The audience was constantly laughing in the auditorium as the stand up comedian continued cracking jokes and making them laugh. But one person in the crowd wasn't enjoying this.

"I have seen many relationships in which the boyfriend takes the girlfriend on a date. When it comes to paying the bill, we all know what it is like, right? Okay, if some of you don't know then let me enact it for you", spoke the stand up comedian, Sonakshi Bose on the mike, entertaining the crowd.

'Baby, I'll pay for this. I believe in gender equality.' "I am like, seriously girl? Now to prove that we are equal of men, do we really need to use this line? You could have used this line in some other situation. Like, when you have more salary than your partner or when you do something more productive than them. It feels like they know the wrong definition of gender equality."

The audience burst into laughter as she said this and started clapping. Some even whistled at this point. She then thanked the audience for being such sports and then the audience started leaving the auditorium.

The person too got angry and left from there not before looking at his fiancée who was greeting a few people who had stayed back to meet her personally and have a selfie with her. Ofcourse! Why wouldn't they? She was a star!

Sonakshi saw him leaving the auditorium without even meeting her. She politely excused herself and then went behind him, shouting his name.

On the other hand, without bothering about anyone, he quickly sat on his bike. He stopped when he heard her shouting his name. She rushed to him and took the helmet from his hands.

"What's wrong with you Dev? Why are you leaving this sudden?" He huffed and snatched the helmet from her hands. "I don't think I need to answer you." She sighed but before she could say anything, a few women came to her.

"We are your fans. We have been following you since you started uploading your videos on the internet. Can we have a selfie with you?"

Sonakshi nodded in a yes with a smile and quickly posed with them for the pictures. She also gave her autograph to a man who was waiting to meet her. All this while, Dev was sitting quite impatiently.

As the man went, Dev too started the engine of his bike. Sonakshi took the keys of his bike and looked at him. He removed his helmet and looked at her. It felt like both were piercing each other with their gazes.

"What's wrong with you Ms. Sonakshi Bose? I need my keys back." She crossed her arms across her chest, the keys still in her hands. "That's what I am asking! What's wrong with you Mr. Dev Dixit?"

He copied her posture on the bike while glaring at her. "I know you have a problem with my unemployment. But there was no need to insult me in front of everyone like this."

Sonakshi frowned in confusion when he said this. "What are you even talking about? I am not getting anything." He scoffed at her while she managed to control her anger.

"If you are talking about those jokes then let me remind you that it was a general joke. It was not intended at you." He mocked surprise while she rolled her eyes.

"Really? Ms. Bose, I am not stupid. I was able to see very well that how much you enjoyed when everyone was laughing at me."

"For God's sake! They were laughing at my jokes, not at you. Lord! Some of them wouldn't even have known that you are my fiancé."

He glared at her when she groaned in irritation. A man came there and after taking a selfie with Sonakshi, he looked at Dev.

"Hi Sir! You must be really lucky that your fiancé is Miss Bose."

As he went from there with a smile, happy about meeting his favourite stand up comedian and one of the few women who are stand up comedians.

"Right! No one knows that I am your fiancé."

On listening to his sarcasm, she threw the keys at his chest.

"This is what your problem is! You take everything personally. Mr. Dev Dixit, when you know how to see the world just beyond yourself, you'll be happy. You should try it once."

"Everyone can see who is full of herself. You think that you are successful so you can do whatever you want. But just keep me out of it."

Sonakshi sighed as she realised that she has to be the calm one in this. She can understand his problem but pouring out his anger on her for his failure didn't go well with her. Still, she looked at him softly who had already put on the helmet.

"Dev, nothing is wrong. Everything is okay. We will work out on everything. Just a little more patience and I am sure that our relationship will be as strong as before."

He let out a humourless chuckle before looking in her eyes again.

"I don't think we will ever be the same again."

Sonakshi looked at him shocked when she heard him. Did she hear him correct or her tired mind played a trick with her? But the second option seemed impossible as she saw Dev driving away from there on his bike.

She hit her forehead with her palm and controlled the urge to shout out loudly. Hoping that no one saw this exchange between both of them, she turned around her heels and walked to the parking lot. It seemed like she was right because no one was present there.

She sat on her scooty and wearing her helmet, she too drove to her Home, thinking about Dev and his behaviour. She can understand his problems but he too needs to understand her.

Oh! How sweet he was when she met him for the first time! He handled the cranky her, despite not knowing anything about her. She wished that they both could go back to the times when they both had just met and their sweet relationship was slowly blooming with time.

***

Dev entered the House, drunk. He stumbled when his leg got stuck in the carpet but he held the table for the support. He shook his head, trying to wear off the effect of alcohol.

He also knew that it was a futile attempt. The effect won't wear out until he sleeps or have a shower. He was too tired and hazy to take a shower now. So he somehow made his way to his room, making sure that his Parents don't come to know that he is Home or else they will ask him about Sonakshi and he didn't want that now.

He laid on his bed and let out a sigh. His drunk mind was still thinking about his Sonakshi. What suddenly changed between them? Weren't they happy a few weeks ago?

Was it really because of him or both of them were at fault? And if he alone was at fault, was he ready to accept it? The answer was a clear no! He wasn't brave enough to accept it.

He sighed and closed his eyes, thinking about their beautiful moments that they spent together. Tears automatically flowed down his eyes as he let out the agony of his heart.

He would have never allowed his tears to flow down if he wasn't drunk. He sniffled but didn't wipe his tears. Hugging a pillow close to himself, he soon fell asleep under the effect of alcohol.

***

"Sona! You are back! How was the show?"

Sonakshi looked at her Mother who was still awake. She looked at the wall clock which showed 1:30 at night. She walked to her and sat beside her on the couch.

"Maa, why are you still awake? You won't wake up tomorrow morning and then use it as an excuse to miss your exercises. This time I won't listen anything. Do you even know that how high your sugar is?"

Asha Bose smiled on hearing her daughter scold her. Sonakshi frowned when he saw her smiling.

"I agree that I am a comedian, but that doesn't mean you'll laugh on everything that I say."

"Come on! I promise that I'll wake up early and do my exercises. Now you tell me. How was the show?"

On hearing this, the flashes of her and Dev's fight started hammering her head. Despite the throbbing headache because of the lack of sleep, she managed to give a reply.

"It was good. It will be uploaded on the YouTube channel tomorrow itself."

"Glad! Though I missed the show because of your Bua, I am glad that I will be able to see it tomorrow. Though virtually, but that's okay."

Sonakshi smiled when her Mother scrunched her nose at the mention of Bijoy's sister. According to Asha, she was very nosy.

"Anyways, go and sleep."

"I should say the same to you. If you don't wake up for exercising early, then I swear I won't talk to you."

"Arre, I'll wake up. Go now!"

Sonakshi shook her head and went to her room. As she changed into her night suit, she started getting DM's that said that the show was a super success. She smiled but when her mind took her to Dev, her smile instantly faded away.

She sat at the dressing table, untangling her hair. But her mind was completely absent. She remembered the way he used to play with her hair, smelling it, untangling it, braiding it.

Her lips curved up into a faded smile as she felt his nose nuzzling in her hair. As she was very ticklish, she used to giggle whenever he used to nuzzle his nose in her hair or her neck.

But his words instantly came on hitting her and she stopped smiling. She sighed and held her head with her hands. She badly needed to sleep if she wanted the headache to vanish.

She somehow took herself to the bed and and plopped down on it. Covering herself with the duvet, she closed her eyes. She cocooned herself on the bed but still she wasn't able to sleep.

She opened her eyes and sighed. She knew why she wasn't able to sleep. Inspite of the tiredness, Dev's thoughts were keeping her awake.

Why the dynamics changed between them and how? Was it so gradual that she didn't even notice it? Or as Dev said she was too ignorant to notice it?

They were so happy a few weeks ago. Why did everything change between them? When she felt that she has started climbing the ladder of success, Dev slowly started drifting away from her.

She knew that he wasn't jealous of her. In fact, he was the one who had motivated her to move ahead and he would always be there for her.

She also knew that he was frustrated because he wasn't getting a job. He wanted to follow his passion but that didn't help him much financially.

He had quitted his job to pursue his dream but when he didn't succeed in it, he again entered the corporate world. But he didn't succeed in getting a job. That's what frustrated him.

Anyways, she needed to stop thinking about him if she needed sleep. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. This time, she was successful as the exhaustion took over and she fell asleep soon.