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"Mallika, Arjun and Maya?" He asked being sceptical while she shook her head in negative and said after a lone tear dropped through her eyes,

" Arjun, Maya and Him!" She said in a bolder tone and he was curious to know about the person.

"Third Person?" He said while she shook her head in affirmative and got up with her hands on her lap.

"Yes." As he asked that and noticed a difference in her mannerism. Something changed like switching on a plug! Closing her eyes and opening it immediately, her breaths getting heavy, he stopped for a few seconds until she switched something inside her. Her charm was back and she asked," No questions after getting a great opportunity?"

" Congratulations for successfully accomplishing the huge milestone of Completing 9 years in this industry. We all know how this industry works and how any slightest move of yours is picked up by the media. (taking a pause, he saw a smile on her face) You have also been motivating lakhs of people with your outstanding work as an artist. Do the articles commenting on your personal life affect you? How do you cope up with the negativity and demotivation? And last but not the least, what advice would you like to give people who find it difficult to cope up with demotivation ?" 

"Please slow down Rudra! I need some time to decipher the question. Break it down!" Maya said with a smile and he chuckled slightly and she said," I will answer the question one by one if you don't mind."  He just nodded and spoke animatedly with her hands,

" So, the articles do not affect me because my mind is both my friend and my enemy. Suggestions and Opinions are welcome but I have the right to throw them out of the next ear if I feel it is needed." 

"That's impressive! (taking a pause) Does that mean you don't get surrounded by negativity?"

"Of course! Everyone is surrounded by negativity and even I am a victim to it. As I said, my mind is both the villain and motivator of my life. It depends on my mind whether I have to take it inside me or leave it alone. "

"  What would you like to advise the young generation of people who are surrounded by negativity and cannot take a decision and a result are depressed?" Rudra asked with his right hand on his perfect lined jaw.

" I am not a person to advise but I would like to suggest them to expose themselves to things they love but there is also one more thing. Expose yourself to the toughest of decisions and question yourself on the things you can't decide when you sit peacefully.  There is no fault of yours when you can't choose something because everyone has roadblocks in life, especially during teenage. The cause of Negativity is your mind and if you try to bridle it, it will only worsen. So, loosen up, look at things seriously and ask God for help. Other than all of the sites and confusing mind, only He will be able to guide us."

" What would you have done if you hadn't become successful in the showbiz industry? How would you describe the Maya before 9 years?" Rudra asked while she grinned like a Cheshire cat. Different expressions such as smile, questioning, grin and glares were visible.

"So, how did you come? Where did you start from?" Rudra asked while Maya answered,

"So, I had a friend, Mallika whom you know as Arjun's fiancée. She was my best friend and she was a model before turning into a present-day fashionista. We studied together and when I expressed my passion, she encouraged me and I took it up! I left Ahmedabad and came to Mumbai where I did my modelling assignments! It didn't come easy but I needed to fulfil my passion. It was difficult since I started from scratch. "

"So, who was the person who supported you the most in this journey?" Rudra asked her on a serious note.

"Before 9 years, it was my parents and before 3 years, it was Arjun and Mallika and now, I am all by myself. They taught me many things which I refused to see." She finished off by giving him a look and he looked at her intensely. She broke it off by asking a question," What is your plan?"

"Counter-questioning?" Rudra asked her raising his eyebrows while she nodded her head in affirmative in a sort-of look. He sighed and said," My exams are 3 months away and after that, I would love to work as a crime journalist. This was an assignment given to me so if I take the interview and if turns out to be good, I can work in the current internship company, Snap and Shots otherwise, somewhere else. "

"Are you a vegan?" Maya asked and he was like 'Huh?". She just repeated the question and he answered," Nope."

" It's almost 11 and I will start preparing the lunch. We can continue it in the kitchen if you don't mind.." She spoke and he just said 'Okay' as he gave her the book back. As they walked down the stairs, Maya just fished out the phone and checked if there were any important messages. As she entered the kitchen, she tied her apron while he stood against one of the cabinets.

He started as Maya settled after taking a basket of vegetables from the fridge, "Everyone knows that you are arrogant and even I agree that to a tint. But reading your articles more than one time gave me an impression that this arrogance and anger is a mask for everything you don't want others to know."

"It's a good question and I appreciate that fact. My arrogance is my defence mechanism because I am a very sensitive person and I can be broken within a (she snapped). So, Back to your question!"

" The Stimulus which lead you to suicide?" Rudra questioned folding his hands across his chest while she asked caressing the edge of the knife," Taking much liberty?" 

"It's the liberty that made you open up. Why don't you finish it?" He asked and her eyes bore into him before she went back into the past..

 FLASHBACK

As Mallika and Maya were dressing, Mallika asked," Are you happy with this career?"

"100%" Maya assured with a smile. Soon enough, they went outside the room and Mallika informed her," We are going to a party today! In this way, we can connect to people inside the industry!"

"Arjun Sir!" Mallika called out and Maya looked at Arjun. A fair man of edgy spectacles, that was how he would have been described. He looked cool and tall with a wine glass.

Arjun shook his hand with Mallika and exchanged a few words while Maya just looked on. When he had lent his hand towards Maya, she was sceptical but she just shook her hands with him and introduced herself," Maya."

He said, "Arjun Mittal!" They retreated their hands and then Arjun said grabbing a glass of red wine," We have a photoshoot for an upcoming film! Are you interested?"

"Yes, Sure!" Maya was sure that she would get a greater opportunity if she accepted his offer as he knew what the young director Arjun Mittal meant in the industry.

FLASHBACK ENDS

"Sometimes, it's not as fast as a train, it flows and goes out like a soft tune that will always be remembered for its beats and the same thing happened with me. " She handed him a book full of their photos.

"It was a slow-chemistry! A slow burn and we loved the camaraderie we shared. " She smiled as she thought of it while Rudra too noted them while taking a few photos without her notice.

His trance was broken by her voice," Soon enough, we started liking each other's company. We went for coffee dates, escaped from the hectic schedules and found solace in each other and started sharing our lives. And then was the proposal!" She stressed on 'Proposal'.

Flashes of the Past Begins

As Maya entered Arjun's flat, the lights were switched off. She called for Arjun a few more times before she tried to switch the lights on. As she threw her bag to the nearby couch, she just tied her hair into a messy bun and moved to the kitchen. She experienced a different floor but she couldn't see anything as it was dark.

As she just walked across the hall and soon enough, she was pulled back!

"Argh!" She just screamed as she landed against someone's chest. Soon enough, she understood that it was Arjun! The lights were turned on and she looked down only to see that the floor was covered with rose petals. The room was dimly lit in a romantic atmosphere with orange lights. She was dumbstruck and immediately looked into Arjun's eyes which held something more than an emotion.

"Maya, I know everything is going good in our lives and I seriously don't remember when I started feeling for you! The moments we shared were nothing like a romantic book. There were no superiority or inferiority complexes but there were differences at times. Keeping them aside, would you like to be my girlfriend Maya?"

The Flashes Ends

"It was a nod followed by a 'Yes'. The rest was history!" Maya said as she got up. She fiddled with the ring on her index finger.

She was cutting the onions but her eyes didn't spill tears. She just explained after sniffing," It was madness and love after that! You know, love is a weapon that can either build itself or break itself. And for me, it was the latter. It went from the highest of clouds to the ground beneath my feet. It broke me. " She had put a full stop to her depressing monologue as she switched the stove on. She heard him ask if she needed any help to which she shrugged her shoulders off.

He knew that his mind needed to know the whole thing. He wanted to know how everything broke off. Some assumptions could be made but could it be right? Damn!

"Did the questions get over or are you pondering over the unfinished lines of the 3 years?" Maya asked sarcastically while he said," The latter!" He said with a smile and observed her as she dropped the knife on the cutting board and started sautéing the vegetables with a wooden ladle.. She looked cool as if it wasn't bothering her but why was she telling that she was undergoing depression? Is it a lie or an unopened box?

"Rudra, there is something called Trust. And because of that trust, I called you here but whatever I told till now was partially or almost known to the media. To reveal everything, there should be a trust which has to be upgraded. I hope you don't mind me being open and close!" Maya said and looked at Rudra.

"Not at all! You are right! I am curious but you need to be comfortable to share that with that 'upgraded trust'. Take your time and even if that doesn't work, I have theories! Don't forget that I am an investigative journalist!"

He winked as he comoeted while she chuckled and challenged him," You are still an intern. Fly high but watch every cloud!" He just nodded and asked a topic which wasn't touched upon,"

"How do your parents describe you?" Rudra asked while Maya switched the stove off and her fingers lingered on the knob as the question was interpreted. She just said without looking at him," You know Rudra, When we get something, we lose something bigger than that. Fame is what I got but I lost my parents." As she saw his expressions changing, she said," There is no need to say sorry because they are still alive." 

As she took a medium steel bowl with curd marinated chicken from the silver sleek Fridge, she turned on another stove and poured some oil into the pan. As she kept her palm a little above the pan, she understood that it was hot. Spreading the marinated chicken pieces, she turned towards Rudra who was looking at her. She snapped her fingers in front of him and he asked," Is there any chance for a love life?"  

She just looked at him intently as they shared an eye-lock.

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What will be the answer? She has been different from other actresses. It reflects in her opinion. What do you think will happen? 

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Farah005 have received her award for the question that had asked me and @Kuhu0704 will get hers very soon. Thank you for participating. I will be giving you regular updates from now on if everything goes well. Do not forget to vote and express your comments if you have liked this update. Looking forward to your views.