Under the Surface

To Imaan, whose initial spark of inspiration ignited the journey of this story. I'm grateful for the creative nudge.

"I'm sorry, Aasiyah. I made a mistake. This should never have happened this way."

The apology fell on deaf ears, Aasiyah stared at Shaz for a minute more, watched as his head hung low and his voice quivered. But the heart that once loved him with everything, she would forget her own pain to comfort him now felt nothing. She could no longer feel that intensity, that affection she once had for him. He destroyed her and now he dared to stand before her to make her think he was broken when really she was one in pieces. 

We all make mistakes. As humans we are created that way. But our inner conscience always knows, and tries to make us see reason. Shaz had that conscience too, the only difference was he learned how to shut it out. He did what everyone else in our society does. He learned from an early age that he would rather prefer instant gratification - thanks to social media - and saying sorry without a care in the world was earlier than actually addressing the problem.

Shaz dreamed, he was a dreamer but a selfish one, he always wanted to publish a book. It didn’t matter if it was fiction, non-fiction or any other genre, all he cared for was to write one and be famous. But he never factored in his skills. While he had amazing ideas he lacked the skills to write an imaginative and persuasive piece. Still he had it ingrained that one day, he will publish a book. 

Before Shaz could write his masterpiece he had to master the art of manipulation. By 18 he had realized he had no real talent in writing, at best he could only publish half entertaining cooking blogs for elderly women. But he saw what many others didn’t, ‘women’ who wrote for fun or had a great grasp on words. 

By 20 he had used his charm to use these ‘women’ be friends or acquaintances to become his ghost writers, had made a framework and wrote a max of two or three chapters. Then he would charm his way into making these women write the rest of the story for him. By 25 he had about 4 short story books under his name. He would add the ghost writer's name in the dedication and address them as friends, a heartwarming dedication was all that was needed to make these women think he was grateful without him ever sharing the profits.  

He was 30 when he met Aasiyah at his agent's office. He was working as his timeline had suggested. In a couple more years he would have his first full novel but he needed a new ghost writer. He had to let go of his previous ones as he thought they might start suspecting him. Either way he knew they were only good for short stories, he needed a dreamer just like him, except one who wouldn’t question him. 

That’s where Aasiyah comes in. At his agent’s office they got into talking about books and as Aasiyah gushed over Shaz, his short story books and her love for writing, Shaz knew he had found the one he was looking for. 

“So tell me more about your writing style?” he enquired keeping his tone on the same level of excitement she was showing but also as professional as he could.

She talked for who knows how long about her style, the books she loved and her dream of publishing her own fantasy novel.

“Breaking into this industry is very hard, it took me more than 10 years to make my name, and I had to make backup jobs in case I failed” Shaz cautioned her while making her not lose hope.

“I’m just 20. I have all the time in the world, I won’t need a second job, I’ll succeed.” her excitement never faded, she was the light to Shaz’s moth nature. 

“Well, that’s good,” Shaz told her in his calm manner and then walked into his agent’s cabin.

He could still see her from his agent’s glass cabin.

“Who is she?” Shaz inquired without taking his eyes off her.

“Aasiyah Gul, she is a remarkable writer and…”

“Make her my new ghost writer,” he cut his agent off.

“She won’t do that, she has her own book and honestly it's quite good.”

“That’s why I want her, tell her she needs a few more years of experience and then tie her up in a ghostwriting contract with me,” Shaz’s determined nature coupled with his evil smile made his agent afraid.

“I can’t…I… no!” he stammered a little.

“Look I need a series, 4 max 5 books, tell her while she ghost writes for me, you will take her up as a client and work on making her first book the best. It's a win-win.” he explains. “And you owe it to me considering everything.”

They went back and forth for a few minutes before the agent agreed. After Shaz left his cabin, Aasiyah was called in, from where Shaz his he could see her shrink in her seat.

“Break her down,” he thought to himself. Once he was certain she was entirely shattered he casually walked back into the cabin. 

“I had one more thing I needed to talk to you about…” Shaz said walking back in. “Oh, Aasiyah! You’re signing with my agent. Nice.”

She didn’t say a word and he could see her eyes well up.

“What happened?” his voice took a shift, he came to her level and looked at her with a concerned expression.

His agent explained what he said, as Shaz had planned.

“This isn't right,” he exclaimed.

“Shaz my hands are tied here,” the agented countered.

Shaz paced a little before he stopped next to Aasiyah. “I have an idea, this should work for everyone, but it needs to remain in this room, it can’t get out.” Aasiyah perked up at this and nodded her agreement.

“I need a ghostwriter, not one that will write my book for me but someone who would help me make sure the book remains in the framework I make. You can do that, gain experience and I’ll pay you. You can still work on your own books, I would never stop an aspiring writer to stop writing. What do you think?” he made sure to trap her with his words and as a smile formed on her face he knew he had succeeded. 

A contract was brought in an hour later and was handed to Aasiyah to read and sign.

“This says I can't publish or leave this project for the next 5 years and in that time 5 books need to be published,” she questions.

“It's standard, in these 5 years you can still work on your own novel and have the editor work on iit as well. This also gives you the time to fix any plot holes and make your novel better,” he quickly removed all her caution.

She signed and the next couple of months went smoothly, Shaz provided Aasiyah with his framework and a chapter here or there but Aasiyah taking the opportunity did her best to fill in the plot holes, character development and all. It hadn’t occurred to her that she was writing the book for him. She was mesmerized by him and took full advantage of it. Their weekly meetings, close proximity and the way Shaz treated her with care and kindness made Aasiyah think of their relationship was a bit more than just friends or co-writers. 

This went for the first 3 books, Aasiyah wrote them with as much attention to details and character development as possible. She didn’t realize she hadn’t worked on her own book in all this time. Shaz added her name in the dedication for each book.

“To Aasiyah, a friend and inspiration I didn’t know I needed until I met you.”

This was all she needed to work harder to get Shaz’s affection. She went to all launch parties and book signing with Shaz as his assistant.

“This is your future and we will build it together, I will be with you through every up and down like you have been with me, everytime I broke down, everytime I doubted myself. You are the best thing to ever happen to me. I wish we could work together all the time.” he would whisper to her after the 4th book signing.

“I will always be here,” she whispered back, the signing had ended and they were walking back, he was walking her to her uber. 

“Not really, 1 more year and then the contract is over and we can’t work together anymore, the agency has this rule about authors working together and all. It's complicated. But at least I could see you publish your own book,” he told her with a heavy sigh.

“I’m… I'm not so confident about my book now,” she exclaimed “its not working plus your books are now my world, I can’t leave.”

“Not my books, our books,” he looked at her with that hope she wanted and opened the door for her.

“I want to be your ghostwriter, not for just a year but for as long as it lasts. Please.”

“I can’t ask you about that. It's not fair.”

“It is, if I want to. Please let me do it.”

“I don’t mind but you would have to sign a new contract, are you willing to do that?”

“I AM!”

She sat into her uber and waved him goodbye and the driver drove off. Shaz went to a nearby restaurant where he was meeting his agent.

“Hey!” He walked to the agent’s table all excited and jittery.

“So?” the agent asked.

“She is so easy, a few sweet words, and little guilt and she is willing to be my ghostwriter for life.”

“Aasiyah actually likes you, don’t do this to her,”

“She needs me more than I need her and I’m helping her,”

“If she finds out…”

“She won’t and tomorrow she’ll sign the contract to relieve her first contract then she’ll sign the other one that binds her books to me forever.”

“This isn’t right.”

“So what, you were willing to do it for the first time, why are you getting cold feet now.”

“That was for 5 years, this is for life.”

“Don’t get senti (sentimental) with me, just do your job. Ok?”

The agent nods, they order food and the night goes on.

Two days later as Aasiyah walks into the office she is quickly ushered to the agent’s cabin by Shaz. She signs the first contract that relieves her from her 5 year bind to Shaz. The paper was taken by the lawyers and quickly filed to make the contract permanent and unbreakable. 2 hours later once they were certain the contract was filed she was then given the second contract. Her eyes welled up with tears as she felt the Deja vu. 4 years earlier stood in this very spot in front of the man she aspired to be but today she is standing in front of the man she holds 4 years worth of hatred for. She looked into Shaz’s eyes and tore the papers in half.

“I’m never going to write for you ever again,” she says through her tears and hands him and his agent a file. “I filed a lawsuit against you and I’m claiming your books and its proceeds.” This time he spoke with confidence.

“You can’t do this,” Shaz threw the papers aside, “If it weren’t for me you would be nothing.”

“Let the court decide on that,” she began to leave but turned to say one last thing, “You saw me as someone you could use, you played with my feelings and I will take everything from you for that every reason. And here,” she sends him a voice recording from her phone, “You were too arrogant to think this would never come to life.”

Shaz heard the recording of his and the agent’s conversation from last night. He ran after Aasiyah as the recording ended. Aasiyah was out of the building and getting in the car with a man with similar features as her.

“Bhai (brother), let's go,” she said.

"I'm sorry, Aasiyah. I made a mistake. This should never have happened this way." Shaz came running, and out of breath.

“No, you’re not sorry. You’re not sorry that you did wrong by me, you’re sorry because you got caught. Someone like you could never be sorry for his actions.” she spoke getting into her brother’s car. 

Shaz stood holding his head low, watching as Aasiyah left, taking everything he had with her.

**THE END**