Intertwined - Tangled series (Overprotective famous brothers)

Back to LA

ALISHA

Nothing was better than a day of shopping in Cape Town. We had a day off, the last day of our stay. We roamed around in a double decker bus with the banner of American women’ gymnastics team on it. We looked around, went on the famous beaches and strode around in our bikinis.

At a shack, I and Lauren waited for the shopkeeper to serve us our diet cokes. Admitted, it was crowded around here, but the guy was taking way too long to get two little cans.

“Hey, that’s Salman’s adopted sister!” someone said from my side and I groaned internally. Of course, someone had to recognize me wherever I went. It seemed like the penguins would recognize me even if I went to the South Pole to escape the madness.

“No photos please.” Lauren tried to control the situation but it was too late. The mobile phones and cameras were out, flashes were being taken. I quickly slipped on my sarong around myself, not too comfortable with my photos being taken by around six people now. I saw a paparazzo too, fighting through the crowd of people trying to get a picture of me.

“Here, world champions.” The shopkeeper finally gave us our diet cokes and we chucked him a little more than the amount on the check. Anything to get out of the spotlight.

Fortunately for me, we soon got on the bus and went back to normal. Mike wasn’t with me today, and I was hoping that it stayed like that for a few days. I loved him, he was almost my guardian, but sometimes it’s simply awkward to live with a bodyguard stalking you. I mean if you want to have a day out with your girls, a normal day out, a guard in a black suit and glares simply cannot be in the picture.

We went shopping in an old street market area, getting traditional stuff from there. Spices, scents, artifacts filled the bags we had. The guide with us helped bargain, which apparently was the way of shopping here.

The airport was the craziest in my view. Paparazzi were lined to get on click, and both Mike and Tyson had to request the photographers to step back every half minute. To my surprise, the local people did give us our space and let us through the check-in counter and security check pretty easy. We girls and the men’s gymnastics team waited around in the VIP lounge till our flight’s departure was announced. Dragging my favorite hand back, I finally opened the overhead cabinet in the flight to dump it in and settle besides Lauren to our way back home- Los Angeles.

We had a house in LA, and my previous gym was located there. There were so many memories attached to that place- my first school, my first experience as ‘celebrity sister’, my first boyfriend. Sadly, I no longer went to my old school, nor did I train in the same gym as I did my entire life. My days were spent mostly in Mumbai, the economic, political and fame capital of India. But, I had honestly missed this place and so here I was, at LAX.

“You’ll need them.” Tyson handed me some shades and I wore them quick. It was night time, but I knew exactly what they were meant for. The minute I came out the arrival terminal, flashes went insane. There were news channels, especially sport news, and fans along with the paparazzi mixed in the crowd. People had banners for me, bouquets, cards and gifts for me and the entire USA gymnastics team.

We wore our medals around our team USA jackets and posed for them. The love we received was unbelievable, they welcomes us like soldiers returning home after fighting a war- and winning it. People squealed for us, fought for one click with their idols. They said we had made their dream come true, that they loved us for what we did. We made America proud.

Smiling for photos and giving hugs to little girls who had dreams identical to mine, I finally got into the car to get home. There was no one here, my youngest brother, Sohail, stuck in the infamous LA traffic. Looked like I had to eat dinner and go to bead alone, without anyone to talk to. As if reading my mind a few miles away, my phone buzzed,