Chapter 22: Chapter 22

*Prathap Pov*

Damn it! I thought staring at the car that is leaving the house compound while remembering her expression when she passed us. It was… was completely blank just like the one the person beside me is showing for sure.

I have seen that look many times on Vikranth’s wife’s face but never tried to know the reason behind it. I turned to stare at her and found her staring back at me with the same look.

“I didn’t mean it like that. Will she listen to me if I say that?” I asked to which she turned around to walk back inside but I followed her.

I know I can just follow Anitha right now but I heard her friend talking about tomorrow’s shooting and I don’t want to ruin it anymore unless I have a clear plan on what to do.

“Please!” I added and she turned to stare at me.

“You need to be honest near her unlike how you are right now near me. You don’t mean it? You mean it more than anything right now. You just didn’t expect her to hear that. So, think clearly and be honest near her.” Saying that she turned only to pause seeing Vikranth standing near us and is right behind her until now.

“I just talked to him like that as her friend and not as your wife.” She suddenly uttered those confusing words before taking a side step and walked inside the house.

I turned to stare at Vikranth who is staring over my shoulder and is not giving away anything with his expression.

“Why did she explain to you all that? What will happen if she talks to me as your wife instead of as Anitha’s friend?” I asked staring at him.

“Vikranth! Why can’t she talk to him normally as your wife?” Shrishti called him after reaching our side and seems like she heard this conversation too.

“So, you actually like her?” he asked shifting his eyes to stare at me and I stared back at him without saying anything.

“Seems like he does like her. I never saw him running like this before and let’s not forget the guilty look she had before reacting to her presence.” Shrishti commented and shifted her eyes to stare at me and ignored the topic as he didn’t even acknowledge our question.

“Even I think so but I don’t know whether he knows about it.” Vikranth added nodding at her.

“Of course not! Didn’t I already tell you how stupid he is when it comes to the opposite gender?” She asked shaking her head.

“This is really not the time for you both to analyze me.” I commented frowning at them while they both shrugged at the same time before Shrishti laughed at my expression.

“Go right now and confess your love for her before everyone. Like that movie style and I am sure she will love it.” Shrishti assured me while I rolled my eyes.

“You don’t even know her. And you are not at all right.” I said and her smile slipped hearing those words and a frown appeared.

“Don’t even think about it. If she doesn’t let you in after you reach the hotel, then the result will be another scandal that will harm both my agency and her popularity. They can convert this issue into anything.” Vikranth ordered.

“In the meantime decide on your feelings and moving in together will not happen until you get a grasp of it.” Saying that he glanced at his watch.

“It’s time for you both to leave.” He added and we both stared at him in shock.

I sighed turning around to leave and Shrishti followed me saying, “I still think it is better to contact her so that she will not be hurt.”

“I heard her friend saying she has shooting after two days and if she is hurt then she can’t concentrate on practicing, right?” she added and I stopped to stare at her.

“Why are we always thinking of Kan… Kanika as either just Vikranth’s wife or Anitha’s friend? She is younger than us by two years but we still treating her as a 0 stranger and even saying her name feels weird now.” I asked changing the topic and she paused to think about whatever I just said.

“You are right! Why?” she asked back with a confused look.

“It can be because of us.” I replied and she shook her head.

“No! I was wrong in the beginning as I was still not over the fact that I lost him and didn’t even try to talk to her and you were the same for my sake. However, later we both tried to reach her but she never accepted anything. Every time we meet, it felt like she is thinking about something else and would wish to be anywhere else except with us.” She pointed out while thinking about past incidents.

“The reason could be because of our earlier behavior.” I pointed out and she slowly nodded.

“You are right! But right now the main issue is your love life instead of this. So, what are you going to do?” She asked staring at me.

“Love life?” I asked and she nodded without pausing for a second.

“I already saw how you were when she is with you. Truth to be told I was also jealous as all this time I never saw you behaving like that with anyone and you were closer to me than even to Vikranth.” She replied and I stared at her in shock.

“Yes! Can you believe it? Anyway, then I thought if you were there for me to listen to everything I have to say about my feelings and my crush, then as your friend, I should listen to you also. So, I may feel jealous until I get used to all these new things happening in your life but I will always be here to help you or even just listen to your problems.” She assured me with a smile covering her face.

“Wow! My friend has grown up so suddenly. I never expected this day to come.” I commented smiling while feeling a bit happy I guess that even though she never saw me as a love interest but I was always special for her as a support and somehow I am feeling fine even with that.

“Shut up! I know every one of you was just taking care of me all this time. But I am going to change and take care of all of you in return from now on. You are first on my list.” She said hitting my shoulder.

“Okay! At present, I don’t know what to think or what to do. But I will reach you if I have something to share.” I promised her and she smiled hearing that before leaving the place.

I sat in my car while repeating her expression after the conversation she heard and I don’t know how can I correct it no matter what.

Will it change if I confess? But I need to be honest like her friend said. I need to be honest with myself before saying anything to her.

Yes! I thought nodding to myself before driving away and it took longer time to reach my place because of the traffic and found the restaurant packed with the customers and that is mainly because of her streaming about the restaurant dishes and will soon do one for the restaurant exclusively but I don’t know whether she will do it anymore as we didn’t sign any contract.

I gave Deepak a nod when he found me reaching the entrance before walking towards the cabin only to pause from taking another step inside when I found the person I was thinking about all this time is right now sitting in my cabin.

“Anitha!” I mumbled reaching her side but she is checking her phone.

“Mr. Vikranth called you a few minutes back. You didn’t check your phone?” She asked not even glancing at me.

“What happened?” I asked clearing my throat realizing she is here for some reason after finding missed calls from Vikranth.

“The person I had an affair with as per the scandal just posted that he is still seeing me and that I am cheating on you.” She explained looking up and we both turned hearing a knock and found her manager walking in.

“What is this mess? You had to come here from the hotel the moment you reached there and even couldn’t take a rest. How low will they go?” Her manager started cursing someone while Anitha just stared at her.

“Don’t mind her! She worked with them before and is feeling disappointed right now.” Anitha commented but what felt more important than the new scandal is that she is still looking at me with no expression on her face.

“What do I need to do?” I asked looking at them and lifted the call as Vikranth called again.

“Did you find out what happened?” He asked when I greeted him.

“Yeah! What should I do?” I asked still staring at Anitha who is staring back with a professional look instead of the normal expression she always has on her face.

“I know I told you before that you will not be disturbed but this news is bad for her just before the movie shooting.” He explained.

“It’s okay! I am going to follow your decision because of her and not you.” I assured him and he sighed hearing that.

“Just a few pictures and that too not staged.” He said and I accepted but the next words surprised me a bit.

“For two days?” I asked him in a surprised tone after hearing his next words before waiting for her expressions to change.

“I am fine! But why only two days?” I asked and this time her manager sighed hearing that question.

“Because the shooting will start and we can pass the excuse that she needs to stay at a place without disturbing you for the timing’s sake if a question is raised. And there will be an outdoor shooting soon.” He explained and I accepted before cutting the call.

Okay! To cut the matter into short, that bastard just posted that he is still seeing her and they choose the time which would affect her shooting as the frame will shift to this news instead of the movie shooting.

Next, Vikranth passed the plan his PR team gave is that to show proof of our relationship onto the faces and how it didn’t waver a bit. So, the photos are needed and also she will be staying with me for two days.

As everyone already knows she is staying with me and thinks she goes back only when it is needed. So, if she suddenly stops then a few may believe the news.

“If I didn’t know better then I would think you both planned this together to get accepted to stay at the same place.” Her manager mumbled and I turned to stare at her.

“So, there is no problem?” she asked politely and I shook my head.

“I got her clothes for two days.” She mumbled gesturing the luggage bag she is holding instead of the shopping bag she used to bring before.

“We can find another way if you want.” She added looking at Anitha who is staring at the bag.

“Will it solve this problem within two days?” Anitha asked looking at her and she shook her head.

“It was my mistake to think they will not go to such lengths and get drunk that day. Even though it’s wrong I don’t want to use a long way to solve this.” She said before glancing at me.

Wrong-way? Is she talking about me? I thought staring at her with a confused look but I couldn’t ask anything because of the presence of her manager.

“You can call either of us and we will be here immediately.” Saying that her manager left while Anitha stood up with her phone.

“Pictures?” I asked understanding her gesture and she nodded without using words.

“Here?” I asked standing up and she nodded before shifting the angle on her phone to get my table in the frame while I stood behind her.

I glanced at the screen and then at the expression on her face which looks like she is acting right now instead of her natural expression.

I already decided to give her space until I clear my mind but looks like when it comes to her I never follow the plan. With that thought, I shifted my hands to circle them around her body which finally let her give a natural expression of shock.

Taking that into account, I pressed my lips to her cheek after hugging her from behind and whispered for her to click the picture and she did without pausing for a second.

“Upload it!” I whispered not letting her go.

“You can release me.” She mumbled while uploading the picture but I didn’t move an inch.

“I am sorry!” I whispered and she sighed before locking her phone.

“For what?” she asked and I know that honesty is really important even though I may make the situation go worst as her friend suggested.

“For you to hear that.” I replied and she patted my hands to let her go which I did as I shouldn’t take advantage of the situation for longer.

“I know you are not clear about what is going on between us. I was fine when you expressed your confusion but today you didn’t express it and it felt like you were denying it completely and that too because of her presence.” She stated turning around and I slowly nodded because she is right.

“Didn’t I tell you when you offered me to stay with you like as in live in together that I will start having hope about your feelings? I would have been fine before or at least I wouldn’t have shown you how it affected me and would have hidden it. However, I will not do it right now.” She explained before taking the bag from her feet to leave the cabin.

“So, right now I am in the process of just thinking you are my one side crush and wouldn’t expect even a single inch from your feelings and will try to overcome my feelings by myself. Thank you for this help and I will try to never let you involve like this again.” She added staring at me and I stared back while realizing that her words are making me uncomfortable somehow.

The thought of her not liking me in the future is not something I am fine with. I never thought of this before and may have even taken her feelings for granted.

She left my cabin while I was lost in my thoughts as she already knows the entry code to my house. I took a deep breath realizing the hurt I am feeling right now.

I should have felt like this when I heard Shrishti fine with my relation with Anitha but I was fine at that time. Now, I am actually not ready for Anitha to forget her feelings.

I closed my eyes while stopping myself from rushing behind her to say these things as I need some time right now to not hurt her regarding this again.

After finishing with the doors locking and making sure everything is fine, I slowly walked towards my flat.

Taking a deep breath, I entered the flat and found her sleeping on the couch and the script folder is lying on the table beside her.

“I am sorry for hurting you.” I whispered kneeling beside her to brush her hair from her face.

“When you said you need time to come over your feelings for me, I couldn’t bear it.” I added smiling when she crunched her face.

“I like you, Anitha! And you can answer me by opening your eyes.” I whispered and waited for her to open her eyes.

“How do you know that I was not sleeping?” she asked opening her eyes and stared straight at me.

“Because you were not snoring.” I replied and she frowned hearing that.

“I don’t snore!” she stated and I shook my head.

“You do!” I retorted and she shook her head this time.

“Kanika’s ears are really sensitive and she can’t sleep if someone is snoring. So, there is no way I snore as we used to share a bed in the past.” She explained.

“I never said your snore disturbs people but it actually sounds nice. I like hearing it from the beginning and I was never disturbed by it.” I explained back and she stared at me hearing that without saying anything else.

“I don’t believe that you like me.” She mumbled and I felt pricked but then can also understand her reaction.

“Let’s not cross line ever again.” She added closing her eyes.

I smiled taking out my phone before clicking her picture and posted it as the first post on insta which I opened recently after she talked about her account.

“Let’s see how your fans will react after seeing this picture of yours.” I mumbled and she immediately opened her eyes.

“Show me the picture. I removed my makeup long back.” She mumbled trying to take the phone from my hands but I stood up before staring at her with a smile.

“I can sue you for taking it without my permission.” She pointed out sitting up.

“I never said that when you were clicking my pictures and that too many without my permission.” I pointed back and she pressed her lips tightly hearing that.

“I will delete them and you do the same.” She mumbled taking her phone from the table but I took it away.

“No! I can give a pose for you later for you to click more pictures. I am actually fine with this.” I assured her and she frowned standing up.

“So, I will start clicking your pictures from today because even I want to admire you and have the ones which no one will have except me. And as I already posted this picture, let it be.” I added and she stared at me hearing those words.

“I already told you that I will not get any of my hopes on you and feel that hurt again.” She said taking her phone from my hand.

“Don’t! This time let me work hard a bit to gain your trust regarding my words and actions.” I said holding her hand and started walking towards the bedroom.

“I will sleep on the couch.” She said trying to pull her hand away.

“No need! Let’s sleep on our sides and not be uncomfortable by using the couch.” I said continuing to walk towards the bedroom and turned to stare at her after reaching the bed.

“Go to sleep! I need to freshen up. Or we can take one picture after I freshen up to upload and another one tomorrow morning.” I offered while she just stared at me.

“You think about it.” Saying that I left her there to reach the washroom and locked the door behind me before taking a deep breath.

I was really confused about what to do about this matter but somehow the words came out and actions were done knowing well I can’t keep everything in my head. I just hope she will trust me soon about the confession I made because that is definitely not false.