Imperfectly Perfect

Chapter 7 - Truth after six years

"Great, now I don't have to look for hotels when I go to Delhi," I say.

"Why don't you come to Delhi? Jobs and opportunities are way better here."

"Sirin, I just joined this job. I can't leave at least before 6 months," I explain.

"Just saying, if you ever consider living with me."

I laugh. "You know I'm always up for that."

She laughs back. "So, did your Johnny Depp come to office today?"

My face immediately falls. I've detailed Sirin these days about how things slowed down between Steven and I.

"Yes," I answer.

"Just don't give him any importance, alright? Remember you tried, you did your best; if he's not interested then you don't have to lose your self-respect to win him. You're no less than anyone and you can always find someone else."

I listen to her minutely and feel something from inside scream in my ears to follow her suggestions. Therefore, I nod my head and all shaken up say, "Yes, yes, I will. You're right, and I didn't talk to him at all since morning today."

"Good, you don't need him. You've lots of good things in your life. I don't want my always-smiling, funny and bubbly best friend to become this lifeless walking thing because of some guy she knows for only two weeks," she encourages me.

"I won't become that thing, I promise you," I straighten up.

"Thank you," she retorts. "I've to go take a bath now. I'll text you in the evening, alright?"

"Alright, and congratulations," I say and hang up.

I take a very deep breath and rise to my feet, totally refreshed and pumped up to get back to work. I walk ahead and knock on the door when a man from the IT Company that sits near the door come and open the door. I jog back to my workstation and concentrate completely on work.

By the time, the clock strikes 6.00 Pm I write two more stories. Deepak and Venkatesh have already left at around 5 and 5.30 Pm, respectively. I use the washroom after arranging all my stuff in my bag, and while coming out of the washroom watch Steven, engrossed in his laptop. I decide to not give a damn and not say "bye" as well. Grabbing my bag and mobile, I jog out of the office and hit the street.

It drizzles when I get down at the bus stop near my place. I speed up my walking pace to a great deal and reach home just as my mobile informs that it's 7.45 Pm.

After going home, I take a quick shower and get changed, so that I'm sitting before the television sharp at 8.00 Pm. I quickly shift to Romedy Now as Friends starts to play. I tread into the kitchen and get myself a can of diet coke before jogging back to the couch.

I'm totally into having a great time, laughing and enjoying Friends when my mobile buzzes and I get a text message on WhatsApp. I pick up my mobile from the couch and unlock the screen to find a message from Piyush, my ex-boyfriend.

Piyush was my second boyfriend but my first love. After he broke up with me back when we just graduated high school, I went into a depressed state of mind. Those few months I spent getting over our two-year old relationship, was traumatic in one word. After that, I bucked up real hard and told myself to not let one guy ruin the rest of my life. I went to college, discovered various sides of me that I didn't know existed and excelled in academic levels as well. Several guys came in my life after Piyush and I had chances to have another boyfriend by now, but somehow my heart has always craved for Piyush. I guess you never forget your first love.

Nonetheless, only last year after six years of separation I decided to contact him. We had a brutal break up with Piyush dumping me because I was too immature and impractical at 17. And then moving on to start a relationship with the girl who used to be my best friend in school. But in the course of six years, I forgot everything – the wounds healed and I wanted closure and not be angry on him anymore. Therefore, I messaged him last year on Facebook, in November and we started talking. Coincidentally, even he lives in Bangalore now and has a girlfriend of four years, whom he plans to marry in another four years time.