The evening traffic of Bandra West hummed in the background as Rajveer stood outside a stylish apartment building. Priya's address. He adjusted the strap of the bag containing the hefty manuscript – the final draft of his first book. A nervous anticipation fluttered in his chest, although he was quite confident in it.
After ringing the bell, he waited. He was greeted warmly by Priya at the door, her usual sharp energy softened by the comfort of her home. "Rajveer! Come in, come in. Please make yourself comfortable. But don't take it as your home." she said with a straight face, breaking in the next moment with a chuckle. Rajveer too chuckled. She led him into a spacious living room, tastefully decorated with modern art and bookshelves overflowing with volumes.
"Thanks for having me over, Priya," Rajveer said, taking a seat on a plush sofa. She brought him a glass of juice and sat down in front of him.
"So, what happened between you and Riya yesterday night?" Priya asked, her eyebrows raised.
"Well, we had sex, obviously. But don't worry, neither of us is looking for a relationship right now. It was just a casual hook up. A total physical attraction. Nothing more than that." said Rajveer casually to Priya.
Priya raised an eyebrow, her smirk fading into a thoughtful look. She tapped her fingers against the glass of juice.
Seeing such a reaction on his manager's face, he asked, "What? Is there something wrong with that?"
"No, no, there is nothing wrong with that." She jerked in response, before continuing, "I don't have any problem with two consulting adults doing whatever they want. As long as you are aware of what you are doing and have a sense of responsibility about it. It's just, I thought you were a single-girl-devoted type of guy. You always gave that kind of vibe, you know. Casual relationships are quite common in the industry. But never cheat with or on someone. Although it is quite prevalent in the industry, things get messy after a while. Such scandals can lead to a disastrous end for a career. Don't try to lead on some girl just to dump her in the end. Make sure to make it clear before starting something. As long as you follow these rules, you'll be fine. Although, with my years of experience in this industry, I can tell, you are a genuine guy. Just don't get changed after getting some success." replied Priya seriously, like a teacher teaching her student.
"Don't worry. I know what I am doing. I'll be responsible for all my actions." said Rajveer with utmost seriousness. Immediately after, he continued with a hazy look in his eyes , "To be honest with you, I don't think I'll ever get into any kind of serious relationship in this lifetime."
'What if I get transmigrated again, leaving behind all my loved ones. It is only thanks to the memory palace locking away some of my selected memories, that I am able to function properly. Otherwise, I'll drown in the sadness of my memories. Even in my last life, because of my job, I had many casual relationships. Now I am just used to it. After all, as time passes on, it is getting harder and harder to suppress my sex drive. Any more and I'll start getting irritated or worse, angry. Which is definitely not good for my and other people's health.'
Suddenly, a waving hand came in front of his eyes, waking him up from his daydreaming. "Hey, Rajveer, what happened? I tried calling you multiple times. Is everything alright? You can talk to me, you know. After all, I am your manager." said Priya, genuine worry seeping out from her voice.
"No, nothing to worry about. Just thinking about the reason I came here for." said Rajveer, a smile on his face to ease her worries and to divert the topic from him. He placed the thick manuscript on the coffee table between them.
"Yeah, what's so important that you couldn't wait for a studio meeting?" Priya asked, a curious glint in her eyes.
Rajveer took a deep breath. "I wanted to show you this." He gestured towards the manuscript. "It's the final draft of my first book."
Priya's eyebrows shot up, a look of genuine surprise spreading across her face. "Your… book? Rajveer, I had no idea you were writing!" A puzzled expression followed. "What's it about?"
"It's… a space opera," Rajveer began, carefully choosing his words. He decided against revealing the autobiographical nature of the story, framing it as pure fiction for now. "The first book focuses on the childhood of an orphan on a backward planet. It follows his journey through numerous challenges, his exceptional intellect leading to his recruitment into a prestigious military academy. There, he faces further trials and is eventually secretly chosen to become a spy for a peacekeeping organization that operates on an interstellar level. The book culminates with his training and the completion of his first mission."
He pushed the manuscript slightly towards her. "I would be incredibly grateful if you would read it and give me your honest review, Priya."
Priya, still slightly taken aback but intrigued, reached for the manuscript. Its weight in her hands was substantial. "Rajveer, this is… unexpected. But certainly interesting. I'll definitely read it. When do you need my feedback?"
"Take your time," Rajveer said with a slight smile. "Just read it at your own pace."
Priya opened the manuscript, her eyes scanning the first page. Rajveer watched her, a quiet confidence building within him. He had poured a significant part of himself, and the raw emotions of his past life, into these pages.
As Priya began to read, the words on the page seemed to come alive. Rajveer's resonance trait, unknowingly woven into his writing through the intense emotions he relived while penning the story, began to subtly affect her. She became completely engrossed in the narrative of the young orphan's harsh life, his resilience, and his burgeoning intellect. The challenges he overcame felt real, the triumphs exhilarating.
Time seemed to melt away for Priya. She didn't notice the gentle furrowing of her brow during moments of hardship faced by the protagonist, nor the subtle smile that played on her lips during his small victories. Unconsciously, a few tears welled up and escaped her eyes as she read a particularly poignant scene depicting the death of the protagonist's parents and loneliness from the orphan's childhood. She remained completely unaware of the dampness on her cheeks, so deeply was she immersed in the world Rajveer had created.
It was only when Rajveer gently nudged her arm after a significant period of silence that Priya blinked, her eyes refocusing. She looked up at him, slightly disoriented, the manuscript still open in her hands, halfway through its considerable length.
A wave of emotion washed over her. She looked down at the pages, then back at Rajveer, her expression a mixture of awe and disbelief. Without a word, she reached out and enveloped him in a tight hug.
"Rajveer," she said, her voice thick with emotion, "this… this is incredible! Absolutely incredible! I… I didn't even realize how much I had read. It's so engaging, so… real. The characters, the story… it's phenomenal." She dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand, finally registering the tears.
A satisfied smile touched Rajveer's lips. Her reaction was exactly what he had hoped for. "Thank you, Priya. That means a lot."
"Mean a lot? Rajveer, this has the potential to be huge! I haven't been this captivated by a story in years." She held the manuscript up slightly. "You said this is the first book?"
"Yes," Rajveer confirmed. "The first of a series. There are many more stories to tell."
"We need to get this out there," Priya said, her managerial instincts kicking in. "I want to send a copy of this draft to every major publication. We'll negotiate the best deal possible for you."
"That's exactly what I was hoping for," Rajveer replied, a determined glint in his eyes. "And Priya, there's one condition I have for the publishing deal. I want the utmost freedom with my writing. Minimal interruption in the content. This story, and the ones that follow, are very important to me. And I want to launch it domestically and internationally, both. I am sure this story will be digestible in any type of culture."
Priya nodded emphatically. "Understood. Creative control is paramount. We'll make that a key part of the negotiation. International publication? Absolutely. We'll aim for the stars." She looked at the manuscript with renewed enthusiasm. "Let's get to work."