Chapter 3
‘Gudiya, my name is Gudiya…’
‘Oh! Gudiya, why are you crying? Is there anything I can do for you?’
‘Yes, you can mind your own business for me.’
‘Don’t think I’m a pervert…’
‘All men say so, and all men are. At least, for women like us.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Don’t try to be so innocent, I hate men like you, who pretend to be innocent at first, but are most pathetic examples of being a man.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Oh, so now you’ll say I don’t know what you’re talking about, right?’
‘Yea, coz I seriously don’t know…’
‘Enough, let me leave. Please!’ Gudiya started to walk away. Jay was confused and shocked by such a sudden behaviour of a strange woman on street.
‘Hey! I’m here trying to help you, and you are walking away?’
‘Yes, because no man, can ever help a woman like me, they only know how to use us, and throw us like a piece of trash.’
‘Who are you?’ Jay couldn’t control his urge of knowing the identity of that woman.
‘A prostitute, and I guess it’s enough for you to know.’
Jay stared blankly at her. From appearance, she looked Indian. Quite fair skin, black, deep, sad eyes, wanting to scream out her story, black hair, tied tightly in a pony-tail, and her simple attire of Jeans and Top.
‘Saala…’ Gudiya spoke loudly, and Jay heard it. The word confirmed that she was an Indian!
‘You’re also an Indian, where do you live? I want to talk to you…’
‘I knew you are also no different, and would come to this level.’
‘No! You’re getting me wrong…’
‘Just one thing, fuck off!’ Gudiya showed him a middle finger, and ran away, across the street.
Till Jay could figure out what happened, she disappeared, and a huge crowd surrounded him on the street only. Some Bollywood celebrity had visited Bangkok, and there was a huge crowd on the streets only. Jay ran his sight across, and could faintly see some man, on a podium, waving towards the crowd.
People were shouting loudly, he couldn’t understand what the name was, but as the star started speaking, he could see him clearly, it was ‘Arjun Rampal’ for his new movie, along with Kareena Kapoor and one more person. Three of them were at the centre of the stage, with Arjun, addressing the crowd, and Kareena, waving at them. People were going crazy for them. It was not so long that a woman accidentally smashed into Jay Parekh.
‘Hold on, can’t you see?’
‘Oh, I’m so sorry…’ the woman looked up, towards Jay. Their eyes met, it was none other than Mahi Sharma, the chief editor of fashion magazine, and now, also a news reader on some Bollywood channel.
‘Mahi?’
‘Jay?’
‘What are you doing here?’ both spoke up together.
‘Well, I’m here to cover Kareena and Arjun’s new movie. They are organizing the premiere in Bangkok, and moreover the promotions are also on the height. What about you?’
‘I…I got to go.’ Jay started walking away.
‘Jay Parekh…I deserve an answer.’
Jay stopped. His feet just couldn’t take even one step ahead. Mahi’s words were powerful enough to make him stand still in the middle of the road.
‘I told you it’s over, Mahi.’
‘Then why don’t you marry? Or date someone?’
‘…….’ Jay was blank, he knew he had no answer to what she asked.
‘Just because we are different in terms of our professions, just because we are different in terms of our thinking, doesn’t means we can’t live together? Your reason of breakup was completely pathetic and baseless, and I still wonder why the hell I met someone like you!’
‘Listen, it was for you. For your professional benefit…’
‘If you want true success, you should learn to keep your private and professional lives separate. You shouldn’t mix them up to cause havoc all around.’
‘Listen, Mahi. What’s over, is over, why are you trying to uncover the things that have no meaning today?’
‘Who said? Look into my eyes, can’t you see how much I still love…’
‘Enough, Mahi. Please, I don’t think this is the right time or place to discuss all that.’
‘Jay, I don’t know what is stopping you, but I know just one thing, that you still love me, and even you can’t deny it. Good bye.’
Mahi stepped aside and walked away. Jay watched her taking steps away from him, and he couldn’t believe that she still loved him. Dixit was right. And if Mahi was still in love with him, then it was only Jay’s fault that he let her leave. He couldn’t be sorrier tonight. Neither was his job done, nor his love came to him. Rather he realized, that beside being a successful man, and a rich person, how unsuccessful he was when it came to love, how failure he was when it came to having a partner. Jay Parekh, as a lover, failed today…