The only person who has the capacity to let me down
and open me to my fears was him. There are a few things
that would have been good if they never existed, just like
my love for Arjun. But that didn't happen, I was meant to
meet him. I was meant to fall for him and now I was meant
to be tormented by him.
Everyone around me fell silent trying to avoid the
situation. Obviously, that's the only choice we are left with
for the past we carried with us. It would be a nightmare for
me to face him. And I knew why She took his name. The
guilt which she was bearing was huge than the pain of me
seeing him.
'No,' I replied to break the awkwardness which was
filling the room. 'I'll take a cab.'
'I had informed him and he is willing to do so. No more
arguments,' she said and walked towards the kitchen.
Mr. Kai followed her to make her understand. I
mentally scolded her for making me do this. Girls had their
eyes on me and I realized that I should have handled the
situation smoothly.
'I didn't see that coming,' I said with an eyebrow raised
to convince them that I was completely alright with it and
nothing was bothering me, even though there were
thousands of emotions flooding inside of me.
'But that is the only option you are left with. We
escaped the last time but this time she won't let it slide,'
Rach replied looking outside the window. The
disappointment on their faces spoke more than what their
lips uttered.
'Come on, you know I am strong, I'll be alright. Now
wish me luck because I really want this job,' I said and we
moved back to our room.
It is not difficult anymore to pretend in front of them, as I
have been doing this for months now. I have mastered it and
I don't even remember when exactly I started doing It.
As I walked down the stairs I heard Arjun saying that
he has a conference to attend. A chill runs down my spine
every time I hear his voice and it never changes with time.
'Have your breakfast Munna,' Mrs. Kai said following
him.
'I don't want to,' he replied in an angry tone and walked
towards the door. I don't even remember when was the last
time I saw him so close. He walked past me so quickly that
I could only feel a trail of wind that followed him. I was just
staring at the door not knowing what to do. I was only left
with a bunch of questions and as always none of it was
answered.
'Are you tense?' Mr. Kai interrupted my chain of
thoughts. I wanted to say I am alright and he doesn't bother
me anymore. He means nothing to me. Which was all a lie.
But I could only say 'I am not sure.'
'You know him right? He will be fine,' Mr. Kai gave me
an "all-knowing" look.
I know him. Yes, I know him. Maybe in a way that noone
can ever know him. Yes, I know him way too much for
my own destruction.
Facing Arjun in the car seemed more challenging than
the interview which I was supposed to crack. It was not just
the fact that I was gonna be all alone with him but also that
it was a car drive. I hesitated but it was Arjun, just his
existence around me made everything back to normal. I
opened the back seat door, it was filled with office files
colored black and blue. I tried to push them aside.
'Stop! Come sit in the front seat. Why bother with the
files?' Arjun said as a "matter-of-fact" thing.
It was strange to hear his voice address me after a long
time. It was strange to sit beside him, with whom I planned
my entire life. It was strange to find out the fact that all my
emotions were just mine. It was strange that after such a
long time we both will be alone again. It was distressing
when I snapped back to the reality that the person who is
in front of me is not the Arjun whom I fell for, or was it?
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard him yell at
me, 'Don't you hear me?'
'I a-am sorry,' I reached the front seat and sat there. I
turned to wave my hand towards the two near the gate and
two at the balcony. Then we moved. I couldn't believe that I
was sitting beside him. The person whom I saw from my
balcony every day was sitting next to me. I couldn't accept
the fact. "Few times words couldn't reach you where the
silence does." We were together sitting right next to each
other, holding our thoughts, but were we the same?
'Where should I drop you?' he started the conversation
or to say he roared at me. His attitude is the same. I
wondered how in the world I ever fell for him.
'RJ industries,' I spoke nervously.
'Fine,' he replied, looking at the road ahead. I wondered
if he knew the address.
'It's in Manyata Tech Park 2nd gate-,' I was interrupted
by him.
'Even I work at the same campus, maybe 1 km away
from RJ's so I know where it is,' he replied.
Are we going to be together? my heart skipped a beat.
'Ok,' I uttered. His phone rang and he gestured to me to
pick it up and put it on speaker.
I was shocked to hear so many words from him at once
addressing me. There were indeed times when the whole
day wouldn't be enough for us to speak. And now I was so
used to the silence between us, that each word got me off
guard. As if, I am interacting with him for the first time.