Chapter 20

Shraddha Kapoor

I begin to pack my bags while wiping away my face. I'm done with his attitude. I'm not his punch bag that he keeps on punching insult after insult and expect me to bounce towards him for even more punches. He keeps forgetting that I'm here for his sake not mine.

I thurst my old clothes into the suitcase while skipping the new ones he got for me. I have a nasty thought to rip all the new dresses into halves rendering them useless so that he doesn't recycle them in hurting some other girls feelings.

My sensible part of brain reminds me I don't have return tickets. I hesitate for a second but decide I'll stay in airport if I have to..but won't stay any longer with Mr. Are-you-trying-to-impress-my-dad?.

Just because we spend one night together he thinks I want to marry him. Why would I want to do that? I've made up my mind long ago, I'm never going to get married to anyone. He doesn't need to know it and I don't intend to tell him as I drag the trolley towards door.

Just as I'm about to open the lacquer door Mr. Arrogant plops in closing the door behind him swiftly.

I eye him though I shouldn't as my flaming red eyes give away the fact that he made me cry. He eyes me back, his gaze slanting down from my face to my bags then back up to my face. There are no emotions of shock or surprise on his face..like he was expecting me to leave sooner or later. Fresh tears refill my sockets.

"Flight is tomorrow" he tells me.

"I'm going back to India" I say pointedly making sure my voice doesn't betray me. He folds his arms on his chest and raises an eyebrow in confrontation.

"Wait till the trailer is launched tomorrow" he says in cold voice that chills my bones. I didn't exactly expect him to plead me to stay but the way he sounds so distant and unruffled makes my heart bleed even more.

"I'm sorry I can't stay with you any longer" I contemplate of shoving him away from my path but I know I don't stand a chance under his physical prowess.

"You have to" he commands and I glare at him "you've signed a contract, remember?" He smirks.

"I'll talk to Karan about it"

"No need to disturb him. Look I'm asking a favour of just one day" his voice shifts but his eyes are still veiled.

"This is how you ask for a favour?" I retort.

He joins his hand in prayer mode "Please stay for one more day, Shraddha" there's still sarcasm laced to his voice.."Pretty please?" He makes a puppy face.

I know it's hoax..and I don't want to get trapped in it again but then I rationalise my options..I don't have a ticket.. it's just one day...considering our brief history in our chemistry with each other, lot can happen in one day but only if I allow it. The only reason he can touch me is because I let him to. I'm not some horny beast that can't tame it's desires.

I look up at him "only if you apologise" I say definitely.

"What?" He flares his nostrils "For what?" He asks like he is clueless about the accusations he made a while ago.

"I was not trying to impress your dad" my voice croaks.

He sighs "Okay..sorry baba" he says superficially.

I shake my head " You don't mean it"

"How am I supposed to mean it?"he asks in impassioned manner.

"From bottom of your heart"

He slowly lets out a chuckle and I rewind my sentence in my head wondering if it somehow sounded funny.

"Too much movies, Senorita?" His lips twirls in crooked smile.

"Pardon me?" I'm addled.

"Sorry tab bolna....jab dil se nikale" he says in frosty voice while pounding his fist on his heart...and I join the dots. It's a dialogue from the movie Zindagi na milegi dobara.

It's his little implications and it's ability to bring a smile on my face that makes me go jelly kneed..and my firm decisions begin to waver.

Varun Dhawan

I don't know why I asked her to stay.

It's not like it matters to me either way. Maybe I wanted to stick to my original plan of asking her to leave after trailer launch.

I don't want her to be spotted alone in airport and divert the discussion from movie to absence of my pretentious girlfriend tomorrow at the event.

It's safer bet actually. Even though she made me apologise for her own wrong doing.

~~

Shraddha Kapoor

Varun hasn't returned from the promotions and to keep myself awake I keep watching TV till late night. My eyes begin to water and my eyelids droop. I don't remember falling asleep but when I wake up I have blanket covered on me.

Oh! so Mr.Arrogant does have a pumping heart inside his metal steel body. I strech my muscles as they ache from sleeping on couch.

~~

The flight to Kuwait is short and we appear quickly at our boarding, freshen ourselves and directly leave for the venue where trailer is scheduled to launch. There is a projector set up and there are lot of empty chairs in the hall which soon begin to fill by journalists most of them Indian who have fled all the way from India to attend the event.

I ponder why are they launching the trailer in Kuwait in first place? The PR team often comes up with senseless marketing strategies or may be it doesn't make sense only to me.

Varun asks me to stay backstage so I loiter around the techinical crew occasionally eavesdropping on the ongoing procession on stage. The trailer is showcased and applauded wholeheartedly. Varun and Ileana bow in gratitude and sit for round of questions along with Davidji.

Among several questions..one particular question holds my attention...that is directed to Varun, of course.

"Varun your girlfriend is backup dancer...will we be seeing her dancing only behind you in your films?" There is silence in the hall or maybe my heart has stopped beating in my chest.

I could hear him inhale sharply in the mic.

"Firstly, Shraddha is a dancer" the way he says 'dancer', I swear he is gritting his teeth though I can't see him from here.

"She is passionate about dancing and I've never stopped her from doing whatever she wants to do and never will. And why would she dance only behind me? She works in dance troupe and will dance with whomever she is told to"

I know it may sound chessy but no one has ever defended me so passionately before, I swivel on my tiptoes to avoid anyone noticing the rising blush on my face.

~~

After the event wraps up...Ileana announces excitedly to dine at this local restaurant his boyfriend Andrew has suggested to her.

Varun, Ileana and I squeeze in one car as we head off towards the hotel. I'm almost sitting over Ileana's ridiculously long fur coat. Why would she wear a fur coat when the temperature is searing hot here? We ride for half an hour in the heart of city while Varun grumbles something about being so hungry that he can slay a goat if he has to.

As the car comes to halt, we remain perplexed in our seats overlooking the restaurant through glass door which looks more like pizza outlet.

"Are you sure you want to eat here?" Varun asks skeptically to Ileana who nods with child like enthusiasm.

"They have best local cuisine" she says pushing through glass door.

All eyes immediately rest on us as we make grand entry into the restaurant. I feel queasy from all the attention but Varun and Ileana look undaunted.

We take a corner booth and try to make ourselves inconspicuous but Ileana's fur coat makes it impossible task. Varun excuses himself as he heads towards door to have what seems like a little chat with doorman. After he returns I see the doorman latching away the front door.

As we are half way through our dinner we hear a commotion outside. People start peering their faces through glass and I feel conscious like animals displayed in zoo. Thankfully they don't attack us as Varun had used his presence of mind and asked to lock the glass door. But it doesn't stop them from capturing the stars in their cams. Ileana hides her face inside her palm. This is first time I'm experiencing their star power as till now there was always staff or Ileana's personal security around us.

Whenever we travelled Varun used to oblige few of his fans in airport, clicking selfies with them. Mostly girls. Hot girls.

A middle aged potbellied man, whose traditional Arabic garb tells us he heads this place, approaches our table midway through our dinner

"I'm sorry Sir, but we have to ask you to leave before the crowd gets out of control"

We hurriedly devour the rest of food down the throat and I'm so tensed that I can't even sense if the food tastes good?

"It was bad idea Ileana" Varun accuses her while drying his fingers with tissue paper.

"Varun..I didn't see it coming...how should I've known what kind of place it is? I had only heard about it from Andrew and even you've to agree the food was amazingly delicious."

I disagree. The food was good but not worth the risk.

"And what is life if not unpredictable?" she smiles at me. I'm amazed by the way they both are so calm and controlled. There is turmoil inside me thinking how are we supposed to get out of the frenzy outside? The crowd is increasing by tenfold and I hear gang of girls screaming out Varun's name. I'm hit by pang of jealousy acknowledging the file fact that Varun rules not just mine but many girls heart.

I suck out all the remaining juice out of last bone on my plate.

"Is there any back door we can escape through?" Varun enquiries while clearing the bill through his card.

The manager politely denies the payment "You don't need to pay sir, we are privileged to have you as you see we don't get much of celebrities here"

"Of course" Varun snorts.

"If only we had known earlier we would have built a separate back exit for you" he taunts and laughs out loud, we stare at him blankly..the smile fades from his face "There is only one front door" he says gravely.

"But it's impossible to get out through front door " Varun argues back.

Manager mutters some foreign language under his breath, his expression translating it for him 'you should have thought about it before walking in'

We spend ten more minutes figuring a way out. Ileana calls her security personnel but he tells us it will take another twenty minutes for him to reach the place.

"Till twenty minutes whole of Kuwait will be here" Varun bangs his fist in frustration on table which rattles slightly.

"I have an idea " Ileana's face lights up "I think we can get out of here safely, if you help us Shraddha" she gives a small apologetic smile which make my insides twist.

I have a strong feeling whatever idea Ileana has come up with, it won't end well for me.

~~~

Sorry for late update guys as I'm not feeling too well...:( and please vote if you liked this chapter. tysm..:)