Author's POV 

Running. That's all Ishaan has been doing in his life. 

He could only think of that one way when he was left alone to take care of himself; when he had to compromise on his emotions and when he heard the news of his father's demise from the media. 

People think it's fascinating to be the son of the Kapoor family, to have Alisha Kapoor and Dewaan Kapoor as his parents. They see his so-called royal lifestyle that is glorified in front of the camera. The rich building, the rich cars and the surname that he bears makes everyone think that he got everything one can ever desire. Everything that a middle class person could ever dream of.

If only he could say that the glamour world without its veil looks uglier than anyone can imagine.

That's why if people asks him what it feels like to be a starkid, he would say it's ugly, if only he could be honest. For Ishaan, it's not anything like movies. It feels like being supposedly free when you are actually caged. It feels like being watched over every single time. It just feels hopeless. 

At the end of the day, you sit in front of the mirror, asking yourself how many lies you told today.

But it's too old a story to talk about. It's been like this since his birth. So what is the use of grumbling now?

Ishaan asked, "What is it now?" He made it sound nonchalant but honestly, he was more scared. 

He was scared to lose someone yet again. He was scared but he knew it is never right to show your weakness in front of the world. 

"Do you talk to your mother like that?"The dominant voice of his mother resonated across the gray shaded walls. 

By this time, he had lost happy memories with her mother, he has no idea even if he had any good memories with her. Covering up his wounds with lies, that's all he had been doing. 

He still might have them somewhere, beneath the veil of falsehoods. It's just that he is not aware of it. His first memory of her mother is when she told him to cover up all his feelings because the world is looking at my every word, every step and every action. 

"I don't have time for this show. Can you please get to the point? You were the one who sent that dress to her, right?"He raised his eyes to look at her. 

She chuckled,"Which dress? Oh, that… Hmm. I just wanted to give her something as a gift. Does that sound okay?" Her devilish nature was quite opposite to the falsely created person in front of the camera. 

Who would know that the woman, supposedly a female right activist and a social worker for orphans is just the satan in disguise? 

Ishaan pursued his lips and coughed a dry laugh. "I don't think you ever gifted someone for no reason. What is your ulterior motive?"

"You seem to have grown up, my son. Then you should be considering what I said earlier."

He rolled his eyes and chugged down the wine from the glass kept on the table in front. 

He felt like his head would burst out if he kept on talking with her.

"I am leaving," Ishaan said, picking up his phone when she pressed on the remote and soon, he could hear her cheerful giggle. Maya.

Ishaan turned to the screen to see them together smiling and giggling while roaming around the treehouse on his birthday.

Fear settled inside him. His eyes protruded as he looked at her evil smile. "Aww… so cute!" She exclaimed with a delighted face.

"What is this? What are you trying to prove?"

Her smile was replaced by a deep frown. 

"Did you look at your precious project sales? How long are you trying to fool around? Actors should be profitable. If they can't do that, even if they are the star kids, they are going to vanish like they never existed. "She halted as she tore off a sheet of paper and threw it inside the dustbin. 

It seemed like another contract that she dumped. "Last time, I managed the paparazzi or else it would have been such a disaster if this came out! Can you understand how much it will affect our family name?" She took a deep breath, chugging down her glass of wine.

"It's not like I can help you when you don't want to be helped. You are supposed to be getting engaged to Priya. Act mature." She said, leaning against her easy chair. 

"Engagement? It was just your wishful thinking, mom. I never agreed to such a ridiculous thing," he spurted out.  

"It's not my lookout. You should be marrying her and that's it."

"But didn't you hate her as well?" I was so shocked at how she just decided about my marriage before even informing me.

"What if I do? It's your marriage. Don't you know how it works? She has the Malhotras backing her up, the leaders in the business world. Once we get them backing for our productions, we will be leading in the Bollywood and the R films production will just sink down."

"So, What do you want me to do?"Ishaan asked, without looking up. He very well knew that wasting time won't be a very good thing.

An amused smirk covered her face. "You already know that, don't you?"

He gulped the lump that formed in his throat. "I had already told you I am not doing anything like that." His lips quivered yet he kept a steady gaze, glaring at the devil in front of him. 

"Why? I thought you liked her. Being a mother, I should bless both of you," she said with a sinister smile playing at her lips.

It was not long before Ishaan felt the rage overpowering his senses.

"I don't even have words to say. Do you think I don't know what you are planning? Do you still think of me as a foolish boy?" His voice raised uncontrollably. He shouted, thinking it would make him feel better but it didn't help much. He felt worse.

"Ah… I never considered you foolish. But if you insist on putting the hammer on your legs, I am bound to consider you foolish. You better know that the film industry is a monopoly business for our family. With this uprising of outsiders, we are gonna be ready to face a lot of hurdles. It is about time you take action." She looked at Ishaan before getting from her comfortable chair.

"You are basically telling me to put the hammer on my friend's career and relationship. I shouldn't have expected anything better from someone who killed her husband." His eyes brimmed with fresh tears, barely managing to not trickle down his cheeks. 

Her weirdly calm demeanor wasn't helping much with the environment of the room. She lowered her eyes, those which now had strange empty emotions, reflecting back on the not-so-bright old days.

"Killed? That's a harsh word. I never put blood on my hands." Ishaan didn't look at her and neither did she bother to turn to him.  

"Mom, can I… ask just one thing? Did you ever regret your… actions?" His voice choked as his heart trembled. Tears threatened to fall anytime but he held them back, looking straight into her eyes.

She didn't seem like hesitating for once. "I refrain from doing anything that I am going to regret. I am just following the choices I made or going to make in my life. Regret is a coward's language who can neither accept the present nor deny the past. You should think about yourself. Don't regret it before even trying." She was confident as ever. 

She wore her sunglasses when her bodyguards knocked on the door, asking for permission to come inside. 

"Just remember, there are no fairy tales on earth. The world you want to make can never exist." Those were the last words before she left the room.

As always, Ishaan wiped off the tears before it would trickle down his cheeks. 

I shouldn't cry, he thought.

He was physically and mentally exhausted when his phone rang. Sarah.

"Hey, blockhead. Where are you? Damnit, I have been calling you since forever. "Her cheerful voice reached his ears.

She is the only good thing that happened to him in his rotten life. Being the besties from kindergarten, they were the only ones to know each other more than their individual families. 

"Are you angry with me because I disturbed your mood? I know you were upset. I don't know why but… I am sorry. Sorry, please."

"You really know to make me guilty," Ishaan said in an indifferent tone.

"Hey, that's not it. But if you are guilty, how about a movie night at my place?" He chuckled lightly as the mood of her voice completely changed. 

"Let's meet then." Ishaan heard her excited squeal before she hung up the call.

He heaved a sigh as he walked out of that house just to be welcomed by the mob of fans standing outside to get a glimpse of their favourite star. He smiled and greeted them when he saw his mother waving at them. Her face didn't show any sign of uneasiness as if nothing had happened.

She hugged Ishaan and patted him in front of those people and he too hugged her back like an emotionless creature before getting inside my car. It was yet another day to play along the role of a perfect role model, a perfect mother and son duo and the perfect happy family. 

By now, Ishaan was very used to this. With the camera monitoring every move he makes, a single mistake can prove to be the death of him. 

The son of the Kapoor family is just not allowed to make mistakes.

★★★

Under the deep blanket of stars, he was recollecting all those words that his mother said.

"You like her, don't you?"

It's not like he didn't like her or something but he knows Ajay likes her and she does too.

Why am I even concerning myself with these thoughts? 

Would it have changed if she were to meet me first? Anyway, my friend loves her and it's not even one-sided.

"What's wrong? I am not a mind reader so please just spill it out," Sarah said, slurping on her coffee. 

Ishaan looked at her when she kept her cup aside and gave him a piercing glance. He flinched at her sharp gaze. "Wh…what?"

"I am trying to read your mind," she leaned forward, her hand placed over his and her body closing towards him, "but I don't think I have much expertise in that field." She withdrew her hands and soon settled back at her seat. 

Ishaan heaved a sigh. Somehow, he felt so weird when she came close like that.

"It's… nothing." He coughed a bit, looking away from her when she turned his face towards her.

"Leave it," she said, leaning back. That was probably the last thing Ishaan could expect from her. She wouldn't have left such a topic so fast. 

"Ishaan, did you meet aunty today? She was asking me earlier if you have told me anything—," Sarah was about to continue when her phone rang.

He looked alarmed at what Sarah told. He didn't want to tell this to her and so he thought to distracting her.

No sooner did she keep her phone than Ishaan asked with fear settling in his soul. "Sarah, if a guy likes a girl who is already in love with his friend, should he just give up?"

"Such an old tactic to get free advice. So, are you the guy who likes the girl? Or the friend whom the girl likes? Probably the first one… right?" He shook his head as Sarah laughed like a maniac. 

"Yeah, yeah, very funny," Ishaan grimaced. He was glad she forgot about her previous conversation.

She took a deep breath, ceasing her laughter. "So, you got a girl?" She smiled mischievously. 

"Come on, I was just asking like that. General question for a film," he said but Sarah kept staring at him as if it wasn't convincing enough. "Nevermind," He sighed, settling back on his chair. 

They were out in the garden behind Sarah's penthouse. The night sky was enthralling. Little stars peeped through the darkness, the moon covered by the thick cast of clouds, yet it wasn't helping much for Ishaan as the stress was slowly taking over his mind and body.

"Okay, fine. I am telling you," Sarah said. He acted as if he was uninterested but soon, he was eagerly listening to her.

"So, in my opinion, first of all, you are stuck in a very complicated situation. Secondly, don't you think it should be the girl's decision?"Her voice suddenly turned all serious. She looked above at the stars before she fixed her gaze on her coffee mug. 

"Ishaan, I think if you really like the girl, you should try to show your heart to her. Once a great woman said, "Try till the very end before you think of giving up."And guess who that great woman is?" She asked, looking at him with indecipherable facial features.

"It's the one and only craziest girl who claims to be my best friend." She blinked and rolled her eyes. 

"Ugh… you should've asked "Who?" How dare you ruin my plan!" She leaned against the chair, shaking her legs in frustration. 

Ishaan couldn't help but laugh at her antics. 

"Fine. Whatever. So the thing is— there are three ways. #1 Be brave and tell her everything. Rejecting or accepting depends on her. Accept the consequences. #2 Keep your feelings in your heart and just understand her. If she really loves your friend, give up on confessing and be a Cupid between them. #3 Just leave those complications, get a vacation and go away." She kept on slurping on her coffee till it was finally over.

"According to me, just select the 3rd option and leave for a vacation. Like that, I will also get rid of you for a few days."

"Seriously? Go to hell." Ishaan felt his poor soul hurt as his dear friend wanted to get rid of him.

Sarah, who was observing him, broke into horrendous laughter. "Sorry, but Ish, you know what?" Ishaan looked up to see her serious face. 

"All depends on you. Whether you want to be the goody-two-shoes friend to the girl and her love or you want to express your feelings just to risk all your precious relations. Remember it takes courage to let go," she said.

His eyes trailed across her face to know her opinion but he is surely not a face reader.

Only if I could read her face, he thought.

No sooner did he decide to sue his mind for being so idiotic than his phone rang with a notification bell. 

Maya: Ishaan, are you free? Today morning, we couldn't talk so I thought of texting you. Is everything alright? 

Thank you. I wanted to say this for a long time. 

As if someone sucked the air out of his lungs, he looked blankly at Sarah. He could feel Maya's sincerity in her words. 

Soon after, another message popped up but he swiped it off, completely ignoring it because he knew very well what it was about.

He recalled all of what Sarah advised him. He stood up with a determined look flashing in his eyes.

"What happened?"

Ishaan smiled. "Let's say I understood my feelings,"— he looked at Sarah.  "I want to try till the very end. I can't give up. No way," he muttered.

~•~

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