Maya

Today was beautiful. 

The morning air smelled better today as I hummed in happiness. "That was fun!" I spread out my hands and legs, banging my fist on the bed, covering myself up with the bed sheet. 

I smirked mischievously, peeking through the bed sheet. Playing with Ajay was the best thing to do early in the morning. 

I walked towards the dining to see the cheesy couple wearing those pink and blue matching couple dresses, sickening me to the skin. They were too busy cutting fruits and giving nose kisses to each other. 

"Why are you doing this in the dining place?" I sighed. "And what is that dress?" I was feeling wriggly in my stomach, watching them going over the top with this couple stuff. 

Pranav and Ayushi squinted their eyes at me as if I committed a crime. They pouted and announced, "This is cute!" 

I internally groaned and picked up a piece of guava. I slumped against the cushions with a smile floating on my face. Soon enough, thinking about Ajay, I couldn't stop laughing. 

"What the— I got scared! Don't laugh like that, it's scary!" Pranav exclaimed on hearing my voice. 

My laughter ceased as I gave him a deadly glare. "You must be crazy." 

At this moment, he knew he messed it up. He turned away, slowly pretending like he never exists. 

"You seem to be in a good mood today. Is it because of Ajay?" Ayushi asked, smirking and teasing me like anything.

"Yeah… I pretended like I didn't know it was his birthday today." I laughed like a silly fool when they both stared at each other in shock.

"So… today is his birthday?" 

"So… you didn't wish him?" 

They both asked different questions together. Ayushi looked at Pranav for a second longer than it was supposed to and then asked him, "You didn't know today was his birthday?" 

He blinked and shook his head steadily, observing our shocked faces. "How would I know?" He looked down and the next second he turned to me. "You must know it!" 

"What? I already know today is his birthday." On hearing that, he went speechless. He had no idea what to say next. He pulled out his phone and said, "I am wishing him right now!" 

He excused himself, leaving me with Ayushi who pounced upon me with innumerable questions. "Are you insane right now? Just wish him! You should have wished early in the morning. What is this?" 

"I want to give him a surprise." 

Her already wide eyes stared at me, calmly. "Surprise?" 

I nodded when my phone rang loudly. "Hello, Sarah?" 

"Job done, Maya. The surprise present is ready! They will deliver it by the evening." She announced over the phone. 

I jumped in joy. "Thank you, Sarah." I expressed my overflowing joy and gratitude. After hanging up, I leaned back feeling all relaxed. 

"What is the surprise present?" Ayushi asked, curiously. 

I chuckled and whispered, "It's… a surprise!" She grimaced at me, throwing a pillow straight towards me. She shook her head as if she was done dealing with my tactics. 

I just wish everything goes according to my plans.

★★★

"I had a question for Maya. How was it working in your debut film and how did it feel?" An interviewer asked. 

I knew it wouldn't be easy but I never wanted this to be so nerve-wracking. I gulped my nervousness, pretending to be fine. "It was good, of course. At first, I was quite nervous and felt myself all over the place but sooner or later, things came back into place. I am grateful to the filmmakers. Ramesh sir, Sanyukta ma'am, Raghav sir and my co-stars all guided me well. Ajay helped me a lot. It wouldn't have been possible without them." 

I purposely didn't take my director's name. I already started to have a bad feeling about him after that incident on the set. I didn't even feel bad for not uttering his name. 

I rather felt happy. 

"Is it true that you are dating Ajay?" Ajay… I missed him. 

I didn't know what was up with him. He didn't even call me and it seems like he is already too late. The weirdest part was that no one actually waited for him before the commencement of the interview.

When I tried speaking, Rajiv sir just cut me off and insisted on the interview be conducted early. 

I turned towards the director who gave me a scary look. Although he grinned like an innocent gentleman, only I could see through his mask. He was actually a disgusting man. That said, I am freaking worried about Ajay right now. 

I feebly smiled as tension gripped my nerves. "Yes… it is." I took a glance at the co-stars and filmmakers sitting beside me. "And there might be some big news also." The interviewers rushed to note it down. The people sitting beside me stared at me in shock. 

But all this while, I noticed the director keeping a constant face. I didn't know what he was thinking but it sure was disturbing. 

Soon after the interview and the trailer launch were over, the most anticipated party began. But still, there was no sign of Ajay. I looked at my phone to see no calls or messages. As I was about to call him first, Nakul pulled me with him onto the dance floor. 

Events like this can be rather boring. Men wanted to keep their "aura" or "charisma" intact in front of the reporters while ladies who wore tall heels couldn't dance even if they wanted. 

When I looked at the food counter, my mouth felt watery as a delicious aroma reached my nose. It didn't take long to pick some potato fries and a coke for myself. Before I could go back, I thought if I should give Ajay a call. 

"Why isn't he picking up?" I sighed, frustratingly. Right at that moment, I felt a hand on my shoulder. 

"You—" My reflexes responded before looking at the person. As my defences worked in a jiffy, I found myself pushing the person back. 

My eyes and mouth went wide when I saw Rajiv sir standing in front of me and not Ajay. "I am sorry. Are you okay?" I displayed concerns that were just for show. Inside, I felt my heart pounding in glory and happiness. 

He winced in pain, pressing his hand against his chest. I covered my mouth, to avoid laughing out at his misery. "So sorry. I didn't mean to." 

"It's okay. I am fine." 

"Why are you?" I mumbled under my breath, gritting my teeth. I smiled at him, to cover up my ambitions of hitting him right in his eye. 

"Maya, I have to agree… you were great. It was unexpected but yeah, you improved. But it was all because of the filmmakers." While I listened to him, I kept a big fake grin on my face.

"Of course, I agree." 

"If you do, shouldn't you have mentioned everyone you should be grateful to?" He patted my shoulders. His hands stayed there for some time longer than they should have been. 

Uncomfort crept into me when I pushed his hand away slowly. "Did I miss someone?" I played dumb as the situation called for. 

He chuckled and gave me the scariest look, trying to intimate me. "You will know better." I blinked as I didn't even realize when my breathing stopped. Fear gripped me very badly as I kept looking straight at him.

"Maya, just do what I say. You can become successful like the others." He came closer. "Think about it. I can make you the one you want to become." His filthy hands touched my palm, disgusting the remaining piece of sanity out of me. 

As I thought, I might lose myself and kill him right now, I spoke hurriedly, "I will think about it." I excused myself towards the washroom. 

Seeing that empty place, I entered one of the washrooms and finally, took a deep breath in. "That perverted bastard! I gotta just torture you till you ask for death yourself. That punk!" I cursed loudly, happy that no one was there.

I kicked the bucket beside me hard but that just retaliated, pouring the water completely on my dress and heels.

Feeling exhausted after wiping them off, I came out just to see Sanyukta ma'am staring at me. "So, it was you." When she said that, I strangely felt caught still not fully understanding what she meant. 

"Are you okay?" She asked, looking at my state. 

"I don't know." She sighed on hearing that. 

"Was it Rajiv?" I was confused and shocked by what she was saying. "That perverted bastard. It was him, right?" 

My breath hitched. I hesitantly looked around everywhere and closed shut my eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that." I felt pathetic, apologising for something that wasn't my mistake. But I couldn't come up with anything to say. All that left my mouth was 'sorry'. 

"Why would you apologize? It wasn't your fault." She turned towards the mirror, fixing her hair. "You are new here. You will slowly learn it all. Remember that you are not the first and you probably won't be the last also." 

The truth was bitter. It hurts so much.  

"It's the truth. Is it stinging?" She looked at my figure in the mirror. "But we can still hope for better. I can't do anything here. It's your choice. I just want to say, not everyone wins." 

She was about to leave when she turned back. "I hope you will make better choices. Don't become another Priya. Don't fail." 

She left, leaving me behind to rethink my choices. 

★★★

"I thought about it. Please guide me." 

"I knew it. You are smart."

I turned at the hall, filled with people. "Let's go somewhere quiet." I grinned at him as he led me towards the exit door. 

There was no one in the silent stairway outside the exit door. "So, what were you saying?" 

I clenched my phone tight. "You remember, you were saying, I forgot to say about someone for whom I should be grateful. I am very grateful for that person." 

My sugar-coated words seemed to have pleased him. I grinned widely and took a look at my phone. 

"If you are so grateful, you should act like that." 

"I will, sir." I smiled, bowing in front of him. I checked my phone before keeping it aside. 

He chuckled and said, "You think you will get away with what you are doing?" 

I was bereft of words. "W…what are you saying, sir?" I hardly uttered. He pushed me aside and pulled my phone out of my grip, all of a sudden, catching me off guard. 

"So, you were recording?" He gave me a lot of disdain, throwing the phone right down the stairs. I swear to the many thousand lords that my heartbeat actually stopped for that moment. 

It was like my body froze and I felt my feet turning cold. "You are funny. Don't act smart." I stepped back till my body was pressed into the gap between two walls. 

"You shouldn't play like this. Be careful. You are a new, outsider girl. Do you know that you are already in a very bad position? Don't you care about your career?" He held my wrist so tightly that it pained like hell. 

I screamed out my lungs for help. I wailed out loud when he pressed his hands against my mouth. "Shut up!" 

I was starting to feel helpless. I doubted if fighting would be a good option. My overthinking mind was making me anxious but all of that suddenly disappeared. 

My eyes widened as I stared at his back and I stopped protesting. Rajiv sir looked back cautiously. In that split second, I pulled off my heel and threw it right on the back of his head. 

He turned back with a look of rage but soon, he fell unconscious on the floor. If it was another time, I wouldn't have stopped praising myself for my incredible act of pretending someone was there.

"Maya! Where are you?" I heard a familiar voice. Soon, I looked at the figure in front of me with a hazed vision. My mind was reeling with all the things around me. 

"Ishaan…" I hardly uttered. My state was a mess. My hair was all over the place as I looked at him. I took a deep breath to calm myself. 

Ishaan was terribly shocked at my condition as he pulled me out. "Are you okay?" 

"Why… why are you here?" 

"That's not important. Let us get out fast." He pulled me when I thought of my phone. I turned back towards the stairs and ran to get my cell phone. 

We ran out of there on time, before anyone could even see. We took the back exit and I hurriedly got in the back seat of his car. I panted heavily when finally, the car engine started.

"Are you really okay? You are not hurt, right? If you are in trouble, you should've called." His voice was mingled with concern.

I nodded, still breathing heavily. "Don't worry." I hardly managed to survive out of his hand. I didn't feel scared… I just felt numb. As if my senses didn't even respond.

I tapped on the broken screen of the phone to see if it was still functioning. I dialled Ajay's number, waiting eagerly to hear from him. With my hands trembling, I held onto the phone. But he never picked up. Soon enough my already broken people ran out of battery and went dead.

When I kept looking blankly at the dead phone, a thought passed my mind. 

The question that Ishaan had avoided before, kept knocking on my head. He shouldn't have been there.

"Ishaan, how… did you know I was in trouble?" I could notice his eyes protruding as he gripped on the wheel. 

His expression changed in a second when he said, "I came to deliver the gift on behalf of Sarah. Take a look beside you." He had a half-smile on his face, maybe for comforting me.

I turned to take a look at the gift before sitting back. All this time of living apart from Ajay, I never felt this hurt. I wanted to lean on him and cry my heart out but I couldn't do that.

It didn't take long before we reached our building. I don't know how I got out of the car. My heart and head were in a mess. Ishaan came out of the car, with the gift bag as he asked for the umpteenth time, "Will you be okay?"

I bobbed my head, hiding my thoughts inside my mind as I took the bag from him. "Bye, Ishaan and thank you for coming."

As I was about to turn around, his arms pulled me and before I could realize anything, my body was leaning against his. From the corner of my eye, I saw a bike going by so swiftly, cutting through the air.

While a gush of fresh air touched my pale and cold face, a stream of tears rolled down my cheeks when he held me. "I am sorry. I am usually not... like this." I spoke in between my silent sobs.

"It's okay. I am here."

All this while, I failed to notice someone who was watching me from afar.

~•~

So, finally, here it is!

I am sorry if I broke your hearts. Honestly, I am crying because the next chapter will be heartbreaking.

* Oops, spoiler*

Till then, stay safe and happy.

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