𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴

• 28 •

"Please ek baar suno-" Naina's words were cut short as Smriti snatched the papers back from her hands rather harshly and left without looking back.

Sameer who had been watching the whole scene felt displeased by the way Smriti behaved with Naina that too in front of everyone, though no one could deduce the conflict going on between the two friends. He saw Naina standing still at her place pondering over something before glancing around in embarrassment and leaving for her cabin hurriedly.

He couldn't help but be worried about her. He wanted to go after her to check if she was okay but thinking she'd need time to compose herself since they were in the office, he decided not to go now and instead talk to her once they reach home. He knew she would disguise her sadness again, pretending to be fine but this time he would get her to talk to him. Only when she closed the door of her cabin did he go back inside.

In the evening at home, she had again gone back to being quiet, just like he had expected. After having dinner, they both settled down on the sofa in the living room with a few files open in front of them on the table, something which was becoming an ordinary thing for them. Naina was completing her record entries while Sameer was helping to solve her queries and himself reviewing some record files.

"And isme fir tum inki average values fill kar dena..." He was in the middle of explaining something when he saw her zoning out for the third time tonight. Having had enough, he shut the files snapping her out to reality. She could read his serious expression, clearly implying that she had messed up again.

"Kahan dhyan hai tumhara?" He asked with no emotion on his face.

"I'm sorry. Firse nahi hoga. Hum continue karte hain." She mumbled and timidly opened the file before going through the contents again that he had been explaining before. He sighed and got up before walking up to the shelf near the kitchen.

She shut her eyes in guilt, chiding herself internally for pissing him off. Through the lashes, she saw him taking out his car keys from the key holder on the wall and then walking back to her.

Her curious gaze was following his actions. Without saying anything, he took the file from her. Carrying a blank expression, he said, "Chalo bahar chalte hain."

"Huh?" She got perplexed and peered at the wall clock behind him. 11:47 p.m. it displayed.

"12 bajne wale hain, Itni raat mein kahan jaana hain?" she questioned looking at him.

His gaze softened "Bas aise hi thodi der chalte hain, ice-cream khaake aayenge." He said, collecting all the paperwork including her files.

"Ice-cream? Iss-time?" She asked, her hands simultaneously busy in gathering the things scattered on the table.

"Ice cream ka koi time thodi na hota hai." He shrugged casually and continued, "Waise bhi kaam karne ka mann nahi ho raha, bahar jaayenge toh thoda dimaag khulega."

Assuming he was indirectly pointing towards her, she didn't object and rather said, "Umm...thik hai main change karke aati hun..."

"Arey change kya karna? Iss time koun dekh raha hai? Aise hi chalo na." He said doing a once over on her attire which was a long tee with a cotton salwar. It was alright for a brief night out.

She glanced at her clothes, pondering over them for a second and then agreeing to what he said. Both of them made a quick tour of their respective rooms to put their paperwork inside and returned downstairs after locking the doors.

After assuring that all the doors were locked, they both left in his car, not before informing the night guards and asking them to stay extra vigilant at that hour.