A/N:- I hope you liked the previous update. Thank you for the votes on the previous update.

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As Rudra descended the stairs of their house, he rubbed his eyes as he walked into the kitchen inserting his hands into the blue jacket he wore. As he saw none in the kitchen, he called," Mom, where are you?"

A woman in the night suite with a small dark red shrug emerged out of the storeroom. She kept a packet of red chillies on the slab and he clicked his tongue. The red chilies were indeed a sign of anger.

She crossed her arms across her chest as she leaned onto the slab and asked him in a taunting manner," Finally, you got time to meet mom? How many days has it been since you met me or dad? Idiot!" Saying that she twisted his right ear and turned it.

"Mom!" Rudra whined as he rubbed his red ears. "Serves you right!" Jhanvi said with a stern look as she stirred the Poha. Rudra poked on her shoulder numerous times like a child but she just shrugged her shoulders and let out a groan.

"Sorry na.." Rudra apologized and when he saw that nothing was working, he just back hugged her and pleaded," You know my work right?"

"I didn't know drinking was your work Rudy!" She said sternly while Rudra said," You know that I drink on Saturdays! Why are you complaining now?"

Jhanvi hid a small smile and gave a stern look to him. "Rudra..  I have always complained when you reach very late. Now leave. .." She didn't complete as she heard a slight scream. His hands weren't around her anymore. She turned and crossed her arms across her chest with a smile when she saw that his father was punishing him by the same trick she used a few minutes back.

"Why are you back hugging her when I am there to do that? " She broke their small fight session as she chuckled at Ashwin's jealous avatar. Rudra was made to walk out of the kitchen with a hold on his ears by his ever romantic father.

She took a few curd cups along with the Poha, she proceeded towards the dining room.

As she sat down with their cup of coffees, they served themselves while Ashwin cleared his throat and asked," So, what happened yesterday? You became a star in the news! "

"Maya shouted on me for spreading the flowers!" Rudra said casually with a small tint of sadness clinging in his voice.

"That's rude!" Ashwin pointed out as he was chewing the first spoon of Poha.

"There might be some reason behind that!" Jhanvi reasoned out while all the three men turned towards her as she continued," Most of the woman don't behave like that unless there is some reason!"

"Exactly! She said that she hates romance in her life.. She shouted at me and left." Rudra shrugged his shoulders and then continued his breakfast. 

"So, what about the interview?" Ashwin asked while Rudra looked or rather glared at Rishi who was busy sipping his coffee through his peripheral vision. He was concentrating on his coffee for a long time and even bit his lips to control his smile. Rishi had spilt the beans even before Rudra could inform them! That, in sarcasm, was and is one of the biggest advantage of having a younger sibling!

"Rudra, Have you decided to switch? " Jhanvi asked him while his trance and glare at Rishi broke. He explained," I don't know Mom! I just told the editor of quitting the job if I don't get her interview. But at the same time, there is something in her that attracts me. The Romantic angle wouldn't have worked but one angle will always work for anyone who is in that position. "

"We know that your intuitions don't go wrong but Rudra, remember that you are playing with a bold lady who is more influential!" Ashwin warned while Rudra said," If she is bold, I am much bolder and I will make sure that she will give me an interview before my deadline."

"I hope so!" Rishi spoke in a teasing yet challenging tone...

"Mom, don't worry. It's a challenge and I don't want to back out when the first step has already been taken." Rudra explained as he remembered Ritwik's words.  

"All the Best!" Ashwin said after he finished his food and got up from the chair while Rishi choked on his food when he felt a stamp on his leg by none other than his sweat brother! Sweet Revenge!

☆☆☆

Walking into the sets looking keeping the phone inside her jacket, she looked around. It was a different scene. Her trance was broken by the director who asked," Your schedule has been over. The next schedule will only start next week! Is everything okay?"

Maya nodded her head in negative and smiled, " I just came to see you regarding the schedules. I haven't got the remaining script, so... I thought..."

She just trailed it and he asked her to wait for a few minutes. As the director walked away, she fished her phone out and looked at her website and the comments under the article she had published yesterday.

She scrolled upwards to read it again,

"Memories are never meant to be pushed back,
When your  past is in front of you,
Your present and future is behind you,
Behold!
Breaths become heavier,
Eyes dilate,
Hands freeze,
It's just the movement of your lungs!

The destruction the past will demould you now!

People of the past aren't. ..."

Before she could continue, she heard screech of tires against the metallic road. The door opened and she saw that it was him... Arjun Mittal! The director just walked past her as he received Arjun.

They shared a brief hug and there was a small eye lock between Maya and Arjun whose face was on the director's shoulder. They retracted from the hug and her eyes fell on the next line of her poem...

"People of the present aren't meant to be forgotten,
Directly or indirectly,
They will also remain till the ends..

Before she could continue, a hand came in between her eyes and the phone. Contemplating for a few seconds, she shook hers with his. The warmth of his hand was still there. The grip just made her take a deep breath.

"How are you?" He asked in a hoarse voice while she cleared her throat before asking," Still concerned?"

"My position, career, love life, everything has changed except for the moral principles I hold." He said while she answered," Living a single life for woman in her thirties in India is tough but I am enjoying my thirties."

Why did she lie?  Her conscious was questioning her. Was injecting herself part of the life she loved? Her mind kept on throwing questions.

"Yeah, Yeah! Keep enjoying, no responsibilities, make new friends or boyfriends, Go on." Arjun taunted her with his hands in his pockets.

"Arjun everything is past and you don't have the right to taunt me now!" She spoke narrowing her eyes and flaring her nose. 

"Past will burn you if you haven't done anything in the present to let the flares calm down."

....

As Maya wore a mid-riff jacket above her crop top and black track pants, she picked the shades from the black box. Unlocking the car, she got out and walked off after checking whether her car was locked.

It is one of the best place to be when you feel insecure and lost. It is one of the best place to relax your mind.  The Beaches are one of the best places in any country you could go. When serenity and a few lone moments are needed, there is no better place.

Removing her slippers on the sand, she walked forward. The sand under her feet was slightly hot but it wasn't so hot as the air was little cooler than the freezing temperature.

The whole place was decorated as if there was a party. The small fairy lights and the preparation for campfire was going on. With twigs that were lit up, the blazing flame peeked out of the twigs. The serenity and blaze made her smile.

As she moved forward, she immersed half of her calves into the cold almost freezing water, the waves just hurled into her feet and she just rubbed the arm of her jacket as a reflex. Blowing heat into her palms, she just rubbed her palms vigorously.

As the waves hurled into her, she stepped back and stepped forward again until the waves would hit her again.  Moving forward and backward in continuous intervals, her dusky arms were crossed against her chest. This action continued several times until her mind uttered something. She spoke it out repeating the continuous action,

" 3 years back, everything started well but when the legs were well focused, mind started wanting more. When mind started living the life it wanted, everything slipped off. When eyes are blinded by people whom we trust, everything breaks off. With the same incident repeating after 3 years, everything remains the same including the person. The only constant is change but why aren't humans turning into their old self? What is the reverse catalyst here?  "

She kept on moving her legs but her mind was focused on the topic. Soon enough, her phone rang breaking her trance. Moving away from the waves, she picked the phone. Attending the phone, she spoke," Yes. I remember. I will be there after a few days. Don't worry!"

"How will we not worry when it is about the arrival of Maya Jaisingh? " She heard and smiled but soon enough she noticed that it was not from the phone but from the shadowed figure behind her.

She just muttered a sentence of assurance as she turned towards the figure. It was none other than the man with who she had fought yesterday! Hmm? His name? Yeah..  Rudra

Sliding the phone into her pocket, she glared at him and asked," What's wrong with you Mr. Rudra? Have you forgotten wha. ..." She was stopped by his index finger on her lips. She soon pushed his hand away and shouted," How dare you touch a woman without her permission ?"

" I have read that you hate headaches, so why don't we just talk like matured and civilized common people?" Rudra asked with his hands in front of him in a semi-praying position.

Maya got agitated and asked raising her voice slightly, "You mean I am uncivilized? Huh?"

"We both are uncivilized. Me for doing the uncivilized gesture while you are uncivilized when you raised your voice. What is the benefit of shouting other than increasing hypertension?" He asked with an amused smile while she said in a stern voice and was about to move,

"You are wasting my time. I have some urgent work to do!"

Rudra retorted her move and snapped at her, "Even that gesture is rude! When someone is talking to you, leaving the conversation incomplete is rude!"

"That's why people call me rude, Mr Rudra. I hope you know my nicknames!" She walked away with a smirk after giving her reply while she stopped in her tracks, hearing his voice,

" But I would like to add one more name to the list 'a sweet yet unread fantasy'." Rudra completed while she turned towards him and took a few steps towards him.

She asked crossing her arms, "Are you trying to flirt with me? Then you are wrong Rudra!"

"I am going to flirt if it is necessary for to get your interview. I don't mind but isn't Maya an unknown fantasy? " Rudra asked in a tone of mischief while Maya asked with a finger on her chin,

"Why are you so curious to interview me when there are other stars also? Why do you want me?"

" I don't want to the interview of Maya who is loved by the whole country but the interview of Maya who looks and loves herself. A Maya who...." His sentence was broken by her counter-point

"The person whom you are searching for, has been murdered! You won't find the woman of your perceptions! "

Maya replied boldly looking to the sea which was visible above his shoulders.

"Isn't it too depressing Maya?" Rudra asked with an amused smile and broke her trance. She averted her gaze to his face and stressed every word she spoke there after, " Life is meant to be depressing when you lose yourself. It ruins you when there are no reasons left."

He just listened to her and inserted his hands into his pant pocket. His voice assured or gave her a grip which was too weak for her,

"I assure you that you will find at least one reason after the small cup of coffee and interview I have given and taken respectively. You will not forget the past but you will learn to focus on the little things of the present.. It's my guarantee. "

"Keep your standards towards yourself. The words are assuring but the person isn't when he is a complete stranger to me.." She said while he extended his hand towards her and exclaimed,

"Leave the concept of strangers! Let's be friends!"

......

What will be Maya's reaction? Are you excited?

I am getting low reviews. I hope everything is going well. Do vote if you have like the chapter. I will be waiting for your opinions.