It's 'Their' LOVE Story... by Rajini Rao (top reads txt) 📕

THIS STORY IS SET IN INDIA.

CHAPTER 1:

KISMAT MEETS KARTHIK

It is a bright sunny day and the city of Hyderabad(State of Andhra Pradesh,Southern part of India). There is a young woman standing on the 'Reddy Nagar Bus Stop' waiting for her bus to arrive along with many others; since 3 hours.

It had been a long and tedious wait but the bus just doesn't seem to show up. There she is standing in the hot scorching sun in the summer of Hyderabad, cursing her luck like majority of the people do.

Well, the bus seems to have arrived now and all the people gear up to fight for their life to get on this bus which goes to Hydercity. The battle will not be easy. But our poor protagonist does not realize this; not until now. The bus stops and all the people march in roaring. She tries to push herself in but to no effect but in turn rebounds and goes further back. The bus leaves. "I can't believe my luck!" looks like she is the only one in that crowd who is left behind. Now it is her and the lonely bus station in the traffic-packed road of Reddy nagar. "Who would come to my rescue, no one I guess" She puts her palm on her forehead, indicating frustration,"It is always the same I never get in time everywhere I go, it is the same old problem. I am sick of it." She is all disheartened then she decides on one thing. "I am going to walk my way to Hydercity." Her resolve is made. She began walking muttering to herself "I am already late by half an hour. If I don't get there early then I am the one to blame. Why did I sleep this late? And what's with the city's transportation? There are so many people living in the city but there are a very few modes of transportation. No local trains?! Mumbai(City, State of Maharashtra,western part of India) is a better place. I am already sick of this city. If it isn't for my carrier I'd never ever come to this city!" It is a long walk and when she took a look back..."What? I've only come this far? It might only be a few steps from the bus stand. And it is so difficult to walk in a sari..." And a few more steps further, "Ah! I can't walk any longer" she is almost about to faint. She sat down on the edge of the footpath she is walking on.

There appears a stylish black car(expensive ofcourse!). It stops right in front of her. "Hey, you need help?" comes a voice from the inside. The window of the car comes down. She looks up and quickly makes her way into the car, "can you take me to Hydercity?" she asks out loud with a lot of hope in her eyes. He is taken aback but with a staggering smile he says, "Okay, okay first you settle down. Even I'm going the same way... I'll drop you." He has a calm and composing voice, yet very overwhelming. She realizes that she is acting wild. So she calms down and adjusts herself to her seat. "By the way, I am Karthik, Karthik Reddy. What might your name be?" he says smiling.

"I am Kismat, Kismat Chauhan." she replies quietly.

"I see, you do not belong to this city, I guess."

"Yes, I am actually from Mumbai. And I am here to pursue my career."

"Oh! That's interesting! What do you want to be?"

"I want to be the greatest director of all times. I want to make films that will not only win critical acclaim but also appease to the masses." She said with determination.

"Ah, well I am..."

"That's why I came to Hyderabad from Mumbai. Because here the chances are more... more films are made here in the South India so it might be a great learning experience. Plus, I love the films made here. Although the story is always very bizarre but you have to accept the good, bad and the ugly of your work place right?"

"Right, well you see... I ..."

"But I don't know most of the directors or actors of the South Indian Film Industry... I only know about directors like Mani-sir and actors of the generation of Chiranjivi-sir you see. I don't know any of the actors of this generation..."

"Oh! I see."

"By the way what do you do?"

'At least she remembers that I am here too.' Karthik thinks. "I umm... work in a fi..." he cannot bring himself to say that to her. In the past there were girls who only wanted to be his friends just because he is the son of a famous actor and they knew he is going to be an actor himself. He is actually hurt by many selfish people. For the first time he met a girl who is not aware of his identity. He wants to be like a normal person for once.

"Oh! You work in a firm, is that a Pharmaceutical firm. Oh yes! There are a lot of pharmacy firms in Hydercity, right? You are going there. Do not worry the film city is nearby that area. Phew! I got a lift till my work place now Gautham-sir wouldn't be too upset. But what if he gets really mad at me and fires me? He will fire me right? I don't even know Telugu (Language spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh)." she continues her muttering. Those who know Kismat are aware that she has a habit of muttering when she is nervous. And today she really is, actually she is always as nervous as today. She is really scared of socializing and ends up behaving really weird.

Karthik sighed, "I don't think he will fire you for not knowing Telugu!"

"Actually I do, but only a little. You see I was in 4th grade when mom took me away from Hyderabad to Mumbai. Where I picked up Marathi(Language of the state Maharashtra) but forgot all Telugu."

"Uh... didn't anybody tell you that you are way too frank to be revealing all this to a person you met for the first time."

"Oh well. I do get a lot of remarks for me being this frank. But I can't help it. If I don't speak then I'll go mad. By the way what is your designation in your firm?"

'God! She has got so many questions to ask! I can't evade them all but is it okay to lie just to become a normal person?'

"Oye, what are you thinking?", Kismat asks

"Oye!? Your dialect is a bit weird. Do all Mumbaikars(People living in Mumbai, slang-term) speak this way?"

"Well ya, everybody. Mumbai is the coolest place to be. Once I've finished with my training here, I'll flee of to Mumbai. To my family."

"Why? Don't you like Hyderabad?", Karthik questions her, seems like he is protective of the place he belongs to.

"What should I say? It is very hot here, the transportation is worst and yes, my main problem is communication. They don't know Hindi(National language of India, spoken almost everywhere except for south India), I don't know Telugu. It is very difficult to communicate in English with them... besides you are the only person who talked to me since I arrived here. People are not friendly either."

"Well; it is not that bad a city either. Wait; how about it? I'll show you around."

"That'd be great! But not right now. Today is an important day"

"I know, I understand. Some other day alright."

They both smile looking at each other. And their destination finally arrives. It is already the film city."Okay, got to go..." she gets out of the car. Wave's good bye and closes the door... but her Saree(Well, how do i explain it, Google it! It is a type of clothing wore in India) seems to have stuck in.

"Oh dumb Saree..."

"What's the matter?" Karthik opens the window.

"It's my Saree. It is struck in the door. Please open the door for a second."

"Oh, it's alright" opens the door. "It seems that you have no experience of the Saree."

"Well this is my first time. I had to practice a lot before actually wearing it outside."

He smiles back and then the driver goes ahead while she begins searching for her location. The doors of the film city opens she felt like she is in heaven.

"G-6. That means ground floor; sixth section."

She then arrives at her destination the watch man asks for her id.

She is allowed to go in. there is the director on his seat. As if he is waiting for someone.

"Good afternoon sir" she is scared of him at the first sight.

"Yes, very good afternoon. But you were supposed to report at morning. What took you so long? And there better be a good reason for it. You must know that I am very strict and if you want to work with me you have to be punctual." the director is visibly mad at her. She is going through a nervous breakdown. Knowing that she is going to be sacked now and that nobody could stop this from happening.

"I hope you have a reason."

"yes sir, actually I did not get the bus and then I thought of walking my way here but then the sun is very, I mean it is very hot outside... and.."

"Oh please don't give me all this rubbish."

"She is right!" comes a voice from the back side; a person emerged from the shadows; it is her knight in shining armor. Karthik Reddy...

"Oh you are here?", Kathik says looking at Kismat.

"I'm sorry sir, but do you know her?" questions the director.

"Yes and I was the one who gave her lift to this place. She was going to faint in the hot sun. Any ways is the Pooja over with?" he is sounding like a man holding an important position here in the unit.

Kismat is just staring in awe that the person she met before is...

"By the way, who are you exactly?" she is still confused about his identity.

"I am sorry; I don't work in any firm. I am an actor and I am the lead in this movie." he is smiling looking at her.

"What?" Kismat is visibly shocked.

"You are an Actor! And you are essaying the role of the lead in this movie?" Kismat asks in disbelief.

"Why is it bad?", Karthik asks her.

"No, it's not bad at all. My question is why didn't you tell me before? Was I going to eat you?"

"Not that way, but I couldn't just bring myself to say that to you. I mean you were chatting non-stop and you did not give me a chance to speak. Then I thought that things were okay this way as we will never meet again. But... I guess I was wrong", here's Karthik trying his best to explain himself.

"So, you lie to every new girl you meet?", Kismat was angry, very angry, "Am I the only one feeling bad here?"

"Look, I am really sorry. And believe me you are the very first girl I lied to..." Karthik looks at Kismat who is giving him a Death-Stare now, "and you will be the last one, I promise"

When all attempts to pacify her goes in vain, Kismat gets a call from the director.

"Kismat Chauhan, would you please attend to your duties?", director roars.

"We will continue later...", Kismat runs off.

Poor Karthik does not know how to react to this situation. He saves her first and gets yelled at! He goes inside his vanity to get ready for the shoot and here Kismat is introduced to Gray Fernandes.

"Hey, I am Gray Fernandes. Call me Gray"

"Kismat Chauhan"

"Chauhan? From North India?"

"No, I am from Mumbai. And you are from, let me guess, Kerala(The southern most state of India, with a considerable christian population)"

"Well, no. I am from Tamil Nadu(neighbouring state of Kerala)."

"Oh! Can I ask you