Chapter 6

" You bitch!" A familiar voice ringed into my ears, setting me in a smile. After intense research and an unexpected awkward situation with Rey, sleep was far away this was needed. I knew Rey liked me. But he is the only person who knew about my truth. I was under the impression we have made our peace with his feelings. But he keeps leading me. Or is it me?

I cannot abandon him because he said he liked me. More than this surfacing the romantic feelings of him deep down we are best friends. We have stumbled together to reach the position where we are now. We have been through our hardships and happiness together. When I was crying, he was on my shoulder when climbing the mountains and the face I searched during my highs when lights blinded my eyes and compassion.

I knew he feels the same maybe these vulnerable moments made him want me more than a friend. The problem is not with him, not us it is just me.

He will never be more than a friend to me.

I will never be able to reciprocate the feelings.

No matter how much I tried

I couldn't.

He knows it.

" Wake up Bitch! How can you do this?" Her voice pulled me away from my thoughts.

"Good morning Cecile " I smiled as I heard some shuffling noises from another side of the phone. God knows what she is up to in Paris.

Breakups can be pretty tough

" Did you guys fuck?"

"Excuse me?"

"Don't act all innocent. Is he lying beside you? God! I knew you guys were more than friends"

"Okay! Either you called the wrong person or extremely drunk. Both are completely possible at this moment" I chuckle lightly hoping off my bed moving towards the bathroom.

" Yeah sure sure! Your secret is out." I froze. No, it cannot.

No way

I am not ready to face the reality.

I am not ready to face my family.

I don't want to come out of the closet so soon.

"W...What?" My heart was throbbing in my chest, I feel like it may break my ribs any minute.

No please be a nightmare.

I don't have the courage.

"I knew it. My journalist called me with photo proof. It will be published in this week's journal"

Photo proof?

I stood perplexed and scared, staring at the mirror going through all the possibilities once the secret was out.

Nothing was a positive one.

My career and my life will be at stake.

Will my family accept me?

Will people accept me as I am?

Questions and anxiety running through my mind slowly drowning me into an insecure world.

"So how is he in bed huh?" Cecile's question stirred hope and doubt inside me.

" The 'He' you are talking about, is it Rey?" My voice was laced with hope and confusion.

"Yeah who do you think otherwise? Wait is there someone else?" She sounded shocked.

"No no he is not here and we are not sleeping together. It was just one kiss and.."

"HE KISSED YOU!OMG," She screamed literally.

"Yes, more of I am trying to figure out a way to breathe and push him away, he trying to make me kiss him back" I sighed.

"Awkward"

"I know" I moved towards the hall as soon as I enter I saw my brother sending off Akasha.

I thought she was a fling!

" Was he forcing on you, babe? I swear if he did I would punch his gut out. You are friends for a long time doesn't mean that consent died along with your growth of relationship" I smile at her she always got my back.

"No Cecile we can say we got caught in the moment. He was there for me, went to this ugly bar despite all his star image, and kind of pissed him so you know I felt bad for him and let it happen. I think he likes me Cecile" I pour out.

"You think? Fine, keep thinking. But listen to me again you don't have to allow any men to kiss you or touch you because they were for you or you feel bad for him or you feel like you want to do something for him you allow someone to kiss you or touch you only if you want to. If not shove your fist in his nose and walk away" She was right. I shouldn't have given him the feeling that it was right for him to kiss me. He just thought I liked him and went for it.

He knows my secret.

I think I should talk to him.

I don't want to lose my best friend.

"You know physical violence is bad too"

"For a girl who writes mystery stories you are quite a hypocrite" She chuckled.

But it's fiction.

We talked for an hour, she talked about her modeling opportunities and she evidently denied her feelings.

After a relaxing bath, I slumped myself on the bed thinking about her all over again and again. I shouldn't have spoken looking at her eyes those brown eyes haunt me every time I close mine.

Those pink plump she wasn't wearing that costly makeup but something about her minimal makeup and lavender perfume dragged me in.

Every nerve ending in my body asking me to go and search for her, I don't know why I am stalling. I want to see her. I ain't sure she made it into auditions but she was very passionate about her ambition. I wanted to know about her. I want to see her.

The next thing I knew I was dragging myself, picking up my phone, and calling the person who asked me to be a judge to that audition.

"Hey D!" Angie beamed over the phone.

"Angie, Hi, so I was hoping I need help like I need to find a girl. Can you like to get me her details? She was in one of those auditions I judged"

I am nervous.

Why am I nervous?

A part of me glowing with the hope that Angie would give away all of her details. There is another part of me shivering with fear that she would find out the real reason.

" Do you know her name?" She questioned.

" Yeah, Tara Rathode I guess"

Don't be so obvious Diksha!

"Let me check and call you back" She informed me before ending the call.

Anticipation is killing me. I know this girl can turn out to be homophobic or straight but I cannot stop thinking about her. What if I had a chance and I didn't chase it? I don't want such regret ever in my life.

But to begin with I am not a very brave person. I am still in the closet making my way in the industry. Unlike my brother, I am not a very successful bank-filled director. I thrive in a small place where she might not like the space.

But What if there was a chance?

These if's will kill me.

My phone vibrated beside me simultaneously when my brother banged my door. He will be my biggest enemy in my dating life.

"Daksha come out now! We need to talk" He banged my door again.

Not again bro.

I slowly dragged myself to the door opening to peek through the quarter opened the door.

"Why are you peeking?" He was annoyed.

"Gimme five I will change and meet you outside" He nodded.

I looked at the message I received from Angie with all the details about Tara with her contact number and email id.

As I kept scrolling looking for any further information I was surprised to see her photo, the one taken on the day of her audition.

Her eyes didn't hold any special color. They were black as the night, sky but they held excitement and nervousness in this picture. I slowly dragged my eyes down through her face, astounded by how natural and flawless she looks. My breath caught in my throat when my eyes caught something more enticing than her eyes. Those rose lips painted with a light shade of pink twitching at either side while she was staring right at my soul with a nervous laugh.

Kill me now!

Rolling over my bed trying to slow down from the high she pitched me with just a photo I jumped away to my closet. I walked myself into the study after mentally squealing and dancing around my room like a teenager to meet my brother.

After three knocks I heard a 'come in' from the other side. Slowly stepping in a saw a familiar face sat in of the chairs across from my brother.

" Reporter Pranav, Nice to see you again" I tried to cover the perplexed expression. But obviously, it isn't working when I saw him watch me with an amused sly smirk.

Wipe it off dude

" Pranav is here to save your ass, so just sit down and listen to him carefully" My brother ordered.

Did he just?

You know what Daksha let it go. The older head definitely got some attitude.

"Yes Pranav" I sat in the chair beside him before turning my complete attention towards him.

"So I guess you heard about the photos" He began.

"The ones from last night. They are going pretty viral. We were thinking it would be better for your career if you gave us a statement about it denying it will draw more suspicions. So shall we?"

Did I say yes?

I hate these kinds of people deciding what's best for me.

"Let me explain that there is nothing about the true photos. It was a one-time thing. So please drop it" I sighed in frustration when I saw him shaking his head.

"Are you sure?" He raised his eyebrow.

"Yes! I tried to hold a smile, but with slipping seconds, I am scared that Pranav will end up purposefully blurting out what shouldn't be said before my brother.

"I know this sounds forcible but your statement holds a more profitable reputation more to you than us. Yes, we will be gained for bursting a piece of shocking information. And it is true information is money" He continued nodding at my brother.

" I can assure you it can feed you to all your dreams too" He looked at me with a raised eyebrow tapping against my study table leaned back completely in the chair.

I am completely baffled about how he is putting the private parts of my life for my popularity or attracting producers due to popularity rather than my talent.

Sick Bastard

"Do it Daksha, you need opportunities now grab them when you have it. I tried of seeing you believing something that doesn't exist"

"Excuse me?" I turned my attention towards my brother.

"Stop getting defensive and think through this. Hope you will make a good decision"

"I know we are siblings but never in my lifetime, I would insult you like this. You crossed your limits when you called my talent non-existent. So just stay out of my life" I sneered.

My brother narrowed his eyes at me, giving me a stern stare he spoke" Do it".

He left the room.

I dart my eyes towards Pranav who is smirking at me and amused watching our argument.

He leaned forward smirking to himself, his mind finding ways to plunge out the truth from me. His eyes slowly glanced over my face, looking between my eyes. Then his eyes moved to my lips his tongue wetting his own still holding the smirk to himself.

That's it.

"Get out". I snapped.

He didn't flinch with my outburst. He didn't wince. He exactly knew how am I going to behave to this.

" Too scared of drug abuse Huh? The secret is safe with me. Let's talk later. I will come with a deal alright" He stood up after passing me a wink.

What the hell!