How about we follow a schedule for updates? Like two chapters per week at even intervals. What do you think?

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"Naveen, have you read this stupid article about Vicky?" Pragathi called Naveen early in the morning.

"You mean there's an article suggesting Vicky is stupid?" asked Naveen, groggily.

"I'm serious Naveen. I will forward the link. Read it."

"Pragathi, there are hundreds of articles published every month about him. What's new--" Naveen stopped speaking as he read the title.

Exclusive! Superstar Vikram Varma spotted with mystery girl.

Vikram Varma, one of the biggest stars of Telugu Film Industry has shocked all the cinema lovers with his decision to direct his own film. The 27-year-old actor is leaving no stone unturned to...

Naveen skipped the boring part. He scanned for the main news.

While the entire unit was seen vacationing in Alleppey, the actor turned director, Vikram, was nowhere to be seen. Wondering where he was?

Well, he was spotted twice on the same day in the company of a girl. Rumours started floating around about a probable affair between the two. Adding fuel to the fire are the photographs posted by a fan, where the mysterious lady's face is hidden. The actor was seen wrapping his hands around her shoulder.

Sources close to the actor have revealed exclusively to our news portal that the duo are just friends and Vikram is busy with his work with no time for dating. Vikram Varma's fiance-to-be, Dhwani, is unavailable for comment.

"Nonsense!"

"Her first film is not released yet and they started publishing rubbish about her." Pragathi was worried for Shubha, whom she came to regard as her best friend in the industry.

"I'm glad her face is not visible. And who's this source close to the actor? As if Vicky's team has nothing to do except answering their questions." Naveen knew Vikram was used to all these. But Shubha was yet to learn. "Let's see if she is affected by this. If yes, then let's console her."

"Okay. Are you coming to Chris's home today?" asked Pragathi.

"Yes" He talked to her for a few minutes before ending the call. He went to get ready. They were meeting up for lunch at Chris's house.

---***---

"Subbu, my cousin will be here with her twin babies tomorrow." Vikram was excited.

"Babies? Latha aunty said they are six-year-old" said Shubha. Latha's niece, Sandhya, who lived in Australia, was coming back to India. She enrolled her children in a school in Hyderabad. She would need some time to sort out things in Australia and return to India. Until then, the children will live with Vikram.

"I call them babies. They will always be babies to me."

"Nanna used to say that whenever amma scolded me. After that amma used to scold him for supporting me" said Shubha, reminiscing her childhood memories.

"I used to like this word. Baby. It sounds so good. After growing up, I came to know that we use the word for our romantic partners."

"I don't like that term used that way" said Shubha.

"What endearment term would Subbu like to be used for her?" He asked in a mischievous tone. "How about honey? No? Pumpkin? Sweetheart?"

Shubha imagined her future husband calling her 'sweetheart'. She couldn't see his face. But the voice oddly sounded like Vikram's. She shook her head. "When will Sandhya garu come back?"

"She will need a month at the very least. She will go back this Friday and return next month." Vikram informed her.

"It's really amazing that she will go back after staying here for just four days. In our circle, when someone returns from abroad, they stay for at least two months and visit each and every relative they could remember. Oh! The gifts they bring. I used to love them. All my friends used to treat me like a celebrity in school the following day."

"Why?"

"Chocolates Vikram sir, chocolates. Who wouldn't love them?" asked Shubha.

"I dislike chocolates." Vikram answered.

Shubha looked at him as if he said something extremely offensive. "Language! Dislike and chocolates don't come in a single sentence."

"Seriously, I don't like them. No. Stop looking at me like that. Before you judge me, listen to my story."

"I am all ears."

"When I was a child I used to eat a lot of chocolates. I mean I used to eat everything I could lay my hands on." Vikram started the story. Shubha giggled.

"Stop giggling. Why do girls giggle so much?" He said in an innocent tone. Shubha realized how cute he looked when he was annoyed. 'Just like a cute little kid.' She thought. She giggled more to annoy him.

"Okay. I'll ignore that. And then one day my teeth started aching. The dentist told me to stay away from things that will damage them further. Mom convinced me that they are bad things and hence they are my enemies. That's how I started disliking them. I feel bad for not enjoying chocolates as much as I should, but my perfect teeth sort of compensate for that." Vikram looked very pleased with himself.

"Okay. Mr. Perfect Teeth. Let's get ready. I can't wait to visit Chris garu's house. I think I'll faint--"

"Stop. Not again." He interrupted her. She giggled again and went to get ready.

"Giggling should be made illegal." He muttered.

---***---

"Vicky doesn't like Dhwani? How do you know?" Naveen asked Chris. They were discussing the stupid article and its consequences.

"He told me." Chris answered. "And he has feelings for Shubha."

"What! I didn't know about this. How come he told you?" Naveen was outraged that Vikram didn't tell him.

"Why shouldn't he tell me?"

"Seriously, who was his classmate for four years in engineering?" asked Naveen.

"You"

"Who helped him with Engineering drawing and Mathematics in first year?"

"You"

"Who helped him copy in exams? Who lent him assignments to copy from?"

"You"

"So, who should he share his feelings with?"

"Me" said Chris.

Naveen glared at him. "You are impossible. I don't know why he shares things with you. As if you are good at keeping secrets."

"Because unlike you, I don't run away from love." Chris spoke without thinking. "Naveen. It's just a joke. Come on." But the damage was done.

"I need to make a call." Naveen went into the garden. Chris didn't follow him. He knew Naveen needed to be alone. He went to attend to Vikram, Shubha and Pragathi.

"Vicky boy. Why so serious?" He asked Vikram.

"Why so nosy?" The girls said in unison and giggled.

"They have been discussing types of nail polish since twenty minutes." Vikram complained.

"Don't exaggerate. Shubha spent the first fifteen minutes taking selfies to boast about." Pragathi pointed at Shubha's phone.

"Sorry. I couldn't resist. I'll delete it." Shubha said sheepishly.

"No. Why? What kind of celebrity am I if I don't entertain my biggest fan? Let's take a selfie together" Chris suggested.

Shubha gasped. "Oh my Dumbledore! Thank you." She took a picture with him. Pragathi joined them.

They pretended to take a selfie video, when actually they recorded Vikram's expressions full of jealousy. Vikram looked at the trio. "Guys. I feel lonely, left out and betrayed. So don't mind me. Please continue."

"He looks cute when he's whining" said Chris.

Shubha played the video. "Such a precious, million dollar worth expressions!"

"Delete it" Vikram demanded.

"Never" Shubha ran away to keep the video safe from him. She reached the garden to see Naveen sitting there alone.

"Naveen. What are you doing here?" She never saw him look so sad.

"Nothing. I was thinking of someone."

"Who?" She sat down beside him.

"My crush." He lied.

"Stop lying. I know it's someone else. You look miserable. Maybe I could help. Tell me. Who are you thinking about?"

"My amma."

"Oh!" She didn't know what to say. "Are you missing her?"

"Yes. I miss her" He remarked. "I hate my father." He said after few seconds.

She placed her arm on his shoulder. "I know it still hurts you. If you would like to share anything please go ahead. I won't say it to anyone."

"My father, one of the biggest stars of his generation, never loved his wife. He married her because she was from a famous family. He gave her everything. Except his heart. She never complained. One day he met this young actress and fell in love."

Shubha knew the story. Yet, hearing it from him, hurt.

"He had the dignity to not take things ahead because he had a family. But amma knew about this. She asked him if he could ever forget the woman. He promised amma he will never meet her again. But he also made it clear that he will love that woman forever." Naveen took a deep breath to calm down. "My mother applied for divorce."

"I am so sorry."

"He gives interviews with his second wife. He says how she is his one true love and his biggest support. He takes her on all his trips. He even tried to bribe me into liking her. I don't have anything against that woman. But my mother deserved all these and he couldn't give it to her. It's all his fault." Naveen sighed.

Shubha tried to console him. "Loving someone when you know that they don't love you back hurts very badly. At least she got a son who loved her. Knowing this will help her rest in peace."

"People say having affairs is common in the film industry. As if that's a consolation. Be it a film star or a soldier or a farmer, betrayal is betrayal. That is why I stay away from love. When I was in final year of engineering, my classmate told me that she loved me. I liked her. But I was scared I might turn out to be like that man. I said no to her. Look what he has done to me. I don't even trust myself because of him."

Shubha didn't like how he talked about himself. "Naveen, I don't know what you think about yourself. But you are a good man. You have seen pain and betrayal. That's why I firmly believe that you will never betray others. Whoever you fall in love with, will be lucky."

"Maybe you are right. I learnt a lesson here. When you know that the person you like, has someone else in their life, the best option is to stay away from them. It might look difficult for a few days. But eventually you will find peace and move on. It is better than dying every moment." Naveen's words were more like an advice to her. He trusted Vikram. Yet he couldn't believe that Vikram would someday end up marrying Shubha. Because he knew rich kids will get married to rich kids.

"You are right" Shubha was in deep thought.

"What are you two doing there? Showing the video to him? Subbu delete it" Vikram approached her.

"Sure sir. I will." Shubha deleted the video. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have recorded it. I got carried away. I know it's not my place."

It hurt Vikram to hear that from her. He felt his Subbu had a right to record his funny moments and tease him.

Throughout lunch, Shubha stayed away from Vikram. She didn't speak in the car either. He thought of asking her what's wrong many times. But the drive was short. By the time he gathered courage, they reached home.

She rushed to her room before he could speak. She looked at the article Rukhsar forwarded her that morning. She dismissed the news saying it was common in the case of celebrities. But when she thought about it again, and connected Naveen's advice with that news, she understood that she might suffer heartbreak if she doesn't control her feelings.

'Vikram sir might laugh with me, flirt with me and travel with me. But I am not his companion for life. He will marry Dhwani garu someday and I will be left alone with a broken heart. I have to stay away from him.' She decided.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Tears threatened to leak from the beautiful brown eyes. She blinked them away. 'Stop being a child. Think like a woman. Don't ruin your life.' She advised herself.

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