking to Ishwari. They seemed to share a good bond. He said something that made her crack up and he joined in her laughter.

Sonakshi saw her father laughing and she could distinctly hear her mother's sobs which she had over heard many nights. The lavish attire he had reminded her of all the hardships she and her mother went through each day to make ends meet.

There was an urge in her, an urge to do something so stupid that the world would laugh at her and then she'll announce to everyone that she is Bijoy's daughter. What a disgrace it would be to that man who ruined her childhood.

"Sona di" Nikki shook Sona's arm to bring her out of her mind's chatter. It was then when she realised that a film of tears had lined her eyes.

"Excuse me" She said and left the party
_______________

"Mai chalungi! Mai chalungi! Mai chalungi" Swati was standing on the sofa in the living area and had been chanting the same three words for the past three hours.

(Swati: I'll come! I'll come! I'll come)

"Kisi aur din chalna Swati" Sona said as calmly as she could

(Sona: Not today Swati! You can join me some other day)

"Ek mahina ho gaya aapki shoot shuru huye. SBS,SBB,SBAS, E24, IF sab ho aaye aapke set se ab mujhe leke chalo" Swati jumped from the sofa and held Sona by her shoulders.

(Swati: You have been shooting for a month now. All the media houses have visited your set, now it's my turn)

"A..aaj college hai na tera" Naina said from the other corner of the room

(Naina: Yy.. You have your collefe today right)

"Bunk kar dungi mai college aaj ka" Swati was on her knees now. "Please Sona di please"

(Swati: I'll bunk it today.. Please Sona di please)

"Fine" Sonakshi finally gave in "Par tu college jaayegi aur fir waha se directly set par aa jaana mai milwa doongi tujhe Sameer se. Khush?"

(Sona: Fine. I agree BUT you'll go to your college first and then you can directly come to the set. I'll arrange a meeting with Sameer for you. Happy now?)

Swati nodded her head in a happy yes

"Ek minute... Ye college se set par jaayegi to mai wapas kaise aaungi? Preeti ko bukhar chadha hua hai wo bhi nahi hai aaj mere saath" Naina said.

(Naina: Just a sec! She'll go to your set from our college then how will I come back? Preeti is sick... She'll not be there with me too)

"Bacchi hai kya tu? Akele travel nahi kar sakti" Swati wasn't ready to accept any plea

(Swati: Are you a kid? Can't you travel alone?)

"Naina..." Sonakshi had an idea "... Tu bhi aaja mere set par"

(Sonakshi: Naina ... You can come too)

Naina didn't know what to say. Was she ready to see him again?

"Dekh tere akele ghar aane ki problem solve ab please koi aur drama nahi Naina. Hum aaj hi Sona di ke set par jaa rahe hai" Swati sat down on the sofa with satisfaction written all over her face.

(Swati: Seeee Naina... Your problem is solved. Now, please, no more drama. We are going to Sona di's set today)

Naina, on the other hand, was juggling with her emotions. She didn't want to see that guy ever again but just at the prospect of her breathing the same air as he will, was making her heart skip beats.

She wanted to but couldn't say no.

_________

"I have a break for half an hour. Please don't disturb me" Sameer Maheshwari, the parallel lead in Sonakshi's show was having a low day on shoot. To add to his misery a girl from an ad agency was forcing him to endorse diapers. He had refused the offer n times and she had re-proposed it n+1 times and the cycle continued.

Knock knock

Sameer heard a knock on his door while he was just trying to sleep in his vanity

Knock knock

He heard it again but chose to royaly ignore the sounds. It must be that ad lady, he told himself and tried to sleep.

Outside, his vanity Sonakshi was standing with Swati, waiting for Sameer to open the door. Naina had chosen to stay near the canteen and not bother herself with any star-gazing.

Knock knock

Swati knocked louder this time but there were no signs of anyone willing to open the door

"Swati lagta hai wo so gaya hai shayad" Sonakshi said "Tu yahi ruk, mujhe director se kuch kam hai fir hum ghar chalenge. Sameer se tu kal mil lena"

(Sona: Swati I think he is asleep. You wait here I have some work with the director. You can meet him tomorrow.)

Swati nodded with a frown. Sonakshi waved her a good bye. Swati kept standing their like an obedient kid but as soon as Sona was out of sight, her fangirl instincts began giving her vague ideas. She had to meet Sameer at any cost.

Sameer was looking at the roof of his vanity. The knocks had died down. "The ad lady must have left" He thought.

He kept looking at the ceiling till it became a screen reminding him of all the moments he had spend in school with her. Her teaching him in the library, his chocolates to her as a reward and the 'all the best' coming out of her mouth being the most important wish of any event. The pain in her eyes when he was hurt, his being restless for her results and not caring about his passing/failing. She meant so much to him and one wrong step broke the little friendship they had.

He punched the armrest of his chair. He was angry with himself.

Smash. Thud.

The noise of breaking something echoed in the room.

He turned around to face an unfamiliar person. A college fresher was standing in his vanity with an iron stick in her hand.

"T..ttt.. Tum kaun ho?" He stammered "Andar kaise aayi?"

(Sameer: Wwwhoo are you? How did you come here?)

"Oops" Swati dropped the rod from her hand.

Sameer gulped his saliva seeing the big rod

"Hi! Mai Swati" She smiled

"Andar kaise aai?" Sameer was getting hold of his senses after the initial shock

(Sameer: How did you come in?)

"Vanity ka glass tod ke" She laughed at her own goofy stunts. "Tum real me zyaada handsome ho... Mere saare friends mujhe chidhate hai kyuki mai tumhare peeche bilkul pagal hu aur ..."

"SECURITY!" Sameer screamed all of a sudden

Swati looked at him in disbelief. She had crossed all levels of deewangi just to meet him. Instead of being grateful to her for loving him he was planning to throw her out! It wasn't that her life depended on fangirling him but still she did it.

"SECURITY!" He screamed again

"Excuse me?" She didn't meant to but she could feel herself getting teary.

"Get out or I'll get the guards to throw you out" Sameer's voice was icy cold

"But I'm just a harmless fan" She pleaded

"Yes a harmless fan who didn't think twice before breaking into my vanity." He was shouting now "Tum fans ko lagta hai ki tumne hum actors ko, humare personal time ko khareed liya hai jabki ..."

He wanted to continue but Swati was already in tears and was shedding buckets. He didn't want to hurt her. He had never meant to hurt any body.
He opened his mouth to apologize but stopped on receiving an angry glare from her.

"Tum layak hi nahi ho kisi ke bhi" She said and stormed out of his vanity.

(Swati: You don't deserve any one)

Tum layak hi nahi ho kisi ke bhi

The words hit him hard. She had said the same thing years ago. She, the girl who was his best friend, the girl whom he never thought that he would love but was now hopelessly in love with. The girl who was always in his prayers. The girl whom he wished to meet every day. The girl was ... Naina Agarwal.

Swati ran out of the set. Naina was still sitting in the canteen praying that she doesn't run into him. The guy who was her first crush. For whom she was ready to cross any lengths and who also proved how wrong she was... Sameer Maheshwari

Naina spotted Swati running out of the set. She ran behind her.

"Swati ... Swati ruk to" Naina held her by her arm and made her look towards her. There were tears in Swati's eyes and Naina didn't take long to put two and two together

(Naina: Swati wait)

"Sameer ne kuch bola?" Naina asked and Swati nodded.

(Naina: Did Sameer say some thing?)

"Tu chod Naina ghar chal" Swati said but Naina was not in a mood to step back this time. He had to be taught a lesson or two!

(Swati: Leave it Naina. Let's go home)

Precap - Fights and Rides

Guess who'll fight and who'll go for a ride?

E/N - The next chapter is split into DevAkshi and SamAina parts separately. So? Do you want them together or one after the other on seperate days.

Also, are the chapters toooooo long? If yes are you still interested by the end of them?

Thanks for your votes and comments but yeh dil maange more :p