Chapter 19
"We have time for one last question before we finish our on stage interview. We know you all have such wonderful thoughts and inquiries; we encourage you to mail them to the studios to be answered in the next edition of our fan newsletter!" After Keero's exclamation most of the crowd cheered and applauded, though Bani could bet not one of them heard a word past 'last question.'
"I have a great one over here," Melissa, a crewmember volunteering to play interview hostess for the day, stated from the second row of the audience. The girl she was with couldn't have been older than sixteen, but looked practically giddy at the opportunity to ask whatever was on her mind.
"All right," Keero agreed. "Who is your question for?"
"Jai and Bani," the teen giggled, blushing slightly as Jai gave her a little smirk. The girl practically ripped the microphone out of Melissa's hands so she could have complete control over what she was saying.
Bani blanched. She hadn't even been noticed during most of the segment, the fans being more interested in Jai and Sarah's love scenes and a possible off screen romance should he ever break it off with Bani. Some others made inquiries to some of the supporting cast, things like where they liked to shop or what was their favorite scene and episode. Being ignored, in Bani's opinion, was a wonderful thing though. She couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the morning than keeping her eyes on the crowd of rambunctious women and teens. There were some men and boys there, though none seemed remotely excited about Jais' opinions and had stared at either her or Sarah instead.
"Bani isn't part of the cast," Keero tried to keep her from having to respond to whatever the girl was about to enquire.
"We'll answer whatever it is she wants to know," Jai insisted, motioning to Bani. "Give her a mic please."
Keero handed hers over to Bani, who looked about ready to faint for being put on the spot in such a way. Trying to decide if Bani really wanted to do this, Keero was forced to bend to her boss' demands. Giving a slight nod to the girl, she gave her permission to continue.
"Well, I've been following your romance since Bani moved into your house," the girl explained. "And I have never seen two people so…connected. I was wondering if you two are in love or if this is just a fling and if you have any plans to get married and start a family."
Bani's heart thudded in her chest with such speed and volume that she was positive those around her could see and hear it. Her throat contracted, making it impossible for her to make any noise besides a small squeak of disapproval at being asked something so intimate.
Jai, on the other hand, seemed quite capable of replying and chuckled softly. It was as if he had expected someone to voice some concern about their relationship long before the final moments. "You know, I'm not sure what to say to that. What's your name?"
"Kasey," the nosy adolescent retorted with a 'why do you need to know' tone to her voice.
"Well, Kasey," Jai took Bani's hand into his own, caressing it slightly with the pad of his thumb. If he had a pen, he would certainly be chewing on it now as he mulled over the best way to reply. "Bani is a beautiful, caring, compassionate woman who I have gotten to know very well over the last few months of our relationship." His rich chocolate orbs met Bani's as he spoke from his heart. "I have come to care about her more than I ever thought possible. Are we having a fling? No. I honestly can say I love this woman."
Bani's body tensed; the lie he was telling slowly shutting down every emotional response inside her. She couldn't move, couldn't even breath, and her head ordered her to stop him. Jai was an amazing actor and every person there, except Keero, seemed to be buying into what he was saying. More than anything she wanted to find one ounce of sincerity in Jais' speech about their romance, but there wasn't any. Jai had made it abundantly clear that he could never love her, only care about her. He wasn't being honest and it broke her heart just hearing the words.
"Bani and I haven't discussed marriage or children yet, but I do believe what we have could be forever. Don't you, sweetheart?"
The silence around her was deafening and Bani realized exactly what Jai was doing to her. He dared her to contradict what he had just told the audience; yet if she agreed their breakup would seem to be her fault and she would be the cruel bitch that ruined what could have been a wonderful marriage someday. She shook her head. "Jai seems to be in rare form this morning," she countered softly, breaking their eye contact by looking at Kasey. "We haven't even mentioned being in love and I think he's trying to embarrass me right now. Jai and I are just enjoying our time together with no strings attached."
To Jai, her counter had been a slap in the face and the women watching them were completely shocked. Keero quickly recovered during the unexpected hush by grabbing a microphone from one of the stars and trying to remain unaffected as she called the session to a close and welcomed everyone to remain at the plaza for autographs. The majority of the cast was ushered off the stage, leaving only Jai, Sarah and Bani behind as a table was brought from inside. The two stars had agreed to do autographs and photos where they could be seen best, as long as extra security was around to ensure the safety of their fans who would need to climb the steps to the stage to meet them.
As the hired hands set up for the autograph session, Bani retreated to a shaded corner of the rostrum with her back to the people forming a queue. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks, her eyes fluttering shut as she relived the words Jai had spoken. A week ago had he said he loved her; Bani would have been on cloud nine with no prospects of ever returning to earth. Now, it seemed to continue proving to her just how vast their differences were and expanding the growing fissure between them.
"Bani…"
Bani gestured for him to cease before he could continue. Her pain filled eyes opened, focusing on anything but him. "I know; publicity blah, blah, blah. I understand, Jai, really I do. I just wish you wouldn't have made it look so easy to tell them exactly what they wanted to hear."
"It wasn't easy at all," he growled, though his voice was barely above a whisper. "Do you know how hard the last week has been for me, Bani? How impossible it is to sleep without you in my bed, without holding you in my arms and knowing that you'll be there when I wake? I miss you."
"You'll recover eventually, Jai…find someone new to warm your bed each night."
"I don't want someone new; I want you! I need you, Bani…" He grabbed her arm.
"And I love you." She jerked away from him. "But it's over and you have to accept that!"
"What if I don't?" he begged. "I don't think I can stand losing you too."
"And I can't bear to be with someone who doesn't love me the way I do him. I'm sorry," she moved away from him as Sarah joined them.
"Keero said we're all set to start. Are you ready?" She touched his arm to get his attention, though he didn't notice her immediately. "Hello? Earth to Jai."
"Huh? Oh, sorry, Sarah." His focus was on Bani, whose back was facing him as she slipped into guard mode and out of the heartbroken girlfriend role. "I'm ready."
"Good, let's get this over with. I hear they had Windows cater lunch and then we have another afternoon of meet and greet before we get to go home. I'm only glad you wised up and made this one day instead of two!"
"Yea, right." Jai slipped into his seat as the first fan ascended the stairs to the platform. He had forgotten that Keero had hired Windows to prepare the lunch for the event and Sarah's mentioning it caused him to drift into memories. He had taken Bani on their first public date there and many times afterwards they had returned to view the beautiful landscape as they shared a romantic, quiet meal alone. Quite affected, he barely paid attention to the autograph he was signing for the young woman in front of him.
Bani stood three feet behind Jai, monitoring the women and men that walked across the stage for their pictures and autographs. The line contained at least two hundred people, all waiting very impatiently for the brief moment they would have with Jai and Sarah before being forced to step aside as someone else took their place. The entire thing seemed rather boring to Bani, who yawned several times as she tried to keep her eyes tuned to anything out of the ordinary. Nothing seemed too out of place, though, and she was starting to think whomever was stalking Jai wasn't planning anything besides actually seeing him.
Checking her watch, she realized that nearly an hour and a half had passed since the end of the interview and the line for Jai and Sarah had barely moved. Fans were all bunched together, trying to see Jai from where they were standing and loudly recounting past meetings with him. Three of the girls whom Bani recognized as the Dil-e-Nadaan Kudiyaan, were discussing how this was a yearly pilgrimage for them and that they never missed an opportunity to see and touch him. Bani rolled her eyes with disgust. It was pathetic how Jai was portrayed as such a god when he was nothing but a wounded little boy playing a game he couldn't control.
Jai stood, murmuring something to one of the other guards on duty who nodded and started to lead him away. Bani caught his arm, her expression asking just where he thought he was going without notifying her.
"Bathroom," he mouthed, hoping she wouldn't make him say it any louder. More than once, an obsessed woman had followed him into the men's room and attempted to maul him.
"Oh," she blushed, wishing she hadn't wanted to know. "Ok."
He was gone for a few minutes, leaving Sarah to deal with some very irate fans that refused to leave the area until they had Jai sign their books, magazines or pictures. Bani merely sat back and watched, enjoying the free entertainment that she was getting as a flustered Sarah explained that the woman would need to clear the stage and return to the line, waiting for a second chance to see him. Not one of them were willing to find the end, which appeared to be somewhere down the stairs.
"I'm back! I'm back!" Jai shouted as he jogged towards the stairs, trying to save his friend and cast mate from the battle ahead. As his foot touched the top of the platform, Bani's awareness was drawn to some sunlight glinting off a piece of metal from one of the balconies. At first, she thought it was just someone's mirror, and not metal at all. When it happened a second time, however, she could see the visible signs of a rounded barrel. Her heart stopped as she realized that the object, obviously a gun of some sort, was pinpointed at Jais' chest. Her instincts took over as she darted for Jai, tackling him just as a projectile hurtled towards him. The object caught her in the side as they both fell to the floor.
The terrified fans rushed about, trying to get out of a second line of fire and cowering behind large trees and tables. Bani could barely hear any of the sounds around her as the pain in her abdomen slowly faded to numbness. She drifted away slowly, barely conscious of Jais' movement beneath her and then his horrified voice begging her to hold on. She blacked out just as his first tear fell, dripping onto her parted lips.
The soundlessly motionless conference room Jai had been brought to provided little warmth and comfort as he waited for news about Bani. It was sterile and cold, with nothing to distract him from his own thoughts except an AMA journal and a broken television. Outside, two armed guards were posted with no one permitted inside except GSI employees and a few investigators trying to take statements from the emotionally distraught man. Tears flooded his eyes as they scene replayed wordlessly on the inside of his eyelids: how she pushed him from harms way and landed atop him in a lifeless heap. He placed his head in his hands and hunched over, trying to force away the negative feelings. Bani was going to be fine; she had to be.
They had arrived at the hospital over an hour ago, being separated by a large nurse with no patience for Jais' failed attempts to use his name to get results. When the police had arrived minutes later, they had forced him out of the brightly lit, overcrowded Emergency Room to a more private location on the third floor for his own safety. He had pleaded with the lieutenant in charge to get him some word on Bani's condition, concerned more about her than even his own life. Nothing had been heard, however, and he was growing weary of waiting for information. Panic was taking over and he knew that the longer the wait, the less of a chance the news would be positive.
Thinking that there was even the slightest possibility that he could lose Bani forced him to confront his own fears about loving again. It hadn't been very long since he decided that his love for Roshni was gone, replaced with a sort of loathing that he could barely contain the day at the bowling alley. Still, what she had done to him was anything but forgotten and the way she so casually tried to hurt him by dredging up the past provided him with another reason as to why he didn't want to fall in love.
It was different with Bani and he knew it. She was so completely unlike Roshni and the way she loved him was all encompassing. From the first time he kissed her until the day she confessed the depths of her emotions, Jai could read the truth of her feelings in her eyes. Even when she tried to hate him, he could still see the love there, hidden behind the tears that she had cried over him. He hated knowing that he caused her any pain and regretted that he was so incompetent when it came to love. Bani deserved so much better than what he had offered and still he couldn't stand the notion that she was going to leave him.
'If she survived,' his head argued.
There was a chance that Bani hadn't survived and, as he wasn't her next of kin, they hadn't told him yet. As much as he wanted to believe that she was awake and screaming at some nurse for fawning over her, Jai was finding it very hard to remain upbeat. Bani, the woman he loved…
His eyes shot open, almost as if a gun had gone off. The woman he loved. Not cared for, not had feelings for, but loved. He honestly and truly loved Bani. Where it had come from or what exactly had made him realize it was moot, but he knew from the depths of his soul to the recesses of his mind that tried to say it was just a slip that it was as true as the sky being blue. Bani was the woman he loved and the woman he wanted to spend the remainder of his life with. He wanted to have a family with her and see her every morning and night until he died. She was the one and he needed to tell her before it was too late.
'If it isn't already.'
He was really starting to hate that little voice.
The door opened, revealing a very distraught Rano arguing with two obviously annoyed guards that were about twice her size. Determined to get inside, she flashed her GSI badge and pushed them both out of her way, slamming the wooden door behind her. "Stupid, pigheaded, infuriating…"
"Upset much?" Jai tried to joke, adding a little levity to the situation.
"Funny. You just had to do an outside fan event didn't you? Bani had begged you for weeks to change the location but no, Jai Walia couldn't be concerned with his welfare when there were fans to make happy!" She cried. "And let's not even get me started on the fact that you're the biggest ass on the face of the planet for hurting a woman like Bani!"
Proving just how intelligent he could be, Jai remained silent and allowed her to rant.
Rano threw a picture on the table in front of him and crossed her arms defensively over her chest. "Do you know who this little tart is that shot Bani?" she asked irately, giving him no time to reply. "Good, let me tell you. She's Kimberly Odom, also known as the girl you screwed around with at the Popstar."
Jai looked at the picture and then at Rano, still afraid for his life if he opened his mouth.
"Do you know why she was shooting at you, Walia?"
To be continued…
Cricket
