PROCLIVITY

Chapter 9

Arihant – You don’t have to be bothered. I’ll manage with this one only.

Ayesha – Let me make it hot at least.

Ayesha tries to take the mug from his hand, but he pulls his hand back.

Arihant – No, no, please. I want to have it the way it is.

Ayesha – Are you sure?

Ayesha was surprised by this kind of behaviour of Arihant. She has never seen him like this.

Arihant – 100% Aisha. Thank you so much for your concern, but would you please like to leave me with my coffee?

Ayesha – Sure, Sir.

She leaves without arguing further.

Now Arihant is all alone with his cup of coffee.

Did she really make this exclusively for me?

Ah, she didn’t have to go through this much.

She could have waited for the machine to get fixed.

He was trying his best to decline the already buried smile, but couldn’t. He took a sip of the cold coffee, but never tasted tastier than this. He finished it all without even thinking that the colder coffee is nothing but just better.

The way he was looking at the mug after finishing the coffee, it seems as if he was never going to wash this cup again.

At least that’s what his expressions said.
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Arihant sees Naveen who was still working, which was weird because the working hours were over.

Arihant – Naveen?

Naveen – Good evening, boss.

He said, standing up from his chair.

Arihant – Good evening.  What are you doing here so late? I mean, it’s not your turn to stay back.

Naveen – Yes, Sir, it’s not. It’s Lata’s turn, but she requested me to switch the shifts because she had some urgent work to do.

Arihant -  OK then, goodnight.

Arihant turns to leave, but Naveen stops him.

Naveen -Sir?

Arihant turns to look him.

Naveen – I didn’t want this matter to reach your ears, but I have not gotten the semi year’s accounts so far.

Arihant – Why? Arti was about to give you that, wasn’t she?

Naveen – Yes, Sir. She was supposed to give me that today, but she didn’t.

Arihant – She must be still working on that.

Naveen – Well, if that was the case, then she should have been working here instead of hanging out with friends and eating chocolates.

Naveen deliberately picked this topic to fill Arihant’s ears against Arti.

Arihant – Hanging out? Friends?

Arihant was surprised.

When did she make friends here?

Naveen – Yes, Sir. At least, that’s what it seems to me.

Arihant – What? What do you mean?

Naveen – I saw her roaming with a guy after she left the office.

A guy?

Arihant – How do you know that he was her friend?

Naveen – They looked like one.  I mean, they were laughing and playing like friends. Even, like, more than friends. She looked very different this evening. Like a totally different person who we don’t know. We have always seen her as a reserved and introvert girl, but I must say, She must have some talent to make such good friends in this big city and that too in such short period of time.