I looked at my phone and my eyes widened when I saw so many messages and calls from my parents till midnight and many of them were scolding me.
I sighed, though Megha was able to get me away from there but they didn't get satisfied with that and wanted me to be at home. I don't know which kind of parents just restrict their children from having their freedom.
I called them right away and after a few rings only they had picked up the call.
"Where are you?"
"I am with Megha, she didn't tell you about that?"
"She did but why do you have to be with her rather than your family?" I was confused by her words. Why is just angry over that?
"Why does it matter if one day I am with her? Before going to work and after completing it I am always there with you only. So, why can't those days count but one day becomes an issue?"
"Don't argue back." I could feel her teeth being hardly pressed with each other. My heart clenched further when thinking about this.
Since the time I can known anything on this world, I know one thing and that is if I am not doing according to my parents than I am bad kid and whenever I try to do something on my own than they don't even consider that as something appreciable but it always turns into another set of lecture or restrictions because of them I had given up on so many opportunities but they have never seen that. They only see me when I do what they want me to do.
"Now I am arguing back when all I am feeling is you are controlling me. I can't even present what I am thinking. I will just ask you one thing, have you ever trusted me?" There was silence from the other side and that was making me go weak in my knees. I looked at the floor.
"Why are you asking such a question?"
"Isn't the answer just to be in yes, or no? Why is there a question?"
"Arushi!!" She busted over the phone while tears were forming in my eyes. "Come back home, right now." I bit my lips to stop myself from crying. "Say something."
"You have left me with no words but I can't come to a home where all I feel is insecure. I won't be coming back."
"Arushi, Arushi…" I hung up on her phone and put a hand on my mouth before sobbing lightly.
"You did well." I looked at my side and found Megha who was leaning on the door while crossing her arms over her chest. After a while she came towards me and hugged me tightly. I broke down in her arms.
"Finally, you opened a path for yourself. I am proud of you." She rubbed my back. "They never really understood you but have kept you under their eyes. This is the start of your freedom, sweetheart."
After a while I calmed down and looked at her with my eyes.
"Did I really do nice?"
"You have done it right; they have to know that you are not a puppet who can be controlled by someone but you are human with emotion. They have hurt your emotions again and again but how many times have you fought back with them? Just allow them to think about what they did with you or they can disown you." I looked at her in horror.
"Don't be like that."
"Arushi, it would be better if you looked forward, you are a working independent woman, you can follow some people but can't be their puppet. You have to know that everything they are doing to you is not right." I closed my eyes and opened them and looked at the time and sat up on the bed. "What is wrong?"
"I am going to be late. It is already 6:50 and I have to reach the company by 7 to complete my presentation."
"I will drop you off." I nodded and quickly dressed and sat in her car.
"Here, have something." She handed me a sandwich and fruit juice.
"Where did you get it?"
"I have some at my home. They are emergency food for me." I gave her a look but she drove away and ate it while sitting there quietly. She dropped me off at the entrance at 7: 15. I bid her my goodbye and then went towards the lift. I saw my boss was also there at that time and was going towards the lift. His eyes went over me and he smiled.
"I thought that you would have arrived already." He spoke.
"I thought the same." After that we both laughed it out.
"Coffee. I have bought it for us so that we can complete this." Though I wanted to refuse him but he had bought it for me already and refusing me would not be a good idea when he had thought about both of us. I accepted it.
"Thank you."
"No problem." We entered the lift and reached the floor and then went towards my desk and completed that before anyone could have arrived.
"Now I have taken the presentation in the pen drive, you better delete this from here." I was confused.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want anyone to know that you have completed the project." I was once again going to ask that but he put his finger on my lips and I looked at him. "Before you shoot another why, do what I am telling you till we are completed with the meeting. After that we can discuss my strange talk." After saying that he went away from there and then everyone started to come and Maya came towards me.
"Did you complete the project?" I shook my head.
"I couldn't. It was hard."
"Now what is going to happen to you?"
"I don't know but my boss was angry when I had talked with him about that."
"Why did this have to happen with you only?" I shrugged.
"Keep faith, everything is going to be alright." I nodded and she went away while thinking what my boss must be thinking but it was out of my imagination as well so I went back to work only.