Almost end of February,  Abhimanyu was at a place his friend called an underground cave, and he called an inspiration center. The effects of drugs were wearing off him when he received a call from Sahil. Sahil told him to see him for lunch at 2 pm that afternoon. Abhimanyu called his cook and told him not to come. Raina had not come to work on the previous day, so in a way it was good only that he will not have to hear Bapi crib on how he has to wash the cooking pans and clean the whole kitchen. It was eleven in the morning and there were still few hours in meeting Sahil, so Abhimanyu took an auto to his rented apartment. He opened the door and stayed there playing with some new tunes on his electric guitar until it was time to set out to meet Sahil for a lunch buffet at Copper Chimney restaurant in Worli.

                  He took an auto and reached the restaurant in time before Sahil. It wasn't super packed, but there were a fair number of people. Many girls in the restaurant casually stared at him. He chose to sit in a booth in a corner which seemed to offer more privacy than others. The waiter came to take the drinks order. He asked for two fresh lime sodas. He finished ordering, and Sahil arrived and took the seat in front of him in the booth.

Sahil: Let's eat. I'm starving. He said taking off his sunglasses and keeping them on table.

Abhimanyu: Same here.

They walked to the buffet spread and after serving the food of their choice in their plates,they returned back to their booth

Sahil: So, how have you been? He asked digging in his food.

Abhimanyu: As in ...

Sahil: Your search for the singers?

Abhimanyu: Finalized the male singer. Search for female singer is on. He said sipping sweet lime soda that waiter served few minutes ago.

Sahil: Who?

Abhimanyu: Abhijay Sawant. He is a decent singer and comes within what Kulshan is offering. Anyways, male singer doesn't have much to sing. Few duets and one song. He said taking a bite of his food.

Few young college girls passed by their booth turning their heads slightly to take a second look at them. They continued with their conversation and food as it was something very usual for them.

Sahil: Kulshan wants you to audition Radha Paudwal's daughter.

Abhimanyu looked up at him from his plate.

Sahil: Yes! He told me to tell you that in no minced words.

Abhimanyu: Nepotism! He thinks that daughter of a great singer will be a great singer too.

Sahil: She is trained since childhood, that's what he told me. Anyways, try her, and then take a call. It's not like you have anyone at the moment. If you don't find her good, you can always reject her.

Abhimanyu: How old is she?

Sahil: Twenty, I guess. Heard, she is good looking, so if she sings well, then you don't have to worry about her featuring in the videos. And it's time we do it. It's getting delayed. He saw Abhimanyu thinking while eating his food.

Sahil: And you might even have a chance with her. He said teasing him.

Abhimanyu: Ya! Ya! As if her mom will not accompany her all the time.

Sahil: So, what? Today's youth is a rebel, and for you any girl can become a rebel.

Abhimanyu: Of course, I am a stud. My reputation is a proof of that. That guy your mom warned you about. He said with a little smile.

Abhimanyu: But honestly, it's stressing me that this album is not going to be like I have envisioned it with any xyz singing the songs. I don't want trained, I want a raw unique sexy voice for my songs.

Sahil: You still stuck on your that ugly singer? Then, why don't you audition her? How ugly can she be? Nothing that cannot be taken care of with make-up and good lights. Anyways, we know what to do in videos. Focus camera more on her body and less on her face. Face in long shots and close ups of body and back. How is she body wise? He asked eating salad.

Abhimanyu: I don't know.

Sahil smiled mischievously.

Sahil: You don't know? Huh!  You want me to believe that?

Abhimanyu: I am not as much as you think.

Sahil: No, you are more than that.

Sahil: How tall is she?

Abhimanyu: Pretty tall.

Sahil: Where did you find her?

Abhimanyu: Forget about her. She is not an option.

Abhimanyu: You know sometimes I think why don't we pay the professionals and get them to sing for my album.

Sahil: It's not like we get paid a lot to pay the singers for an album produced by Kulshan.

Abhimanyu: That's true. We are twenty five and still struggling. This is the field where people achieve success and fame very early in age. I had thought I will do great, but nothing that sort happened.

Sahil: You did, but your problem is you don't stick to a thing to let it reach it's peak. You drop before it reaches it's peak in every field. It's your habit. If you had stuck to modeling, you could have been an international model today. He said finishing the sweets on his plate.

Abhimanyu: I don't think so. He said finishing his dessert.

Sahil: You started at seventeen and within year all the top designers wanted you to walk the ramp for them. And after featuring in those three music videos, you were a craze among girls and designers. People still remember the handsome guy from "Jaanam Samjha Karo" video. Other two "Pardesiya Yeh Sach hai Piya" and "Hothon pe Aisi Baat" were such big hits that time.

Abhimanyu: That was many years back. People don't remember models or models who feature in videos seven years back. My first two music videos were more famous for Pakhi's dance, and ya I too was noticed, but very few people recognize me as the guy from those videos. And I never really enjoyed walking down the ramp.

Sahil: But you are still maintaining those abs and model body.

Abhimanyu: That's because it's easier to pick-up girls with a body like this.

Sahil: You know what, that time I thought your life is set. You would come and do these stuff in semester breaks from college and soon you were this sought after model at eighteen with video offers and what not. Everybody thought you settled in life and have a bright future, and then.... you quit.

Abhimanyu: Dad too thought so. Wish, he hadn't. His Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped the saliva in his throat and his eyes became luminescent with the sheet of tears in them. He got up looking stressed.

Abhimanyu: Damn! I need a good fuck now. He said running fingers in his hair and keeping the money inside the check-holder that waiter had brought.

Sahil: This is the solution to your every stress? Sahil asked looking at him.

Abhimanyu: It is. I can't help it. What else am I supposed to do?

Abhimanyu: It has to go out someway, right? I am sure you won't approve of drugs every time.

Sahil nodded his head and got up. They walked out the restaurant and bid bye to each other. Abhimanyu took an auto and left, and Sahil left by his car.

              Raina came for work from college, but found that she doesn't have the keys. She rang the bell hoping he would be home and open the door, but no one opened the door. She understood that he was not home after she rang the bell a couple of times more. She walked back home to check if she left them at home by any chance in the morning. She looked for the key on the road all the way home just in case she dropped them on her way to apartments in the morning or any other time. She just couldn't remember anything about the keys. She searched everywhere in the house, but they were not there. She always kept the keys in the bag. 'Did she lose them in college, most likely yes and if that was the case, then the chances were rare that she would find them. OMG! What was she going to do now? What was she going to tell him?' she got too scared. Her mom offered her lunch that she quickly ate thinking about what to do. She remembered there was a man in their slums who made keys. She went with her sister to his house. The middle aged man was home. He went with her to the apartment. Luckily guard didn't stop him. She rang the bell again to check if he was home. He wasn't and she hoped he didn't come in the middle of the process. The man made the key and gave it to her. She gave him five hundred bucks, and he left.

          She opened the door with new key, and went up with broom to sweep and mop. She  finished her work upstairs and when she came down to  kitchen, the sound of key turning in the door startled her. She looked in the direction of door and her eyes popped as she saw him walk in from foray with two pretty girls. He too looked at her in shock. He was not expecting her there. He had thought she must have left after finishing her work. He immediately walked to her in kitchen and the girls went ahead and sat next to each other on the three seat couch in living room.

In nervousness, she picked up a dry wash cloth and started wiping gas stove. He walked and stood next to her.

Abhimanyu: I don't think I can avoid you. Can I? He said sounding irritated and angry.

She said nothing and kept wiping at the same place.

Abhimanyu: Can you not leave me alone at any time? He said in whispers clenching his teeth.

Raina: I cleaned upstairs. I'll go. She turned to look at him.

Abhimanyu: No, you will not go. You will do all your work, and then go.

Abhimanyu: I don't like my house dirty, and why didn't you come yesterday? And, why are you coming so late today? Just because you have the keys, doesn't mean you change your time everyday.

Raina: My dad was home yesterday, so I couldn't come..... I couldn't even go to college.

Abhimanyu: What nonsense?  It doesn't make any sense. He said disgusted.

Raina: Dad was a little under weather, so he came home so that mom could take care of him. Mom herself needs care. I couldn't have left my dad with mom alone.

Abhimanyu: Why?

Raina: I couldn't take a chance of my dad beating my mom red and blue. She said after a little hesitation.

Abhimanyu: I see.

        He stood there thinking for a while, while she turned to wipe the island. She saw one girl checking out the chain around the neck of another girl. They were sitting too close and the first girl slowly moved her fingers on the skin of second girl's neck feeling it all the way down to her pendant, and telling her how nice it was and how she would like to own it. Then the second girl slowly brushed her finger on her face and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. 'Was it really like what she was thinking?' she thought. Just then, Abhimanyu called the girls to carry six cans of bear upstairs. Each of them grabbed two cans and walked to the stairs to go up. Raina heard their conversation as they climbed the stairs.

First Girl: How many times have you done this before? She asked the second girl.

Second Girl: A couple of times before.

First Girl: Isn't it so much fun?

Second Girl: I swing, so of course yes. A mixed three is more exciting for me than any combination of two.

First Girl: Want a trip to the islands? She asked Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu: Sure.

Second Girl: How many times have you done threesome before? She asked him.

Abhimanyu: I have lost the count. He answered.

"Islands? Is he going on a vacation to island with these girls?" she wondered."Why are you so bothered about what he does? Shut your brain, eyes and ears, and just do your work", another thought immediately fired back at her.

                   The girls wanted some music, so they chose the media room. Both the girls settled in the low lying bed there, sipping beer from their cans. He gave them his iPad 3 to play songs of their choice on youtube. With Wifi, Apple TV and Airplay mirroring enabled, what they played on iPad played on projector that had Bose home theater system for sound output. The girls started bonding over the Hindi songs they liked. The First girl played "Lat lag gayee". The girls watched lying on the bed while he watched standing leaning against the wall sipping beer from his bottle. "Can we get some snacks to have with beer?" the first girl asked Abhimanyu."I am really hungry. I missed my lunch today," she told him. Just then the second girl rolled over the first girl and snatched the iPad from her hand and played "Bang Bang". "Let me see, what I can get for you." Abhimanyu said and went out of room with his can of beer.

           Raina had never heard the songs sound so good on any music system. She grooved her head to 'Lat lag gayee' while wiping the stove slowly with a wet wash cloth. It was so foot tapping and amazing that she was had to control herself from not breaking into a dance, but when the beats of her favorite Bang Bang started playing even before the first song could end, all the control went kaput and she started dancing like a dancing queen doing the by heart steps of Hrithik and Katrina from one end of the kitchen to another facing the stove. She was sure he wasn't going to come down. He had just went up with six cans of beer and two girls.

            Abhimanyu came down few steps and was taken aback to see Raina on kitchen floor as if on the dance floor. He could only see her hind, but the moves and grooves were in perfect sync with the music. Seamless imitation of steps without any loss of grace was amazing. She performed Hrithik's steps with a women grace to them. She shook her undefined waist so well. Bang Bang song got over, and she stopped dancing as another song started playing. She ran the tap and started washing the dishes. After a while, he walked down softly and stood at the island on the living room side. He moved his X-ray eyes slowly from heels to head, scanning the back of her body trying to figure out the contours of her figure underneath those loose clothes.'Damn! Who wears thick sack like that!' he said to himself. It was impossible to see any shape in those thick cotton salwar and loose full sleeves Anarkali kurta with no flow in material.

           After washing the dishes when Raina turned to island, she was a little terrified to find him standing there looking at her like that. Though he immediately looked away, there was still that fraction of awkward second that told her he was staring at her.

Raina: Ah...You want something? She was surprised that he didn't come down shirtless.

Abhimanyu: Yes. He said taking a sip of beer, and a fleeting glance at her front covered with a thick cotton dupatta folded in a Vee in front. He couldn't tell exactly, but knowing that she couldn't probably be wearing any push ups or padded ones, he concluded she should be good.

           He walked into the kitchen, took another sip from an almost empty can and threw it in the bin. He opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of beer and opened it with an opener from a drawer while she wiped the kitchen platform near sink, wet from washing the dishes.

Abhimanyu: Look, I'm hungry. Can you make something quick for me? I'll give you hundred bucks.

Raina: You have Maggi? I can make it.

He laughed a little and she just watched how gorgeous he looked in a navy blue T and jeans.

Abhimanyu: Hundred bucks for Maggi?

Abhimanyu: Can you make an omelette with onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves?

She looked at him.

Raina: Just one?

Abhimanyu: No, make it three. He said after thinking.

He took out the box of eggs, and gave her a tomato, onion and coriander leaves from refrigerator to chop. She took a bowl to break the eggs and spoon to stir it. She chopped onions and tomatoes on the chopping board while he stood there at the platform next to the refrigerator with his bottle of beer intentlylooking  at her face.

Raina: I'll call you when it's done. You can go and attend your guests. She looked up at him from the cutting board.

He smiled a very cute smile looking at her with bright eyes.

Abhimanyu: Don't worry. They have company in each other.

               When she finished chopping coriander leaves, he got some green chilies from refrigerator, washed them, took the knife from her and began to chop them on the board standing next to her."I'll do it" she said, her heart beating fast with him standing so close to her. "It's okay" he said. Then he picked the finely chopped green chilies with his fingers showing how much to put in one omelette. As he did so, he smashed few pieces between tips of his fingers sticking a white seed on his finger. He, then, casually raised his right arm softly brushing his those fingers on the  kohl line at the edges of lower lids  of her eyes, swiping fingers  from the inner corner of right eye to left eye. Her eyes closed in reflex and started burning bad.

Abhiamnyu: Oh! I'm so sorry.He acted since it was not an accident but intentional. 

 He walked to the sink and ran the tap for her.

Raina: Chili went in my eyes. My eyes are burning so bad. She cried rubbing her eye and sliding along the platform to sink.

Abhimanyu: I'm so  so sorry Raina. Splash water in your eyes. They would be fine. 

She splashed water into her both the eyes over and over. Abhimanyu returned back to his place and watched the black thing wash off her face like he had expected.

Raina: It's not getting better. It's still burning so much.

Abhimanyu: Keep splashing water until it gets better. He suggested stirring the eggs in the bowl, looking at the beautiful complexion of her face that had started to show in patches.

She heard him stirring.

Raina: Wait! You don't do it. I'll make it. She said splashing water on her face.

Abhimanyu: Don't worry, I'am making the omelette, you just take care of your eyes.

            She slowly tried to open her eyes when it felt a little better. As she opened her still burning eyes, she realized what could have happened. She took a quick glance on her side and saw him busy making omelette in pan.  She immediately turned her back to him. She hoped he was busy and didn't see her. She rushed to her bag, wiped her face on the inner side of  skirt part of her anarkali. She took out the bottle of fair and lovely cream from her bag and quickly applied it evenly all over her face, facing the wall against which the bag was kept. He was watching her from the corner of his eyes.

Abhimanyu: Fair and Lovely! Didn't know, works as advertised. He said flipping the omelette on pan.

She looked at him, and without answering got up and walked to the platform. Standing slightly away from him, she started breaking eggs in the bowl, and he transferred the omelette he made from pan into a plate. He then picked up his bottle of beer from the kitchen platform and took a few sips from it standing at the refrigerator end facing her while she made omelettes facing stove.

Abhimanyu: Why would you want to hide your face under the layers of something dark like that? Don't you like to look beautiful like other girls?

Raina: We are poor people. We don't move around in the safety of cars and live in a houses protected by guards. I live in a slum and pass through streets that has men ogling at every passing women. Things happen in the life of rich girls with their consent, but nobody cares about our consent. Our value is negligible. If something happens to us, it might come on news but the case will be over even before we know it. It's hard to meet the ends of life, fighting a case is far. I want to be safe from my end, safe from people who can follow me to my house without any fear of being stopped, safe from people who can lift me from the streets in a moving car or attack me without any fear of a strong case against them. You might say that these incidents have nothing to do with looks of a girl, I am only reducing the probability and minimizing the chances. You might think I am paranoid, but I don't want to take any chances. I am only doing what my head says is the best way within my ability to keep the trouble at bay for myself and my aayi.

He understood what she was trying to explain. He could tell she was a pretty girl from whatever clear patches of her face he saw. She had an innocent small face and he could only imagine how she could look with her hair shampooed and styled properly.

Abhimanyu: You know most of the people spend their whole life and yet don't come to know what they are good at. What is it that comes naturally to them. Things they are naturally good at. Those few who realize it in time, and choose to pursue it, take it as their career are the brightest people in their field. Just efforts or just talent doesn't make anyone the best. They can be good but not extraordinary. Those who are natural in something and top it with efforts, they lead to breakthroughs and become the legends in their field. And you know what your natural talent is? Singing and dancing is what comes naturally to you. You are so good even without any training. It is what you are naturally good at. It is your natural talent. It is embedded in you. It's a talent you are gifted with. Trust me, this is your field. You are meant for it. You have it in you to become the greatest singer and performer. I can help you. I can test your voice in a recording studio and if we feel you need some training, we can do that. Though, I don't think it will be required. The rawness in your voice is your plus.

Raina: No, I want to become an IAS.

Abhimanyu: You think you can do IAS? His voice was not loud, but had a hint of anger.

Abhimanyu: IAS is not your cup of tea. Just because your physics professor told you a vegetable vendor's daughter became an IAS, you thought you too can become one. No, you don't have it in you for that.

She looked at him in shock.

Abhimanyu: I assume your polynomial function chapter in math is over.

Raina: Yes. She finished making omelettes, but stood there listening to him.

Abhimanyu: Tell me what is the relation between coefficient of function and the parabolic wave?

Raina didn't know the answer.

Abhimanyu: Which state government has recently launched 'unemployment allowance scheme'?

Raina: Orissa

Abhimanyu: No, Himachal Pradesh.

Abhimanyu: Which state has become the first Indian state to launch a special awareness drive to ensure that transgenders in the state register as voters?

Abhimanyu: You know the answer?

Raina: No.

Abhimanyu: Maharashtra

Abhimanyu: I am sorry, but you are not cut for IAS. I want to give you a chance in something you are talented, I know that you will do well in it, but no, you want to pursue something that will require you to put in a lot of efforts and chances are you might still fail.

Raina: Discouraging people before they have tried something they want to do is wrong.

Abhimanyu: Letting people know, and helping people discover their natural talent is right. He said in a stern tone.

Abhimanyu: What interests us, and what we are natural at, can be two different things. If I had chosen what came naturally to me I would have been some great scientist in ISRO or NASAsolving complex mathematical equations like polynomial equations, vectors and innovating and launching satellites . I love music, but I don't think it comes naturally to me.I am good, but not the best. I have to work hard for it and I do it because I love it. And I still sometimes fail in it.

Raina: IAS is what I want to do. Let me fail in it.

Abhimanyu: I want to give you a chance that people don't get despite struggling hard, and you are not understanding. It can change your life.

Raina: Thank you for help, but no thanks.

Abhimanyu: You don't know what you are losing. You have a great voice to become a star. You have the potential to become the best singer.

Raina: I don't have the desire to be the best. I only always want to do my best.

Abhimanyu: And your best in singing has it to be the best of all in the world.

Raina: If you think so, I'll participate in 'Amul Star Voice of India' after I fail in my IAS general studies paper. She said with a little smile.

Abhimanyu shook his head. He pulled the wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and gave her a note of hundred rupees. He, then, went up with with omelettes, forks and plates and Raina finished her work and left.

https://youtu.be/g72MjW4yluw

https://youtu.be/w-BtXtt0rsw

https://youtu.be/3JnXgAtt34M

Bang Bang

https://youtu.be/jZyAB2KFDls