Maya

" Do we really need to do this?" I asked the director with a little hope of cancelling this photoshoot.

He was talking to Raghav sir but soon turned towards me and said, " Look test is important. It is the last trial to see if the character really suits you."

I sighed and nodded but how do I tell that my problem is not the look test but the guy who must be getting in his attire for the shoot. Now I regret having agreed to work with him. But did I have a choice? No.

Soon, I changed into my new look which was anything but comfortable. It was a posh-black knee-length bodycon dress. As I shifted about my position, Dia, the make-up artist smiled and said, " Is it uncomfortable?"

I nodded and smiled back, " Yes, I never tried this."

" No worries. You will get used to it." As she helped me put on the heels, I tiptoed my way into the studio hall with the green screen and everything else set up.

The heels are so uncomfortable. How do people walk with these?

I hardly made my way without slipping off with the heels. I spotted Ajay as Vicky in a white jacket who somehow tried to control his laughter. I rolled my eyes and with gritted teeth, I asked, " You are having too much fun, right?"

" Why are you wearing those heels? You can hardly walk with those," he said, combing his hair while looking at the mirror in front of him.

" Not your issue." I walked off without paying him any attention. Still struggling with the heels and the dress.

Just hoping to end this look test as fast as possible.

★★★

" Well, this is good."

After giving a few poses in my new look, they asked me to change into the regular outfit my character is going to wear.

I heaved a sigh of relief, realizing that the bodycon dress is just for a particular scene that is quite important for the plot. I wouldn't be able to survive the whole shooting wearing such dresses.

Changing into a regular salwar kameez, I was way more relieved. Even if it wasn't a top and jeans, salwar kameez is way more comfortable for me than those dresses. But now the main task is to play as a couple in love being enemies in real life.

But somehow I thought that our cat and dog kid of relation must've alleviated, even if it is by a negligible amount.

I took a deep breath and turned to see him in a red and black striped shirt and faded jeans, giving his most childish smile in the mirror as he gave a glance at his 'handsome' face as he would prefer to say. He winked, admiring himself.

As I saw him acting strangely, I couldn't help but giggle. " Done with your self-appreciating session, master?"

He looked at me startled, almost like a deer caught in the headlights. I clutched my stomach and busted into a laugh as he turned his face around.

" You— mind your business. Monkey." He left after saying those words, ceasing my laughter. My lips parted as I figured out his sudden response. Maybe he is embarrassed. Stupid.

I went towards the bench placed in front of the green screen. The lights and cameras were fixed all over and the DOP was checking the lens and testing all the lights as I took my seat.

" Maya, you need to look at the camera at this angle," Rajiv sir pointed out the camera placed in one of the corners, -"Just imagine the actor is standing here. Wait... Ajay, come here." He called out to Ajay who was trying his best to keep his glance away from me.

Ajay nodded his head, listening to Rajiv sir. After a while he stood at my side, looking or perhaps, piercing through my eyes. I grimaced and raised my eyebrows, complaining about his facial expression.

" Maya, Look at him and give a smirky smile." He turned to the DOP, discussing a few things with him while I prepared myself for the look test.

With the action of the director sir, I bobbed my head to look at Ajay who looked dead serious, frowning his face and checking me out from top to bottom. Without taking in the weird actions, I tried to give the 'smirky smile' which the director sir asked for but failed terribly.

" Cut. Maya, concentrate. And Ajay, please don't make such faces. Are you trying to scare her? Once more."

Soon as the shoot proceeded, we found ourselves in awkward situations just like yesterday. But today it felt worse because of the flashing lights and cameras capturing our pink-tinted faces.

" Ajay, just lay your head on her lap and look at each other with love and compassion. Maya, you can try to improvise it by patting on his head or simply gazing with deep love." He used his hand gestures, expressing the cheesy, sweet and 'aww' kind of love.

I gulped as we both hesitated to do as directed. He insisted on changing the position but the director wanted us to do this badly. It's not like I am dying to do it but I don't want to make a bad impression once again.

Taking a deep breath in, I pulled Ajay's collar who was sitting at the corner of the bench and whispered, " We are the ones to get into this mess. Now, we need to do this. Don't complain and do it as said." Honestly, I don't know what is gonna happen next.

His wide eyes stared at me and then his collar as he freed himself from my hold. Straightening his clothes, he lay on my lap with a confused face as if having a lot of things going on his mind at a time.

" What? You are nervous?"

" Why should I say? Are we close?" I rolled my eyes, putting a front of not really caring about it. But how the hell could I not care?

I sat, practically shaking due to the new feeling of anxiety gathering inside me.

As I shifted uncomfortably, I felt a hand on my arms relaxing them and bringing them near the edge of the bench.

I looked at Ajay who was giving a reassuring smile. " Don't stress yourself. Just two minutes and it will be done like Maggi."

I scoffed at his bad attempt at making a joke but in the end, giggled out, failing to control my laughter. " So bad of a joke."

" But you laughed."

As we were laughing and making fun, I blinked my eyes at the flashes of camera and lights facing towards us all of a sudden. We both looked at each other as realization struck us.

" Wow. Perfect Pose. You both looked so natural." We turned to look at Rajiv sir whose clapping sounds echoed through the room. Ajay sprang up from his position as I widened my eyes in shock.

" Sorry. You both looked so good together that I couldn't help but take this candid shot. So cute!" He exclaimed as he glanced at his computer screen.

My cheeks heated up and I had this urge of covering myself with a huge blanket, keeping only a little place for me to breathe. I met my eyes with Ajay and soon we dropped our heads in embarrassment.

★★★

Yes now, this was the only thing left for us.

" Sir, near-kissing scene? Why don't we drop that idea?" I frowned looking at Rajiv sir's all-excited face. Raghav sir made a sigh as he noticed the deep frown on my face.

" This is the vital scene. Chemistry, romance, and drama all sum up this. The excitement of forbidden love between two souls. And this is just a near-kiss scene, not even a complete kiss scene. It is okay. Don't worry." I pressed my lips and tapped my forehead. This is the only thing left now. Near-kiss?!

" But sir, isn't there any other way to shoot this?" I turned to see Ajay beside me. He didn't look tense like me. Calmly, he made his point also to get a negative response as I expected.

" Ready?" He asked as we stood nearly seven feet apart from each other. I stole a glance at him every other second to watch his actions. He replied with a 'yes' as he dropped his head again.

" Is this how you act in a near-kiss shot? Come closer." Taking baby steps, we both reluctantly came closer enough to feel the touch of our shoulders. I turned to face Ajay, half-closing my eyes.

As directed, I closed my eyes trying to put on a tempting face but in that situation, I honestly couldn't think of anything else other than my hands turning cold and the constant shaking of my legs. Everything was dark but I could feel his rough breaths tickling over my lips.

My breathing ceased with the loud thumping of my heart as I felt it would explode anytime soon. I pressed my eyelids to avoid looking at his face right now. Then, I heard a voice breaking through the room, " Cut." My eyes opened in reflex and the first thing I saw was the startled Ajay and the second thing was the slight disappointment on the director's face. I realized we needed another take.

After exactly seven takes and one small break, this was our eighth take. As my heart beat faster with every single second passing by, I could feel his breath and glance even with my closed eyes.

Can't he just do it already?

This was making me more anxious. By now, I would've happily agreed to take initiate the near-kiss if the scene didn't demand otherwise.

I felt a sudden jolt of pain shooting up the nerves of my neck. I slowly tried to open my eyes, tilting my head slightly but it looks like it was my biggest mistake.

I was caught off guard when my lips locked with his and suddenly, the whole studio turned dead silent. My first instinct was to push him away but before I could even react, he pulled himself away. He looked stunned and stared at me with big eyes.

" What the... You—", he said, touching his lips. He looked extremely flustered as he averted his gaze and dashed away from the room.

Shocked, I stood frozen on my spot as I caught a few hurried glances at me. Soon, I scurried away from the silent room, hardly getting a glimpse of the director who had probably fallen to the ground after watching the horrific scene.

I ran as fast as I could and finally came into the isolated dim-lit greenroom. I gulped and breathed hard as I noticed my pink-tinted face in the huge mirror in front of me.

Now, I officially want to buy a house in Saturn to live my whole life there. I took my handkerchief and rubbed off my lips feeling disgusted with my life. Why did this have to happen?

★★★

" So you're telling me it just happened? Just like that?" Ayushi munched on her chips as she gave me an evil smile. " You want me to believe that?"

" I am serious. This is not funny." I shouted from the kitchen as I saw her sitting like a couch potato and laughing loudly.

" Fine but this was your first kiss, right?"

I turned to her with a deadpan face as she continued, " Did something happen inside you? Like you felt like doing something—" I threw the apple in front of me which she successfully avoided hitting her face.

" Wow. Calm down. I am asking the basics."

" I shouldn't have told you this. My bad," I said, watching her take a bite from the apple.

" I am a romance expert. Let me explain to you. This is a psychological thing. If I have to say, this is the turning point of your hatred. Everything will change when you meet him tomorrow," she said with round eyes that were trying to pop out of the sockets.

" How?"

" See, this is a classical step to love for haters. The accidental kiss is a big transition from hate to love. If not two hearts together, at least one person would be greatly affected by it and would probably fall for the other. And then, relationship!" She screamed and I realized how I wasted my time talking to her.

I walked inside my room with no other words.

" This is how it works. Did you listen?" I heard Ayushi screaming from the hall as I screamed back, " Only in movies not in reality. Just go to sleep, dreamer girl."

" Sooner or later, you will realize it." She pouted, taking her night suit to change herself.

I jumped into the bed, scrolling down my phone but yes, I couldn't get him out of my mind. I hid my face with the blanket and pondered upon the near-kiss scene that turned into an actual kiss.

I screamed under my pillow. I mentally cursed how absurd it was. Did I kiss him? For real? That idiot.

I never imagined such a thing to happen. Whatever it is, we cannot change it now but the only thing I could think of was about tomorrow. We still need to act together even if it means bringing embarrassment to myself.

Well, we can see that tomorrow. Now I need to sleep but will I be able to?

~•~

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