Chapter 4

Varun Dhawan

"What!" I howl almost falling off my chair.

"Pretend girlfriend? Is that even a term?" I ask boisterously "Ok I get it..this is a new story you are planning on making into.."

"Varun.." Karan stops me calmly  "This is only way around" he informs.

"No it's not!" I yell at my mentor and stand up on my feet "It is most ridiculous plan that I've heard of....you want this girl to pretend to be my girlfriend? Karan I don't need a pretend girlfriend when I already have a gi ..." I bite on my words.

Karan folds his arms and waits for me to find my ground.

"Had" he corrects me later.

"Karan do you realise that many things can go wrong..your plan can backfire through thousand open spots"

"Hmm..I have thought about it" he says in tailored manner like he has been discussing his new business venture with me "Unlike you, I don't jump on my guns" he taunts.

"I made an anonymous call to studio early morning to see if there was any lost commodity complaint" he leans on table excitedly "Last night, as your luck would have it, I was leaving the venue when I witnessed you pulling off your little stunt and ruining your career with it. The girl you kissed fled right in front of my eyes and I noticed one thing that most reporters present there ignored. I saw her stumble and fall on ground..poor terrified girl didn't even realised that her heel has come off till I got my hands on it." he smiles cleverly.

"I agree to whatever you say..but why the unnecessary drama?"

"Unnecessary?" he repeats with vehemence "Varun you just got dumped by a girl in worst possible way. Also you made a complete fool of yourself by kissing wrong girl in front of whole media..and to add icing on cake you have a movie to promote in next couple of weeks...it means, even if you want to, you cannot avoid all the media flak that will be coming your way. The only way where you can save your grace and emerge as hero is..when you tell people that the girl you kissed is indeed your girlfriend and Sonam just said whatever she said because she has big mouth and is extremely jealous of your relationship, get it now?" he draws a deep breath.

I'm stunned and it looks like I've lost my voice as slump on nearby sofa to organise my thoughts.

Karan did make sense to me..but still I'm not convinced enough. I could see this going wrong in so many possible ways..the idea is too contrived to work through.

"What if she turns a traitor halfway and sells out our secret to the media?" I doubt out loud.

"We will sign a nondisclosure deal with her and even offer her enough money so she isn't tempted by the greens."

"Money is not always the motivation..some will do it for their 60 seconds of fame" I argue my point.

"She will already get her 60 seconds of fame when you come out publicly as couple...and I think we are stretching it too far right now" he says leaning back "See I'll get to know what kind of girl she is once she walks in through that door.. only then I'll make a deal with her"

"Wait a sec..she is coming here!" I ask feigning my elevated mood.

"Yes before I called you, I had made a call to her first and asked her to meet me"

"How did you even get her number?" I ask perplexed.

"You don't pay enough attention, do you? I told you in the beginning that I had called the studio..they informed me about girl who had been frantically searching for a shoe she lost last night...they gave me her number when I told them I have found one"

I let out a whistle. This man never fails to impress me with his quick wit and sharp intelligence. When I had been sitting here brooding about trivial issues like how was I going to face my family? This guy has been sorting it all out in his brain by that time.

"Karan you are a genius!" I applause.

"Oh! so I'm told" he gives me his dimpled smile.

The phone rings on his desk "Already?" he says on intercom while mouthing me 'It's her' "Okay send her in" he orders on phone as his eyes fix on door.

I don't know why suddenly I'm feeling nervous like excited bride on her first night...and then there is knock on door.

"Please come in" Karan says.

I hold my breath as I hear clicking sounds of her heels..as she closes the door behind her and enters.

I bend forward from side couch to have better look and all the air from my lungs disappear as my eyes falls on the person I least expected it to be...

"You?"

~~~