Why was it so humid ? Gosh, he would melt. Bringing the bike to a halt , Darshan took off his helmet. He was a few minutes late, but better late and handsome than early and ugly. Some of his friends could learn from him.
"Darshan! Come quick!" A voice called.
He turned to find Aarav standing with the largest smile he had seen.
"Why are you so happy? Did we get paid?" He smiled, walking closer.
Aarav chuckled and signaled him to walk with him into the studio. He explained that they had gotten a new manager and already had dates for a paying gig!
"That's great" he hit Aarav on the back happily. "So who is he?"
Aarav smiled and opened the door watching as the color drained from his friends face.
"Her?! This annoyance?!"
The curly haired girl in front of them crossed her arms, scowling at the pair.
"Its 9! Practice was supposed to start at 8:30!! Gosh its like you Don't want to be paid!" She scolded, "also my name is Jayapriya. My friends call me Jp ...now wipe the sadness off of your face and get started".
"Yes captain" Aarav winked at Darshan who looked like all his dreams had been crushed.
"but who employed Jp as- "
"I said FRIENDS call me Jp" she clarified, "we have to get started. Now we have a tight schedule with a gig coming up on Monday which gives us a week to practice. I've talked to the owners of this place. They said we can use it twice a day. So we practice from 10-12 as well. No slacking and no being late" she passed a look at Aarav who was currently ignoring the last sentence.
Nagma smirked as Darshan sulkily took up his guitar and stood next to her. Madhav helped Aarav set up his drum set quickly and they started practicing.
Jp stayed on her phone, trying to search for more paying jobs. The more they got paid , the more she got paid and in the end...wasn't that what mattered?
Biting her thumbnail, she began to think of all the expenses she had. And to top it all Charu's mother had begun asking for rent! Greedy woman!
"Um Jayapriya?"
- How was she to get to Mumbai? She couldn't be manager forever.
"Jayapriya?"
- Her father would laugh in her face!
"Jp?"
"My name is Jayapriya" she muttered without breaking eye contact with the floor she had been staring at.
Aditya blinked "um sorry...Jayapriya. There's an issue"
She looked at him questioningly
"Well ... My throat hurts" he blinked as her eyes narrowed. He resembles a puppy dog - she remarked to herself.
"So?" She asked, genuinely wondering what he wanted her to do about it.
Nagma chuckled under her breath and passed Madhav a look which he returned.
"How will I sing?" He asked, coughing slightly.
She Sighed, "Madhav go get coughsils and water. The rest of you keep practicing "
"Why me" he raised a brow
"You're the only one who's instrument isn't hanging on his neck." She said in a sickly sweet voice, pointing at his piano.
"what about Aarav?" he asked.
"the drum-kit is wearing him" she said sarcastically "go. now"
He sighed and obliged. Aditya was practically beaming at her - others would have told him to suck it up, they wished to say it even now but refrained from doing so.
"What?" She muttered as he stared happily at her. Shaking his his head, he sat beside her as the band kept practicing.
"You're a nice manager you know " he looked at her. She smiled a bit, her first genuine smile.
"Thanks" she patted his arm and got back to her phone.
The practice went on rather well, considering Darshan was glaring at her and Aditya was coughing the whole time. She watched as they all walked away leaving Aarav and her behind.
"Good job. We generally can never practice without fighting for an hour first" he locked up the studio, tossing the key at the guard.
She nodded as they both began walking toward the gate.
"so you live close-by?" He asked, not seeing any vehicle.
"No... Not really. Have to walk" she sighed.
"Oh...I can drop you? I have a bike" he offered pointing toward a bullet that stood in the corner.
After a few seconds of hesitation, she nodded.
"So Jayapriya. what made you become a manager?" He asked, pulling out the bike keys from his pocket. it was a hot day and the ground was practically emanating heat.
"Been a dream" she looked away from him and toward the parked bike. His eyes narrowed, Was she lying? Probably...
He sat on the bike and kept his helmet on the petrol tank. His attention was drawn toward the road, a large white car slowing down. The man inside was staring at them? strange, he wondered as his hand searched for the helmet. Finding nothing there he turned to find Jayapriya with a helmet hastily shoved onto her head.
"Um...I kinda need that?" He muttered, confused.
"Ya sorry...I uhm. Get excited with helmets" she smiled and quickly took it off, handing it to him.
"Okay" he chuckled. She didn't seem to be the brightest crayon in the box if he was being honest but he shrugged it off and she got on the bike.
4He refrained from any questions during the ride as he sensed that she wasn't really open to conversation.
eh, he understood.
"Here" she pointed to a small street. He parked by it and waited as she got off.
"I'll pick you up tonight. It'll be too late for you to walk home on your own anyway" he smiled through the helmet, and then realized she probably didn't see the smile.
She nodded and watched as he drove away. A loud sigh escaped her rather parched lips. Gosh, the stupid helmet had completely messed up her makeup.
----------------------
Mr. Kurian angrily walked into his house. His wife winced as the door banged behind him
"What happened ?" She asked, her voice dripping with worry.
"I thought I saw a girl..." he muttered as he pulled off his shoes and tossed them to a corner.
"Okay.." She sat beside him, a servant scurried in with a glass of water, which he took.
"I thought it was our Jayapriya" he sighed and emptied the glass in one sip.
"was she okay? Did she look thinner? Who was with her?" His wife touched his shoulder, inching closer.
"The girl put on a helmet...couldn't see her. She was with some boy" he sighed as the servant ran away with the empty glass.
His wife exhaled and placed a hand on his hand "I think you're worried about her...and so you find her everywhere. please lie down a while" she said rather softly.
The gentleness of her voice soothed him and he agreed.
"Tell the servants to wash the car ... " he said before getting comfortable on the bed.
"Yes I will, which car did you take today?" She asked, adjusting the pillows around him.
"The white sedan"
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