Posted on April 23rd, 2017 | Edited on October 9th, 2018
| . . . C H A P T E R - 2.7.1 : A - P A C K A G E. . . |
The next day at work, Aman explained. "I've chosen two of the five designs that I think should be used for the calendar. Now, it's on the big bosses to select one of the two. As such, Payal and Khushi, congratulations. You get to be designers today. Everyone else, keep trying at the next project you're assigned to."
Having heard my designs were one of the two, I tended to zone out and let him continue with his set of instructions. My job here as a designer was safe.
"...now, it doesn't matter which of the two sets will be picked to feature, both of you will work together on making the sketches happen in reality." He stopped for a second as if seeing I wasn't paying attention, and called me out. "Khushi, with us?"
"Hmm?" I shook out of my dreamland and smiled. "Yes. Yeah."
He shook his head as if to reprimand me and went on, "We'll know by lunch which one is selected. Until then, get to your desks and read through this file."
We nodded and left his cabin. A girl smiled at me offering me her hand, "Payal."
"Khushi." I smiled back
"I'm so excited! Come, let's go find our desks." She chirped taking my hand to drag me. I winced and pulled at our hands to stop her. "What's wrong?"
I nodded towards my leg, "A bit burnt. Kitchen accident last night."
She shook her head and admonished, "Should be more careful na."
I couldn't help but comment, "Are you always this nice to everyone?"
She winked, "Na, just to those who have such pretty smiles."
I grinned along with her and this time, she walked beside me keeping to my pace. There was relief. It wouldn't be so hard to work alongside her.
Her eyes fell on my engagement ring, "Oh wow. Look at the size of it!"
"Uh... it's just a ring."
She looked at me pointedly, "Just a ring? Khushi, look at the diamond! Look at how it shines. The fine cut. I can only imagine how expensive it must be. Besides, it's definitely not just a ring. It's your engagement ring!"
I stopped her scolding with a laugh, "Okay, okay! It's a ring. Happy?"
"Your fiancé must really love you."
"Sure," I answered half-heartedly because that was... debatable. Is love defined in how expensive the ring is?
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .
Around 11 in the morning, we were called up to Arnav's cabin. In my heart, I wanted to curse at him. Why was he making me climb up the stairs when he knew my foot was burned? It took me forever to climb. Then again, I couldn't hold it against him for treated everyone similarly and not giving me any special treatment just because of what we had.
What do you have?
My mind chose to nag at me.
Once entering his cabin, I noticed everyone was already there. Aman, Lavanya, Arnav, and Payal. I quietly went and stood next to Payal as Lavanya and Aman were seated in the chairs before us.
Arnav pulled out one of the designs from the stack he had, "Who made this?"
Payal looked at me and I answered, "I did."
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.
They were taken as they are when someone is being stalked. In this case, me.
I felt my feet give in as I fell back in the chair. Someone was following me. Who? Why? It all made no sense until I came across a slip of paper.
I'm coming for you - V.
There was only one person I knew whose name started with V that could do something as such. I tried to not panic but it was too late. My fingers began trembling and my heart was again pounding faster. My ears were ringing and I felt sick to my stomach. Not like when one is ill. But sick, as in related to disgust.
I was far away from home, from Shimla, and still, I wasn't safe.
My past was coming back to haunt me.
I needed to get out of here. I needed to get to Armaan and Riddhima. Only they could help me. I would feel safe only with the two of them by my side.
As I felt I could no longer breathe on my own, I started looking around for my purse.
A voice asked, "What are you looking for?"
It was familiar, but I didn't focus on that. Where was my purse? I had no clue of my surroundings and everything on my table looked as if it were moving but in fact, it was my dizzy head, blurring from lack of proper oxygen.
Someone pushed me down on the chair. I hadn't realized when I had gotten up on my feet. The voice repeated firmly, "What are you looking for?!"
I gasped to inhale a deep breath and managed to speak. "My purse."
The next second, I felt something in my hands. My purse. Without caring to thank the person, I quickly opened it and emptied the contents out on the desk surface. I grabbed the inhaler that had dropped along with bunch of other things and only then could I breathe again.
Few slow and paced breaths, I was able to return my pulse and breathing to normal so I wasn't panting.
"Thank you," I said and looked up to meet Arnav's confused and fearful eyes.
I hadn't expected him to be at my desk. I looked around to see how empty the place looked.
"Are you okay?" He asked looking at me in great concern.
My voice came out hoarse and my head felt heavy as I nodded. "Yes."
He squinted, "Khushi, you just used an inhaler."
"Yes, but I'm fine. I just had a panic attack." I didn't give him change to question why. "Where's everyone? What time is it?"
"6:30."
My head snapped back towards him, "What?"
"What 'what'?"
Did I really stare at these photos since about 5 hours now? "Nothing," I mumbled and stood up to put everything back in my purse.
He used that silence to question, "Why were you having a panic attack?"
I turned a deaf ear to it and announced instead, "I need to get home. I'll see you tomorrow."
He took a long step to block my path, "Khushi, I'm your ride home."
"What?"
He looked back at me clueless, "Did Armaan not tell you? Or did you not check your phone? He told me he texted you when you weren't picking up."
Oh. Right, um... where was my phone? I looked around for it. Again, not finding it.
Arnav pointed at my purse, "You just put it in there. Seriously, what's wrong? You're starting to worry me."
I brushed it off and unzipped my purse to pull out my phone. Sure enough, there were 9 missed calls and 2 messages. "There is nothing to worry about," I lied as if to convince myself, "Uh... can you take me to the studio instead? I need to see Armaan and Riddhima before the party."
"I don't mind but you do realize the studio is half hour in the opposite direction? Back and forth would atleast be an hour and with evening traffic, we don't have that much time. Party starts at 8. I don't like being late."
"Just drop me off then! There's no way in hell I am going home right now or the party without meeting those two." I snapped in irritation for him focusing on logistics instead of listening. Then, I inhaled deeply to calm down. he didn't know anything and it wasn't right of me to get mad at him over it. "Look, I'm sorry. You don't like being late. Got it. But just once, would it matter if you are?"
After observing for a second, noticing the pinch of urgency in my tone, he made his decision. "No, it won't. Studio it is."
I picked up the box even though I did not want to. What other option did I have? I could not leave it here.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .
| . . . C H A P T E R - 2.7.2 : D A N C E - W I T H - M E . . . |
Arnav stated as he drove, "You didn't answer my question."
It had been fifteen minutes in the car with neither of us speaking. "What question?"
"About why you were panicking." When I didn't say anything, he let out a sigh. "Didn't we agree on a clean slate?"
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"It means that when a friend asks a question, you should answer."
"Please... can we not talk about this right now? I have a lot on my mind and I don't want to have any conversation right now in this mood." I requested even if he was right.
Clean slate meant being friends but it didn't mean it would be that easy to get me to tell him about today. He didn't probe it further, probably noticing that I didn't refuse to talk about it completely. I just did not want to talk about it right now.
After twenty minutes later, he pulled up in the lot. when I saw him unbuckling, I denied, "You don't have to come. Armaan can take me back home."
He shrugged, "I already told you; it doesn't matter if I am late for once."
So, we entered the studio and asked around where Armaan would be. They directed us to a particular floor and Arnav nodded at me to go on, telling he'd wait down here. I smiled gratefully at him for giving me space and I got inside the elevator.
When Armaan saw me, he looked happy and worried at the same time. "Doll. What are you doing here? How'd you get here?"
"Arnav." I looked around and asked, "Can I talk to you?"
He nodded and found a secluded room for us.
I managed to speak as I handed him the box, "I... got this today at work."
Taking one look at it, he opened the box and soon cursed before comforting me, "It's okay. Doll, listen to me. I won't let him get anywhere near you."
I hugged him with all my life as tears broke loose and my voice broke, "I just want to forget it ever happened... is that too much to ask for? Why is he back again?"
Armaan stroked my hair to console me, "Doesn't matter. He only wants to scare you."
I exclaimed pulling back from the hug, "I am scared!" There was so much more I wanted to say. The emotional havoc inside of me was far greater for it to be placed in words.
He wiped my tears with the pad of this thumbs and cupped my face, "Yes, but he does not need to know that. We won't give him that leverage, right?"
He tried to explain that it was okay to be scared; it just didn't have to be shown to those who could take advantage of it. Putting a brave façade would work at our advantage more than giving in to what he wanted.
I didn't know if I could do it though.
Receiving these photos had shaken my soul to the core.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .
At the party, I reached for the glass in Armaan's hand who had came as my plus one, refusing to leave me alone for the night for he knew just how rattled I was. I pulled it away from me and I gaped. "Don't tell me that has alcohol in it."
"Guilty as charged."
"Armaan." I scolded him.
He shrugged, "What? It's the days demand."
I let him be as he was trying to come to terms with the same fact I was having trouble grasping. "Oh, alright. I'm going to go find Aman."
He held my elbow to stop me, "Oh, no. You're going to eat first."
It was close to 9 in the night and I hadn't had anything to eat since noon. I did need to eat. We walked towards the food area. I instantly made a face at the smell, "I am not eating seafood."
"Well... that sucks." He muttered looking around to find seafood and continental on tonight's catering and neither of which were up to par in our lists of food we preferred eating. "I'm going down to reception to order something from the restaurant as soon as Arnav gets here."
"Won't that be wrong?"
"Ofcourse not," He grinned, "Are you forgetting who your brother is?"
I rolled my eyes, "Don't let that stardom get to your head, big bro."
He chuckled as we walked away so we wouldn't have to put up with the smell, "I don't have to worry about that. You'll snap me out of it if it does threaten me."
Aman came up to us and pulled me away to introduce me to some people. The whole time, Armaan kept an eye on me from distance.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .
A guy approached me when I was standing by myself and looking around to find Armaan. I had spotted him talking to Arnav a few minutes ago but he was nowhere to be seen right now. "May I have one dance with the pretty lady?" A European accent.
I was in a fix. How was I supposed to deny without offending him? Saying no did not seem to be an option the way Aman was looking at me
The last thing I expected was Arnav coming to my rescue, "Can I have a word with you?"
The guy beat me to an answer, "Business can wait till later, ASR. Time to enjoy, remember?"
He spoke firmly in a professional manner, "Yes, business can wait, Joe, but her fiancé is waiting for her. Not much I can do here, can I?"
My eyes bulged out thinking he was about to reveal our relationship just as Joe's eyes traveled down to the solitaire on my finger. Honestly, how could anyone miss seeing that huge stone?
Armaan walked up just them, "There you are, doll. Come, let's dance." He took me away, mouthing a thank you to Arnav. He smiled back though there was something else in his expression that I couldn't pin point.
I sighed in relief once rescued from that train wreck and then scowled at Armaan, "My brother in shining armor, minus the shining armor, what took you so long? Weren't you claiming to not leave my side tonight?"
He laughed in amusement, "Hey, atleast your knight in shining armor, minus the shining armor but in a dashing suit, saved you."
I did everything in my power to not look around and spot the aforementioned person by diverting the topic. "Now dance with me, lover boy," I said and started asking him about how things were between him and Riddhima.
Involuntarily, my eyes flickered to Arnav's towards the end of the song. He was dancing with Lavanya. I couldn't help but gape. Was he really dancing with her? Out of all the people... her!
Then, realizing what I was thinking, I scolded myself. Okay, so what? He's dancing with her. Big deal. Not like our engagement is real. He can dance with whoever he wants to. Besides, they have a long history given they share a child.
Armaan's voice returned me to look away, "Khushi, you alright? You look pissed."
"Yup, just peachy." I forced a smile on my face.
He raised a brow, "Would you rather dance with Arnav?"
"WHAT?" I had to exclaim at what he was insinuating.
"Doll, I'm Armaan. Remember? Your brother. I know you more than you know yourself. So, relax. It's just a dance. No one knows he's engaged. He can't deny when someone asks him for a dance."
"Yes, he can." I argued, "And that's Lavanya. Surely she knows."
He pointed out, "Doll, listen to yourself. You're not jealous, are you?"
I scoffed, "Jealous? That's ridiculous. I don't care who he dances with."
"I think you do."
"I do not!"
Did he want me to beat him up? Why was everyone always on my case, saying I cared about Arnav and what he did?
"Then will you please not hold my hand so tightly?"
My attention drifted to my grip on his hand and I instantly released it, embarrassed.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .