His Favourite Book

Chapter 5 - An Embarrassing Day

All three of them looked up to see a man standing near the door, smiling and expecting 'yes' for an answer. When they continued looking at him questionably, he walked towards them. "Hi. I am Kartik. I just entered and saw you trying to fix some issues there. If you all don't mind, may I try?" he said, pointing towards the computer.

Aashna quickly got up from the chair. "I'm sorry we can't let customers be involved in this matter so-"

"Oh just let him try," Abeer said, appearing from behind Kartik.

"YOU are here too, I see," Aashna said with a disappointment-filled smile.

"I smell someone itching to kick me out of here hehehe... Kartik, she means yes. Go ahead."

"Yes sir!" Kartik said and jumped over the table to land inside the staff area, in front of the computer.

"NO! I mean a 'no'!" Aashna increased her volume but it was all in vain. Kartik had already started doing his job. She gave a death stare to Abeer. "YOU called me a creep that day and this is how you behave? I can get you arrested for intrusion!!" She tried getting them out of there.

"Not if he really resolves your problem."

Kartik got up from the chair and with an apologetic look towards Abeer, said, "Which I can't seem to do, I-"

Aashna was about to throw all sorts of burns at him when the bells on the door chimed again, indicating someone new had entered. Before everyone could turn their attention to the person, a louder-than-them voice said, "What on earth is going on here? And what is this guy doing in the staff-only area?" An utterly surprised Girisha was standing there, not at all expecting her cafe to be in this condition.

Aashna quickly went up to her to complain, "Our software wasn't working so we were trying to fix things but these guys just invaded and-"

Kartik jumped back out to stand next to Abeer as the latter said, "INVASION?! It's called help!"

"Oh help, is it, now? Where's the 'help'? I don't see it. The computer is still the same." Aashna sarcastically started looking everywhere for the 'help'.

"That's his fault." Abeer raised his hands in defence.

"Don't blame me it was your idea what the f-" Kartik cried out.

"I just thought it would make a cool entry!!"

"WHAT!?" Aashna shouted.

"What. Wasn't it cool to enter with that dialogue?" Abeer was proud of his idea.

Aashna stared at him in disbelief while everyone else was out of words.

Girisha sighed out a long breath, trying very hard to suppress her anger, "You both, be good customers and take your seats, at once. Khushi and Aditya, get to your work. I'll check the computer. And Aashna-" She said as if she were to murder someone if they had her repeat these words. Kartik and Abeer, with a quick "Yes ma'am", picked up their bags and scrambled away. Khushi and Aditya did the same with another immediate "Right away".

"Aashna, don't you have work today? Leave."

"I do, I'll go, but-"

"I'm here just for the reopening. I'll return back tomorrow."

"Got it."

Kartik and Abeer went up to another table, as Abeer's seat was already taken. Aashna went to her regular seat. She didn't have any college classes today, so she picked up some other work. Her classes were being conducted in hybrid mode due to some construction work in her college. She had decided to attend them online for the time being until Girisha's cafe had settled down. She took up possible online work about her internship in the Rehabilitation centre. This way, she had enough time on her hands to prepare for her research presentation.

A time of 10 minutes was enough for Girisha to fix the computer. She informed Aditya about the same and asked Khushi for a report on the days she wasn't here. The cafe was silent by then. Everyone seemed comfortable in their respective seats. She was too good at handling those people.

Aashna, after a thorough writing session on some pages, got up with them in a file and walked towards Kartik. He was busy on his social media when she stood beside him, waiting for his attention. Abeer saw her tired frustrated expression and slightly pushed Kartik by the elbow.

"You got no time for this, sir. Here. Take this file and leave." Aashna called him out.

A surprised Abeer was hesitant, but still asked, "You both know each other?"

Kartik had expected this question. "Obviously." He turned to Aashna, "Aashna, two...? No, three days back, he was there in the public library near our college. He was searching for something in the psychology section, so I went up to him... aaand guess what? Now we're friends!"

Aashna instinctively looked at Abeer, who was already looking at her. Both of them quickly turned away in embarrassment.

"Okay, I get it, now get up you numbskull." Aashna pulled Kartik by his elbow and started walking him out of the cafe with the file. While leaving, Kartik put his palm on his mouth and whispered to Aashna, "Pretty sure he was searching for you there. Man kept waiting for the cafe's reopening. He didn't know we're in the same class. Oops, now he does. Time to get your ass regularly to college, miss" and jogged away giggling.

"So. When are we halting our stalker behaviour?" Abeer heard a voice from behind and turned to see Aashna with folded hands.

"I... I was just looking for some new kinds of books and I ended up there. It turned out to be your college area! Surprising, isn't it?" He laughed awkwardly, waiting for her reaction.

Aashna kept smiling as if she already knew the truth. "Yeah. Right."

- X - X - X - X - X -

By evening, everyone was almost done with their respective work. Khushi and Aditya prepared to close the place, Girisha was already home and Aashna was packing her bag to leave for home. The moment she walked out, she saw Abeer tying his shoelaces in a hurry.

"Maybe try with calm hands?" She said and walked past him.

Abeer looked up at her and quickly tied his laces. Catching up to her, he said, "We're going the same way home," and continued walking beside her on the inside of the road.

Before she could reply, or even look at him, a group of bikers drove past her at a speed high enough for her to shiver and stumble.

"Aaaagh that stupid-" She turned to shout at them but they were long gone. Abeer, still in shock, asked, "Are you okay?" and exchanged his place to be on the outside of the road, all while Aashna was still checking herself to make sure she wasn't hurt anywhere.

"I'm okay, I guess," and turned to her right, to find Abeer at her left side. "That was close."

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A/N: Lmao it's scary how much this resembles my world of delusions.
Look forward to the next chapter!