Dear diary,
Aaj main bahut khush hoon. Mujhe ek show mila hain and it's a hit fantasy show! Aladdin!! Kabhi nahi socha tha ki aisi project mujhe milegi. After Dil Jaise dhadke dint work out, I was so sad. But actually log sahi kehte hain, whatever happens,happens for good! Abhi dekho, woh show workout nahi hua, so I got such a good project. Yeh mere career ke liye hi nahi but this will also help develop my acting skills and also learn new things! I'm so excited. Haan ek baat hain ki main Avneet ko replace kar rahi hoon....pata nahi fans accept karenge ya nahi! Hope they understand and accept me. I know ki iske liye time lagega but I will try my best!

Yours
Ashi

Ashi writes her diary and goes to sleep, happy about bagging such a good show. The shooting begins in 2 days and she is really very excited.

The next day
Ashi wakes up to a sunny but pleasant morning, with a huge smile on her face. She takes her phone and starts checking all the messages she has received. Her smile widens when she sees Randeep's message.

Randeep: Congratulations Ashi! All the best for your new show. Wishing you all success.

Ashi: Thank you very much Deep!

Ashi( in mind): Hamesha itni formal hone ki kya zaroorat? Hamesha aise hi karte ho Deep! But tumahri in formal baaton mein bhi mujhe pyaar aata hain! Kaash tum bhi mere liye..

Her smile fades away, as she realizes this is always how it will be between them. He would never love her. Her face droops at this and her eyes fill with tears. She looks at his message again and gives a slight smile. So what if he doesn't love her. She loves him right? Atleast they are friends! She had always been content with that relationship yet her heart, which she has already given him, which craves for him, sometimes makes her very emotional and not happy with just friendship!

She refreshes and leaves to follow her schedule for the day.
___________________________________________

The first day of the shoot of Aladdin

By now, the news of Ashi replacing Avneet has spread like wildfire over the internet. Number of haters of Ashi have increased very much, as she had very less during yudkbh. While many of her fans are coming out to her support, still the negativity is high. She knew it would be this way so she takes it in a positive way, as she knows people need time to accept a new face. She is thankful of the cast of Aladdin, especially Siddharth for making all kinds of efforts to make her comfortable and also supporting her.
___________________________________________

Ever since the news of Ashi bagging Aladdin reached him, Randeep has been experiencing mixed emotions of happiness and jealousy. Yes ,he is damn jealous seeing his Ashi with someone else! He may not have shown her or told her but he loved her! He had fallen for her long ago, but realised exactly when Sameer realised his love for Naina! But he had kept his feelings to himself, owing to his own policy of "no relationship with co-star".

Keeping away his jealousy to the side, Randeep decides to be happy for her and hence sends her a congratulations message.

Randeep: Congratulations Ashi! All the best for your new show. Wishing you all success.

He sends and sleeps. The next day, he sees her reply

Ashi: Thank you very much Deep!

A smile automatically lights up his face. She has been the only one, apart from his family, who calls him Deep. He hadn't told her that his original name had been Deep. It surprised him how she called him by exactly that name!

2 days later,

It is the first day of the shoot of Aladdin. Randeep is praying to God to make this day a good one for Ashi. She had always been confident but he knows, every star would be nervous on the first day. This being time of the pandemic and also so much going on social media, he knows she would be very nervous. So without giving it a second thought, he calls her.

Seeing his name on her screen, Ashi pinches herself to check whether it's reality or she's dreaming. The pain makes her realise Randeep is actually calling her.
She gathers herself and picks up the phone.

A: hi Deep! Tu...
R( cutting her in the middle) Ashi, itni der kaun lagata hain phone uthane mein? Accha chodo! Dekho, tum zyaada nervous mat ho! Main jaanta hoon ki yeh pehla din hain shoot ka and pandemic time etc. Don't become very nervous. Just do your best. I know you will rock it!!

He spoke the entire thing in one breath! After blurting out everything, he hit his forehead in shock! What had he done? How can he speak to her like so directly?

On the other hand, Ashi is extremely shocked! He cares for her so much! He knows her so well. He knows what she feels when. That means he has observed her enough! That means, he also might have feelings for her!

Randeep awkwardly clears his throat. Before Ashi can ask him anything, he cuts the call, wishing her all luck, by telling that he was getting another call. But of course, she knew better!
____________

It's been 3 weeks after the shooting and telecast of Aladdin has commenced. There is widespread negativity and hate in the Sidneet fans for Ashi, despite both Avneet and Siddharth telling, no requesting them to accept her and not bash her, as she is really talented and hardworking!

Though Ashi is taking things positively, with a smile on her face, repeatedly tellings she's just doing her job, inside she's a lot hurt and is feeling low. Siddharth has tried and is trying his best to motivate her. Not only him, but also the entire team of Aladdin! She is trying hard not to be affected by the hate and listen to the cast's motivational words, but still, she is a lot hurt.

To add to it, her own fans, though are supporting her, but keep claiming Ashdeep is the best and it's forever, reminding Ashi of Randeep and her one-sided love for him. She so feels, at times, to just go and seek some comfort and peace in his arms, but she knows she cannot!
___________

The hate-filled and insulting comments and also many calling her a talentless and worthless actor, has taken a toll on Ashi. Her smile dosen't reach her eyes and she has become very quiet and less bubbly.

Siddharth has noticed this change in her and is extremely worried for her, as despite his best attempts, she's not able to come out of it. She behaves normally with everyone, does her scenes perfectly, gives interviews with confidence, still he knows, she is a lot affected by these as she never had to deal with them in her previous show.

Thinking about her previous show, YUDKBH, it strikes Siddharth that the one person who can probably bring her out of this is Randeep! Even Ayesha had tried a lot but even she has remained unsuccessful in bringing back the original Ashi.

He takes his phone to call Randeep, but is amazed when he sees Randeep's name flashing on the screen.
( Randeep and Siddharth have met in a parry before and had a good convo. There, they also exchanged numbers)

S: Hello,Hey Randeep!
R: Hey Siddharth! What up?
S: You won't believe, I was just about to call you! Ummm...it's about Ashi!
R: Ashi? What happened? Is she fine? Did she hurt herself? Why does this girl have to do action stunts and stuff? Huh!! What happened, Siddharth? Why are you not telling?

S(utterly surprised): Bhai, If you allow me to speak will i speak na! Randeep, you..love her, don't you?

R: (stuttering) W.. what? What are you saying? I..I don't love her.. she's just a good friend of mine!

S: Oh come on man! Don't lie! I just said it's about Ashi and you, you got so scared and it was quite evident from your words and concern that you love her! For how long will you deny this feeling for her, just because of these outer world and stuff? Btw, I'm no one to tell you this. This is your personal matter. It's upto you to decide. Why did you call, btw?

R: You know what, you are right! I love her and not just now, I have been in love with her since the past 2 years!! I called to ask how she is, because of this immense hate and negativity, she would be very much affected. Even in her interviews, I don't see her smile reaching her eyes! She may not show outwardly what she feels, as she is no attention seeker, but deep within, she is a lot disturbed! I'm guessing she must have stopped interacting much and must be in her make-up room, all the time!

S: By any chance, have you been stalking your love all this while? How do you know that?

R: I love her Siddharth and I know her more than she knows herself. And don't worry, I haven't been stalking you! Btw, what did you want to tell me?

S: Ashi is behaving exactly like you said just now. We all have tried our best, including Ayesha, but she hasn't come out of it. So, i thought of calling you as I felt you are the only one who can bring her to her original self!

R: Hmm...okay then! You bring Ashi with you, on the pretext of dropping her, to ..
( And he mentions where to bring her)

S: Okay done! See ya

R: See ya!
____________

Siddharth has convinced Ashi to come with him and has brought her to the required place.

A: Hum yeh kahan aaye hain Siddharth aur kyun?

S: Abhi pata lag jayega Ashi. Thoda sabr toh karo.

Before Ashi can reply, a black car pulls infront of them. Ashi recognises the car immediately.

A: Randeep??

S: Bilkul sahi!

Randeep steps out of the car, dressed completely in black. He has a mask on so she isn't able to see his charming smile. But still, she finds him extremely handsome!

Randeep and Siddharth wave to each other. As soon as Randeep comes close to them, Siddharth says a good bye and leaves them both alone.

Ashi is too much in surprise to even register what just happened. Looking at her face, even though hidden by the mask, he can clearly make out her surprise, through her expressive eyes. No wonder she had been selected for Naina! Her eyes- they are so damn beautiful and expressive. He had been drawn to these from the very first time he had seen them!

R: Ashi, come with me!

Without a word she follows him. Soon they reach the interior of the empty park. He sits on a bench well hidden by the canopy of a tree. Ashi sits next to him.

After some moments of silence,

As: Deep, why are you here? Why are we here?

R: We are here to meet the original Ashi, who has been lost somewhere within you!
And I'm here, because...

As: Because?

R(taking a deep breath): Do you love me Ashi?

Ashi is startled by his direct question. She dosen't know what to say! What if he breaks the only relation of friendship that they have, if she says yes?

R: it's a yes or no question Ashi! It's what you feel. This shouldn't take much time. Forget am sitting here. Imagine you are all alone. Now tell me!

Ashi closes her eyes and taking a deep breath, she says

As: Yes! I love you!

When she hears no reaction from him, she slowly opens her eyes, only to see him smiling widely!

R: I love you too! Pehle kyun nahi bataya?

As: Kaise batati? Tumne hi toh bol rakha tha ki humare beech kuch nahi ho sakta!

R: I'm sorry Ashi! Jaanta hoon meri galti thi, but I'm really sorry!

As: Ab chodo inn beeti baaton ko! It's alright!

Few more minutes of silence pass

R: Ashi, look at me

She looks at him and he says

R: Zindagi mein har koi hume chahne waala ya hume pasand karne waala hi hume nahi milega. Kai log aayenge jo hume chahenge aur kai aayenge jo hume naapasand karenge. Jo log tumhe chahte hain, unka aabhar prakat karo aur unke liye accha kaam karo. Unki acchi baaton se prerit ho aur aage badho. Jo log tumse nafrat karte hain, unse bhi pyaar aur aadar se pesh aao, par unki baaton ko Dil se mat lagao!
Socho agar tumhari jagah, koi aur actress Naina play karne ke liye aa jati, toh kya humare fans use accept karte? Nahi na! Uske saath bhi yahi hota!
Jo log faaltu mein tumhare talent aur kaabiliyat par ungli utha rahe hain, unka muh band karne ke liye tumhe Yaasmin ka role itne acche se karna hoga, ki log bole, Wah! Kya baat hain? Okay? Aur jab bhi tum lo feel Karo, main hoon na tumhare saath!

Ashi has tears in her eyes. Tears of happiness, pride, understanding and relief!

Letting her tears flow, she says

As: Yes Randeep! Main samajhti hoon. Bas un kadvi baaton se dil dukh gaya! Thank you! Ab main yeh saari baatein Dil pe nahi loongi aur itna accha karungi, ki log dekhte reh jaaye! Tumhara saath hain toh har kaam mumkin hain!

They smile at each other and soon, witness the beautiful night sky, together!

Hey guys!
The credit for the entire idea of this OS goes to pahul_gpk

I'm sorry for being so late😅

Hope you all like it!

Lovingly,
Pratyu