The Love-addict - Chapter 4

                    As those soothing thoughts lulled her, the door-bell buzzed. She pulled on a dressing-gown and opened the door. She nearly swooned as she saw Mahesh, smartly dressed in a tan jacket, black jeans and polo-necked black T-shirt, looking at her appreciatively. Self-consciously, she pushed back her wet hair and asked, “Well, well, what brings you here Mahesh, has your date been just cancelled?”

                     
                    His eyes flashed as he angrily retorted, “So you have been sneaking on my calls again, haven’t you? You….” She bit her lip even as hot color flushed her cheeks. She had been caught! Still she brazenly offered her explanation, “Chill dear, you weren’t exactly discreet! Everyone at the pool heard about your rendezvous! So I can be hardly blamed. Anyway, may I know why you have deigned to pay a lowly mortal like me a visit?”

                  
                    Just as he was about to retort sharply, a bell-boy cleared his throat tactfully and announced that he had brought her tea. He had earlier rung her door-bell thrice and left after no response.  Now he gleefully observed the tense under-currents between the two and walked away, whistling under his breath.

                 
                   “Hmm, if you don’t want to speak, you can have a cup of piping hot tea with me, unless you’d prefer something else!” she murmured tantalizingly. I would definitely prefer the other option, but right now, I’m in a tearing hurry. Please could you inform the Director, Samarth Babu that I won’t be available for the evening shift today? I have tried his number several times, but it has been switched off, hence thought that you could pass on my message to him if you wouldn’t mind the trouble.”

                 
                    “Any thing for you sweetie!” she purred, as he beat a hasty retreat. Samaira sipped on the ginger-flavored tea as she mulled over Mahesh’s behavior and her own wanton behavior. Surely, she could be more dignified! What would he think of her? She loved him so much that she could lay down her life for him, but she realized that her behavior must have put him off. He’d now think that she just lusted after him!

                   
                     He hadn’t ever praised her looks. Even just then, he had looked at her appreciatively, but dismissively. As if she was a beautiful piece of furniture! Wasn’t she worth talking to? She fumed inwardly. True to her petty nature, she conveniently ‘forgot’ to inform the Director about Mahesh’s absence.

                  
                     The shoot was cancelled for the day, after lots of commotion on the sets. That scene belonged to Mahesh. In his sudden absence, the shooting had to be abandoned. Everyone blamed him for his unprofessional behavior and said that he was becoming too big for his boots. She wallowed in the distasteful mud-slinging as it gave her a high. Served that snob right! Ignoring a beauty for a plain Jane did have its side-effects!

                   
                     But the next day, Samaira had to swallow her own bitter medicine. Everyone on the sets ignored her. Mahesh was preening like a Cheshire cat and the Director was fawning over him, as usual. It was as if the previous day’s brouhaha had just vanished from everyone’s minds. Except hers! She seethed as Mahesh jauntily told her, “Good weather, isn’t it? Are you unwell?” She knew that he was taunting her. She just smiled half-heartedly and said, “I am always fine, thank you!” He smiled knowingly and sent daggers into her heart.

                  
                     She had again succeeded in rubbing him up the wrong way! She always offended those whom she loved, hence they despised her. She was in a conundrum. How could she rectify her obnoxious behavior? she wondered. Till she did that, she’d have to wallow in misery and self-pity.

      

To be continued..... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.