13 July, 1949. The Union of India

"Tum rasgulle leke aana. Main suji, parathe aur matar paneer laungi. Subeh subeh pakane lagungi toh der nahi hogi." Faajal explained to Pran.

"Par jab tum keh rahi ho, tabh mera ek artist ke saath kaam hain. Thoda aage nahi kar sakte kya hum? Yah phir raat mein?"

"Raat mein baba abh aas paas hote hain. Shaam mein nahi chalega? Mere film shooting kaal sirf char ghante hain pehle shift mein." Faajal moaned. Ravinder lowering his guard didn't mean she could sneak out of the set.

"Accha thik hain chaalo. Phir Geeta se kehdunga jaldi kaam niptale. Vaise Yusuf ko bataya yah main batau?"

"Tum batana! Main Tabh tak sab thik karlungi."

"Thik hain...." Pran groaned. "Shubh ratri, actress madam ji."

"Shab Bakhair, sultan-e-jahan." Faajal giggled, smitting him with his own mother tongue.

─•~❉᯽❉~•─

"May I come in?" Faajal raped on the door of his new room. "Who is it?" His voice called from inside, a crooked playfulness lingered on it.

"Some crazy girl craving your charm." She smirked, leaning against the door. As he opened, she almost tripped over, but thanks to his swift grasp she landed on his chest. "Aishh, check out before opening." She nagged, puffing her cheeks.

"One shouldn't lean against a door when it's to open." He pulled her nose tip. "What brings you to waste my time here?"

"I waste your time?" She pulled out from his clutch.

"Not always, but you have become a distraction nowadays." He burrowed a frown on his temple. Her teeth crashed so firmly, they might grind each other to dust. "Fine then! I won't be distracting you anymore!" She was to stomp out when he overturned her and his hands locked her waist. "But, this distraction keeps me sane. So no chance you will be fleeing from me!" His fingertip coiled around her ringlets and tugged it.

"Enough of flirting!" Faajal let go of his grip and tied a blindfold on his eyes. "What's this–what are you doing, Faajal?" He spun to find her, but she sided. "Follow me."

"But,"

"Follow me!" She ushered him to the empty auditorium where Pran awaited. When he stepped before the set-up table, she unknotted the blindfold. "Janamdin Mubarak ho!" Pran and Faajal hollered together.

Yusuf froze, gaped to utter anything. He eyed the expecting twos, bubbling with excitement. It took him a few seconds to react. "I forgot! Oh my! Thank you!"

"You used to remind us if we forgot, now we are reminding you!" Pran chuckled. "Our superstar cannot keep everything in mind." He winked, earning a groan from Yusuf. "Shall we jump on these delicious foods or talk forever? These smell delicious!"

Faajal tore a roti and inserted in his mouth, filling the piece with matar paneer. Then, Pran took turn. Within minutes, the boxes laid empty on table. Not even a drop of gravy remained. Pran chatted about his professional progression while relishing suji. It was clear that he was soon to leap to films. His versatile range of expressions and portrayal of modern characters caught eyes of studio heads and producers alike. His playboy attitude did much justice to contemporary culture.

"Don't dare spurn your first offer even if you don't like it. Building healthy bonds with producers and directors facilitates your way. Like that Asad got me the role in Jugnu." Yusuf wiped suji off the edges of his lip.

Jugnu grossed higher than most other movies in 1947, a considerable bewitchment during the melancholy of partition. It didn't only become the 4th highest grosser of that year, Yusuf also gained more prominence. Cinema enthusiasts regarded him as The multitalented facade of youth. Though a long way to go yet, he managed a spot beside older celebrities— Not an easy task for a 22-year-old.

"I may find my soulmate over there then." Pran tittered along Faajal who choked on her spoonful of suji.

"Perhaps, yes. But, it's a trick of fate. So, when fate allows, you will have your match. And couples don't last long in the industry. Devika Rani is a proof." Yusuf explained.

"I was just kidding, nah!" Pran swished his palm. "Girls aren't that worth of my time and career."

"Ohh, come on! Behind every successful man, there's a woman. You'll find your match soon, sly womanizer." Faajal brushed off.

"I am pretty eager. Seeing my two pals making out while I'm out here altering gals, it hurts deeply." Pran switched to a dramatic mimicry, resting his palm on chest.

They emptied the boxes and rinsed them off, including Yusuf, despite Faajal's insistence. Pran bade farewell and made his final fuss about not finding his match before leaving for a meeting. Faajal and Yusuf strolled across the enormous chamber, their treads resonating within. Yusuf had his finger twirled around a corner of her dupatta, that blue she had donned in, on her 15th birthday.

Faajal licked drops of honey she had brought along in a small tin can. Produced in her beloved village, every drop tasted like the fresh nature of Punjab.

"How's your tuition going? Does that pretty lady teach you enough?" Yusuf questioned. Ravinder assumed Faajal should obtain more linguistic skills in English as her image widened throughout. So, he set her up with a daily tuition from a lady named Priyanka. She would come home daily and train her two hours straight. Although Faajal still struggled to acknowledge some structure of sentences, her literary interest aided her pronunciation and comprehension. Priyanka lauded her keen enthusiasm for English, suggesting reading English novels would help her take over fluency in no time.

"I have bought two novels as she had said: Gone with the Wind and the Diary of a Young Girl. She suggested I study every sentence and perceive the delivery in Hindi. It'd help me learn quickly."

"If your father had allowed you to attend high school instead of baiting you for money." A crinkle cleaved between his brows.

"Learning has no age, and I'm glad he finally considered." She admitted. She always wished to acquire academic qualifications and bag in other ranges of knowledge. Maybe a little late, but she could do it now.

They fell muted again. Only the squeak of Faajal sucking her honey-dipped fingertips imapled the hush. A stud of honey slipped down her chin when his gaze bore into it and slurped it in. The graze of his lips against her chin enticed surges of electricity bolt down her pores until every inch of her body was lapped. His tongue wiped the last particle of honey and reared. Faajal had stilled on her knees, too stunned to react. His rosy lips swayed up, gleamed with a coat of honey. She touched the spot where he had shot the fire, still kindled from his gesture.

"You aren't still used to this after 5 years? Such a shame." He grimaced in playful mockery. She swirled her eyeballs, but the fiery balls on her cheeks defied her mask of annoyance. "You–you are so unpredictable sometimes."

"Too bad you don't get to experience the further of my fickleness. I can get more proximate." His words dwindled to a sensual hiss.

"I am sorry if I interrupted you two but Devika Rani is calling!" Pran covered his eyes with his palm, standing at a corner. Yusuf flinched away from Faajal and lengthened their space. Faajal too stepped back, pleading Pran hadn't eyed their proximity.

"Coming!" Yusuf replied seriously.

They raced to her office where she tapped her manicured nails on her mahogany table. "Mam, may we come in?" Yusuf asked.

"Yes, sit." Her permission was as cold as her air-conditioned room.

They anxiously perched before the boss. "Sajid Hasan, you two know the name right?"

"Of course! He is one of the celebrated directors." Faajal answered.

"He wants you coupled up again on the screen." Devika Rani's lips left the thin line to form a smile. "You two have a big project now. We shall hold a meeting tomorrow for the contract."

Faajal couldn't comprehend if this was in fantasy or actuality. Since joining films, her movies did mostly average in the market. Still, she persisted in the hope that one day her reign would come. But, an opportunity like this! She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was an opportunity for a lifetime!

A/N: Celeb era is approaching soon! Also our book has received an honourable mention in an insta contest!!Woohoo!