KRISHA

AT THE CAFÉ

"How's your headache?" Kritika showed up while I was swirling my coffee. I lifted my eyes and she was all seated right in front of me.

"It's better when I'm not around him!" She places her bag on the desk. "Anyways, I don't want to talk about him."

"Chill, girl! Everything is fine." She says with a warm smile.

I say, "Easy for you to say!" She shrugs. "Ah, I have already ordered your favorite latte," I say, sipping mine.

Seeing her latte arrive she says, "I love how well you know me, thanks."

"What is it?" I ask.

"About what?" How indulged she is in that creamy latte that she doesn't even remember that she called me here.

I widened my eyes at her with a disturbed expression as only then she understood why we were there. "Hmmm...I am going to say something, but only if you will not whack me!" She said, throwing her hands in the air.

"Just say it, I'm already pissed! What's gonna piss me off more?!"

"You know, our staff has made two teams, Team Karan and Team Krisha, for you both, betting which team will manage first to pull y'all together again for work. Please come for practice! It's so hard without you. You know we need you. Just for our sake?"

"No, Kritika, every time I think about others I always hurt myself in return. It's taking a toll on me now. So nothing's gonna work."

"Don't mind me asking, maybe I'm asking you this for the fifth time, but what's with you and him? Why the hate and all?"

"Just because you are super nice, Kritika, I will tell you when the time comes for sure." I brushed it off.

"Argh! I didn't come here for this! At least tell me something. I can help maybe, you know." She caresses my hand.

"Or maybe he and I are now at that kind of high level of hatred and resentment where no one can help us, not even ourselves even if we try to!" I say, self-indulgent, again zoning out.

"Huh?!" She exclaims, trying to fathom what I meant.

Snapping out, "Nothing, don't waste your time on me, just go practice." I say, leaving, while she keeps staring at me, scratching her brain.

KARAN

Richie somehow organized two separate choreographers for both Krisha and me. The whole day got wasted since we both denied it. Thank God there was a solution and it was not a burden for the institute anymore. Hate when I have to upset other people because of that one woman. But anyhow we both managed to stay apart from each other at least for the rehearsals. By this I mean, we still have to perform on the stage together. Working with each other and handling each other forcefully for seven continuous hours for two days would be unimaginable, so finally we both agreed on directly performing on stage because it would be so much better to handle each other for just five minutes. Those five minutes would still feel like five hours anyhow, but for our institute, it's fine!

Nihar comes my way, "How are you going to do it, bro? You both separate ways and, how will it work?" He pats my shoulder.

"It's easy, the choreographers will teach us the same act." I bit the insides of my cheek.

"Even so, it's difficult!" He smirks.

"I know we can manage, bro."

"Don't mind me saying, y'all are quite pros when it comes to working with each other. Your chemistry is irresistible and invincible. How does that work?"

"Just great acting, you know. And you need to learn that too someday." I say in a twisted tone, taking off his hand on my shoulder. This guy was jealous of me from the start and is always finding ways to pull me down. We started the same, but I overshadowed him!

After two whole days of hectic rehearsals, I took a deep breath and lay on my bed, checking my phone for some fan interactions. I didn't expect that as soon as I opened my phone, Krisha's dance rehearsals video would pop up with lakhs of likes on it. She is such a show-off! Lots of comments under it were like, 'Where is Karan?' 'Is he not practicing with you?' and blah blah...! How can she always find a way to somehow ruin me?! I'm not even taken aback by it now. I threw my phone on the side table and went to sleep because I needed to look fresh for tomorrow's performance.

THE STAGE PERFORMANCE DAY

KRISHA

"Stop doodling for once and start getting ready." My stylist scolded me.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Not nervous at all?" She asks.

"Have you ever seen me getting nervous about stage performances?" I furrow at her.

"Keep it up, don't let Karan's thoughts bother you even for a bit. This event is huge. You might win an award tonight." She adjusts my hair giving it a last touch.

"Well, now I'm nervous!" I say, holding my head.

"Kri, please. Concentrate, bae!"

"I'm fine, don't worry," I say, letting out a sigh.

Handling me the best piece of today's wardrobe that shines in all-black glitter she moves towards the back dancer's touch-up. This co-ord piece of clothing is pretty, having a mesh top with a low knotted bow, and flowy pants. Though I find something strange when I look at the inside of that. It's torn to shreds from one side. If I hadn't looked carefully, it would completely rip apart on the stage while performing.

"Del, What's this? Who ruined it?" I asked my stylist.

"Oh my, what happened to it? How...it..it was perfect a while ago before you arrived for makeup." She checked and was surprised as well.

"Before me arriving? Okay, did someone come here before me then?"

"Uhhh...leave it, Kri, I'll give you a new one." She brushed over the topic.

"I want to wear this piece itself! Tell me!" I snatched the dress back from her hand.

"Well,...Karan was here fifteen minutes ago before you." She said, slowly.

"As expected of the person!" I clenched my teeth and began walking towards his green room while Del tried to stop me, "He said his phone was out of battery and there were numerous phones kept for charging in his room, so he had no free socket." She informed me.

"It's all to cover up!" I dashed in fury, throwing my hands off Del.

"Oh, Jesus! Not before two hours of the show!" She cries as she follows me.

KARAN

Peacefully playing with my PlayStation, I was all ready for the performance in a black mesh shirt and trousers. My screen turned to black and in front of my eyes, Krisha popped up. Before taking a full glance at her, I turned around to see that the connection was off from the socket.

"You did this?" I asked her, standing up straight while pointing at the electric socket.

"This should be my question! You did this!" She threw the piece of cloth over my face.

"How dare you?! What's this?" I was shaken by the sudden action.

"Even though I know you, I didn't even think for a split second that you would do something like this. You have gone too far!"

"What are you saying?" What is she saying, Del?"

Del quietly gestures to me to open the clothing. I just can't, with her! Did she think I ruined her dress?

"Did you think I destroyed this?" I say, throwing the piece aside.

"I did not think, I'm sure!" I can see she was about to cry.

"Oh really?! I thought you knew me enough that I won't ruin a woman's image this way even though you are my number one enemy." I say with trembling words.

"I thought too, but I was wrong!" She shouts.

Kritika with the event team, enters;

She takes the piece in her hand and goes to Krisha's side, pacifying her.

"Not again you two!" Richie sits dramatically on the floor.

"If you think so, let's not perform together tonight!" I say, feeling numb with this accusation.

She nods angrily, "Cancel our performance, Richie. I'm never going to perform with him."

I stomp out kicking things here and there.

"Karan, Krisha, people are already waiting for y'all!" Richie shouts in a plea behind me as I see Krisha stomp out in anger with heavy breaths from my green room.

KRISHA

A loud cheer from thousands of people could be heard evidently in my room. Closing my eyes, I relaxed with the ongoing chants by which an immediate smile graced my lips. The performance had been delayed by half an hour now. Richie informed the fans that the delay is due to some technical issue. And I am not able to ignore my fans, the people who made me everything that I'm today. What will it take? Just a few minutes? They are waiting all day long! And this is what keeps me alive and free from all my negative thoughts. What are you doing, Krisha? C'mon, get up, give them what they want!

I open my eyes and rush to Karan's green room. Giving a knock on the door, I think;
He is in solace too! Did he not do this, this time? Is he sulking? Did he lock himself up? The door clicked open. I see his face, all drooped down. I need to hurry, I can solve this later with him. He looks stunned seeing me. Before he could say anything, I blurted out, "Let's burn the stage!"

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