OUR JOURNEY: MANVEER FF

5. THIS ISN'T NUCLEAR PHYSICS

"Wait." I frowned

"What?"

"This colour looks very dull and it doesn't match with your suit." I ran my tongue along the inside of my cheek. "We need another tie"

Uday was silent for some time. But then he spoke up, "Follow me."

Walking to the far corner of the room, he pulled open a drawer and stepped aside when I followed him. "Choose a tie."

"Me?" I pointed at myself, my eyebrows touching the skyline.

"Yes, you" with a resignating sigh he motioned me to come closer.

Taking a tiny step forward, I scanned the drawer that had almost 50 ties, a giddy feeling in my tummy and my eyes fell on a deep maroon tie.

Taking it out, I stepped towards Uday as he bent his shoulders and I looped the material around his neck. "You know how to make a tie, right?"

"Vijay bhai once taught me, let's hope I still remember that" I answered him.

My brows pulled together as I concentrated on the work, folding and lopping around.

If I had paid this much attention to my studies when Vijay bhai was training me, I would have been a rocket scientist by now.

Making a tie is quite easy. But not if you have a certain beast, yes beast, looming over you pestering you and asking ridiculous questions like-

"What's taking you so long?"

"This isn't nuclear physics."

"Why are your hands shaking?"

Committing a murder is also easy.

At one point, I wanted nothing more than to wrap the material around his neck and choke him but then I controlled myself, inhaling sharply.

Progress!

"Oh my God, Uday" I nearly screeched when he didn't stop and kept pointing out that even a snail is faster than me. "Since when did you start asking me so many questions?"

"I swear to God that if you don't stop talking right now, I'll staple your damn mouth!" I half yelled at him and he fell silent, his mouth shut and eyes slightly wide, taken aback by my threat.

I made Yuvraj Udayveer Singh speechless.

5 minutes and complete silence later, we both faced the wall mirror, gazing at the masterpiece that I made.

"Uhh..." I trailed off, my lips pulling in a helpless grimace. It didn't look bad but it didn't look that good either.

"I think this will have to do." Uday adjusted his collar, smoothening a hand over the tie.

"Really? if it doesn't look okay, you can take it off. I said. This meeting was very important and he couldn't go there looking untidy.

"No, it's fine, Thank you."

"Look at you, learning to say 'Thank you' to people" I cupped my cheeks sighing. "From shouting at people to thanking them, you have come a long way." I wiped my fake tears dramatically, sniffing emotionally for a better effect.

"You're the only one whom I said those words to." He adjusted his cuffs. "Everyone else still gets yelled on."

I placed a hand over my heart. "Aww, don't I feel special?"

His face came closer to mine as he whispered, "You should." Something about the way he said that, made my heart skip a beat.

I shook my head you have more important work to do.

"Okay now listen" His brows pulled together as I took a deep breath, my hands on his shoulders.

Time for motivational speech. Can you believe I'm motivating the one who has always done that for me, roles reversed.

"You are Yuvraj Udayveer Singh" I started

He raised his eyebrows, his face still neutral as he interrupted me. "I am...aware of that."

"Shh. Let me complete." I took another deep breath. "You are Yuvraj Udayveer Singh. You can do anything. I know you have worked hard for this project. And I also know that this meeting is going to be a huge success."

I patted his chest encouragingly, an intense far away look on my face. "Make me proud"

I glanced back at Uday, his uninterested eyes staring back at me "Done?"

"Yes", I chirped. "You may go now".

"Was this a pep talk?" he asked as we exited the room

"Yup".

"It was horrible." His voice was light and carefree, a teasing tone to it. "You need to work on your pep-talks."

"Oh, come on." I bumped his shoulder "It was good, admit it"

"I would rather swallow 100 lemons" Checking his phone, he kept it in his pocket and grabbed his car keys.

"Fine, I'll keep them ready when you come back" I called out when he almost reached the main door

"And Uday"

Stopping in his tracks, he turned around and I gave him my largest most genuine smile. "All the best. Have a good day"

An almost invisible smile graced his lips and he nodded at me. "Try not to make people crazy while I'm away'

A soft laugh bubbled out of my chest as his lips twitched into his infamous smirk, the smirk that I was slowly but surely taking a like to.