Love Bites- Collection of Short Romantic Stories

Star-Glazed #2

"Advik..." Lavanya moaned as Advik's lips captured hers in a fierce kiss. His hands roamed all over her body, and she was moaning his name again and again.

Suddenly, Lavanya started shaking his body, calling his name loudly, "Advik. Advik." The voice became hoarse and manly, his body felt as he trapped in an earthquake.

"Advik," a slap on his cheek made him fron. Why would Lavanya hit him?

Advik opened his eyes and saw Danish, the only preson he would call his friend, standing in front of him. Anger and concern marked his friend's face at the same time. Advik looked around and sighed. It was another one his wild dream. He felt embarrassed as the girl he always saw was a teenager. If anyone got a whiff of it, he is doomed.

"What?" Advik groaned.

"You were dreaming about her again!" It wasn't a question, Danish was his friend since high school. So he knew. "Do you have any idea how long I've been calling you? I have to use my key to open that damn door. Why aren't there any house help around?" Iqbal Danish asked. He was Advik's manager, best friend, only person who knew everything about him, even about him being bullied. He was the one who chose to stay with Advik until the last, when other people stopped looking past his rude behavior.

Advik ruffled his hair and peeked at his friend from one eye. He got up and went to the kitchen, his coffee first.

"You can't escape me." Danish commented, tagging along.

"I realized that long ago." Advik grumbled, but he was thankful for that.

"Where were you last night? How much did you drank? Do you know the time by the clock? Where is Santosh?" Danish fired his question one by one.

Adivk snort, one day, he just asked Danish one day without him, and the next, he's acting like a strict hostel warden. He brewed two cups of strong coffee and gave one to his manager. "I was home all the time yesterday. You would've known if it was otherwise. I gave Santosh off. I didn't drink at all, and I don't care about the time. Now, explain why you are here, firing questions like that?"

"It's twelve p.m. You were dreaming about her again. It's the only thing that acts like a drug for you." Danish filled in.

"Now, my dreams also need to be explained." Advik scowled.

"Why don't you forget her? I can bet my life that you're the only one who still remembers her in this industry." Danish stated.

"Then I'll take your life, as you also remember her." Advik commented dryly. "State your business and get lost. I am still in my off period."

Danish looked at his friend from the edge of his coffee cup, Advik was not meeting his eyes. Was it because of his dream, or did the rumors circulating about him in media are true? Advik was not active in social media. His accounts were managed solely by his PR team, so he wouldn't know.

"What?" Advik asked, irritated when he saw Danish staring at him.

"Have you seen news lately?" Dansih asked.

Advik snorted, "What's the point?"

"Riya Nanda accused you of cheating her. She also said that you introduced her to Rave parties and that she would not work with you again."

Advik laughed so hard his sides ached. "So? You came here to wake me up for some cooked up news."

Danish knew Riya was wrong, but "No. I came here to tell you that this happened yesterday and that Riya is one of the biggest stars in the industry, and now she is demanding that in your next film, it's either you or her. She can't work with you anymore."

"And?" Advik asked.

"And majority is choosing her." Danish completed.

Advik did not even blink at the news. He simply finished his coffee, put the cup on the sink, and went to the fridge to make breakfast for himself. He was good at cooking. In fact, he was good at every household work. Danish waited. He knew his friend for a long time, so he also knew that his silence meant a lot. Advik made scrambled eggs and semolina and vegetable pancakes. He can't eat curd directly, so he always mixes it in these pancakes. This was his favorite breakfast, easy, fast, and healthy. He served it in two plates with fresh juice in fifteen minutes.

"You're still keeping something from me. What is it?" Advik asked when they finished their food in silence.

Danish sighed. Advik was always very observant. He may seem uninterested in things that's only because he's always one step ahead. "Because all this happened in an interview on national television, coming from someone like Riya, they want to you to confront it. Everyone wants to know what's your take on this is. That includes your family." He informed.

That piqued Advik's interest. His family. His estrange family. Same family who didn't even blink their eyes when he was accused of drugs, they let the police take him in custody. But what can anyone do when he never did anything wrong. He may be a playboy, a alcoholic but he never did drugs. The fact is, it was Riya who introduced him to those parties, and he did once just to keep them off his back. Now that family wanted an explanation. He tightened his fingers around the fork so hard that it slightly punctured his palms.

"Arrange a press conference today." Saying that, he disappeared into his room. Danish couldn't do anything. He knew that Advik was innocent he just did not entertain that actress for more than six months. She was obsessed with him. Now that she couldn't get him, she is onto his reputation.

Exactly at 5 p.m. press conference was held at the agency's conference hall. Reporters swarmed the place. Five minutes later, Advik entered, and everyone stopped chatting. There was pindrop silence.

"Today, I won't be taking any questions, but my statement would answer everything." He started. "It came to my notice that people are now taking advantage of my silence. They think I am weak and can not defend myself. I want to tell them they are wrong." He paused, flashes from cameras were going off.

"I've been part of this industry since I was four, I literally grew up here, but now people are accusing me for anything happen to them. I wouldn't be surprised if there is asteroid hitting the Earth, and people say it's because of Advik Chakraborty." A few chuckles broke. "I also lost a considerable number of followers on social media since yesterday. I like to use this stage to clarify and remind everyone that I have more than enough credits in my bag, I have given nubers of hit movies, which includes many hundred core clubs. If someone had forgotten this, let me remind them that I belong to one of the most influential family in the country and world. There is no need for anyone to threaten me that they might ruin my career. So I decided, for the sake of my peace and for my loyal fans who are fighting against the trolls for me, to take a break. I am going on vacation for indefinite time." The room filled with loud gasps and mummers. Reporters started questioning altogether. Danish, who knew about this, calmed them down. It took fifteen minutes to settle them down again.

"I am giving opportunity to people who said they couldn't get the film because of me. All your queries will be answered by my PR team. I will be back soon if I get a worthy script. Till then, goodbye." With that, Advik stood up, joined his palms, bowed down to the people, and left the hall, leaving everyone stunned. If they thought that Advik was there to apologize, they were dead wrong, including Riya, who was watching it live on her cell phone.