Mumbai...
1 week later...

Ananya was waiting for Sameer in a cafe, she was confused about her decision of not marrying Aayan..

That day after thinking a lot, she arrived into the conclusion that she can't spend her life with a man like Aayan...

She immediately told her decision to Arjun, who was not very happy with this, but Vansh was glad that she did that, however she was still unsure, though she said no to this alliance, but she was fidgety inside, she desperately needed to talk to someone about this...

1 week ago..
Vansh's studio...

Vansh brought Naina to his studio and everyone was happy to see their boss's mother, she also met them with smile...

Vansh and the staff were chatting with each other, most of the time interacting with Naina and were laughing around...

'I really love your Saree....' one of the model working on Vansh's set complimented Naina

'Thank you Gracie, actually my best friend is a designer, so I learned some basic fabric designing from her and painted the borders....' Naina smiled

'It's awesome Auntyji, no one would say that it's painted by an amateur....' the other model said in awe, you can say from her expressions that she was lying...

The other model glared at her at this...

'I look at you as an inspiration Ma'am, the way you handle your business, household and also have such inquisitive mind, it's commendable... ' Gracie the first model said

'They are trying to woo your mother, so that you give them some attention...' Vikrant whispered to Vansh,
who frowned

'Bimbos...' He frowned and turned to the other side, his eyes landed on the girl, who was carrying a huge box, which was almost of her size, she was was silently doing her work away from everyone...

'I admire ALL your works, Ma'am...' Another model said in a flirty way, looking at Vansh

Vansh looked at the model surprised, and Naina controlled her smile, while Vikrant put his hands over his mouth and ran outside, as he couldn't control his laugh

'Maa, let me show you our recording studio... ' Vansh said, holding Naina's hands, simultaneously glaring at the girl

They walked outside the dressing room, to find Vikrant laughing holding his stomach, leaning against the pillar...

Vansh hit him, and Naina also started laughing

'Open flirting bro, that too in front of your mother, wow... ' Vikrant laughed and Vansh rolled his eyes

'Did you like Anyone of them, babes...?' Vikrant asked Naina

'They addressed me as Aunty, do I look like an aunty...?' Naina frowned, 'I didn't like any of them, dare you date anyone of them Vansh, I'll hit you with my stick... ' Naina warned and Vikrant started laughing

'Exactly, how dare they address my babe as Aunty.... ' Vikrant said, and Naina laughed

'Don't worry Maa, I don't have any interest in any of them... ' Vansh hugged her

'Good... ' Naina smiled and they walked towards the recording studio

As they walked towards the room, they heard a loud noise of someone falling, followed by the noise of many things falling at the same time

They rushed towards the source of the noise and saw a girl who was trying to get up, and many shoot related props scattered around her...

'Ouch...' The girl whined, and got up, she brushed her jeans and shirt, and looked around...

'Crap.... ' she muttered adjusting her specs, she was the same girl Vansh was staring before..

'Are you okay child...?' Naina asked and the girl looked at her

She was of same height as Naina, very fair, one can also say she was pale, very lean, she had brown hair, pleated in a messy way, and bangs on her forehead, she had big blue eyes, and wore big rimmed spectacles, covering most of her face, she was wearing a checkered red and black shirt as an over coat over white singlet, blue faded jeans and white sneakers...

'Yes.... Yes Ma'am I am fine... ' she said nervously and then her eyes landed on Vansh and Vikrant, and color drained from her face, sweat beads formed on her forehead, she took a step back

'Si... Sir.... I... I am so so sorry, I asked Sambhav for help... But he was supervising the lightning of set no 7, I thought I can take all these props to Set no 12, for tomorrow's shoot, but then.... ' she stammered looking down

Vansh looked at her amused, then his eyes landed on her wrist, which was bleeding and Naina felt bad for the girl...

'Are you alright Khushi...?' Vikrant asked

'But sir, I had no idea about the slippery floor, and then, Gracie needed a coffee, And Tanya needed to try that costume, I was listening to their calls, i didn't realise when I slipped, I am so sorry sir,I didn't mean to fall down, I hope I didn't break anything, You can deduct the loss from my salary....I... ' she continued her blabbering without even listening to Vikrant's question

'Khushi...! ' Vansh said a bit louder and she got scared, she almost flinched listening to Vansh's voice, she looked up at h, scared, like literally horrified, they could see her shaking

'Vansh, don't be so hard on her...' Naina scolds him

'Show me your hands... ' Vansh ordered

'Sir...?' Khushi asked confused, adjusting her specs and as she lifted her hand, they could see her wound

'Child, your are hurt... ' Naina gasped

Khushi looked at her wound and then at Naina...

'No Ma'am it's okay, I am used to them, I always fall here and there... Once I...' Khushi began, but stopped looking at her bosses

'Sorry Sir... ' she looked down

'Anuj... Get me the first aid...!' Vansh called

'Yes sir... ' Anuj called back

'Sir, It's okay... I'll wash it with water, it'll be fine... ' Khushi said

'Shhhh....' Vansh asked her to shut up and she followed his direction

Naina liked the girl, she could see a bit of herself in her, but yeah she was more confident than this girl...

'What is your name kid...?' Naina asked

Khushi looked at her with her big blue eyes and then at Vansh, as if asking for the permission to speak...

'I didn't ask you to take a vow of silence, you can answer her question...' Vansh rolled his eyes and then Anuj gave him the first aid box

'My name is Khushi, Ma'am... ' she replied

'Just Khushi...? I always wondered what is your surname...' Vikrant said

'I don't have a surname sir... ' Khushi replied meekly

'Give me your hand....' Vansh ordered

Khushi took a step back, and looked at Vansh nervously

'Sir, I will do it myself, you need not to take the pain... ' she said scared

'Khushi...' Vansh began, but Naina held his hands

'Let me do it Khushi, don't worry I won't hurt you...' Naina smiled and she hesitantly forwards her hands

'All ready for tomorrow's shoot...?' Vikrant asked her

'Yes Sir, we have 7 scenes to shoot tomorrow, before pack up...  These are the props of the last scene, rest everything is ready... ' Khushi said

'What about the outdoor schedule...?' Vansh asked

'Sir I mailed you the details... ' she replied to him scared

'I hardly check my mails, you know that, send me the pdf on whatsapp... ' Vansh said and she nodded

'Here you go... ' Naina applied ointment on her wound, Khushi looked at her and smiled..

She got dimples when she smiled, she looked very pretty, it was the first time they saw her smiling, Vansh was mesmerized for a moment...

'Thank you Ma'am.... ' She said

'Take care kid, and don't be scared of these monkeys,they are harmless... ' Naina hit both Vikrant and Vansh

'Ouch Maa... ' Vansh whined

'Nice to meet you Mrs. Thapar... ' Khushi greeted her nervously 

'Same here Khushi... Try to smile a little, you look very pretty... ' Naina said

Khushi looked at Naina shocked and then nodded smiling...

'Good....' Naina said and Khushi started putting the things inside the box she was carrying

'Don't pick it up... It's not your job, you are the first AD, not the porter...' Vansh ordered and Khushi who was about to pick the box, stopped and took a step back...

'Sahil...!!! Come and pick this box... ' He called

A huge man, of about Vansh's height, came and lifted the box like a small piece of rock, and Khushi's mouth was hung open

'Let professionals do their work... ' Sahil smirked at Khushi and then turned to Vansh

'Boss, the actress is not wearing the leather boots we brought, she wants original Gucci ones, will you talk to her...?' he said

Vansh sighed in frustration and then smirked, thinking about something...

'Dharavi se duplicate boots le aa, Gucci ka tag mai deta hu... (Get the duplicate leather boots from Dharavi,  I'll arrange the fake tag..)' He said and Sahil stared at him amused

Khushi looked at him shocked,
'Sir, that's cheating... ' she said slowly and Naina nodded in agreement

'Let experts do their work kid, you go do your work... ' Vansh said and Khushi walked away, adjusting her specs

'Why is she so scared...?' Naina asked

'Don't know babes, she is always like this...' Vikrant shrugged his shoulders

Vansh was about to say something, but his eyes landed on someone walking towards them and he froze

'Wassup kiddos...' Sid greeted them, he was accompanied by Arjun who was starting at Vansh's work place in awe

'Dad... Uncle... What a pleasant surprise... ' Vikrant greeted them and Arjun hugged him

'You guys have a really impressive studio kids... ' Arjun said looking around

'Thank you uncle... ' Vikrant smiled and Vansh felt happy

'How many people work here...?' Arjun asked further

'For current schedule, there is a staff of 70 people, but in future they may need around 150 or more... ' Sid said and Arjun was impressed

'And you both will be in charge...?' Arjun asked and Vansh nodded

'Wow... Film making is interesting...' Arjun exclaimed and looked around

Vansh was happy that his father was impressed by his work, but was disappointed that he didn't say this by himself..

They were touring the studio and meeting the staff, when they say Ananya running towards them..

'What is up with Annie... Why is she in such a hurry...?' Vansh said

'Maybe she wants us to know her decision... ' Arjun said happily

'Maa... Papa.... I have decided.... ' Ananya said panting

'Take a deep breath kiddo, your Maa Papa aren't running away...' Sid said

'I have decided that I won't marry Aayan..  ' Ananya said in one breath

'What....!' Arjun exclaimed disappointed

'What...!' Vansh exclaimed happily

Then the father son duo looked at each other and then shaking their heads in disappointment, and then looked away

'Are you sure beta...?' Naina asked

'Yes Maa... ' Ananya exclaimed

'But..  He was perfect for you beta, why would you reject him...?' Arjun asked

'Papa, I am not ready for this marriage thing, plus marrying Aayan would be a challenging task...' Ananya blabbered

'Task...?  It's marriage kiddo, not roadies....' Sid said

'Dude, you don't know Aayan, he is not what he pretends to be... He is just acting sweet in front of Maa and Paa, to gain their confidence... ' Ananya said to Sid

'You are being paranoid Annie, he is not dying to marry you, he may get better matches than you...' Vansh said

'That's what I want Bhai, I wish he gets a girl 1000 times better than me, I don't want to marry him but... ' Ananya said

'This is ridiculous princess, you are rejecting Aayan because you think he is lying... I am not convinced... ' Arjun said

'Doesn't my opinion matter Paa...?' Ananya argued back

'Of course it does Princess, I was just happy that you won't go away from me, you'll live across the street, also Aayan is a good boy, he would've taken good care of you, and Jai is my best friend, I know I could trust him with my most precious thing... ' Arjun said sadly

'Now someone else will take you far away from me... ' He sighed

'Relax crybaby... ' Sid held Arjun's shoulders

Naina who was silent in all these, looked at Ananya

'So you are rejecting Aayan, because you feel it's challenging task to live with him...?' Naina asked

'Yes... ' Ananya said

'Since when my daughter started fearing challenges...?' Naina said and walked away from there, leaving Ananya confused about her decision now...

While driving back to her house, Ananya was thinking about what just happened...

What if he really changed...?
What if Bhai is right, that I am being paranoid..
What if all his care and attention are genuine...
But why will he suddenly start liking me..!
I am not scared of challenges, of course not !
Oh god...  What should I do...

Present...

Ananya was tapping her foot impatiently, while waiting for Sameer...

Just then Sameer walked inside and gave her a side hug before taking his seat...

'What took you so much time...?' Ananya asked

'The world famous, Mumbai traffic.. ' Sameer said dramatically and Ananya chuckled

Someone was watching them, sitting far away from them...

He clenched his fist, seeing them laugh together...

'That's why she doesn't want to marry me... I won't let this guy take her away from me... You can't ruin my plans Singhal, she is mine... ' Aayan gritted and walked out of the cafe, without them noticing...

TBC...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next update Monday...
Do you think Sameer would clear her confusion...

Do you think her confusion is justified..?

Will Naina Arjun regret forcing their daughter to marry Aayan..?

Future will unfold...

Happy reading

Love
ASM