Stellar Affair Part 9
"You never know what comes your way", I think my life was steering through this very principle. Till last week I had decided to erase the person named Ayan Kishore out of my life. But here I was, in Bombay at his very apartment. He had done everything to persuade me. At last, I had to give in. Obviously, I was back in news and this time my parents got to know everything. In fact some magazine had the nerve to speculate that Ayan and I had secretly got engaged. Every random theory in the newspaper had become my mother's question. 'Shiru are you living with him?' she bad asked. 'Of course not Mummy!', I protested.
It was difficult to explain everything as it all happened very fast. Ayan paid no attention to what was being written, he cared for nuts about how he was being projected but I was freaking out. He had told me about thousand times not to worry. In the following week he had several interviews and promotions for his next release. He gave out official statements regarding his relationship with me. I should have felt elated by his commitment but I wasn't up to it. Reading my name on every gossip newspaper and magazine made me paranoid.
'Why are you so freaked out?' Ayan asked. He had definitely noticed my anxiousness and lack of confidence in the past couple of weeks.
'Its just that I am not used to all this. Being reported and stuff...invading my privacy' I answered.
'Shireen, its just a matter of days. When they'll find new fodder, they'll forget us', his words were comforting but I knew how media went. They never forget you...as long as you're a star of the nation. And Ayan exactly was. I had been dying to ask this to him, but I feared the reply, however, I ought to ask him.
'Are you serious about us Ayan?', my heart throbbed. What if he says no? Oh shit!
He didn't reply immediately which was good, at least he was thinking. He looked at me with those eyes, the ones that made me fall for him. He held my hand and came closer.
'I am done pretending to be right and wrong. I am done being the hotshot actor. I am done being the playboy. I just want to be with you', he spoke with such sincerity and innocence that I couldn't help my tears. Of course they were tears of joy. Being with him felt like the best thing in the world. I could feel the love. This was it, wasn't it? No, it wasn't. Love is never enough...
***
Life had become extremely hectic for both of us. Actually just for Ayan, he was busier than never before. The producers were getting agitated, the film's release fell into crisis. Ayan was being blamed for everything, it was turning out to be hell for him. I couldn't do anything, who was I anyway? I had no clue about how this industry went about. It was after three months of our relationship when I felt extremely perturbed. So I tried retail therapy. One thing about having a rich boyfriend, they're always ready to splurge on you.
'I promise when this all will get over, we'll go for a holiday', Ayan said pitifully. He and I had hardly spent time in the past weeks and to his surprise, I didn't complain about it all. Why should I? That will only make us fall in difficult positions. His driver dropped me off at the mall. Luckily it wasn't bustling with people. Who on earth said that retail therapy was a girl's best way to reduce tension? It only brought great disappointments as I had ridiculously increased weight. I cursed the long dinners with Ayan and those plastic people around me. Indeed, happiness couldn't be bought. I checked my phone for any message or voice mail from Ayan and BAM! For few seconds it went all black, the next thing I remember, a guy picked me from the floor. 'Shireen?', he said.
I instinctly hid my face, over the months paparazzi had caught me and Ayan together so I had practised a few methods to protect my cover.
'Hey! Its me, Gaurav Chibber' he said again. Well, that name definitely ring few bells. Gaurav Chibber, long time schoolmate. In fact Ayan's counterpart in school. We had sparks flying during the last year of school, though nothing really happened. He immediately hugged me. 'Well, well, well! Long time', he said in his accented tone.
'Yeah, pretty long. What nine years?' I guessed.
'Nine years it is. Wanna grab coffee?' he asked. It was nice to know that he was alive. 'Sure, why not!'
One thing about Gaurav, he talks a lot. He ranted about his job in London (the accent explained it). And how happy he was in his life. I just nodded and sipped coffee.
'So what about you?' he asked ultimately.
'I..I am working in a PR consultancy' I spoke, though I hadn't been at work in the past months.
'That's nice. You know, I met so many girls in the past years but no one like you' he said, flirtatiously. He held my hand. He looked into my eyes like he was some Romeo, on the other side, I took my hand away and excused myself.
'Hey don't go', he said.
'I am sorry Gaurav' and I left.
***
Ayan didn't come home that night. Tight work schedules were to blame, I tried reaching his cell but he wouldn't pick up. He didn't come home next morning either. I went to his office, Mr Patel said that he hadn't been there too. When I went back, I saw his car parked. I rushed to his apartment, when I opened the door, I was completely horrified. The apartment was in complete menace, everything was broken into pieces. I went inside and saw Ayan, he was heavily drunk.
'Shi-reen' he said, the smell was too strong. I immediately went to the kitchen and got the first aid.
'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!' I caught his hand but be he resisted me.
'Shush! What have you done?' he caught hold of my hand and gripped it tightly.
'You're hurting me Ayan', I said.
'No, Shireen. YOU HURT ME!', his voice raised and his expression changed.
'What are you talking about?' I was puzzled.
'WHO WAS HE SHIREEN?' he twisted my arm, I cried in pain.
'Who are you talking about?' I cried in agony.
'THE ONE YOU MET IN THE MALL, that's the reason why you haven't complained to me about being so busy, you're busy with him, weren't you?' he concluded like that was the truth.
'You're out of your mind Ayan!'
'NO, YOU ARE! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?', he shouted even further.
'Ayan let go of me', I cried.
He left my hand. 'Yy-ou ww-ere like th-e rest, same old bitches you are. All of y-you!'
I was shivering with fear, I had no idea what to do. Suddenly, he fell on the ground.
***
Ayan took exactly seven hours to get up. He and I didn't speak to each other when he woke up. I was scared to even utter anything. At last it was becoming unbearable.
'Can we talk?' I asked.
'I think you should leave Shireen' he said coldly.
'What?'
'We're breaking up'
To be continued...
(PART 10 To be the end)
It was difficult to explain everything as it all happened very fast. Ayan paid no attention to what was being written, he cared for nuts about how he was being projected but I was freaking out. He had told me about thousand times not to worry. In the following week he had several interviews and promotions for his next release. He gave out official statements regarding his relationship with me. I should have felt elated by his commitment but I wasn't up to it. Reading my name on every gossip newspaper and magazine made me paranoid.
'Why are you so freaked out?' Ayan asked. He had definitely noticed my anxiousness and lack of confidence in the past couple of weeks.'Its just that I am not used to all this. Being reported and stuff...invading my privacy' I answered.
'Shireen, its just a matter of days. When they'll find new fodder, they'll forget us', his words were comforting but I knew how media went. They never forget you...as long as you're a star of the nation. And Ayan exactly was. I had been dying to ask this to him, but I feared the reply, however, I ought to ask him.
'Are you serious about us Ayan?', my heart throbbed. What if he says no? Oh shit!
He didn't reply immediately which was good, at least he was thinking. He looked at me with those eyes, the ones that made me fall for him. He held my hand and came closer.
'I am done pretending to be right and wrong. I am done being the hotshot actor. I am done being the playboy. I just want to be with you', he spoke with such sincerity and innocence that I couldn't help my tears. Of course they were tears of joy. Being with him felt like the best thing in the world. I could feel the love. This was it, wasn't it? No, it wasn't. Love is never enough...
***
Life had become extremely hectic for both of us. Actually just for Ayan, he was busier than never before. The producers were getting agitated, the film's release fell into crisis. Ayan was being blamed for everything, it was turning out to be hell for him. I couldn't do anything, who was I anyway? I had no clue about how this industry went about. It was after three months of our relationship when I felt extremely perturbed. So I tried retail therapy. One thing about having a rich boyfriend, they're always ready to splurge on you.
'I promise when this all will get over, we'll go for a holiday', Ayan said pitifully. He and I had hardly spent time in the past weeks and to his surprise, I didn't complain about it all. Why should I? That will only make us fall in difficult positions. His driver dropped me off at the mall. Luckily it wasn't bustling with people. Who on earth said that retail therapy was a girl's best way to reduce tension? It only brought great disappointments as I had ridiculously increased weight. I cursed the long dinners with Ayan and those plastic people around me. Indeed, happiness couldn't be bought. I checked my phone for any message or voice mail from Ayan and BAM! For few seconds it went all black, the next thing I remember, a guy picked me from the floor. 'Shireen?', he said.
I instinctly hid my face, over the months paparazzi had caught me and Ayan together so I had practised a few methods to protect my cover.
'Hey! Its me, Gaurav Chibber' he said again. Well, that name definitely ring few bells. Gaurav Chibber, long time schoolmate. In fact Ayan's counterpart in school. We had sparks flying during the last year of school, though nothing really happened. He immediately hugged me. 'Well, well, well! Long time', he said in his accented tone.
'Yeah, pretty long. What nine years?' I guessed.
'Nine years it is. Wanna grab coffee?' he asked. It was nice to know that he was alive. 'Sure, why not!'
One thing about Gaurav, he talks a lot. He ranted about his job in London (the accent explained it). And how happy he was in his life. I just nodded and sipped coffee.
'So what about you?' he asked ultimately.
'I..I am working in a PR consultancy' I spoke, though I hadn't been at work in the past months.
'That's nice. You know, I met so many girls in the past years but no one like you' he said, flirtatiously. He held my hand. He looked into my eyes like he was some Romeo, on the other side, I took my hand away and excused myself.
'Hey don't go', he said.
'I am sorry Gaurav' and I left.
***
Ayan didn't come home that night. Tight work schedules were to blame, I tried reaching his cell but he wouldn't pick up. He didn't come home next morning either. I went to his office, Mr Patel said that he hadn't been there too. When I went back, I saw his car parked. I rushed to his apartment, when I opened the door, I was completely horrified. The apartment was in complete menace, everything was broken into pieces. I went inside and saw Ayan, he was heavily drunk.
'Shi-reen' he said, the smell was too strong. I immediately went to the kitchen and got the first aid.
'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!' I caught his hand but be he resisted me.
'Shush! What have you done?' he caught hold of my hand and gripped it tightly.
'You're hurting me Ayan', I said.
'No, Shireen. YOU HURT ME!', his voice raised and his expression changed.
'What are you talking about?' I was puzzled.
'WHO WAS HE SHIREEN?' he twisted my arm, I cried in pain.
'Who are you talking about?' I cried in agony.
'THE ONE YOU MET IN THE MALL, that's the reason why you haven't complained to me about being so busy, you're busy with him, weren't you?' he concluded like that was the truth.
'You're out of your mind Ayan!'
'NO, YOU ARE! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?', he shouted even further.
'Ayan let go of me', I cried.
He left my hand. 'Yy-ou ww-ere like th-e rest, same old bitches you are. All of y-you!'
I was shivering with fear, I had no idea what to do. Suddenly, he fell on the ground.
***
Ayan took exactly seven hours to get up. He and I didn't speak to each other when he woke up. I was scared to even utter anything. At last it was becoming unbearable.
'Can we talk?' I asked.
'I think you should leave Shireen' he said coldly.
'What?'
'We're breaking up'
To be continued...
(PART 10 To be the end)
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