Imperfectly Perfect

Chapter 10 - Don't cross the limit

"You mean gossiping, right?" He breaks into laughter.

I widen my eyes and stare at him.

The next few minutes, I explain to him that Amrita and I were discussing about the model and possibilities of him featuring in Taylor Swift's music video of "Wildest Dreams". God knows, if he understood, but from his psychotic expressions he looked he wasn't even interested to listen.

"Anyway, these guys are going for movie today. I wanna go home early, but leaving before everyone does look bad; so I'm waiting actually," he breaks into laughter again.

I look on my monitor and ask God why he is putting me in this situation. Suddenly when I lock my sights with Shekhar again, I find him looking at Steven and even exchanging smiles with him. I turn around and try to catch Steven's expressions, but due to my tiny height I can't see his face in a sitting posture nor can I rise to my feet lest look desperate.

I furrow my brows and think about whatever the hell has been happening since yesterday. No matter how much I hate to admit I'm getting the feeling that Steven is trying to hook me up with Shekhar. And I know that that is so out of the world ridiculous. Maybe he has understood that I like him or maybe he hasn't, maybe he doesn't like me back or maybe he's just shy – however, for no reason does he have the right to set me up with someone because honestly he isn't my friend even. In fact, I don't even know what are we?

"Alright, you carry with your model discussion. I'll leave now, bye," Shekhar tells after how long I don't know. Maybe he has been blabbering all this time while I mused on my thoughts, but whatever – like I care.

He smiles at me one last time and I return him the favor.

I feel like such a big shit that I decide to not spend even a mini second in office anymore. Therefore, I quickly start arranging my things in my bag and go to the washroom.

When I come back and look at my monitor to shut the machine down, I see a new notification on Facebook. I remember that I haven't closed the tabs and I begin to cancel the tabs before pulling up Facebook to check the notification. To my utmost surprise, I receive a friend request from Shekhar. I feel confident now about him liking me and Steven helping him with that. I know I don't even know Steven that well and I shouldn't give him that importance at all, but for some reason I feel a lump in my throat. I feel all the loneliness of the world embracing me and all I want to do now is leaving everything and just running back home, to people who cares about me and loves me.

I accept Shekhar's friend request, anyway because I don't want him to feel insulted. I have no reason to blame him because he didn't verbally tell me that he likes me, it's just my assumption – which can always be false. And most significantly, I don't want to turn into Steven and work in the same office with Shekhar and not accept his friend request. I want disparity between us because I know I'm a better person with a big heart.

I leave office in another ten minutes and when I hit the road it's drizzling. I don't have an umbrella, so I adopt a very high pace and almost gallop my way to the bus stop near the traffic signal. Thankfully, a bus quickly arrives and I hurriedly board it.

No sooner do I sit by the window than I get a notification of messenger on my mobile. I unlock the screen and stare at it with widened eyes because it's a message from Shekhar. He has sent me three messages, and I open them to read.

"Hey, still discussing about that model, huh?" the first message reads.

"Or did you guys get any new topic to talk about?" the second message reads.

"Give me your number, Nadddiiiaaaa," the third message reads.

I grit my teeth and look out of the window, somehow swallowing my anger. I dial Sirin's number and she picks up within four rings.