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Sidharth parked his bullet near the GGSC parking lot. Prerna got down from the bike and looked at the set with wide eyes. She had never been out of her village nor ever seen how the shooting set ever looked before. Just like the major population of their village.

People were rushing around, carrying heavy equipment, journalists running behind people to get some news bites, fans queuing up to get the glimpse of their favourites - everything was new to her.

Sidharth being the sarpanch was not less than the celebrity of the village but he was unaware of his popularity out of the village due to this show. The hidden snippets of his encounters with Shehnaaz were in high demand. Their opposite behaviours and bickering had earned a very huge TRP for the show. Unbeknownst to the duo, their hashtag #SidNaaz was always trending on Twitter (X). Their videos circulated all over social media and had the most number of likes and comments.

"Sir.. sir.. sir..", a few journalists fly towards Sidharth just like bees around the sweet nectar.

"Prerna, patrakar aa rahe se.. tu andar chal jaldi. Main thanne andar milunga..", Sidharth immediately yelled at his sister as a protective brother, before he was attacked by the journalist. Prerna got scared looking at so many people with cameras running towards them and quickly followed her brother's instruction. With full speed she rushed towards the nearest entrance she found not knowing that this entrance was for the celebrities or the contestants. The guard tried stopping her but she mistook him to be among the journalists and dodged him only to bump into someone at a few steps. Scared of being caught, she closed her eyes and covered her face with her palms.

"Manne jaane do.. maahri photo matt lena..", she cried frozen in her spot, her face covered.

The person she bumped into chuckled at her scared act. It was none other than the host of the show, Aaryan.

"Aey ladki, kaun ho tum? Tum aise hi andar nahi jaa sakti..", the watchman yelled acting quickly and grabbed her hand. Prerna was now almost in tears.

"Watchman.. haath chhoddo uska.. kya tumhe auraton ko kaise treat karte hai yeh nahi pata?", Aaryan debunked him yanking his hand.

"Par sir, ye bina permission ke andar jaa rahi thi..", the watchman spoke.

"I know that, but still. This is not the way you treat the lady. Tumko dikh nahi raha woh already kitni darri huyi hai. Araam se bhi toh apni baat bol sakte ho..", Aaryan said.

"Miss.. miss..", Aaryan called her softly.

"Aey ladki, behri hai kya?", the watchman yelled again making her flinch and cried even more into her palm.

"Watchman? Kya yaar tumhe ek baar bolo toh samajh mein nahi aata kya? Tum jao, main samjhata hoon..", Aaryan glared and spoke to the watchman.

Prerna lowered her palm a little and peeked through her fingers at the man who was being so gentle towards her. Needless to say she felt nervous to see a handsome man, dressed in a three piece suit, clean shaved and properly set hair, that she never even dreamt of.

"Parr sir..", Watchman tried explaining..

"Please jao na yaar..", Aaryan said irritated. The watchman nodded and left.

"Suno.. darrne ki zarurat nahi hai.. woh chala gaya.. please rona band karo..", Aaryan requests. Prerna nods her head calming down a little.

"Dekho, yeh shooting ka set hai aur bina permission ke yaha koi andar nahi aa sakta..", he explained sweetly. She lowered her hands slowly and nodded her head which was hanging low in embarrassment.

"Manne Sanu se milna hai..", She spoke softly.

"Sanu? Kaun Sanu?", he asked.

"Umm.. Shehnaaz di..", she bit her lips realising that she used a pet name earlier and answered. Aaryan smiled subtly at her expression.

"Ohh.. fan ho uski? Par tum aise nahi.."

"Main Sarpanch Sidharth Thakur ki behen su. Sanu.. m..maahra matlab Shehnaaz di maahre ghar rehti hai..", Prerna explained looking up at his face.

"Ooohh.. okay.. main tumhe uske paas le jaa sakta hoon. Chalo..", Aaryan said and Prerna followed behind.

"Waise tumhara naam kya hai?", he stopped abruptly to inquire and Prerna bumped into him.

"Sorry..", he apologised

"P..P..P..P..Prerna..", she stuttered nervously.

"Achcha naam hai.. P..P..P..P..Prerna..", he teased her making her blush pink.

"Mera naam Aaryan hai.. main tumhaari Shehnaaz di.. mera matlab Sanu ka dost hoon..", he teased her even further. She nodded her head not able to look up due to blushing. He continued to talk while walking and Prerna followed him again with nervous yet short replies.

Aaryan knocked once outside the vanity van.

"Kaun?", Shehnaaz's voice was heard.

"Aaryan..", He answered.

"Ohhhh!! Come in..", Shehnaaz spoke.

Aaryan gestured to Prerna to be quiet before he pushed the door and Prerna nodded her head before she trailed behind slowly studying the interiors of the vanity van with curiosity and surprise. Shehnaaz was getting her makeup done.

"Hey Shehnaaz.."

"Hey Aaryan, what's up?", Aaryan gave a quick hug from back to Shehnaaz followed by a cheek to cheek kiss, who was sitting on the chair in front of the mirror. Prerna felt a bit uncomfortable and was taken aback to witness them hug. It wasn't common to find the opposite sex hug or show affection openly to each other in her village. Shehnaaz couldn't see her yet as she was standing behind Aaryan.

"Wow!! You are looking gorgeous and sexy as always..", Aaryan complimented Shehnaaz looking at her through the mirror. Prerna's eyes widened at the compliment making her even more uncomfortable.

"Huh!! I know that.. kuch naya batao..", Shehnaaz smirked stroking her hair in a sassy attitude.

"Woah.. This is the reason I like you the most..", Aaryan and Shehnaaz laughed out loud. Prerna was in shock to hear the statement. Was she missing something? Does Shehnaaz like him?

"Kameene.. Flirting choddo aur batao, what brings you here?", Shehnaaz asked with her eyes closed as her makeup artist worked on her smokey eyeshadows.

"Kyu? Main aise hi nahi aa sakta kya apne friends se milne?", Aaryan asked Shehnaaz looking back at Prerna and winking at her and gesturing to keep quiet so that he could give her a surprise.

"Yeah yeah..", Shehnaaz replied.

"Waise main tumhe tumhaari ek fan se milaane laaya hoon..", Aaryan said.

"Achcha? Tumhara koi special hai kya jisse tum khudh milaane laaye ho?", Shehnaaz teased him.

"Haan, kuch aisa hi samajh lo.. ", Aaryan smiled at Prerna who felt her cheeks getting warm.

"Ohhh, phir toh usse zarur milna padega.. main bhi toh dekhu kaun hai woh special insaan..", Shehnaaz replied.

"Pata hai woh tumhe pyaar se Sanu bulaati hai..", Aaryan said.

"Sanu? Huh? Prerna?", Shehnaaz opens her eyes and Aaryan moves aside to let her see Prerna.

"Sanu..", Prerna squeaked happily. Shehnaaz gasped and got up and they both hugged each other as if they met after a long long time. Even though she had left the house just a few hours back.

"Waah!! Kya pyaar hai.. kitne janmo ke baad mil rahi ho dono?", Aaryan teased.

"Hatt.. kameena.. Main nominated hoon na, toh I am just scared that I might not meet her again..", Shehnaaz spoke.

"Hmmm.. achcha hai.. but you should not underestimate yourself..", Aaryan replied unable to speak anything further about the show or her popularity outside because of rules.

"Thik hai tum dono milo ek dusre se.. I need to go now.. shoot pe milte hai.. bye P..P..P..P..Prerna.. phir milenge", he said before leaving to which blushingly nodded her head. Shehnaaz observed her face and looked at Aaryan.

"Ummm.. Shehnaaz, can I talk to you alone for a minute..", Aaryan asked turning around.

"Sure.. Prerna, main ek minute main aati hoon..", Shehnaaz excused.

"Sanu..", Prerna was nervous.

"Arey.. daro matt.. tum ek kaam karo.. yeh mera makeup artist hai, Vardhan. Vardhan se apna thoda makeup kar lo tab tak.. thik hai?", Shehnaaz suggests knowing how Prerna was fascinated by her makeup items. Vardhan nods and starts doing Prerna's makeup while Shehnaaz goes out of the vanity van to talk to Aaryan.

"What's up?", Shehnaaz raised her eyebrow once outside.

"Your friend is cute.. Is there a way, I can be friends with her?", he asked.

"Oye! I know she is very cute but she is also a very kind hearted and innocent girl. And.. I am very protective towards her. Tere infatuation ke chakkar mein I don't want her to get hurt in future.", Shehnaaz said.

"Hey! Infatuation ka chakkar nahi hai and I don't want to hurt her either. It's.. it's just rare to find such girls in our city. I.. I just feel she is different and.. and special. I don't know about the future but at least friendship karne mein kya problem hai?", Aaryan asked.

"Uske bhai ko dekha hai tumne? Roz akhaade mein ghanton practice karta hai.. koot koot ke woh tera kachummar bana dega.. Huh! friendship karega..", Shehnaaz warned.

"Tum toh aise possessive ho rahi hai jaise ki tum uski boyfriend ya bhai ho.. waise bhi mujhe pata hai you like her brother.."

"What? Y..y..yeah tum kya keh rahe ho? Tumhe kisne kaha ki main usse l..l..l..like karti hoon? Waise bhi he hates me..", Shehnaaz mumbled the last sentence but Aaryan could still hear it.

"I don't think so.. have you seen the way he looks at you? I think he likes you too..", Aaryan said. Shehnaaz felt her cheeks getting warmer.

"Uumm.. mujhe nahi pata.. waise bhi main yaha beech mein kaise aa gayi? Baat toh teri aur Prerna ki ho rahi thi.. and for your kind information, I can't do this work..", Shehnaaz said

"Shehnaaz yaar please.. I..I..I like her", Aaryan admits as he pleads.

"Abhi tujhe usse mile aadha ghanta nahi hua and you like her already? Tu jaanta kya hai uske baare mein?", Shehnaaz asked.

"Jaanne ke liye hi toh friendship karna chahta hoon.. please yaar.. please" Aaryan begged with puppy eyes.

"Aargghh.. Ek kaam kar tu khudh uske bhai se puch jaake..", she suggests.

"What? Tu toh mere photo pe haar chaddhaane ki taiyyari kar rahi hai..", Aaryan cried.

"Main nahi tu khudh shaheed hone ke liye taiyyar hai..", Shehnaaz smirked.

"Sunn, Tu usse khudh ek baar baat karke dekh.. if she agrees then can you help at least?", Aaryan asked.

"Rrrr.. I will check.. but if she doesn't agree then you would stop troubling me.. agreed?", Shehnaaz agrees tired of his persistence.

"Yay!! You are such a sweetheart.. I love you..", Aaryan hugged her in excitement which was witnessed by a certain muscular man who had just managed to escape from haunting journalists and reach here in search of his sister. More than the action, it was the Aaryan's words that added fuel to the spark. Thus, Sidharth was literally burning in jealousy.

Considering Shehnaaz was with Aaryan, he thought Prerna might be somewhere else. Hence, he left the place immediately in search of his sister.

"Wow!! Prerna, you looking gorgeous..", Shehnaaz praised as soon as she went inside her vanity. Prerna blushed on the compliment. Vardhan, left them alone since his work was done.

"Tum toh dulhan ki tarah sharma rahi ho..", Shehnaaz teased.

"Sanu..", Prerna whined.

After some contemplation, Prerna decides to ask Shehnaaz the question that was bothering her for quite sometime.

"Sanu di.. woh jo thaare dost se.. A..A..Aaryan ji.. tum usko chaahti ho?", Prerna asked.

"What? No, We are just friends. What made you think like that?", Shehnaaz asked.

"Woh aap us..uske gale mili aur.. aur.. Aaryan ji thaare saath waise baat kar rahe the..", Prerna fumbled upon words..

"Woh sirf friendly way mein flirt kar raha tha.. it's very common between friends.. main usko seriously nahi leti.. abhi waha set pe jaaogi toh woh sabhi contestant ko aise hi baat karega.. hug karna is also common between friends, you know?", Shehnaaz tries explaining.

"Hmm..", Prerna looks lost and a little confused.

"I know it's a little difficult for you to understand.. but sach mein mere aur uske beech aisa kuch nahi hai.. okay? But, mujhe lag raha hai ki tum shayad jealous ho rahi ho?", Shehnaaz raised her eyebrows.

"Huh? Ke matlab", Prerna looked puzzled.

"Aaryan ko tumse friendship karni hai.. toh kya tum usse dosti karna chahogi?", Shehnaaz asked.

"Woh.. main.. woh..", Prerna felt nervous.

"He is a good boy. Industry mein, maine kabhi uski controversies ya affairs ke baare mein nahi suna. Woh kehta hai ki usko tum pasand ho aur woh tumhe jaanna chahta hai..  only if you agree.. tumhaare permission ke bina main usse tumhaare aas pass bhi nahi aane dungi..", Shehnaaz said.

Prerna put her head down blushing hearing that Aaryan likes her.

"Bhaiyya.. nahi maanenge..", Prerna replied.

"Hmm.. tere bhaiyya ki baat baad mein, tu kya chahti hai? Tu karegi usse dosti?", Shehnaaz asked.

"Hmm.. Par k..kaise?", Prerna asked.

"Tere bhaiyya ko bol, ki show khatam hone ke baad tu mere saath aayegi.. phir main Aaryan se tumhe milaungi.. baad mein hum dono, saath ghar chalenge.. but inn sabke liye, I just hope ki aaj main eliminate na ho jaau..", Shehnaaz sighed.

"Nahi hogi..", Prerna says pressing her hands in assurance.

"Haan, mere liye na sahi tere aur tere Aaryan ke liye toh abhi mujhe eliminate nahi hona..", Shehnaaz teased that made Prerna turn pink.

________

To be continued.. ❤️❤️

I know there is no SidNaaz interaction in this chapter but other characters are also important for the story. So, do vote for the story.

New cover.. did you like it?