Stardust Serendipity

◉ Chapter 12

"Ugh," Abhimanyu winced in pain as he sustained an injury by getting struck by a wooden rod on set, during a fight sequence. His grip tightened on his bleeding shoulder as pain shot through him. Ravi dashed towards him, his expression etched with worry. 

"Sir, are you okay? I think I got you dead on... I'm so sorry, I thought I did exactly as we had rehearsed," the junior artist stammered, his voice tinged with guilt.

Abhimanyu, still grappling with the sharp throbs of pain, offered a reassuring smile. "You were faultless. It was me who made a mistake. My mind was somewhere else. Sorry for startling you," he replied, his tone gentle yet firm.

"Abhi, are you alright?" Ravi's concern was palpable as he inquired, his eyes darting to the blood staining Abhimanyu's hands. With a curt nod, Abhimanyu removed his hand from his shoulder, his expression a mask of calm until he saw the blood. "Oh," he muttered nonchalantly, though the gravity of the situation hung heavy in the air, contrasting with his casual demeanour.

"Director, Abhimanyu needs to go to the hospital immediately," Ravi interjected urgently, his voice laced with urgency. Avdesh's brows furrowed with concern. "Of... of course! Let's get him treated first and see when he can start shooting again," he replied, his worry evident in his tone.

Ravi swiftly guided Abhimanyu towards their waiting car, the urgency of the situation propelling them forward. With a solemn nod, Abhimanyu settled into the vehicle, the weight of the injury settling heavily upon him as they sped towards the hospital, leaving behind the echoes of the day's unforeseen events.

"Where have you been lost, Abhi?" Ravi's voice cut through the silence, drawing a light chuckle from Abhimanyu. 

"It's not funny, Abhi! You've been acting weird for the past couple of days. You forgot your lines, which has never happened before, and you keep ranting about how tired you are but can't even go to sleep, and now this injury. You had rehearsed that scene numerous times, so how could you take the blow dead on?" Ravi's rebuke carried a hint of frustration.

"You caught all that?" Abhimanyu's response dripped with mischief. "Oh, should I keep going?" Ravi retorted, bringing the car to a halt in the parking lot of the private hospital. Abhimanyu quickly exited the vehicle, prompting Ravi to protest, "Hey, I'm not done talking yet. Are you scared I might guess what's going through your mind?"

"Ravi, I'm in pain right now. We'll talk later, okay?" Abhimanyu's tone remained nonchalant amidst Ravi's growing frustration.

"I know you're faking it right now to change the subject! That blood isn't even real!" Ravi's frustration bubbled to the surface.

"Taste it then. See if it's real blood or not," Abhimanyu challenged, his expression betraying a hint of mischief.

Ignoring Abhimanyu's remark, Ravi pressed on, "According to my precise analysis, you've been acting like this since Simran left... No, more specifically, after Simran and Akshara left the sets," his tone serious as Abhimanyu maintained a stoic facade.

Suddenly, as if piecing together a puzzle, Ravi's expression morphed into excitement. "Gotcha," he exclaimed, prompting a smile from Abhimanyu, his gaze intent.

"What's that stare for?" Ravi questioned, flustered by Abhimanyu's scrutiny.

"Do you realize what you just admitted?" Abhimanyu's tone was playful, his smirk hinting at mischief.

"W-what did I say?" Ravi stuttered, his cheeks flushing crimson.

"I'm sure you know very well what I mean, Ravi," Abhimanyu teased, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Why did you mention Simran out of nowhere, as if she's been on your mind forever?" His words left Ravi speechless, a blush spreading across his cheeks.