Nandini's pov
I couldn't stop thinking about what Cabir said, the entire day that was the only thought that kept me occupied. I was thinking about the pros and cons of Cabir's plan. The more I thought I came to a conclusion something or the other would come up and mess with my mind all over again.
More than my work this has been stressing me mentally and emotionally. I tried working to get my mind off these thoughts but this time that didn't help either, it was getting on my nerves now.
I know somewhere what I should be doing but still there's some part of me is preventing me from doing so, I tell you this is so damm confusing...
all in all I am a mess right now, my mind is as messy as my table is . In all these thoughts I never realized it was the time for our lunch break even though I had lost my appetite, I dragged myself to the cafeteria at least it was better than sulking here alone, with a hope that maybe something set my mood right which is messed up since morning.
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I entered the jam packed cafeteria. It was difficult to even move without getting dashed with someone, today it was more crowded no actually a lot more than the previous day...here I came to set my mood right but this crowd is not helping me at all.
I was about to return back to my cabin just when I heard my name being literally yelled which but obvious made me look at the direction of the voice.
I turned and after a little eye-searching i figured out it was Aryaman. He reached up to me somehow between these 'hungry like haven't eaten in days' bunch of people i could literally see him struggling to get to me.
"Hey!" he said huffing as if he ran a mile to reach me when it took hardly some steps and a few pushes here and there.
"Hey, you okay?" I asked as if he actually ran a mile.*how dumb can I be sometimes*
"yeah, wanna join we all are having lunch together"
he said, considering I didn't really had a company and it may help in getting my mind distracted I didn't had much reasons to deny, so I gave in and followed aryaman to the table where his friends were sitting not forgetting it also took us a few steps and lots of pushing to get through the hungry crowd.
"Hey guys attention everyone, this is Nandini our new senior architect she joined I guess a day or two before, also she's a friend now and Nandini these are my friends"
Aryaman said grabbing all his friends attention. All of them gave me a welcoming smile that I reflected back, it was a group of 3 boys including aryaman and 2 girls all of them appeared to be chill and for me it was good to know them after all making new friends is never bad.
My decision of coming here actually worked for me it helped me divert my mind to a great extent. After a long time I actually felt like having friends as I had been a geek my entire school and college life I never really had 'through thin and thick' kinda friendship.
Being with them today made me realize how much I have missed out on, their company was fun, with Aryaman's healthy flirting here and there, lame jokes, secret talks and some getting to know each other lunch went well. We then separated our ways so as to start with our respective works again.
I was almost done with my work for today and it was still a hour and a half left for office hours to end. I didn't feel like going home even as after lunch I was back in my sulking mood and going back home to chachi's questions is the last thing I want, I feel terrible lying to her but hell I don't have an option either.
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I opened my eyes only to shut it back as the bright light poked my eyes. My eyes involuntarily went towards the clock only to realize it was past office hours. The last I remember is I leaned my head on my table to rest a bit maybe that's when I fell asleep without realizing.
I left a message to chachi so that she doesn't gets worked up on me not being home yet. I started gathering my stuff to leave and within 10 minutes I left my cabin. The door closed behind my back and as I was about to walk towards the elevator I glanced at the mystery room. What if he's inside * my subconscious poked* I shrugged that voice and moved forward towards the elevator..
Two steps...no Nandini keep going u can't do this the consequences are gonna be bad..
Three steps....don't look back keep going you are almost there just get inside the elevator and that's it.
Four steps.......enough now. I can't do this, this curiosity is killing me I have to know what is in there. He's there or not doesn't matter.
And in a minute I find myself standing in front of the mystery room. Having a last minute debate whether to go forward with the decision or not. after a good while I finally decided to put end to this forever and at least have a peek at what's inside.
Muttering up the much needed courage I pushed the door slightly. The room was dimly and by dimly I mean very, very dimly lit with red light, it took a while for my eyes to adjust with the light. The door was open just a bit for me to hardly see anything except the lights.
I pushed it further to get a much clear view of the inside. Just when I did so a loud voice of something breaking made it to my ears which made me startle as it was sudden my eyes followed the noise and what I saw made me freeze at my place.
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He was in there starring at the wall in front of him. The room was so dimly lit that I hardly could look at his face so it was nearly impossible for me to figure out what he was starring at and also the wall that was blocking my view didn't help either.
As much as I could see it seemed like the rest of the walls had something on them which I figured out to be photo frames. But the odd part was there were too many of them like a whole lot of them, I tried to get a clear look at the frames but with those lights it was impossible. My eyes feel on the broken vase lying on the floor which I suppose made that loud noice.
I did not realize for how long I have been starring at him and he was starring at that certain something. I guess it's been at least half an hour or more still I see no sign of him of getting out of the room, forget getting out I guess he's blinking hardly once or twice in a minute, after few minutes I saw him moving a bit, it was the first time he made any moment in the last almost 45 minutes.
Taking that as a sign of him leaving the room I rushed and found a place to hide. And just as I predicted he did came out closing the door behind and just like yesterday night he left towards the elevator with the same devastated state as yesterday, his eyes as red as they were the previous day, but one thing that stuck me was, I was observing him for almost the entire time he was in there even if he was in there from a long time still there were no dried tear marks on his face just his eyes were red, crimson red, and that made me wonder
that's when I recalled Cabir's words "all i am trying to say is we have to get him to talk about it. He has kept things with himself for a long time now, maybe then he might feel a bit relieved as this thing has been eating him from inside"
The confusion that I had throughout the day, seems like i finally found an answer for that
I took my cell and made a call asking the person to meet me urgently......
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I was waiting in one of the café near infinity for the person to show up it's been fifteen minutes of me waiting hear anxiously and my restlessness is just increasing with the passing seconds.
"Hey" i heard the mush awaited voice.
" hey Cabir" yes! it was Cabir. After seeing him once again in that same devastated state and that room I couldn't stop myself from calling him. Whatever this mystery is I need to get it solved only then I'll get some peace. After seeing him today inside that room I bet I wouldn't be able to think about anything else the entire night so waiting till tomorrow was not even an option. Cabir occupied the seat parallel to mine.
" What is it Nandini, is everything fine you called me here urgently you sounded so anxious"
"Cabir um...the thing you told me this morning about Mr Malhotra...I think I am up for it" I said and i could feel cabir's entire attention was on me.
" You mean to say you are up for the plan??" he sounded kinda happy.
" yes I guess.." I said trying my best to not sound hesitant.
"oh my god! Nandini thank you so much for considering my request i cannot tell you how happy you made me" he was gleaming. Looking at him I couldn't help but smile.
"Can I ask you something??" he asked and i nodded.
"what made you change your decision all of a sudden. I mean today morning when I told you about the plan I was sure u aren't gonna agree so why this sudden change can I know the reason"
he asked one hell of a curious cat he was. I actually had no answer for his question though, what should I say, ' I was spying on your friend even though it was none of my business and his broken face made my heart melt so I am ready to help you execute your not-so-fool proof plan'. So I made up whatever I could.
" I gave it a thought and realized it ain't actually that bad of a plan and who knows it might do wonders"
"One more thing my little mouth is aching to ask is, why are you so worried about him? I mean u ain't getting anything by doing this for him so why??"
this question did hit me hard. Why was I so worried about him? Why does him being broken bother me? Why did I felt choked up when I saw his eyes red?? Is it really just the mystery I am attracted to or the person the mystery is about........
Tumhari fikr ke liye
Humara koi rishta hona
Zaruri nhi.....
~unknown
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