CHAPTER- 3

"hey MJ let's go every body will be waiting for us" Emily said as I got out of the washroom.

"where..?",I asked.

"Breakfast.." she replied.

" Ok give me a second " I said taking out my clothes.

" wait,by the way what happened to that man yesterday?" I asked looking at them.

"which man,what are you talking about?" Emily and veronica said together.

"The man who got shot yesterday,in the corridor." I said.

"Meera babe,I don't understand what are you talking about, but trust me there was nobody in the corridor rather than you" veronica said out of frustration.

"No,there was a man he was wearing a red hoodie and blue pants,he was there,I saw him." I said

"He was trying to call me, maybe he was asking for help, and then I saw him getting shot " I said angrily..

"Meera that's enough now,there was nobody out there, when we came we just found you , sitting, and leaning on the wall,and just you were screaming like a lunatic do you understand me?" Emily yelled at me

"stop this drama of yours, I understand after what happened to you, it is still hard for you to accept it and forget it, but stop creating a scene over here alright because if some rumours or some negative comments spread out of here for you,it will also affect the whole group. so I beg you please behave " she said and then slammed the door,and then they left me alone.

I was standing in my room alone, figuring out what just happened to me.

I was not convinced at all, I ran to the place where they all were having breakfast.

"Meera good mor..." Joo-won said but I just passed him without even looking at him.

"dude ,you are here come let's have breakfast" Ron said

" are you fine meera last night..you...."Alex asked me.

"No,I am not ..." I yelled loudly catching everybody's attention.

"what happened to that man,who got shot yesterday?" I asked tearing up.

"which man ,what are you talking about?" Ron asked me putting his hands on my shoulder.

"yesterday when I got out of my room, I saw a man he was standing there in the corner of the corridor, wearing a red hoodie and blue pants,he was signalling me through his hands, as he was calling me and asking for help, after that I saw him getting shot and he collapsed there." I said exclaiming each and every word.

"Meera dude let's talk about it later....ok" Ron said smiling awkwardly.

"No Ron you are not understanding, someone was shot yesterday in this hotel,infront of me I saw him die."

I said .

Then Ron took me aside of the crowd, and said "Meera listen to me When we came there yesterday there was nobody, just you were there...and please stop creating a scene out of nowhere. Everybody was staring at you just now stop it please, we'll talk about it when we go back ok ,now behave yourself and let's go have something "

"no you are....not"

"oh please just shut up" he said angrily shouting at me.

"sorry...meera ...meera" he tried to stop me but I just left from there dissapointed, I thought atleast Ron would understand me,but he also did the same. but I am determined to find that man,who the hell is he and why does he keep appearing in my dreams?.

**************

"Hy can you help me.....take a look at CCTV footage please?" I asked the security staff.

"Mam we are so sorry we are not allowed to do so,we can't show it to anyone " security staff's head said.

"please ,it's very important for me to check it,IT will just take 10 minutes please!" I begged him.

"No mam we are very sorry "he said.

Then I took out some cash from my pocket and gave him.

"oh mam there is no need to do so.....but only 10 minutes ok?" he said smiling awkwardly.

"thank you so much "I joined my hands, and the he showed me yesterday's footage.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"W...who...ah..are you..?"

"w..were you the one who knocked on my door,do you want something?"

" who the hell are you..fucking answer me"

"aaah...aah"

"what happened meera are you alright?"

"meera meera look at me, everything is fine..shh.shh"

"Ron let's take her in first" fred said.

"yes ,let me help you" John said.

______________________________________________

I was dumbstruck, there was no such man in whole video then who is the one,I saw?

"Ok thank you " I said

"it's okay mam" he said

" you don't know I heard lara(cleaner) say that she is crazy, even when she came here the first day she was screaming standing in the hallway alone..."

" yeah even I heard those rumours about her getting raped is true.."

"who knows if she is a drug addict "

"yeah didn't you see how she gave you the money"

"yup even that video...."

I heard everything as I was standing right outside the office room door, I wiped my tears and went back to my room.

*************

If every body is saying truth,then who is that man or I am really going crazy,I cried badly out of frustration locking myself in the washroom,

It was all getting so hard for me to handle at once.

"where..where is my medicine..?" I realized about my anti - depression pills,I used to take them once situation got out of control for me.

then I searched for my pills everywhere my hands were shaking all the time.

(MEANWHILE)

"Ron have you seen meera.."rose asked .

" no,she must be in her room ,leave it" he said not caring .

"are you serious dude,Nobody have seen her after morning,and our performance,award show is in 3 hours " rose said making a are you kidding me face.

"no I don't care " he said and left from there.

Then rose started searching for meera everywhere in every green room.and she even went to her room ,but nobody opened the door so she thought she's not in there ,after checking everywhere then she went to K.THx.'s common room where they all were practising.

"guys have you seen MJ anywhere?"she asked gasping.

" no,but what happened " SEO - Joon asked

"ok thanks but if you see her,don't let her go anywhere and call me please " she said while leaving.

"but what happened to her "joo-won said from afar,but rose had left by that time.

*******************

I took all the anti depressants in my hand and I was going to have it,but suddenly my phone beeped, I put the tablets aside and checked it ,it was my mom she was wishing me luck and asked me to send her some videos.

I stopped for a while and realised it's almost time for festival, I put my pills back in and cheered up,after getting washed up I joined my team in the green room.

******************

Our performances today were amazing, now it was the time for,awards. K.THx got 6 nominations and won 4 out of them,our group "the rockstars " won 3 out of 4 nominations.

now IT was the time for the announcement of best singer of the year .

"Ladies and gentlemen as we move on to our next category which is best singer's Category,

I would like to tell you all the difference was very less between the two contestants, but at the end moment this artist's fans,almost made the website stuck,making a rainfall of votes and making the decision as clear as water.

"So any guesses guys?"the Host said.

"MJ..MJ..!..MJ! MJ ! MJ !"

"KIA...KIA..KIA!"

"and the winner is....my favourite...MEERA JAI SINGH, MEERA I love you babe come up here faster" the host announced.

I stood up and hugged Ron , my friends and joo-won too(☺) then I went up on the stage while my song was playing in the background.

I received the award and hugged the host.

"congratulations meera" host said

"thank you"I said

then I walked towards the podium to deliver the speech.

" GOOD EVENING EVERYONE

I am really very honoured to be present here and sharing the nominations with such great artists, it is all very magical . first of all thank you everyone for being here sharing the most beautiful moment of my life ,thank you Arijit sir for always encouraging me and inspiring me through your songs,thank you rahman sir for believing in me,thank you mom and dad for understanding me and for letting me pursue my dreams I still remember when my mom cried after learning that I left my well placed job in a research centre for being a singer,but still supported me. thank you my friends and my bestie Mr weasley for always motivating me,thank you my fans for loving me because if was not for your love and support this would not have been possible so thank you so much.I love you all."

then I walked down from the stage.

**********************

"congratulations..."Joo-won said

"thank you and congratulations to you too"I replied.

I was now standing out in the balcony, while everybody was celebrating in there .and suddenly Joo-won approached me.

"so why are you standing out here..why don't you join us?" he asked.

"um I...am just not in a mood to do so for now" I said hesitantly.

"why ? what happened are you alright " he asked turning towards me.

" yah but it's just...leave it, you go ahead enjoy"

I said.

"come on meera ,it's our collaboration party so you have to be there with us" he exclaimed.

"but...."

"come on let's go" he said holding my hand and pulling me inside.

"ok fine" I said letting go of his hand

We all were dancing and playing some games,

then kara suggested to play truth and dare ,

" I have an idea let's play truth and dare" Kara said.

"yeah it's a good idea let's see who is hiding what", shi- woo said putting a glass bottle between the table.

then they started flipping bottles and questioning each other and after every one it was joo-won's turn.

"so truth or dare?" Alex asked.

" Truth. " joo-won replied.

"so tell us who is your crush, by the way ,we know who it is because do-woon already told us ,and she is here with us so tell us already. " Alex said.

Joo-won was staring at me and I actually had an Idea about it but he said

" then dare",

"no that's not fair. " veronica said

"yeah joo-won come on it's a good opportunity "

Haa-joon said.

"stop it please I don't want to for now" he said.

"ok,even we don't want to ruin your plan "they said.

now it was my turn, and do woon asked me a question.

"truth or dare?"he asked.

"dare" I said.

"ok..so sing the first song you wrote and tell us for whom it was written " he said.

"ok it's simple "I said and started singing my first song "soul mate"

"no,no ,no meera we saw your old interview and there you named a different one it was not the one "min-joon said.

"it is my first song "I said.

"why are you lying meera the first song you wrote was not soulmate but something "khayal tera" rose said.

"what?..I said confused

"yeah didn't you sang it once when Ron forced you to .." she said.

" khayal tera ???" I said as if I heard it for the first time.

" yeah khayal tera" Ron said.

then I tried remembering that song but I couldn't even remember a line properly.

then I suddenly realised I did wrote something like that, but when and what was it.

"ok not a problem if you don't remember " do woon said.

************

we were on our way to hotel , K.THx. already left 1 hour early as they had something to do .

we were on our way home when I received a text from a stranger I opened it.

it read.

"the one you are trying to look for is not that far from you"

"pardon?" I texted back.

"I know that you are looking for someone"

"who are you and how do you know about it ?"I texted.

"It doesn't matter anyways,just your well wisher"

"then tell me who is the man,I am searching for?"I asked

"Once someone very important to you,but now remains as a unknown.

as real as truth, but now as fake as a lie,

even if you find it,remember it will only come to you as a mirage. "

"what the hell,what is all this nonsense, can you just tell me where can I find him instead of using such mystic words" I texted.

"even I want to, but he will not allow me to"

" ok then tell me his name atleast I beg you please " I texted

"Aniket that's his name"

then I closed the chats, as we reached the hotel,

we then went to our green room,as everybody had to collect their belongings.

and I was thinking about that name and person all the time. I was feeling like I have missed something important.

I desperately wanted to know about him,but whom should I ask about him.

Then I realised that Ron must be knowing it we've been friends for almost 10 years now.

then I went to him.

" Ron listen I want to ask something " I said moving towards him.

"meera if it's about yesterday night, I am not interested and I told you we'll talk about it when we go back" he said going out of the green room.

"Look it's really very important " I said following him.

"meera I told you once ...I am not in a mood now so please let's talk about it later." he said walking faster.

I stopped him by holding onto his wrist and then pulled him in the green room beside me.

" now listen to me , Ron I am neither crazy nor I am making a story, I really saw that man there yesterday " I said pinning him onto the wall.

" meera stop it for God's sake,I know that you are still depressed about what happened to you last week, I know it's all very hard to forget but please move on now,and I took an appointment of a psychologist, you are going to meet him,when we get back." He said pushing me aside.

" now even you think, that I am mad right ,let me tell you I saw him and I see him everyday in my nightmares ." I said frustrated.

"ok meera,for one second let's assume that you saw a man getting shot right? then why wasn't any dead body found there? humans don't disappear just like that ,and do you even know who it is what's his name?" he said and tried to leave.

"Aniket. ." I shouted from behind

"that's his name..aniket "I said.

he stopped suddenly and stood there as if he was frozen.

the he turned to me and said.

"what, Aniket?..." he asked shocked.

"dude come on have you gone mad how can you see him, have you just forgotten everything?"he said.

"you know him?" I asked

" tell me who is aniket ,and why are you saying that I have forgotten something?.... huh tell me please and why did you say that How can I see him ....tell me please.....say something.."I said .

"nothing, let's go back"he said.

"no tell me.....why did you say that?" I asked

"Meera I said that because Aniket is dead and you are the reason behind his death" he said putting his hands on my shoulder.