HELLO EVERYONE! 🙂
Link to all previous episodes: https://www.tellyupdates.com/lucky-om-ishu-episode-25/
EPISODE 26: LUCKY
OM’S PERSPECTIVE
Partly hidden by the various objects around the spacious room, I had managed to conceal myself behind the desk. I could only hope for this to work as I had been out of practice, obviously due to my truthful nature. Mr. Oberoi and Chhote Papa were walking towards me but right now, it took all my effort to concentrate on what they were talking about.
“I’m sure you liked ‘that’ very well, Bhaisahab. Am I wrong?” he laughed. A grumpy Mr. Oberoi replied to him, “Drop it Shakti. I told you already, and don’t expect my answer to change. Providing that she doesn’t pose a threat to me, and that means as long as she doesn’t remember anything, I don’t see why we need to eliminate her.”
He sounded like a hurt animal, tending to his wound before even thinking about food for his ego. Chhote Papa appeared smug in his affirmation, “Even when she has lost all of it, she can send you to the hospital without breaking a sweat. Are you sure you want to wait for her to recollect everything and then come after you? Especially when she’s our only weak link now; do you want to risk someone else knowing about it?” There was pin drop silence for a long minute while Mr. Oberoi contemplated this. He sighed deeply and came closer to the desk. I was still not convinced who they were talking about and I barely kept myself from jumping to conclusions.
Finally they started speaking again and I listened intently. “Ishu is close to many people now, and I don’t want to make a rash judgment because you assumed that she lost her memories. Okay?” His rough voice only encouraged Chhote Papa as he continued, “Like Anika and Omkara?” He added a mirthless laugh and the way he said my name grated against my skin like claws ripping out my flesh. It didn’t sound like anything filthy or unusual, but the thought of Ishu’s life and death being discussed by my own family members was the one which sent chills down my spine.
They retrieved a file from the desk and left discussing some business matters, leaving me alone with the flood of negativity that had been unleashed. For the first time in my life I believed that not knowing the truth was infintely better, if only for a few days.
I had no doubt about Mr. Oberoi capable of doing something like that, but it did shock me that Chhote Papa was in on it. I guessed that it was because of Chhote Papa’s involvement in his secrets that Mr. Oberoi often acted offensively with him. After all, he didn’t like feeling threatened. I halted my chain of thoughts turning towards understanding Mr. Oberoi, rather than pointing out his weakness in succumbing to such inhumane endeavors.
I was right about Ishu being like a flower, which could wither at the strongest ray of sun. But what I had wrongly judged was myself. I thought I could shield her from the sun and the wind, but now, I was buckling under the load of this new info. Something struck my mind suddenly and I ran out to get my phone and car keys.
[Please note that the next part starts from sufficient time before Om leaving from his house; that’s like an hour ago or something. Consider it to be somewhat parallel storylines for a small part only.]
ISHU’S PERSPECTIVE
All this paperwork is so not my cup of tea! I thought to myself. Again. I went through the formalities and was almost done, when something caught my eye. Shaan Sir was looking through other heaps of papers carefully, so I silently let my eyes roam over the tiny letters.
In my insurance papers, in case of unforeseen accidents, the beneficiary had always been Anika; ever since I remembered, it had always been her. Just looking at her name brought a smile to my face. She was so lucky to have found her love and I couldn’t believe it had been so many years since we first met at that grim orphanage. I thought about the gift I wanted to give her on her wedding and just like that, I zoned out. Shaan Sir saw that and asked me, “Thinking about your boyfriend again?”
Startled out of my daydreams, I gave him a confused look. He only rolled his eyes at me and then winked at my appalled face. “Focus on your job. I know you’re famous for your expertise but now, you also need to train them besides your stunts lineup. Otherwise I’ll deduct a fine from your paycheck!” he warned me like I was a kid. The fact that he did it with a tilted head and twinkling eyes made it all the more unbelievable.
“Okay. So Director, let me update you on my students’ course today. They watched me during the bike scenes and the fighting scenes today. They’re supposed to practice it tomorrow. And I guess there’s one last falling shot, they can watch it from below.” After my fake-report, I smiled proudly.
“Too much for today?” he inquired, seeing through my tiredness. I nodded at him meekly, hoping that he didn’t come to know of my roughly bandaged stomach wound from my earlier bike skid. Apparently, he hadn’t caught on to that. If that were the case, I wouldn’t have been sitting here quietly. Finished with the mandatory and boring paperwork, he sighed in content. “I don’t know what to think of these actresses who can’t even do a falling scene on their own. On one side, it sounds simply ridiculous. And on the other, it is profitable for us, so we shouldn’t be the one complaining.”
I let out a small laugh at that, exulting in the nice weather. Throwing my head back, I spoke with my mind elsewhere, “She’s afraid of heights. That’s why I’ll have to do it this time.” For some weird reason, the nice weather and the cool breeze couldn’t hold me down today. My thoughts kept going back to the long haired devil, imagining how his hair must have blown behind him right now, as the wind swept by him.
“Director, do you think I can go back today itself? I don’t think I have a shoot tomorrow, right?”
My question left him puzzled but he recovered quickly. “Umm… No. But you wanted to train them here tomorrow. Frankly, this is a great location to get them habituated to the risks in our work.” His reply made sense, but I was in no mood to listen to sense. Besides, I only courted danger, and that’s why I was probably wrong about teaching them here. I told him the same and asked to go back today itself, offering to do an extra one for free in exchange. He was evidently happy with the deal and smiled at himself in a strangely genuine and cute way. It looked like he could read my mind and I was grateful for the shooting to resume just then. I walked away to check up with the movie directors, swinging my arms in the air like a child.
I had left him musing about unknown matters while the wind shaped his bronze hair in unidentifiable patterns. My last shoot for today! And then I can go back home, to my Om; to my Om’s warm embrace! Oh, I’m in heaven already!
Cut to-
A guy strangling me at the edge of an old building.
I tried my best to not hit him back, balling up my palms to avoid my instincts and thinking about his loosely held hand covering my neck. Whilst I prepared to kick off and throw myself downwards, a punch resonated throughout the wide space and the hand at my neck fell away, only to be replaced by a stronger, warmer, softer pair of arms around my head and back, swiveling me around and crushing me to a frantic heartbeat. It took me a moment too long to register the familiar cologne but when I did, I totally melted in his arms.
“Who are these people? Why do they want to kill you? Why weren’t you hitting them back?” his husky voice and those questions were a blur in my still ringing ears. I moved my eyes only as my head was trapped between his large hands, which somehow felt great.
The actor was sprawled on the floor, and the rest of the crew was watching with gaping mouths. I looked upwards and saw his jaw dangerously close to my eye-level. His breathing was ragged and his eyes, wild. I focused on my own position: frozen in place with both my arms reaching out on either side, like a bird about to take flight.
The one thought that was going on in my head was, “What the hell is happening?”
Well, the only thought besides “Sweet heaven!” and “He’s my genie!”
SNEAK PEEK: Unexpected confessions and reactions from Om and Ishu. Shivika shocked. [Don’t get your hopes up, guys! 😉 ]
So guys, thoughts?
Also, please ignore mistakes because as usual, this is typed in the dead of night. Literally. 🙂