|| 05. PAIZE 4 ♥ ||
Shifting under his gaze Mohana leaned sideways, consciously scribbling another shape of a star on her digital pad. Despite the sinking feeling in her heart, she offered him a wide smile “Definitely impressed. Now because we are still trying to find the answer to your right person, maybe this will lead us to some clues, what would you say has been the inspiration for your Mandal Collection”
Swirling the drink glass in his large muscular hand, Omar explained “The handiwork of the tribes evolved the initial drafts of symbolic printing. Blending the bright colors and then balancing them with the end of spectrum hues made it for a win”
Her facade slipped hearing about his work, with genuineness Mohana brightly said “And they were a hit at the Couture Catwalk. You have triumphed in reviving ethnic mastery to create contemporary complexities”
“I’d say it’s a combined win. Theirs and ours. The cultural background for the tribes has been of utmost respect. Their colors speak of passion and desire in many unique ways and as a designer am a sucker for the foundational feelings” Omar voiced his thoughts around his award winning designs
Making notes on her digital pad Mohana mumbled “Yeah very rich valu..” but her words halted reading the next question. Her tummy coiled. Holding on to her determination she forced herself to speak “Ya the value system is very rich. Uhm so talking about these foundational feelings, let’s say in lieu of the right person that the readers are still pending to uncover, who would you say has been your biggest crush?”
Masking her real feelings, she attempted to throw a charming smile in his direction. If only she could scratch off all these questions, she would. Humphing to her own self in sheer frustration Mohana determined after the trifling few questions that she had never disliked an exposé as much ever before.
Running a hand at back of his neck, his dark sparkling eyes fixedly trained at Mohana, Omar offered “I wouldn’t say it’s a crush precisely, but if I had to pick someone, it would be my in-house model Zaniha..” Mohana’s heart came to a distressing halt. Her breathing paused hearing him say the woman’s name: Zaniha
Swirling the amber liquid in the fine whiskey glass, Omar expanded “..it’s amazing to tailor my outfits around her. She is immaculate. You’ll see her carry all kinds of ensembles with such extreme finesse that it’s simply unimaginable for someone so exquisite and dazzling to ever exist. To add to that her smile lightens up our entire studio, everyone’s a fan”
“What would it take for it to be a crush?” Mohana tentatively checked exerting a professional tinge to her voice that didn’t sound like her own. Her nervous fingers drew an idle box around Zaniha’s name on the digital screen
Taking a sip of his drink Omar lightly shrugged “For one, not being married to one of my closest friend would have helped and I guess if we needed another point to add to that, not being the most adorable mom to my new born nephew”
His lips lightly curved in a smile but her heart lurched listening to those words. Brushing off her own heart hammering at the base of her throat, Mohana felt the urge to provide him solace. Omar Shaan the man of her dreams had lost his real love, Zaniha. She glanced at the classic watch with no intention of reading it this time around. Rapidly blinking her eyes she tried to overcome the pain her heart felt for him.
Gulping air, Mohana attempted to share a kind smile nearly croaking “You had your fans almost at the verge of finding an answer”
“I’ll be happy to share answers with them as soon I have finalized a confirmation” Omar said. His eyes fractionally steered away from her to check the thunderous dark windows in the backdrop of the lightly lit studio loft
Drawing a heart around Zaniha’s name, Mohana deepened the lines “Life is about finding out answers, isn’t it. Who knows where destiny can lead you to”
“Fair for some, though not for me. I believe in writing my own destiny, don’t you?” Omar asked his eyes boring back into hers as he took another sip of his whiskey
Her professional facade slipping at his emotional unraveling, Mohana gave him a genuine rueful smile “Ya, but I keep that as a secret usually”
“You and I, we uphold the same promise. Our secrets are safe together” Omar smiled at the young woman
“Deal..” giving him a mere nod of acknowledgment Mohana brought back her focus to the list of questions “..Now that we are on the matters of crushes and feelings, here’s another popular question for you. Do you think being one of the most talked about superstars, you could ever risk dating a fan?”
She pursed her lips unfavorably at the series of questions while her heart thudded as the name Zaniha echoed through her.
Glancing at Mohana admirably while she looked busily on her screen, Omar casually spoke “Am here, one of them, so there’s no reason to say no”
Halting from taking notes, Mohana looked up at him “Most celebrities usually run in the opposite direction considering their fans will hound them. Guess that’s what makes these fans go crazy for you, you’re a celebrity yet so grounded. Makes you one of the most relatable from all I know”
“One of the most?” Omar lightly chuckled making Mohana smile “I have to say that, it should keep you thinking you have competition”
Omar laughed at her response. Straightening in his chair he enquired “And how do we put a stop to this competition? I can’t afford to have Sophista toppling each jeans button now on their cover shoots”
Her cheeks burning with color Mohana offered “Well, quite likely if your fan following is as wild who is to say that may not become a fad in itself. But you could always go without any of those buttons and what not on Chanceys, there’s no halting a whopping sale with you on the cover”
“If you are planning to jump ship with Paul Pitar you will have to let me know, I wouldn’t dare say no to that proposal, not on that beach, not anywhere” Omar responded making Mohana’s heart turn rapidly. Images of Peggy, his fan on that beach with offers of ‘anything’ made her clench the digital screen.
She tried to overlook their photo shoot from this morning bringing her focus to the said Paul Pitar, owner of the competing journal Chanceys. Dismissing the immoral Paul Pitar with poise Mohana mumbled her refusal “Paul no uh Chanceys is Chanceys. Your fans want to know what their idol does on a date alongside..” Mohana halted
She looked at the words staring back at her from the screen again ‘What does Omar Shaan do on a date alongside kissing his woman senseless’. With a tap of the digital pen on the screen Mohana puckered her lips wryly considering if Peggy would have wanted to take that one to answer.
Skipping the part altogether she spoke to him “Words are messy. But it is whatever. uh. so. you get to describe the best date you’ve ever planned”
“I’d say the best is yet to come. But I’ll take some credit on being a partner behind the first date Zaniha and Jasper went to. I designed her a dress from the most choicest fabric I could afford at the time. There was this whole planning with not letting her know what was going on so you had to be on your toes. But it was great fun. Of course, obviously Jasper wooed her right off her feet so the entire groundwork unfolded wonderfully. Mainly I never used that design in any of my shows, and I think she still has that dress tucked away somewhere” Omar relished in the memory with a fond smile spreading along his lips
“That’s so heart warming, Zaniha sure is one very blessed woman” Mohana claimed giving him a smile. Refusing to take notice of the storm raging in her heart and tummy she made another heart shape around Zaniha’s scribbled name on the digital screen.
Omar smiled “Meet Jasper and you would know for a certainty who the blessed one is”
“Definitely and sometimes blessings can come disguised..” she tenderheartedly offered then checked “..will you want to share pictures of that dress with your fans?” Mohana enquired with another turn of her digital pen, unsure if she’d ever be able to manage seeing that article of clothing herself
