Happy Reading

This one is so accurate biro😂

Meme creds: Pranju22

Continued ...

Dev had forgotten about love until he met a girl at his current show's launch party. They had bumped into each other that day and in the dim light he felt like he saw Pragati Dixit again but the girl introduced herself as Sonakshi Bose, the creative head of his project. He knew nothing would remain the same.

He didn't wish to look at a face that reminded him of the darkest time of his life.

"Good for you." He had tried to dodge her away but how could he not feel curious for someone who looked so much like his first love? The memories of first love never fade away.

"Shots?"

"You carry dairy milk shots?"

"I don't drink on Tuesday."

How could he not feel intrigued?

Yes, he initiated the conversation but he was helpless. Even before he could stop himself, from time to time, he found himself standing in front of her, goofing around, talking utter nonsense but he was careful to not let her fall for him. He tried to tell her that he was not for him - the girl in the gym turns me on ... Ab kaun banega meri workout motivation?

Still Sonakshi's falling face made him say, "How do you look in gym wear?"

He was noticing her fall for him and he could not help it. It took a great amount of restrain to stop himself from going near her, even when he saw her looking visibly upset, he didn't console her.

She was nothing like Pragati except the facial resemblence. Her difference was such a welcome change and pulled him towards herself.

The tenderness of her dreams were reflected in Sahil and he was nothing like her ideal.

He didn't went to comfort her when she had fought with the dress designer for his costumes and had been blasted by Ishwari. He was not going to build her hopes.

Still he found himself in situations where he had to take a stand for her.  He had to look for Preeti because she mattered to Sona, he had to bring her back home when she had lost control after getting drunk on the night of Asha's accident and then he had to help her reach the hospital too.

He was self obsessed, so, majorly misunderstood too. He was alone and had no reason to get attached to someone else yet he found himself protecting Sonakshi and her honour when Jyotsna asked him about Sona crying on his poster's shoulder. He had to lie to not let the Malanis have a reason to tarnish her image. For the same reason he had to lie to Jatin about not loving Sonakshi but he didn't knew that they were being overheard and Sonakshi would hear him thrashing her work ethics.

He had seen Pragati getting upset when Dev had proposed her in front of the entire college. He remembered her getting embarrassed. If he told Jatin that he loved her then there was a minor possibility that the news might reach Sonakshi's ears. He couldn't let her heart break because he would never accept her and refusing her proposal would have been the most difficult thing to say. What if she proposed him in front of a few people? He would never say yes and she would be left embarrassed and humiliated. He could never do that.

He didn't trust HIMSELF.

When Sonakshi had finally decided to return to Mumbai he was confused. Should he be happy about her return or should he be sad for himself?

Happy- Sad, simple words brought great conflicts.

Schizophrenia can be controlled but complete cure is not possible. His medicines were shortening his life span. Sonakshi was younger than him. There were chances that she would have to live as widow for a long time. Being left behind wasn't a great feeling, he knew by personal experience. The girl had so much on her plate already. He won't make another girl's life hell. He had blamed himself for Pragati's departure.

He wasn't at fault but that was the purity of his and Sonakshi's love. They won't allow even themselves to blame their loved ones.

Back then, Dev didn't let his conscience blame Pragati.

Now, Sonakshi didn't let her conscience blame Dev.

Had Dev completely forgotten Pragati?

No.

But,

Had Dev let his heart run free and had again fallen for a completely different girl, Sonakshi?

Yes.

He loved her and it was enough for him to live his life alone. He could let her go. She deserved happiness.

____________________________________

Sonakshi came back to her house. It wasn't home anymore.

She was late and tired, exhausted.

She didn't expect anyone to be awake. Her mother wasn't even looking in her eyes and had made herself scarce since Sonakshi's arrival. The girls had their college the following day, there was no possibility for them being up. The hall's lights were on and she was surprised to see Naina neck deep in a pile of books.

"Somethings don't change." Sonakshi said and Naina smiled in response.

"Exams shuru hone wale hain." Naina told her after some time.

"Tujhe kya tension hai? Bol, Ms. Topper Naina?" Sonakshi sat next to her.

"Waise toh nahi honi chahiye par ..."

"Par?"

"... Par iss baar revision kam hai." Naina got up. "Pani lati hu."

She went inside the kitchen and after a few minutes came back with two chilled glasses of water.

"Revision kyu nahi hai?" Sonakshi said after sipping from her glass. "Thanda hai."

Naina mixed some water of normal temperature in her glass.

"Woh... Sona di." Naina was finding the right words.

Sona raised her eyebrows in question and then like an afraid little sister Naina told Sonakshi everything about her and Sameer.

"Dates pe jaaya jaa raha hai!" Sona teased her.

Naina blushed.

"Aapko pata hai Sona di, mujhe toh school ke baad kabhi laga hi nahi tha ki mai aur Sameer fir milenge par aaj dekho hum saath saath hain" She sang the last words and chuckled. "Sirf aur sirf Sameer ki wajah se. Usne umeed nahi chodi. Uska bharosa tha ki mai maan hi jaungi, kabhi na kabhi."

Sonakshi felt a little chill in her heart.

"Kabhi kabhi jab koi ek dagmagaye toh dusre ko sambhal lena chahiye." Naina said dreamily.

"Tune toh pyar me Ph.D. kar li Naina." Sona teased her but also wished to end the discussion then and there.

"Aapka khana laga du?" Naina asked.

"Mai khud se nikal lungi tu padhai kar." Sonakshi patted Naina on the back and left for the kitchen. 

She kept the food in the oven to heat it before consumption. Naina was back to studying. Sona didn't want to disturb her so she opened her phone for the first time in the day.

Among a lot of messages from not so important people there were 8 messages from Nisha.

5 of them were links of something and then she said:

Dev's a mysterious banda. Sonakshi check these links out.

Ha ha Mumbai jaake humein bhool gayi.

Behen you need to see these. There is something fishy about Dev. What is the deal with his parents and his background?

Sona replied:

His parents are no more :(
Background ka idk!

Nisha:

Tune pyar kiya aur stalk nahi kiya? Kaisi ladki hai tu!!

Sona:

Oh Drama Queen! Ab hum dono ke beech kuch nahi ho sakta. To zyada jaan ke kya karu?

Nisha:

Link check kar.

Sona rolled her eyes. She took out her food from the oven and plated it. She went out of the kitchen with it and placed it on the dining table. She began eating but her mind was confused about what to do with the links. Thinking that what harm could a little stalking do, Sona tapped on one of the links.

One by one she read all the threads and tweets about Dev and his foggy past. She remembered Naina telling her about Sameer's undying efforts to get Naina back and then she remembered her father's words of not bending too much in love.

She knew that Dev might be still miserable about his parent's death. She had no clue about how and when they died.

Does he still miss them?

She kept on stalking him, not catching a wiff of the time flying by. Her body forgot to demand the much needed rest.

Sonakshi reached a few old videos and found a video of a director of Dev's first show. He was abusing and accusing Dev and his mannerisms. There was a news of Dev's parents dying in 26/11 and then she noted a long stretch of absence from the media and acting. 2013 was when he started working again and rised to became what he was.

Her mind drifted back to Shimla when Dev had said they were still friends. All of a sudden Sona felt like it was her responsibility to see that he was doing fine. Even if the thought would be labelled silly by others if they were reading just her side of the story.

Maybe Dev is still wounded!

Sonakshi made excuses. She knew that being around Dev wasn't good for her but she kept on making silly reasons to talk to him the next day. Just like a kid knows he shouldn't be eating too many chocolates but still makes excuses to feast on them. That was exactly how Sona's state of mind was.

"Dev is my friend. Ok! Ok! I am Dev's friend. He is pathetic at being friends. I well teach him how to be friends. He is just a stupid little kid. Let me help him." She thought.

She was being stupid. She might end up hurting her self esteem. She would eventually hurt herself and cry her eyes out. She knew all of it but a day away from Dev wasn't a happy one for her and she was getting desperate to talk to him.

NEXT DAY,

Sonakshi was waiting in the parking lot. Dev's car could enter any minute now. She began fixing her hair and dress and then realised that looking good will not be needed. She looked at herself in the rare view mirror.

"Why am I so stupid?"

She kept on saying but didn't stir from her position. The ability to love and care for people isn't gifted to all. It takes deep strength of character to  try to understand someone else's pain and even after the blow she got from the voice note Shefali had sent, she was ready to flip the pages of his book. The fear of being insulted was there in her mind but still she found herself waiting in the parking, trying to reach out to someone else's pain. The best part was that she didn't even understand how precious she was.

Sonakshi had changed and how! The writer we met when the curtain lifted was underconfident, broken, too conscious of what people thought of her and needed money to be happy.

Now, she was strong, fierce, confident and brave. She had learnt to overcome the travesties of life with grace. She had learnt to observe  both sides of the coin and had learnt that people were different in different situations. Various layers of their characters revealed themselves according to the situations people faced. She needed money to survive. She had seen how life was without it but she knew that all the riches in the world could not warm your heart. Earlier, she feared  people's opinions about her and when people labelled her as a drunk daughter sitting next to her mother's possible death bed, she understood that you could not explain your circumstances to everyone in every phase of your life. It didn't matter what a thousand people said till the face behind the mirror radiated with satisfaction.

What had not changed was her ability to love, the compassion she held. She found sisters in three tenants, she died each day in the absence of a father figure, she cried at the loss of a regular childhood yet she ensured that her mother got all the comforts she could afford. She could make kids at an orphanage smile, she could make characters made of ink feel alive. She knew how to be a good friend. She loved a man, he walked over her yet on knowing the possibility of the slightest of pain in his life, she had decided to offer him her company. Sonakshi was made of a different metal.

This is a tale of trust. A tale of faith and its building in Sonakshi. Trust on one's own self, own ability and the tale of her rebirth from the ashes. This is the tale of trust.

Dev's car entered the parking lot. She immediately got out of her car. Then, she waited for him to reach the spot where she was standing and when he did, he was taken aback by the length of Sonakshi's smile and her hand held out in front of her.

"Hi! I am Sonakshi Bose."

Dev shook her hand.

"I know Sonakshi, that you are Sonakshi. Why are you introducing yourself, Sonakshi?"

"Can we be friends?"

Dev was puzzled. Their hands were still knitted together in front of them.

"You failed at being friends. I am making you eligible for a compartment. I'll take your remedial classes." Sonakshi freed her hand.

Dev missed the warmth of it instantly.

"What is this? 12th boards?" He said.

He kept both his hands in his pockets. He closed the hand Sonakshi had held, and made a fist, trying to seal the touch.

"Yes it is." Sonakshi smiled.

Dev shrugged his shoulders and the two of them walked out of the parking.
____________________________________

Sameer heard the door of his makeup room, open and close. He turned around.

"Sona di?"

Sonakshi was standing behind him.

"I heard you're dating Naina." She had  crossed her arms and looked like an angry, possessive father.

"Umm... Ermmm" He didn't knew what to say, how to start. It was like being interrogated by a group of angry brothers.

"Aap set pe bhi le kar aaye the Naina ko?"

"H...Haa" Sameer finally found his voice.

"I've heard you treated her nicely. You ensured she got the same treatment as you do." Sonakshi softened her stance and Sameer nodded.

"She's the most innocent girl I know. You don't find people like her in this generation. She is stubborn, nerdy but she is very soft at heart. Treat her well or you'll have to face me." Sonakshi unfolded her arms.

"I can never hurt her." Sameer said.

"And how do I believe you?" Sonakshi was ready to interrogate and inspect the boy.

"I feel her pain."

One statement and Sonakshi knew Naina had made the right decision. She gave an encouraging smile to Sameer, who stood rooted in his spot, trying to take in the moment.
___________________________________

5:00 PM

Dev was reading his script and Sonakshi was standing right behind him, peeping.

"Tumhari team ne hi likhi hai script. Aise mat ghuro." Dev said. "I didn't knew my back view is drool worthy too."

Dev turned around to face her and said, "but I am sure that my face is also quite a sight."

"Kab sudhroge?" Sonakshi asked him.

"Kabhi bhi nahi." He chuckled and left to film the scene.

Sonakshi saw a key drop from his pocket.

"De..." She stopped in the middle of it.

What if these are the keys to his house? She could sneak into his house!

The cast was shooting over time to compensate for the modifications in the script. If only once she could know about the missing pieces of his story... If only once she could take the risk. She would return the keys after her investigation. She was not going to rob him of his belongings. She could take an early leave. No one was going to scold her. She was needed for the show.

For a weak moment Sonakshi felt like returning the keys but then she wanted to know about Dev's history. After a lot of killing of ethics and values, Sonakshi decided to sneak into his house.

Precap - Dev took long steps towards her and with one aggressive movement held her by her neck. Sonakshi fell a few steps backwards and hit a drawer behind her. She held it's edge for support.

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Much love💙