We rush back to the party. It's already 10:30. I was given one work and this had to happen today only. My hand hurts and it's hard. I rush back to the library as soon as possible.
My eyes try to find someone from the office but the rush hours have begun I guess. Everyone is trying to do something. I get busy in managing everything perfectly.
As I am trying to check in with the guest list of how many have arrived, I find Abhi sir talking to one of the staff.
" Sir I am back now. I'll take care of everything." I inform him.
" Oh wait. You go and take some rest as per the Vihaan Sir orders. Also, please report to the office the day after. Any holiday will not be entertained since we have to rush back so that we can manage the opening of the garden that's funded by ITC as well. You may get some burden there so take some rest and suit yourself well."
Oh the workload. " That's alright sir. I'll take care of it."
I rush to my friends place as soon as I get the leave. I am way too happy now. I reach the Khan Market area. Garvit's place is very near to this station. He is standing right before the metro gate.
" Oo my gadd!! Who is this beautiful?" He jumps from behind.
" oo my godd.. Hiieeee." I give him a hug. Behind him are Sara and Aditi. Both wrap me in a very tight hug I have been longing for all this time. I am so close to cry.
" My girllll!! We missed you aa Lot, like a lot. You look tired let me tell you. Let's get you all dolled up for a partyyyy gurl." Says Sara cheering me up.
Garvit, Sara and Aditi are my best friends since we were in the Hindu pursuing Political Science. We have been the best of friends since forever. Garvit is my cute bubbly guy who can make even Kim Jong un laugh although Sara with her kindness can make him kind and Aditi with her craziness can crack him up. These are my three people I love and miss the most besides family.
Garvit is studying and thinking of a start up and he's already rich. Sara is pursuing law and aims to be a lawyer and I know one day she will. Aditi is currently in Trinity, London + the most brightest. She is pursuing a PHd from Trinity, London from Political Science. I am proud of this bunch and they are proud of me.
We go to the metro station bathroom because of lack of time. I enhance my make up to the glamour one and put on my glam dress. I feel the best at this moment. No other moment can make me this happy. We all rush to Kitty Su in CP. It's a fancy club.
We dance, party, and I drink two more pegs but of whisky this time. I don't want to overdrink since I enjoy only when I am drunk well but aware of the bare minimum. I have been at those moments when I get drunk like anything and regret it a lot later so now I like to drink in limit. Yet today I feel uncontrollable. This feels good. We dance to almost every bolly song and it's 1:15 already.
We all come outside the club to go back to our place.
At the car, I open my phone only to see 15 missed calls from Abhi sir and the last was just 1 minute before. What the actual fuck? I call him back.
"Anika. Report back to the place. I repeat report back to the place. Vihaan Sir is calling you asap." He says loudly.
" But sir at this hour, how can I report there." I say worried.
" Where are you? I'll send you a car right now. Report back. Vihaan Sir is calling and he will hear no excuses." He says.
What the fuck? What does he want now?I did nothing wrong now. What could it possibly be?
" Sir. I will reach in ten minutes. Please wait. I am with a friend." I reply.
He hangs up.
"Are yr. This bloody boss of mine is the most annoying person ever I swear. And with all the drama that's happening. I so want to tell you guys. Please leave me at the hotel guys. I need to meet him." I say.
" Awwww our Anika is a big girl now. She has a messed up boss and I can't be more proud." Says Garvit while driving.
I reach the venue as soon as I reach. The programme is over and workers are binding up. I see Abhi sir at the back. I reach up to him and he takes a good north to south look at me and looks at me with great puzzle.
" Were you partying?" He asks in surprise.
" I guess that's allowed after work." I reply back to him. These bunch of cockroaches wants to eat my life up.
He calls Vihaan in front of me and hands me the phone after talking.
" Good evening Si..." I say.
" Come at 12th floor outside the pool."
He says.
" Okay sir." I say.
I rush to the 12th floor. There's a fancy pool and a posh sitting area beside it. Vihaan is reading " The Secret History" under the light and Ahana is there too. She looks at me and runs to me putting her phone beside her.
" Hey!! Wow girl you look impressive. Whom were you partying with huh?" She asks merryingly.
" Just with friend. How was your trip in UP?" I ask her.
" Oh it was so good. So many landscapes I have witnessed. Who knew UP could be this serenic." She said wondering.
" Indeed." I reply.
Vihaan comes from behind. " Ahana, urm can you talk to Abhi about the sleeping arrangements" He says to Ahana which is weird of him.
"Sure". She gives a smile and leaves.
" Hell..."
" Where were you?" He says raising his one eyebrow.
" I was with my friends sir." I say
" So you are all fine and you were partying with your friends. Correct?" He asks.
I wonder what is up with him now. " Yes sir I mean we haven't met from so long...
" yea yea yea I don't want to hear all that. With all the work and management load that has been there throughout out, I thought that maybe I should give you rest with your injury and apparently you are all fine and enjoying." He says sounding so weird to me.
" But sir Abhi sir only gave me directions to leave." I say.
" and you did not even care to say him once that you are fine and you can manage the work and chose to opt for the easy way out after all you've done to my privacy." He says raising his voice slightly.
" I mean really if I would have known that me partying can make such an impact then maybe I would have." I reply firmly too.
" Uhh ". He swings his head in disbelief. " and you had the audacity to drink in my grand event where you have clearly nothing to say in defence of why you did that? I clearly mentioned it in my details that it's strictly prohibited." He takes a step forward. " and guess what I had to do a complete check on my employees to see who else broke the rules and fortunately it was just you and one other temporary employee who I just fired." He says widening his eyes.
I am in utter disbelief. How does he know? Am I drunk now? Yes but how does he know that I drank in past and suddenly it all starts to make sense. Obviously it must be Aashna Di. Oh my god.
" urm I don't think that you are correct." I say trying to negate and make him understand better.
He takes a step forward standing just inches away from me. " Don't you dare lie to me again. I am not going to tolerate it a bit. Understood?" He says making his tone louder.
" Yes sir I might have got drunk. But it was not that much to be honest. I was just tired and ..
" Please stop. I am done with your excuses and stories. You firstly broke the rules and it's already a big blunder but then because of you, we got a big mess in our event, the shatter of the glass pyramid." He says loudly.
I sigh in disbelief. " How am I responsible for the shatter of glass pyramid I don't understand. How does any of it makes sense to you? It was not me rather it was because of that incident that I got injured."
" That's something that you need to figure out on your own. I have a lot of engagements than engaging in this particular talk of yours. Now be all ears, with all the past blunders and mistakes that have taken place because of you, the company has decided to cut your salary 30% for this month. If you happen to have any problems, please send an application to the ITC's employee help desk and one committee will be set up then and there which will take you forward. That's how the procedure goes, for any other doubts talk to Abhi." He says turning towards his chair.
What did he just say to me? What is he trying to do here? Should I just resign because I am at my angriest right now? Should I just break his head and split it into two because that's how much frustrated I am?
I go towards him and say loudly, " But sir how is any of this justifiable to you? That glass shatter was not because of me then what is it that you have against me right now? Why are you so hateful right now?" I say literally while shivering. I am not drunk anymore infact I feel the most sober right now. This is outright wrong.
" So you think what I am doing is injustice? Why exactly? Just because I cut your salary 30%? What about the other losses that you have caused since day one." He says on a serious note.
" Well, if that's how you feel then I would like to resign?" I say with all my will.
He lets out a little laugh. " Have you forgotten about the contract?" He says leaving out a fishy smile.
I sigh. " If that's the case, I can't wait to forward my complaint to the ITC office." I reply looking right at him.
" And I can't wait to let your father know how dedicated you are towards me." He says replying in the same tone as me.
I am in utter disbelief of whatever he is saying. " Fine by me." I reply in the same rude tone.
He steps forward. " You really don't have any idea what losses you have done right? Because of that mishap, I lost two investors since I got busy with the clearing of that mess that you left with. "
" I am sorry I guess." I say lightly giggling.
He pulls out his phone and shows me the video and damn he's right. I suddenly remember that something got stuck with my leg while I was posing due to which I had tripped a little bit but had no idea that it was actually one leg of the table which the waiter was carrying because of which it fell three feets apart from us. The ignorance might be because of drunk me obviously. I let out a sigh yet again.
I take a hold of his phone to get a clearer view but he tries to take his back. So I move backwards so that I can take just a clear cut view if it was just me from which the table got stuck or was it Bhabhi too.
To my addition of problems, Vihaan tries to snatch the phone and to get a more vivid look of the video I step backward. He says loudly, " Careful."
I am falling behind. I let out his phone in air and he catches it just in time and in the next second, my head hits the cold gush of water in the pool and I am in the pool now. Terror strikes me because I don't know how to swim.
I get impatient. As soon as I sink upwards I shout " I don't know how to swimming... guurr... guurrrr Hellppppp" I am unable to breathe properly. I feel like I will diee.
Vihaan pulls me upwards by my waist and sighs a long breath. " Stop freaking out first. You are fine now. I said stop panicking Anika. says Vihaan firmly.
I look up to him and he is in a very instructive mode instead. Now that I can breathe, I calm down. My anxiety really does wonders sometimes. I panick like shit at times. I calm myself down and try to catch my normal breath rate by taking deep breaths. I can finally breathe now.
He drifts me sidewards and lifts me up by one corner of the pool. I sit down while shivering. He lifts himself up and comes on the surface.
" Are you out of your mind? What were you trying to do? And who told you to stand so near to pool when you don't even know how to swim?." Vihaan asks freakingly. His face is giving tones of anger mixed with concern.
" I was just trying to take a clearer view." I reply.
" Take Ahana clothes for today if you want." He advises.
" No it's fine. My friends are here only. I will take a leave." I reply while going away.
" Listen" says Vihaan " For god's sake, stop meddling to much in my engagements. Limit yourself or else I will be left with no choice but to set up an enquiry against you which will not look good for your recommendation. I am warning you Anika. This is the last mistake I am bearing from your side." He says clearly not changing any of his viewpoints. He really thinks I am the reason why his damned glass pyramid got broke.
" I'll take care of it." I reply back.
We both reach downstairs through the lift and Garvit is waiting there.
" Oh my god!! What just happened to you?" He asks in shock.
" Nothing, I slipped. Let's rush." I say.
" Oh He must be your boss." He says while looking at Vihaan. " Garvit, Sir." He says while offering handshake.
Vihaan returns the gesture while saying " Nice to meet you."
" Thankyou Sir. I shall bid you night" I say while returning to the car in shivers