KRISHA

He and I share infuriated glances and walk straight to the interview desk. Great numbers of paparazzi surround us as we stand beside each other. Kritika follows from behind and stands at the corner, showing me a thumbs-up sign and gesturing for Karan to smile. Forcefully, we bring smiles to our expressionless faces by being good actors.

"KarSha, can y'all give us an insight about the upcoming music video?" they ask, calling out our ship name. I hate it! I also see Karan's upper lip twitching upon the ship's name, loathing.

I open my mouth to speak, but he purposely goes in first. I look the other way, biting the insides of my cheek. This man gives me real strain! "Yeah, so as you can see this is the end of the mountain where we were shooting. It's going to be great as always. What else can I say, stay tuned!"

"I want to add up to what he said," I spoke as he started to walk away, thinking that when only he spoke, the interview would be over. I can feel the cameras zooming on him and me, "We used many props this time and you would get to see picturesque scenery. We enjoyed it!" I completed it with a smile.

We began walking finally, he the other way and I the other way, not grasping the fact that the most important question is going to come like a splash of a hard-hitting wave, "How was it for you working together for the many of the one times?"

As I turn around to answer, I see him turning around, and we both turn at the same time, "Gross!" We both exclaim.

"Did you expect a different answer? It's good to work alone in these mountains is what I meant when I said things earlier." He said.

"Same here." I raised my hand, pursing my lips, giving him a disgusted look.

"Y'all know we don't get along well, why do you need to ask such things? We were going fine until now!"

"Can't help because your chemistry says something else all the time." They laugh, knowing the inevitable situation of our fans and fandom.

I put my head down, no comments.

"I'm not answering this anymore, Kritika let's go," he calls her.

"But why do you hate each other so much?" They ask again. Kritika comes in, "Okay guys, bye for now, please, no more questions." Our director comes in, "Don't ask the same questions again and again."

"Fans finally want an answer now." They go on coming back.

"We just don't get along with each other well. We don't like each other's personalities at all!"  I stepped in. Hearing me speak, Karan glanced my way and I did the same, but this time it was a lot more upsetting, unsettling, and worrisome glance.

We quickly settled inside our shooting set, away from the media and the hassle it caused today.

"I want a break for today, director," I said as my head felt like it was about to burst inside. He nods at me, not questioning me a second time, and leaves me on my own for what happened today.

KARAN

"See, she left the day only because of you." Kritika hit my thigh.

"Why are you feeling bad for her? I'm not feeling like working too! She even destroyed my mood! She is not the only one suffering, I'm here too!" I grip my hair tightly in outrage.

"Her headache must be bothering her as always," Kritika says unhappily.

"She has brought it upon herself. She is a menace anyway!" I say, seeing Krisha walk away in front of me from the back door of the set.

KRISHA

"You did not call me for the day! And why are you so early?" Says Max as she opens the door to my home.

"I completely forgot that it's your day off today," I say, dumping my handbag on the couch and running straight to the kitchen to get chilled water.

Seeing me gulp the water faster, Max says, "Whoww! Slow down, Krisha. Something happened again today?"

"What's going on?" It's my mom. Seeing me, she said, "Aww, Kri, my darling you are home?! Oh, but you are early!"

"Can y'all give me a few minutes to take my time and then tell y'all? Please?" They both glance at each other and then say, "Is it Karan?"

I frown at them. I mean how are they even surprised to know who killed my mood today? "Who else?!" I roll my eyes.

"Aren't you being too harsh on him?" My mom asks, stroking my head.

"Mom! You know about this! Still-," I sigh.

"I know he is a brat, but you and him, umm, don't get angry, I can't see y'all fighting anymore!" She says.

I give her a bombastic glare.

"What a great time for me to be at your home, Krisha! Finally, it's your time to talk about what's been with you and Karan for all these months. Your families know each other well, they like y'all being with each other. But from when I and the audience have seen y'all, you both are so grumpy all the time. What's this mystery?" Max inquires for the hundredth time and my face turns all red with resentment, irritation, and annoyance. I want to tell everyone everything about the situation Karan and I have, but can't bring it out as it will cause more frustration for me. It's bad for me! Hey, heart, it's difficult for me, you put me in a dilemma!

KRISHA

THE NEXT DAY

I knew that today was the time that we finalized the date of our upcoming stage performance for the public film festival in the city. There is going to be an awards night and a total of six days that the festival will continue. Even though I know how crucial it is for my career, I wasn't ready for this. And it's all because I have to share the stage with Karan once again.

As everyone knows this wasn't my first time sharing the stage with him either, but every time I had to, it was not with full will. And to fuel this thing, we have already had a massive fight yesterday. What can I say? People love to see me with him. And as unfortunate as it sounds for both of us, it's as blissful for our family, fans, friends, and institute. For them, I always sacrifice, but this time, it's high time that I have my self-respect before anything else and refuse to work with him as I can't handle this issue anymore.

Taking a sip of my tea in my locker room, I let go of the thoughts and started concentrating on my phone instead which consisted of numerous comments from our fans. I answer most of them and my mood gets lifted a bit. Richie, our event manager for the institute slides a message into my chatbox. I don't want to see it as I know what it would say. So I continue to let the time flow. A while later, Richie himself arrives and starts to nag at me.

"Can I skip this one? Please?" I ask.

"How can you? There's a lot of work. Don't you care about your fans anymore?" He questions.

"It's not that! Well….you know the reason. You know me! I am not one of the slump and lazy people."

"You both keep your problems at bay while working. I am begging y'all…."

"No. I won't. I am tired now and I have absolutely no energy to tolerate him. If you want to replace me for this event you can." I look the other way.

"What are you even saying? Will people like it if I replace the two whom they want to see the most? It's a paid event. Don't do this, Krisha."

"My answer is still, No!" I say, firmly, he rushes his fingers through his hair panicking about the last-moment alterations that I'm making, and looks at me with a plea. Continuing my work I look the other way leaving him to finally get out of the room.

I bang my phone with distress on the table and fold my hands, leaning on the chair, relaxing my neck for a quick nap.

Today, everyone is mortified due to the tantrums I was throwing. But from Ria, one of my other friends like Max, I gotta know that Karan was also the one who refused to perform at the event with me.  At least, we both agree with each other at this point. At the last table in the main hall, Karan is sitting serenely with Kritika. We exchange glances many times, but we still refuse to work with each other. Every time I see his face, my hatred toward him multiplies ten times. Richie, our director, and the other working staff peek at us hoping we are ready for the practice event any time soon. The set is ready, the staff is ready, only we aren't!

Playing with my phone all day is wearing out my muscles. Every passing moment seems boring. Karan leaves the hall for a while and returns with heightened energy, making us all wonder.

"Let's practice, guys!" He says. Why would he do that? Does he have any traps again? I would still stick to my "no" anyways.

"C'mon, Krisha, it's your time to be sporty now!" Richie got excited. I rolled my eyes at him and drew my tongue out like I was about to puke.

Richie shook his head in disbelief.

"Kritika, come here!" Karan called her." I would only practice with her, but with this troublemaker, no way!" he cackled, pointing at me.

"For your information, I have denied working with you too!" I said cockily and rushed out of the hall to placate myself.

Four hours have already passed since I left the main hall and am sitting at the library, doodling some nonsense stuff on the notepad when I notice that I'm getting a call from Kritika. She asked me to meet her at the canteen café in an hour.

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