It was 00:21 at night. Ananya's eyelids opened slowly. It was a dark night with a peaceful silence residing everywhere. She woke up slowly removing her comforter. Her feet kissed the not-so-cold floor. She walked up the stairs of the building to reveal the rooftop. A stream of wind hit her hugging her in a cold embrace. She made her way towards the edge to climb up the wall. She took some slow steps enjoying the emptiness surrounding her. Her black dark eyes roamed the sleeping beauty Mumbai with a blank expression. The building had ten floors with an obviously dangerous height. Her eyes peered down to the dark depth of downward with an obvious death welcoming.
She moved her gaze to the space in front.
"Don't worry I won't do the same mistake as you. I have started loving my life." She muttered while looking at the sky with a half-moon hanging from it.
"Don't get me wrong but you were so so stupid." Her voice came out in a sarcastic tone. But the next moment her facial expression changed to a silky one which carries a lot of pain.
"You never actually loved me. You only loved that one man who got you a perfect betrayal gift. " Her eyes started burning with hot water drops filling them. "But I know what's right for me unlike you. I will do right for me." She paused. "I think you do like him, don't you?"
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to get rid of the heaviness of her heart.
*****
As soon as the hot but not skin-heating sunrays hit her a movement was seen in her. She tried to open her eyelids to close them again. She covered her face with her palms and tried to peek through the small space between them. After getting comfortable with eyesight she checked her surrounding clearly. And then the whole scene of last night came flashing into her mind.
Shit! I slept the whole night here. I think I'm gonna have a major headache again.
She quickly got herself back to her flat. When she entered her room she found Neha sitting on her bed dumbfounded.
She snapped her fingers in front of her eyes to get her back to this world.
"Where were you? I couldn't find you on the bed and it's only 6:25 so..."
"I woke up early and went out for some physical exercise."
She raised her eyebrows with big eyes looking at her with shocking face.
"But you don't look like?"
"Are you being suspicious of me?"
"No absolutely not, how can I? But each day you are giving me new surprises." She said resting her head on her palms.
"Don't you like surprises?" She uttered while taking out clothes from the cupboard.
"I definitely love them but these are so much unexpected. You, getting up early, doing exercise. Need time to digest." Ananya rolled her eyes.
"Wait"
"Now what?" Ananya asked getting annoyed a little.
"I just wanted to say I am happy that you are finally moving on."
After getting ready she reached her office. As soon as she entered her cabin Diya came to take her in a warm hug with a big smile on her lips.
"Finally I don't need to work for Mr. Singhania."
"Means?"
"That means you are coming in my place and I'm yours. Back to your old position."
"Ouu, that's good." She said breaking the hug.
"But how?"
"I went to his office with his coffee. Firstly he scolded me for the coffee, I think he had a major problem with his coffee. After he was done he opened up about the replacement." She uttered shrugging her shoulder.
"Okay then."
"Yeah. Let's meet during lunch, bye."
"Bye"
With slow steps, she marched towards his office. On knocking a hard voice came.
"Come in." A flow of emotion was running through her.
But as she entered she couldn't find anyone there.
"Sir"
She stepped some more steps when a sudden pull took her behind pinning her to the door. She found herself caged between two strong arms resting on the door. Her eyes got glued on the face in front of her looking straight into her eyes with a smirk playing not on the lips but in those eyes. The light beard was perfectly beautifying his dominating stranded handsome face. And the white shirt folded near his elbow was matching his bossy attitude.
"You will get a lot of time to check me out and I don't even mind that." He spoke up making her flinch out of her lost world.
She patted her head inwardly realizing that her eyes were shamelessly moving on him. She gulped.
How dumb I am!
"You are making me run a lot for your attention, I see. No one to date hasn't even shown the authority."
"Because they don't care about your health I think. Running is a good exercise you know. You should really appreciate me."
"Doesn't the same go for you too?"
"Coach doesn't play."
"Then I might say this coach is such a bad one. Doesn't even bother to meet me before leaving or to take my calls?"
"I was busy." She turned her head when it seemed impossible to maintain the same intensity with which his eyes were roaming on her face, from her eyes to lips.
"Thinking about me?"
She shot him a glare.
"So tell what punishment should I give you?" His breath fanned her face more closely.
"Punishment?" She pushed him.
"Listen Mr. Arjun you are forgetting that we are in your office. So both of us shouldn't do anything unprofessional act. Your rule only, no unprofessional things. So you can't punish or do anything to me for last night."
She turned to leave.
"Who told you that I'm gonna punish you for that? I will prefer some other place for that?"
She parted her brows with a demand to clear the confusion.
"Where is my coffee, Ms. PA?"
"But Diya has already.."
"Why she should do your duty? She isn't my PA anymore."
He blurted and advanced to his chair while arranging his shirt button.
"Don't you understand my language? Why are you still standing here?"
"Your coffee will be right here." She said in a professional tone and left with hurried steps.
Arjun leaned back in his chair while looking at her way with an amused smile playing on his lips.
The entire day slides away within the blink of an eye. Ananya entered his cabin before leaving but found none. She immediately turned to check if he is behind like morning but he was not there. So she took her things and came out. Today she took her scooty and leads somewhere else. After nearly 30 minutes she halted in front of an old building.
This building! After coming to Mumbai again she visited this place for the third time, just to get a glance of it. It's not just a building, somewhere deep inside her heart, stays some emotion belonging to this place. The place which was supposed to be filled up with her childhood happiness, an eyewitness of her growing up as an adult, has just caused some breakage in her life.
So now putting blames on the innocent, dumb building. No, it's not dumb it talks. She could hear it screaming every time why why why like her?
A light glowed up inside the building. That means it has got its new member. There was a new tea stall has been placed. She walked down to it.
"Vaaiya, has someone new bought this house?"
"Ji madam. It has been 2-3 weeks."
When they left this house her Dadi sold it to someone. And now some other owner is residing in it.
Hope you wouldn't forget your first members getting new ones. Hope you won't forget this little friend of yours.
She mumbled those words while her eyes got moisturized. Glancing one last time she headed to her new residence.
Later in the evening, she called Rahul.
"Hey, where are you? Aren't you supposed to come to my place?"
"I am sorry. I got stuck here in the office."
"Call me then when you are free. Now bye, I'm tired." She blurted.
"Ok, I know you are...."
"I'm sleepy bye. And yeah I have something to talk with you regarding Pooja. So grab any time without wasting time for both of us and no matter what even if an earthquake happens, come. Good night."
She let herself fall on the bed. Next moment her phone buzzed again.
Date, time, and address. Fine, gonna make him wait 30 minutes.
The next day started in a very professional way. The work pressure was increasing as the company was spreading its business. And some stories were growing up here and there, behind the curtain.
Ananya entered Arjun's cabin. She knew how busy he is these days. She saw him tapping his neck with a painful expression.
"Ananya check these reports if everything is ok or not?"
He instructed while sitting on the sofa facing the windows at the left side of the room, eyes closed, brows parted.
Ananya advanced to him with slow steps automatically. Her fingers touched his shoulder gently, with care. In a relaxing way, it started moving while tapping.
Arjun opened his eyes sensing her touch. A smile twinkled on his handsome face. He closed his eyes again to feel her touch. It's like, his all pain, and tiredness had vanished with a sensation running down his body, enjoying her touch fully.
Ananya noticed his smile at the reflection on the window glass.
"Was it paining or just got increased because of my presence?"
Arjun smiled inwardly in amusement. He grabbed her wrist and circled her pulling her close. Losing balance she sat down beside him on the sofa.
"What do you think?" Arjun asked teasingly while one brow raised.
"I think Mr. Singhania is not taking care of himself properly, getting workaholic too much."
"Hmm. But why should I, when you are there for me?"
"You shouldn't depend on others for anything. It's your own rule only." She said while looking straight into his eyes.
"But there is an exception always."
"Nothing is stable in this world Mr. Arjun."
"Wait, are you planning to leave me? Then let me tell you if I got attached to something it's impossible to get rid of me." He whispered in her ears while rubbing her cheeks.
Ananya felt a flame of sensation pass all over her mentally and physically.
"You know I always wanted to be a bird in my childhood and birds always fly away. They don't like to get stuck in one place."
"Who told me that it needs to get stuck? Birds are made to fly in the sky. You will fly my little birdie and I shall follow you just like the lover bird. We shall fly, together in the blue sky playing hide and seek in the clouds."
Ananya felt a pinch in her heart. Her newborn leaf-like eyes looked at his ones, stunned, mixed with so many emotions. She moved her gaze and stood up swiftly.
"I need to go." She collected the files from the table and dashed out of the room. Arjun just stared from back.
As Ananya hurried to her cabin she got bumped into someone.
"Oops sorry," came from the person.
She kneeled to collect the files from the floor. The man helped her.
"I'm sorry," Ananya replied but when she looked up she missed to react at first.
"Ananya? Right?"
"Good afternoon, sir." She greeted managing to get back her strength to speak up and immediately passed across him to get away.
"Good afternoon, wait." Dibakar's voice almost boomed in her ears. She stopped on her way to turn back.
"Why do I feel I saw you yesterday in front of my house?"
Ananya's heart flinched but she tried hard to not show her nervousness.
"That's not a big deal sir. I shall say the same I told last time."
"Your earth is a more or less round theory?"
She just smiled in affirmation.
"But in front of my house? That's too much point. It doesn't have that much large range like your theory. Only your office, house and my house. What were you doing there?"
"First of all as far as I remember last time I visited your place on your happy marriage anniversary. I think you are mistaking me for someone else."
"I'm not talking about that house. It's my old house, my parent's house."
Ananya's throat went dry at the unexpected sudden revelation.
So he is the new owner.
"I'm sorry sir. I have no idea how many houses you own. I need to go."
"But I thought you know a lot about me. Last time I got it."
"Well, I'm sorry for the last time. I never meant to hurt you. Excuse me!" She left with hurried steps.
Why do I feel like you remind me of someone?
Glancing at her one last time he headed to Arjun's cabin.
"Arjun?"
"Dibakar uncle? Please come. I was just waiting for you."
He made him sit on the sofa.
"Umm, two coffee," Arjun ordered through the intercom.
"Well, I won't ask about your work because I going to join you. But how is your health?"
" Fit as always."
"Yeah, I know you are one fitness freak. But still, even mind also needs rest you know?"
"Sure uncle don't worry. How are you?"
"Cool as always." They both started laughing together.
"Well, Arjun for how many days you know Ananya?"
Arjun's brows croaked at the question.
"Nearly 8-9 months, why?"
"Just asking. Where did you first meet her?"
Arjun's body stiffened at the memories of their first meeting in her engagement.
"Rahul's engagement." He blurted.
"She was from Rahul's family or the bride's?"
"She was the bride herself." Arjun exuded.
"What? My God!" Dibakar straight up on the sofa.
"Uncle, should we start regarding the deal?"
"Yeah. Let's start." Dibakar spoke up controlling the urge to get to know more.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Ananya entered with two coffee.
Both of their gaze fell on her who silently put the cups on the table.
"Ananya you didn't need to come yourself. You can just ask someone else."
"It's ok. It didn't bother much."
She was about to leave when Arjun spoke up happily.
"Ananya you will be glad to know that we are going to work together for now, Dibakar's uncle's company and ours."
The tray touched the floor with a not-so-loud sound from her hand.
"I. I am sorry." She stuttered and picked up the tray hurriedly.
"Are you ok?" Arjun asked in concern while going to her.
"Yeah, the tray just slipped."
"Put it on the table. Peon will collect it." Ananya followed while keeping her gaze low.
"It's great news for the company. Congratulations to both of you." She concealed with a smile.
"Ok, I'm leaving. If anything is needed please inform me." With this, she left straight.
Both Arjun and Dibakar sensed a strange feeling from her behavior but none talked.
Ananya took a deep breath after entering her cabin leaning back on her chair. A frustration gulped her conscience. She closed her eyes to get lost in her thoughts.