In the afternon, after college, Raina came to work in his apartment. She had called her mom from a PCO to inform that she'll get late by an hour or so. She opened the door of the duplex penthouse and heard the sound of guitar from upstairs. She guessed him playing the instrument in the music room. She took out her own kurta salwar from bag and changed into it in the bathroom downstairs. With folded kurta chudidaar, sandals and and broom in hands, she walked upstairs.

                The music room door was open like it always was whenever he was there. From the landing of stairs, she saw him sitting and playing guitar looking handsome as always. He was in a plain white T and the same blue jeans that he wore to the studio in morning. He looked lost in the sound of his electric guitar. Without staring him much, she moved on to clean the bedroom. 

             After finishing work in bedroom and media room, she walked to the music room and stood just outside the door. He looked up from guitar and saw her at the door with a broom and mop.

(Conversations are in soft voice)

Abhimanyu: When did you come? I didn't realize you were there.

Raina: You were lost in your guitar. She said and looked at him a little dreamily as his hands reached for an envelope on the computer table.

Abhimanyu: Here. He said handing her a white envelope.

Raina: What is in this? She asked taking it from him.

Abhimanyu: You can take it out and see it for yourself.

She lifted the flap of an already open envelope and took out a cheque. She read the cheque that had his name printed on it. She looked up from the cheque and stared at him.

Abhimanyu: A crossed cheque of four lakh rupees for your dad's surgery. I have signed it with the amount and date. You can fill your name or whoever you want to pay in the blank you see against "Pay".

Raina: But, I haven't signed the contract yet.

Abhimanyu: That might take more than a week. Kulshan will listen to you in next week and then decide to sign you or not. Then, when he signs you, and you receive your signing amount, you return me my money. He smiled.

Raina: What if he doesn't sign me?

Abhimanyu: Then you become my slave. Her eyes that were looking at him widened.

Abhimanyu: You don't have any other option then, right? But you have one thing... 

He paused and looked straight at her and Raina looked at him scared not knowing what that one thing he was talking about.

Abhimanyu: You have a week! A week to practice, to learn music, and to improve.

Abhimanyu: Your week long crash course in vocal training and music starts tomorrow at 2:15 pm. He informed her.

Raina: Are you going to give me lessons in music? She asked with inquisitive eyes.

He smiled with a little laugh which always made her go weak in knees.

Abhimanyu: No, not me. I have spoken with Mrs. Latika Prakash. She is masters in music. She will take classes for you.

Abhimanyu: She has been taking music and vocal classes for young school/college kids for years now. I have heard she is good.

Raina: Where do I have to go for the classes?

Abhimanyu: You don't have to go anywhere. She will come here.

She nodded her head and then hesitatingly inquired about the fees.

Raina: How much is her.... tuition fee?

Abhimanyu: Don't worry. I'll take care of that. It's just a week crash course. She is not going to change your voice. She will only teach you the technicalities of singing with the music and a little on voice pitch and different ways of hitting high and low notes. You learn them sincerely and apply them when required keeping the rawness and originality of your voice intact. You always sing in your own voice only. Understand? He asked looking casually in her eyes

Raina: You are kind. She said looking in his eyes.

Abhimanyu: I am not kind. I don't believe in charity. I am selfish. I only know how to get what I want. I gave you the cheque because I don't want your father to die before you sign the contract and then you decide to not sing again. I am taking away from you that chance to back out. By this cheque, I'm trapping you. Now, whether your father lives or not after the surgery, you will be in debt of four lakh rupees to me. Yeah! so basically you are trapped to do what I want.

Raina: What if I run away with it and never show up at your door again.

Abhimanyu: You can do that, he smiled with little laugh....... but I trust you.

Raina: You can completely trust me. Even if I don't get the contract, I'll work in your house until I have paid you back all your money.

Abhimanyu: Even if you don't get signed, I am sure you'll become an IAS after two years, and return me all my money with compound interest. He smiled with a tinkle in his eyes.

Raina: Yeah sure, and thank you for not demotivating me this time. She said smiling and he laughed a little.

Raina: Even if you gave me this cheque, out of selfish motives, how it has helped me in this moment of crisis doesn't change. Thank you! She said crying and smiling wide at the same time. He felt his own heart moved in that moment.

Raina: Thank you very much. She thanked again with a big smile after wiping her tears.

Looking her so happy, he smiled in response and could feel the smile springing from his heart. He couldn't remember the last time when he genuinely felt happy like that from within. Life was crazy. Everything was a routine from work to fuck, but this was different and it felt good. Felt good as in helping someone.

After a minute into sweeping the room...

Raina: The kurta chudidaar I wore in morning, I have kept it in your room, but I haven't washed it. I don't know if I should wash it or not before returning.

Abhimanyu: You don't have to return anything. It's yours. You'll need to wear it again.

Raina: But, I can't take it home. Aayi will ask questions and I don't want to tell anyone anything until things are concrete enough.

Abhimanyu: Alright, then keep it in the closet in media room, and if you need to, you can wash it here.

He got up to go, and she could not help herself from asking.

Raina: I'm sorry, but do you have coconut oil? She asked innocently

He tilted his head and looked at her.

Raina: I can't go home with hair like this. She said showing her shampooed hair in a braid that she made in college after her hair dried.

Raina: I really need to oil my hair before I go home.

Abhimanyu: There is a bottle in the bathroom cupboard. You can use it, but please start applying less coconut oil in your hair.

Raina: I'll try to use it sparingly.

Abhimanyu: Good, but remember for your lessons with Mrs. Prakash from tomorrow, you must wash your face and change your clothes. He said looking at the made up uneven dark skin tone of her face.

Raina nodded her head.

                                                                      ***

             Raina went home after work, and when she entered their one room house, she saw her aayi and maasi sitting and talking.

(Raina's conversations with her family are always in Marathi language)

Raina: Aayi, I have arranged the money. We should go to the hospital tomorrow and deposit the money, so that Papa's  surgery can be done at the earliest.

Mom and Maasi: Where did you get so much money? Both asked almost together.

Raina took out the envelope from her bag and showed them the cheque of four lakh rupees.

Mom: Who gave this cheque to you? Her eyes popped out and so did her Maasi's .

Raina: That penthouse we work in, it's owner gave it to me.

Mom: You know the owner of that penthouse? She asked all shocked.

Raina: No. I left him a note yesterday that I needed four lakhs for my father's surgery and I'll be grateful if he could help me with some money just like I asked the other two ladies I work for. Today morning, I found a note from him on the kitchen counter telling me to meet him at 3 pm for the cheque. That's why I called you that I'll get late. After college, I spent time reading in college library until it was time to meet him. When I reached his apartment, he was specially home to give me a cheque of four lakh rupees. He said I can return the money when I have it.

Maasi: God bless him! Such a nice, kind soul.

Mom: Yes, may God bless him! Where do you find such kind people these days? I'll go tomorrow to personally thank him.

Maasi: I think we all should go and thank him.

Raina: Aayi, Maasi. She called out.

Raina: It's not charity. We have to return it back. I have thanked him. There is no need for everyone of us to go and thank him. Moreover we don't know what time he is home, he was there that time only to give me the cheque.

Maasi: How's he? Young? Her maasi asked her

"Yes," she said as she deliberately walked out to bathroom to avoid any further questions on him. She couldn't believe she lied to her aayi like a champ. 'God, she was as good as him in making stories' she thought.

                                                                    ***

          Next morning, after work, she went to the hospital with her brother, met the doctor and did the needful for her father's surgery. From there, she went to college to attend the remaining lectures of the day. She lied to her mom that after spending some time in library that afternoon, she has decided to study in college library everyday after her college hours. So, now onward she will come home late.

            After her college, she went to his apartment. She had finished the work in morning, so she was there for just the music class. She went upstairs and he was there in his bedroom all alone, listening to music on his headphones and drinking beer from a bottle. He saw her and looked at the clock on the wall.

Abhimanyu: Good you came in time. Now, get ready, Mrs. Prakash must be about to come.

Raina: Which bathroom should I use? I bought my own facewash. She said showing it to him.

He smiled and then dropped his head back to gulp down some beer, and she looked at his bobbing Adam's apple.

Abhimanyu: I got few more suits for you. It would be odd if you wear the same kurta chudidaar for class everyday.

Raina: You bought the suits for me?

Abhimanyu: Ya. I can't tell Saumya to do that every time, and I can't trust your choice in clothes. Right? He squinted his eyes and smiled amused.

She didn't dare to ask who Saumya was.

Raina: How much do I have to pay for them?

Abhimanyu: You don't bother about any payments now. I will give you the bills of every penny I have spent on you later, and then you can pay me with interest if you want. Let me tell you, they are not expensive. They are regular day today suits with interesting color combinations, designs and patterns. You can use empty racks of media room closet to keep your stuff. And ya, the bathroom in the media room is yours now. Everything in there is for you. The hand towel there is exclusively yours.

Raina: I don't know how to thank you for all this.

Abhimanyu: I am doing it because it's in the interest of my album. But if you still want to thank me, you can simply say thank you. He said putting the mouth of beer bottle in his mouth.

Raina: Thank you. Her eyes tinkled.

Abhimanyu: Say, thank you Abhimanyu. He told her.

Raina: Thank you, Abhimanyu. She fumbled as she felt shy to take his name.

Abhimanyu: One more time.

Raina: Thank you, Abhimanyu. She pulled it confidentally.

Abhimanyu: That's better. If you don't practice calling me by name, you'll fumble calling me out in front of others too like you did the first time. Remember practice is important, and confidence is the key to everything, and I have seen you have a lot of it. So, keep it up.

Raina: But, I am so scared now. I don't know if I'll be able to learn like you want me to.

Abhimanyu: Focus is another keyword. He said lighting up a cigarette and she noticed him sprinkle some white powder on it before lighting it up.

Abhimanyu: Nothing is difficult if our observation is correct and focus is..... focused. He smiled and took a puff of cigarette.

Abhimanyu: I have already given her pointers on what exactly she needs to teach you. So, it'll be fine.

Abhimanyu: Now make it fast, Mrs. Prakash will be here anytime. Raina, there is no need for her to know that I'm here. You receive her at the door and take her to music room. There is no need to talk anything other than the subject. If she asks any personal questions that you can answer, answer in just few words sending a clear signal that you don't like being asked personal questions. If you cannot answer, evade it, pretend you didn't hear it, and if nothing of that works, politely tell her that it would be better if they just stick to learning music. Shoot a look that shuts up people automatically.

Raina: What if she still keeps asking me and I don't even know how to ....He shot her an angry look and she stopped talking.

Raina: I got it! She said and went to the media room to change.

                      This new routine of musical training by Mrs. Prakash, who was in her late fifties continued for a week. Everyday after college she would go to his house, wash her face and change into good clothes for the class. She kept her hair in a braid she went to college in. She applied very little oil to her hair compared to earlier times. After the class, she changed back into her own clothes, applied her fair and lovely and went back home.

                  In that one week, she learnt a lot about music and she herself could feel that she was singing better than before. He always kept to his room during her class, and she never saw any girl home that week. That didn't mean there weren't any coming, because she did find the newspaper in bin on most of the days.

                   A day before the meeting with Kulshan, he tested her for what all she learnt from the crash course that got over a day before. He played different instruments and she sang to them. He told her to sing the same song in different styles. And then they rehearsed the song from the album that she was to sing to Kulshan next day. Abhimanyu told her to come next day at 11 am with her hair shampooed from home to go to studio. "No shower in my house," he told her.

                  As instructed, she shampooed her hair next day, and left home early morning with a dupatta on her head to hide her open hair. She kept it like that in college. She reached his flat in time after attending a couple lectures in college. After washing her face and quickly changing into one of the fitted suits she had in the closet of his media room, she was ready to go. She walked out the building trailing behind him. She covered her hair and face with dupatta to avoid the risk of getting spotted by her maasi by any chance. They got into an auto when Sahil called on Abhimanyu's cell to remind him about his meeting with Kulshan at 12 pm. He told that Kulshan was going to join him half an hour late, and he too will try to come, but can't say for sure.

                 Abhimanyu and Sahil never gave an impression of friends to others, just two cordial adults. Nobody knew they were best friends from school, and they never liked to tell anyone. They liked to keep it professional when others around. Kulshan knew that they both went to Doon and were classmates, but he was told that they were never friends in school, more like rivals who competed. And the way they talked about each other, he felt things hadn't changed much between them. He was given an impression that Abhimanyu stuck to him because he managed his work well, and Sahil didn't quit as his manager because he thought, that way he would get to assist him in his videos and learn a lot from him in the process. Abhimanyu had first got him on board on the reasons that he had a degree in film making and would make a good assistant to him. Kulshan thought so too and thought he was helping a friend that time, but with time he felt Abhimanyu wanted Sahil  to assist in his videos more to show off himself to his school rival. After his manager of modelling days quit, he told Sahil to manage his work and after that he never looked for any manager for himself. Abhimanyu and Sahil loved keeping it like that as it helped them play around with Kulshan.

            Due to traffic, they reached the studio a few minutes late . Everybody was already there. He walked Raina straight into vocal booth, put the song printout on stand, and told she has to sing the first paragraph of song with music, and that they were recording. He told her to sit on the one step stool inside the booth after she was done. He told her not to get up from it until he sends someone with the next instruction. He walked out the booth and she wore the headphones and waited for his signal to start.

Abhimanyu walked to the recording equipment and took a chair next to the recording engineer.

Abhimanyu: Hey Guys!I think we should have some fun with Kulshan. What say? I want to surprise him.

"How?" the recording engineer sitting next to him asked. He told his plan to all present in the studio and everybody smiled and instantly agreed.

             Abhimanyu signaled to Raina that they were starting. She sang the paragraph with music and they recorded it. After recording, Raina sat on step stool there as told, and Abhimanyu walked out the studio to smoke and wait for Kulshan to arrive. He had just taken two puffs when Kulshan's Mercedes came by and parked under a tree nearby. He threw the cigarette and crushed the burning end under his shoes. Kulshan got out the car and walked to him.

Abhimanyu: Hi Buddy! How was London?

Kulshan: London was awesome!

Abhimanyu: Must have been cold there?

Kulshan: Cold? It was so HOT!

Abhimanyu: In March?

Kulshan: I bet if you attended the party I attended, you must have said the same. There is something about these white girls man. They are so hot.

Kulshan: Have you been with any?

Abhimanyu: Quite a few, and I agree.

Kulshan: Where is Sahil?

Abhimanyu: Why should Sahil be here? He is my manager not the singer.

Kulshan: But he is also your co-director.

Abhimanyu: He will come when he is required, when we start shooting the videos for the album.

Kulshan: Sahil is assisting a lot of directors these days. Don't you feel insecure that he might quit working with you one day?He asked as they walked in.

Abhimanyu: Not at all. He gets to learn a lot from me. In fact I must say he has already learnt a lot of my craft, and it shows in his work with the other directors.

But poor guy doesn't get any credit for most of his fine work, because directors take it away. This way, who will know of his work and sign him as a director? Kulshan listened to him.

Kulshan: And where is your discovery? He asked as he looked around in the studio.

Abhimanyu: Yet to arrive.

Kulshan: Oh! Very punctual she is. Isn't she? He teased him.

Kulshan: So, now I gotta wait to see and listen to your bundle of talent.

Abhimanyu: No, we are going to utilize the time listening to the recordings of the two singers we already have. You can hear and compare the two voices and decide which is better before you meet my singer.

Kulshan: In fact a very good idea. He said walking towards the chairs next to recording Engineer.

Abhimanyu: Kulshan, lets sit here on sofa. He said gesturing towards the sofas in the corner of studio.

Kulshan: Why there? He asked.

Abhimanyu: We can sit more relaxed, close our eyes and judge the voice better without getting distracted by what the recording engineer is doing.

Kulshan: Okay! Sounds good.

They made themselves comfortable in the sofa.

Abhimanyu called out the recording engineer to get his attention to him. He looked back at him.

Abhimanyu: Play the recording of Ms. Diya first and then Raina's?

Recording engineer: Ms. Diya first, right?

Kulshan: Yes. Ms. Diya Paudwal first. He told the recording engineer and recording engineer nodded his head and turned back to his equipment.

Abhimanyu: You have heard her recording before. You remember? He asked Kulshan.

Kulshan: I listen to so many recordings everyday. Yesterday afternoon only, I was here listening to the recordings of songs for my new movie...

Abhimanyu: Oh ya! Howz the work on your new movie going? He asked cutting him.

Kulshan: Pre-production is all over. We are looking at casting fresh faces. It's in casting phase.

Abhimanyu: I see.

Recording engineer played Raina's latest recording first and then Diya's comped recording.

Kulshan: C'mon Abhimanyu! There was no need to even call me to decide on this. You should have decided yourself. Diya's voice is clearly better than your singer's. The second voice doesn't stand a chance in front of first voice. The first voice is winner by miles. Anyone can tell that.

Abhimanyu sat in silence.

Kulshan: Which voice you all guys think was better? The first or the second? He asked loudly.

Everybody: First. Everybody screamed.

Kulshan: See. We have the public opinion now. You can't say I'm going with my singer. There is no need to, it's as clear as crystal. It's final. I have decided we are signing the first voice......

Recording Engineer: I am so sorry guys, I messed up. Kulshan, the first voice you heard was Raina's and the second was Diya's.

Kulshan looked at him in utter shock with his mouth agape.

Kulshan: What nonsense? He shouted not too loud.

Kulshan: Are you sure? he asked the recording engineer who nodded his head.

Kulshan: And Abhimanyu, you don't recognize your own singer's voice?

Kulshan: Can you please play again? He told the recording engineer anxiously.

Abhimanyu: There is no need. He said chewing on his mint gum. "Let's hear it live," he said and Kulshan looked at him in shock.

Kulshan: C'mon Abhimanyu. You don't play like this with me. I still have the right to change my decision. He said in whisper.

Abhimanyu: I bet Kulshan, you'll not change your mind after you hear her live. He sent a boy to tell Raina to sing the whole song.

Kulshan: Why, this trick?

Abhimanyu: I care for you Kulshan, just like you care for me. I wanted you to take a fair decision in the best interest of album. And as a good business man, you too should think of your album before making the career of any singer.

 He sent a boy to tell Raina to sing the song on mic.  

                Abhimanyu always knew that Kulshan would pick Diya Paudwal. He agreed to give chance to his singer  only to get the pleasure of rejecting his candidate and show him how much he cares for him. He knew he would pick the bait and love to thrash and reject the candidate if he praised her  to skies. Simply choosing your candidate is boring . Choosing your candidate over the other, specially recommended by someone you don't really like gives a different kind of high. When he called him, he knew Kulshan would fall for it.

               Raina stood and started singing the song. Kulshan couldn't see her properly from the sofas they were sitting on, but he loved her voice and how beautifully she sang the whole sang in one go.

Abhimanyu: We can quickly finish recording with her and her voice will not require much comping like Diya's. You can save your studio's time and thus make more money. It took us three days to comp just one para sung by Diya to perfect finish. He told Kulshan.

 Kulshan looked towards the vocal booth and saw Raina walking to them. His eyes followed her appreciating her beauty. He was stunned at how beautiful she looked. She was as fair as white girls with jet black long her and a body that looked perfect in that fitted cap sleeves purple kurta with red chudidaar.

Kulshan: Hi, I am Kulshan Kumar. He said extending his arm for a handshake.

Raina: Raina. She said shaking his hand firmly as she looked at him. He was on the shorter side, but cute looking with a cute side smile.

Abhimanyu: Raina, he is the producer of the album. He told Raina.

Raina: Did you hear me sing? She asked in a soft voice.

Kulshan: Yes, I did, and it was simply amazing.

Just then Sahil walked in.

Sahil: Hi, Kulshan! How are you?

Kulshan: I'm good. Was asking Abhimanyu about you only.

Sahil: How did the whole thing go?

Kulshan: Meet the singer of our album, Raina. Raina and Abhimanyu looked at him.

Sahil: We have met once.

Kulshan: Raina, I'll get the contract ready, you can come to my office and, sign it. Congratulations!

Raina: Thank you very much!

Sahil and Abhimanyu too congratulated Raina.

Kulshan: Raina, may I have your number so that I can inform you whenever the contract is ready.

Abhimanyu: She doesn't have a phone. Old school parents.

Abhimanyu: Sahil is also Raina's manager. You can contact her through him.

Sahil's looked at him in shock, and Raina too.

Kulshan: I'll let Sahil know when the contract is ready. Nice meeting you Raina.

Raina: Nice meeting you too.

Kulshan left. Sahil excused Raina and took Abhimanyu in a corner to talk something personal. He questioned him how did he make him her manager without asking him. He told him that she will pay him for that and it's only until she finds a manager for herself. "Ya! Just like you," he remarked sarcastically. "Come on! You should help the poor outsider girl, it's not going to be much", he said in a pleading tone and Sahil agreed.

                                              ***

                Two days later, Raina went to the P-series office to sign the contract. Kulshan was out of the office as he had an important event to attend with his mom. Lawyer, Ajay Bansal was there to attend her. He explained her some important points in the contract and marked a tiny cross with pencil at all the places she was supposed to sign. He told her if she had any problem understanding any clause, she could ask him. He advised her to read it properly before signing it.

                 She was shocked to learn that she was also supposed to act in minimum two videos of her songs. Fresh contract will be signed if the producers decided to make videos for more songs from the album. Abhimanyu had told her to just sign the contract. He had said he knew what all was there in contract, but he never told her anything about acting in videos. It was not like she had any other option than to sign the contract. Whatever it was, she had to sign it. She signed the contract and received a cheque of ten lakh rupess as signing amount. Rest of the amount she was supposed to receive in installments at the completion of certain parts of album.

                  She went straight to ICICI bank and opened a new savings account. Since she knew about it, she had put all the required documents documents in her bag in the morning itself before going to work in the houses. She deposited the crossed cheque of ten lakhs in her account. As a part of opening a new account, she received a cheque book with her name printed on it along with ATM card and few other things. The password to ATM card was to come by post. She wrote a crossed cheque of four lakh rupees and decided to go to his house. It was afternoon and she knew he'll be home.

             She opened the door, hurriedly went upstairs, and saw him sitting at the computer table in music room. She entered in, and he put the paper he was writing on in the drawer. He picked the bottle of beer that was on the table and swiveled his chair to face her.

Abhimanyu: Congratulations! He smiled and she didn't miss the tinkle in his eyes.

Raina: Thank you. She beamed with happiness.

Abhimanyu: Thank you Abhimanyu. He corrected her and smiled.

Raina: Thank you Abhimanyu. She herself smiled a little before saying. 

He smiled more, showing some teeth.

Raina: I want to thank you for giving me cheque that day. My father's surgery was successful and he is recovering well.

Abhimanyu: Good! He looked at her.

Raina: This is for you. She said giving him the cheque.

Abhimanyu: Wooh! So fast! He said smiling, taking the cheque from her.

Abhimanyu: How does it feel to give a cheque of four lakhs to your master? He asked in a dreamy tone to his voice.

Raina: I'm only returning your money. There is no feeling as of now. Only thing I feel that it would have been so much better, if I were able to give my first cheque to my mom, but I cannot do that. Not yet. Not until I'm sure that this thing has taken off.

Abhimanyu: Of course it has. We have already got the booking of studio for recording. We are taking off Raina, and you are going to fly.

He gulped some beer from the bottle.

Abhimanyu: It's time you buy a cell phone and have your own number. You have money now. He smiled.

Raina: I'll do that, today itself.

Abhimanyu: Do you have my number?

Raina: No.

He wrote his number on a paper and gave it to her."Call me when you get your number," he told her. "I'll," she replied.

Raina: May I ask you one thing? She asked after thinking for a minute.

Abhimanyu: Ya. He said after taking a sip from the beer bottle.

Raina: Did you know that, my contract will also need me to act in two videos?

Abhimanyu: Yes. He said calmly looking in her eyes, and she immediately felt sad.

Abhimanyu: Look Raina, it was a mandatory condition to sing in this album. It was anyways not a deciding factor, it shouldn't have been. Look at the brighter side. You get more money. Appearing in a video will only add to your popularity. It's a big plus! It's a win-win. And trust me, you are going to win, and steal millions of hearts.

His eyes, his voice, everything was so dreamy as he said the last sentence, that she felt she would lose herself to them without realizing.