Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

2.7 | A Package + Dance With Me

He looked surprised for a second but did well in hiding it. "Then di picked your designs."

Payal nudged my shoulder in a smile as if to congratulate me while Aman said, "Alright, I'll get the work started on it."

Arnav countered, "Actually, I have some changes. So, Khushi, stay."

They nodded and left. As Lavanya passed me, I bit back a gasp when the front of her footwear stepped on mine.

As soon as she left, I huffed. "Does she hate me?!"

"Sit," he instructed as he stood up and walked around to hold the chair for me. "Sorry for making you walk up here."

I waved my hand carelessly, "I get it." He pushed the other chair opposite of me and I got his hint. Taking off my flats, I pulled my feet on it. He walked around his desk and pulled out a cream before forwarding it to me.

He sat on his chair in silence as I applied to cream to relieve the burn. After I was done, I screwed the lid back on and returned it. "Thanks."

He nodded back and suggested, "You can stay here and work on the sketches." I took him up on the offer deeming it best to let my foot rest. He turned a sheet of paper in my direction. "These are her changes. Ask if something doesn't make sense."

"Okay," I said and began reading. They were all minor things - each a suggestion of a different kind of fabric or use of a different intricate work on a couple of pieces. Nothing too hard to change and for me to resketch the design.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

Aman tapped on my desk computer, causing me to look up at him. "Do you have plans for tonight?"

I was taken aback at the sudden answer and had no idea how to answer. "Um... I guess not? Why?"

"Even if you do, you'd have to cancel them. We have a dinner party to attend." He informed and I somewhere relaxed as he wasn't asking me out for dinner or anything as the typical meaning of the question he had asked.

I frowned, however, on learning that it had barely been a week of working here and I was already being sent off to attend office parties. "Do I have to? I hate parties."

He tried to sound sympathetic, but his expression was anything but, "It really isn't my call. You've designed the calendar. Everyone will be wanting to meet you. Your presence is a must."

"I haven't been left with much of a choice then."

"Great, see you tonight. And oh, here's the invite." He placed it on my desk just before leaving. Taking it, I slipped it safely in my purse. I suppose I would need that to enter.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

I was sitting in the canteen with Payal during our lunch break just talking about how we got into designing and getting to know each other when the receptionist came up to us and told me, "There's a package here for you."

"Oh, uh leave it on my desk? I'll check it after lunch." I wondered if they were the samples of the material I had ordered for the dresses.

Half hour later, when I returned to my desk, there was a brown sealed box. It was too small to hold samples. Getting a pen, I poked it till I could pull the tape apart and picked up the printed pictures placed inside of it.

All of the of me. From outside the penthouse building to the office building. Some of them even from last night outside the restaurant where we'd celebrated Riddhima's birthday.