Around You

Chapter 8

Sumellika's first outing is officially here! 

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"How come you chose acting as a profession?" His voice piqued with curiosity and caught my attention as I turned over my shoulder.

We were still seated on the rows of steps, my hands leaning back for support. "Someone wants to talk." I smirked, referring to the earlier jab he had given me.

"Silences start getting on my nerves after a bit." He shrugged in response.

"I thought you found it blissful." I recalled our earlier conversation.

"I find it deafening." My brows furrowed at the contradictions he just made.

I found Sumedh stir in his position, pulling his black full sleeved tee against his chest despite the relatively cool weather.

Deliberating that he wouldn't reveal anything more, I decided to answer his earlier question, "I've always been crazy after TV sitcoms and Bollywood movies since I was a little girl. So when the time came, I thought of trying a hand at acting."

"You mean, getting this role was purely luck?" He asked with an incredulous expression.

I shook my head in denial, "I've had my share of struggles too. I'm lucky to have gotten this role, 'cause I've been auditioning for whatever roles that came my way for a while now. I also auditioned for a character opposite you three years ago, I think. But you probably don't rem--"

"I remember." He corrected, making me gasp in astonishment.

"You do?!" He had brushed off this topic so callously when we first met on set that I genuinely thought he had forgotten.

He shifted in his position, inclining towards me as he recalled, "You were a ball of nerves."

I scrutinized my gaze before grimacing, "I was not."

"You were all fumbly and jittery the entire time, Mallika." He pointed out as I sat flabbergasted. How did he remember so much?

"How do you remember all of this?" I asked in exasperation.

He chuckled a little before smirking, "You don't see a girl walking in ten minutes late, highly irritated might I add, and giving a lame excuse of her dog being sick, everyday."

I shied away, astounded at how vividly he remembered something that happened three years ago.

"My dog was sick though. We had to drive her to the vet. And ten minutes should not be counted as late, haven't you heard of a 'grace period'?" I defended, flailing my arms.

"I think that concept remains foreign to everyone but you." He mocked and I frowned in response.

"You were all angry and riled up, but turned jittery the instant the director asked us for a mock shoot. Your eyes could never stay fixated on mine for more than a millisecond. What was that about?" He perused in thought.

"I told you, I'm smart enough to not fall for your charms." I sniggered before shifting my gaze to the rippling waves of the lake ahead of us.

"You had the rarest eyes I'd ever seen. That threw me off guard, I guess." I finally admitted as I recalled that incident.

"So you did fall for me charms." He boasted cockily.

"I stopped myself before I fell too deep." I confessed, my tone lowered to a whisper.

He straightened for a second, opening and shutting his mouth as he debated on what to say. I looked back and laughed to myself, "Have I left Sumedh Mudgalkar dumbfounded and speechless?"