Hello reader friends, the prologue for my upcoming book ‘Let’s Mess It Up’ is here. Read and let me know your thoughts on it.
PROLOGUE
“Hello, who’s this,” Rocky asked, feigning ignorance.
Gautam shook his head at Rocky’s antics.
“Urmm…Rocky? Kalki, here,” Kalki’s voice was hesitant but soft.
“Ms. Opinion,” Rocky exclaimed acerbically. “How are you?”
Kalki was in the waiting lounge at the airport. Rocky’s quip made her purse her lips. For a beat she wondered if she should do this. But pushing her ego aside, she continued with the conversation.
“Fine, thank you. I actually called to…apologise,” she began patiently.
That made Rocky raise his eyebrows comically. Gautam was keenly watching this conversation while continuing with his floor workout.
“Now why would Nadikar Thilakam Kalki Krishnan apologise to a meagre mass hero?” Rocky asked with a saccharine sweet tone that accentuated the bitterness in his words.
Despite her usual calm demeanour, Kalki felt a surge of anger at his mockery. Rocky’s irritating behaviour ruffled her feathers. She was used to online trolls and had experiences where opposing stances with co-workers brought friction in the workspace. While it roused irritation, Kalki was able to scale over it because she was always clear and confident in her thinking. While the issue with Rocky was silly, his taunting behaviour didn’t help Kalki maintain a sense of decorum. When Shobana had remarked that he was mirroring her own stubbornness in a way, it had softened her. But in just two interactions, Rocky was starting to take a permanent residence on her nerves.
“I’m sorry about the way things went down. Technically, it wasn’t you but somewhere the trolling for my opinion on mass cinema was going overboard. When you brought it up out of the blue,” Kalki sighed, “I took it out on you.”
Rocky felt the sincerity in her words and felt his ire subsiding. But his ego did not allow him to give her an inch.
“Oh that’s rich coming from you,” Rocky drawled, his tone condescending.
And Kalki felt her anger mounting.
To hell with his patronising air!!!
But she managed to respond with a calmness she did not quite possess, “Could you please lose the sarcasm? We are going to be working on an intense movie together, Rocky. The film requires a team effort from us and Kartha sir would not settle for anything less. So let’s bury the hatchet and try for an amiable energy. What say?” Kalki stated, infusing warmth into her tone.
Rocky didn’t expect her to lay down the gun so easily. He took a deep breath, contemplating the mood of his next words. Gautam slanted a brow, seeing the calculative look on Rocky’s face.
“I’m a thorough professional when it comes to work, Kalki. I can even create chemistry with a log of wood. So even if we continue to be at loggerheads, it wouldn’t matter to me,” he bragged insolently.
Kalki rolled her eyes. Professional! Yeah totally! The vibe I got the previous day was that of a tantrum prince!
Getting onto the exercise cycle, Rocky taunted her arrogantly, “But I get it. You probably cannot emote well if there is animosity on set. The natural acting probably needs to feed on the energy on the set.”
Kalki’s patience, which was wearing thin by now, blew off at his unreasonable barb.
“You are taking this too far, Rocky. I made a mistake and I apologised. A lot of money is betted on us, try to adopt a mature attitude.” She shoved the fact right in his face.
“It is my father’s money,” Rocky scoffed. “Maybe that’s why you are worried. Schmoozing to the producer’s son to secure your role now, are we?” Rocky insinuated with a sick grin.
Infuriated, she yelled into the phone, “Screw you, jerk.”
And with that, Kalki disconnected the call. She couldn’t tolerate his attitude.
What more did he want? Me to act in a brainless potboiler now to appease his ego? My foot! Urgh, I have to work with this moron soon. She huffed in irritation.
On the other end, Rocky couldn’t believe Kalki hung up on him. It was an act only his sister pulled with him. Not that he allowed it but Vaiga left him with no choice, just like how Kalki did now.
“Bloody hell, that witch hung up,” Rocky yelled, getting off the cycle, fuming.
Gautam smirked, “Dude, you totally deserved it.”
“She called me a JERK,” Rocky’s jaw clenched at her chutzpah.
Gautam’s eyes widened before he threw back his head in laughter. “I’m definitely asking her out on a date.”
“Fuck,” Rocky cursed, unable to believe what had happened.
For a meek silent being, the fissures Kalki created in his fragile ego was more than Rocky could handle.
Urgh, and I have to romance this witch in my next. FUCK!!!!!
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