Pani – a story we wish were true – part 22

Recap: Pani have successfully turned into professional co-actors and now is the scene for the manan accidental kiss.

For the first rehearsal, both of them are nervous on the inside but are trying to be calm. The scene is one where Harshad is trying to manipulate Dhruv’s mind and break his guitar but Nandini is stopping him from hurting Dhruv just when Manik enters the music room with the other Fab 5 members and accidentally in all the argument, Nandini falls over Manik on the ground and their lips accidentally brush a little.

They are done with all the arguments scene and its now time for the “kiss”.

The first time, Niti did fall on Parth as directed but could not let herself too close to him for their lips to brush. She just controlled her face from falling over him. “Cut !” said the director.

Director: Niti, go closer. Don’t worry your lips would just brush. It’s not even a 1 second job. Please try.

Niti just nods a yes and they take in a take 2.

During the second time, the spot dada came in to serve tea to all the cast and crew members and as he was walking across the room, he accidentally pushed niti and she actually fell on Parth and they were both on the ground. Also, the push was so powerful that their lips actually touched and it was not just the brushing of the lips for 1 second, rather it took a bit longer about 3 seconds. And they were both really embarassed.

All the others present in the room did notice what just happened but kept quite except for one.

Ayaz: wohoo !! Superb man ! I think that was a perfect shot ! Haha ! We don’t need a retake I guess. But maybe we need. Because we only needed a little brushing of the lips but here it was a bit more. Right uttu ?? A bit more.

Nobody responded and Niti moved out of the room followed by all the other girls. The director declared a break of 15 minutes to settle the atmosphere.

When in the boys vanity, parth who was too furious on ayaz started scolding him.

Parth: yar ayaz why do you have to create such problems all the time ?? She would be so hurt now !

Ayaz: what problems did I create bro ? The push was an accidental one and that too by spot dada, I did nothing ! And you are really concerned about her ! Aren’t you upset about what happened ? Seems like you are really happy !

Parth: it’s not about me. I’m a guy. I can handle such situations but for a girl it becomes really difficult. At least think before passing such comments man !

Utkarsh: this time I agree with parth. Ayaz I think you went a bit too far.

Ayaz: yar you guys know how I am. I’m not the serious types who would sit and cry over such embarrassing situations. And whatever you guys might be saying but I really think my comment would help her remain calm.

Parth: look at his guts ! You still think what you did was absolutely correct ?

Utkarsh: I had promised her that none of us would ever bring such a situation in front of her that would make it uncomfortable for her or for parth to do their job !

Parth: (angrily) yes of course ! You are her new best friend. Just go and talk to her she might be needing you !

Utkarsh: why are you shouting at me ? What have I done ?

Ayaz: I feel like some thing is burning ! Do you smell it ? (Asks utkarsh)

Parth: just stop it man !

Saying this he leaves the vanity. Just when he comes out, his phone starts to ring and he checks it to find it disha. It had been 1 week to their break up and after 2 days of the break up disha had started calling him and since then parth had been ignoring her calls. He again did the same thing. He disconnected the call and turned around to move towards the building when he found disha standing at a distance. He again turned away and started moving but disha came running to him and hugged him from behind.

****

While the boys discussion had been going on in the vanity, back in the girls vanity, all the girls were stressed as to how would they change niti’s mood ?! They were just looking at each other as if asking each other what to say while niti was just having her tea.

She looked up to find all of them talking in the code language,

Niti: what happened ? Are you all dumb ?

Charlie: choti, are you alright ? I mean..

Niti: yeah charlie. What would happen to me. I’m right in front of you. Don’t I seem alright ?

Krissan: yeah you do . But how come ?

Niti: what do you mean by how come ?

Veebha: listen Niti, we are all your friends and you can discuss with us if you have something running in your head that is disturbing you.

Niti: but what should I discuss when there’s nothing disturbing me.

Charlie: don’t pretend babe ! Just speak your heart out ! We know ayaz should not have said that. But he just can’t get rid of his joker habit ! You know it right ? So just don’t take it to your heart.

Niti: I’m not.

Krissan: huh ?

Niti: look. What’s happened has happened. Now why to waste time and energy on talking and thinking about it again and again. I really don’t want to think about it too much otherwise I won’t be able to perform well. And I am not at all angry with ayaz. He is like my brother and what he did was I believe appropriate in that situation.

Veebha: you really think so ? I was so angry at him I could punch him right then and there !

Niti: why veebha ? What he did was to lighten up the mood. You saw how everyone just turned so serious at the accident, me and parth too. So ayaz just tried to turn the situation into a funny one so that there was no awkwardness.

Charlie: wow ! We thought you would be feeling awkward because of the comment.

Niti: not at all ! In fact that comment helped me laugh out about the situation. Now please excuse me, I’ll see you guys at the shoot.
Saying this she leaves the vanity.

She left because she needed some alone time. She wasn’t embarrassed but what she had been feeling since that kiss was something really different. It was not her first kiss, nor was it an actual kiss but it still felt like some kind of a magic. She too was surprised as to why wasn’t she embarrassed or angry. She realised she had changed. She had changed a lot from what she was earlier. Had it been the old Niti, she would have either ended up in a fight with parth for not stopping the accident although it was not at all his fault or she would have scolded ayaz for that comment, or at the most she would have started crying. But this time, she did none of those things. She was actually feeling something good about herself. It was as if the accident brought in sunshine on her. She didn’t know the reason but she was feeling full of joy ! She had been walking towards the building when she saw parth and disha. Disha had been holding him from behind and parth’s face was filled with anger !

Disha: parth please ! What’s wrong with you ? We have broken up several times in the past as well. But every time we got back together. Don’t you think it’s a sign that we are meant to be !

Parth: (removing her hands off his chest and turning to face her) no disha we are not ! You and me are not meant to be ! Because this time we did not and we will not get back together. So that is a sign for you that we are not meant to be and you can move on.

Disha: but I don’t want to move on ! I love you ! And I know you love me too.

Niti had been listening to all the conversation. She felt it was wrong to listen to someone’s personal conversation but she couldn’t control herself. And on hearing that last statement she just couldn’t move. She was waiting for parth’s reply. Did he really love disha ? “Yes obviously ! They are in a relationship ! That is possible only when they love each other” she thought to herself.

Parth: no ! I do not love you ! And that’s why we are not together ! We are over disha !

Disha: but why parth ? For such a small fight ?

Parth: it might have been a small fight but the reason behind the fight wasn’t small. It was huge ! Huge enough for this to happen. Disha, a basic necessity in a relationship is trust. Trust between the two people. Trust that I love you and you love me. Trust that however far away your partner is from you, he still loves you ! Trust that even though you can’t meet for several days, your partner is still thinking about you. You never trusted me disha ! Never ever ! And I tried to let it go several times thinking you would soon realise and start trusting me but you failed me each time !

Disha could not say anything. She just started crying but parth walked away. He saw Niti while moving away and realised she had witnessed the whole conversation but since he was not in a state to discuss anything he just moved away. Niti saw him and realised even he had been crying on the inside. She saw his eyes and noticed he had been flickering them too much to stop the tears from flowing. She could see the pain in his heart through his eyes. After waiting for some more time, even disha left.

Niti knew parth was not in a position to work and that too on the kiss scene and so she went to the director and requested him to take up some other scene as she needed some time to prepare herself for that awkward scene. Understanding a girls feelings at such a situation the director agreed and changed the sequence.

****

Later in the evening parth was drinking and thinking about how his relationship with disha had turned out. They had been dating for around one year and most of the time of their relationship, they had spent fighting and arguing. He had started hating relationships but he did not believe in hurting a girls feelings. But this time he had to take the step as the girl did not care for his feelings and she took it too far.

Similarly, niti was also thinking about the conversation between parth and disha and the invisible tears she had seen in parth’s eyes back then !

She took her phone and sent a text to parth.

Parth’s phone rang and he checked it to find a message from Niti. He found it really strange to have her message but was really curious to find out what it was. He opened it to find her message that said, “everything happens for our own good !☺️”

The smiley reminded him of niti’s innocent smile. He didn’t realise but he instantly forgot all the bad thoughts and started thinking about Niti. He then remembered the accidental kiss they shared and realised she might have been embarrassed at it and so he picked up his phone to text her back.

Parth: thanks ! Are you alright after today’s accident ?

Niti: (really happy to see his concern) yes I’m fine thanks !

Parth: (thankful that she was alright) great ! See you tomorrow. Good night !

Niti: yeah ! Good night. Take care !

Parth: you too !

It was a bit awkward kind of a conversation but it made both of them feel good and it helped them wipe out their bad memories and remember the good ones.

****

So friends please keep supporting just the way you are.