Preeti's point of view
It's already a 7 p.m of the evening but my work isn't complete yet. There is a some problem in cash.
When I telly the cash it shows short in cash. Cash in my hand did not match the records in computer. I start getting panic. I telly the cash again and again but it shows same result. It never happened before by me. I mean it happen before that the cash was get short by mistake but it happen first time by me and that to be 50,000 rs.
I go to the manager and tell him everything. He scolded me in front of everyone and soon every member of staff start searching the cash. Some check the files of withdrawal and deposit and some check the telly register again. But everyone fails to found out that where the cash got short.
"Preeti....Preeti..." Manager(my boss) started shout my name.
"I already warn you about today that I don't want any mistakes. Your three month salary will be cut. This is your mistake. So you have to pay for it." Manager yelled on me.
"Sorry sir...but how this was my mistake. It never happen before by me. Please..don't cut my salary. I'll pay you in installments." I pleaded in front of him. Now staff gathered to watch the drama where Manager sir shouting on me.
"No, sir...don't listen to her. Just cut her three month salary so she get the lesson." Priyanka said venomously.
"She always do her work carelessly. Today also She is talking to someone on phone. I saw her from my desk." She said looking at me.
Then it clicks in my mind that Priyanka handel the cash counter when I went to Nidhi to help her in some loans.
"Priyanka handel the cash for sometime when I went to Nidhi to help her. Maybe it's her mistake that she got the cash short." I said to manager.
"What did you just said, you whore. You left the counter for just a minute. You were busy whoring around that's why cash got short." Priyanka said with in anger. Tears welled up in my eyes hearing her vulgar words for me.
"Priyanka watch your language before speak." manger said to her.
"No sir I'm telling the truth. She spread her legs in front of everyone to get her job done from them and when they couldn't full fill her wish she stole money from here." She said looking at me with so much hatred.
Tears are not stopping from my eyes when she said such things to me. Thank God Siddharth isn't here yet. What will he think about me if he heard such false things about me and how people treated me like a trash in my work place and what they think about me. What will he think that I have no respect at my work place. Thinking all of this fresh tears streamed out from my eyes.
Everyone is watching all this like a show but no one came forward to stop Priyanka say such words to me they all were just stood there like a statues and hear her vulgar words to me.
Not everyone in here is bad as Priyanka, some of them are kind and are my friends but they all afraid to say anything against to her cause they don't want to lose their job. I looked at Nidhi for help that she come in front and tell everyone truth about Priyanka but she smirked at me.
How could I forget that she is one of the minions of Priyanka. Nobody wants to mess with her because she is a girlfriend of our boss and the daughter of the management head of the city.
"Please, don't say this." I whispered between my sobs while lowering my head.
"What happen bitch, can't hear your truth." She mocked me.
"Babe... what are you saying?" Manager asked her.
"Babe... I saw a handsome guy with her in black audi, who dropped her to office this morning and they were about to kiss. I'm sure he is a new customer of her, isn't he Preeti." She spit venomously.
That's it, she can say anything to me but she don't have any rights to say anything against my Siddharth.
"Don't say anything vulgar about him Priyanka. I swear to God I won't spare you if you said any single word against him. Don't bring him in your dirty politics." I said angrily while pointing my fore finger to her.
"You are the one who stole the money. I saw you, you hide something in your purse when I came back to my counter. Show your bag to everyone. " I said to her angrily while tears keep streaming out from my eyes.
"Preeti..don't fuckin blame to others when we all know that mistake is yours and don't dare to talk to her like that." Manager (my boss) barked in anger and looked at me furiously.
Priyanka take a step towards me while glaring at me and greeted her teeth.
"What did you just say bitch, huh.." she raised her hand to slap me.
I shivered in fear and squeezed my eyes shut tightly. I am ready to take the pain and wait for her hand to hit me but it didn't come.
I opened my eyes slowly and saw Siddharth holding Priyanka's hand in air and look at her with red bloodshot angry eyes. His jaw is clenched, shoulders are tensed. His veins are popping out in anger and his other hand is balled in fist.
He slowly turn his head towards me and look at me with bloodshot angry eyes. Tears are hung on my lashes making them heavy and I looked at him with my red puffy teary eyes. His eyes soften little bit looking at me but he cover it up soon before anyone can see them and turn his head again towards Priyanka with a rage of anger in his eyes. He left Priyanka's hand with a jerk.
Siddharth open his mouth to say something but I held his hand in mine to stop him and shake my head as 'no' while looking down but he ignored me.
"Say any word against to my fiance. I will make sure to make your fucking life living hell that you regret to work here." Siddharth said to Priyanka in his dangerous angry voice.
".....and if you ever I mean ever raised your hand to her you regret the day you born." Siddharth said every word slowly and dangerously while look at her with his furious eyes.
"Don't mix your personal and professional life together. Respect your every employee instead of whoring around." Siddharth turn to the manager and said to him with same dangerous and rage fill voice.
"Excuse me...who the hell are you talking to me and my girlfriend like that." Manager pushed Siddharth by his chest.
"Siddharth.." I gasped.
Siddharth punched manager in his face. He fell on the floor and his nose started bleeding. Siddhartha make stand him by holding his collar.
"I'm sure you don't wanna know who the hell I am. My one phone call and you are jobless and if you can't handle your job then leave it because next time anything happen to my Preeti or I will see a single tear in her eyes I swear to God I will ruin this company and will fuck your life even before you blink. You don't know how far I can go for her and trust me I love to bulli them who try to mess with me or the person I love. This is my favorite game in college and I will love to play this again." Siddharth said with his greeted teeth then pushed the manager back and leave his collar.
Then he took out his phone from his jeans pocket and transfer money in company's account.
Siddharth intertwine our hands and drag me outside the door.
........................................................................
We were standing in a parking lot of my office near his car. My head is bent down and tears are keep falling from my eyes.
"Why do you work at such place where you don't get respect, where everyone treats you like a trash." He said moving his hand in his hair to control his anger. I feel very small and disgust myself in front of him.
"What if I didn't come in time huh..and most importantly why didn't you take a stand for yourself when she was insulting you with mean words and instead of that you take stand for me.. Why Preeti...why?" He said angrily to me.
All this time I lower my head down and continue sobbing and sniffling. I am a cry mess now. I don't have a courage to face him. He saw the part of my life which I don't want him to see. I don't have any answer of his question. I stood there quietly.
"Say something damn it" He punched his car beside my head. I gasped in fear and put my both hand on my face due to fear. I don't have enough courage to face his anger. I sob slowly under my hands.
Siddharth slowly removed my hand from my face and pull me in a tight hug. I hug him back and hide my face on his chest. He nuzzled his face in the crook of my neck and inhaled my scent deeply to calm himself. Fresh tears escape from my eyes and I nuzzleed more to his chest while sniffing silently. I tightened my hold around his waist like my life is depends on him.
" I am sorry for being a dick. I shouldn't have snapped at you." He said on my shoulder and pull me closer to him if that possible. My cheeks redden hearing his cursing. He has a blunt tongue.
"No, it's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself." I said while sniffing.
He broke the hug and touched our foreheads.
"Preeti promise me you will not be this weak next time when someone will say inappropriate things to you. Promise me you will stand for yourself." He whispered. I slowly nodded my head as 'yes.'
He kissed on my forehead and I closed my eyes, leaning to his kiss when he comfort me. My heart is beating fast but at the same time it feels calm.
"I really hate these tears in your eyes." He whispered while wiping my fresh tears which just streamed out from my eyes and looked into my eyes with so much emotions and care. But his eyes are showed pain unlike other days when he looked at me. I know he is also hurt looking at me like this. I can't afford to look more in his eyes so lower my eyelids and gasped when I saw blood is oozing out from the knuckles of his hand.
"You hurt yourself." I said while holding his hand in mine which he used to puch manager and his car. He had a buries in his hand and blood is coming out from the small cut.
"It's nothing. I'm fine." He said while taking back his hand from mine.
"No, let me take care of it. Please open the car." I said looking at him worriedly. More tears came from my eyes when I saw blood in his hand. This happened because of him. He hurt himself because of me.
He open the lock of car with the car keys. I opened the passenger door and hopped inside to search the first aid box. I found it in a reck front of passenger seat. I turn and gestured him to sit in the car. He walked around and set on the driver seat. I closed the passenger door when he hopped inside the car. I know he is still upset. I can see in his eyes. They are not glistening the way when he meet me. The glow in his eyes is missing.
I turn to his side and took his hand in mine and check it. I feel hurt to look at his wounded hand. I looked at him and he is already looking at me. My vision get blurry due to tears in my eyes but I don't let them fall.
"Why do you have to hit the car... now look what happen." I said in my shaky voice.
"Preeti don't worry, I'm fine, it's nothing." He said looking at me.
I took a sprite bottle from kit and socked the cotton in sprit .
"It will hurt little." I said looking at him. He nodded his head. I clean the wound with the help of cotton and spirit.
He winced in pain.
"I am sorry..." I gasped.
"It's Okey Preeti... It's nothing." He whispered looking at me.
I cleaned his wound again, this time very carefully. He looked at me with intensely and look my every move. I can feel his heated gaze on me boring the holes in my body.
Then I take the ointment and apply on it carefully. I looked for the bandage but I could not find it inside the first aid kit.
"Where is bandage?" I asked looking inside the kit.
"I don't know. It's okey, leave it I'm fine." He said.
"No.." I said looking at him.
"Wait.." I take my dupatta (scarf).
"Preeti what are you doing." Before he could stop me I tore my dupatta in a thin strip.
I took his hand into mine and wrap his wound with my dupatta (scarf).
........................................................................
He is still upset I can say that by looking at his tensed muscles and his grip on the steering wheel. His knuckle turn into a white due to his tightening grip on the steering wheel.
We are in our way back to home. The ride is very silent and uncomfortable that you can cut it with knife. He didn't say anything.
Today the way Siddharth gave me respect by calling me his fiance in front of everyone only a lover can do this. The way he took my side and consoled me I know I fallen hard for him. I love him so much. I don't know if he love me or not but I love him till eternity, till my last breath.
I looked at his hand which he used to changing the gear. I wanted to hold it but I'm too afraid to do. I forward my hand to hold his but I pull it back when change the gear aggressively. I try once again but due to lack of courage I pull it back once again. After sometime I forward my hand to hold his hand in mine but I feared to touch him so I pull it back but to my surprise Siddharth hold my hand in his and intertwine our fingers.
My heart beat increase when his hand touch mine and the way he is gripping my hand spark is flowing in my whole body. I feel warmth in my cheeks and I know they are red and blushing. I raised my eyelids from our intertwine hands and looked at his deep eyes. He is already looking at me with so much love, furious and painful eyes. He turns his gaze again on road and changed the gear while holding my hand.
In whole drive he held my hand until we reached in the driveway of our house. He stopped the car in front of my house.
I looked at him with love but his eyes were fixed on the road. Tears are welled up in my eyes but I didn't let them fall. His face is glowing under the fairy lights of our house. His grip on steering wheel is still tight and the frown lines are sticking on his forehead. I looked down on his bandaged hand which is holding mine and I feel guilty. He hurt himself because of me. I was so weak to take a stand for myself.
"Sorry this is all because of me." I whispered in my shaky and weak voice while looking at his bruise hand.
"This is not your fault....stop apologising for which you didn't do." He whispered and raised our intertwine hands till his mouth and kissed at the back of my hand. I gasped when his soft lips touched on my skin and I lower my head due to the jolt of spark passing through on my body. I felt warmth on my cheeks and turned into pink blushing shade.
He is looking outside of the car, lost in his thoughts. Street is illuminating due to the diwali lights. He blocked me to reach him. This is the first time he built up a wall around him and blocked me reach him. His grip on steering wheel is really tight. I wanted to know what he is thinking about right now. I wish I can read his mind.
"Please don't tell anyone in the house about the incident." I said in a low voice, hoping to get any reply from him but he didn't say anything just nodded his head shortly.
I make a move closed to him. His eyes focused outside on the road. I started leaning to him slowly. I don't know what I'm going to do is right or not or what he thinks about me I just wanted to do it. I leaned more. I was just an inch away from him.
Before I can do anything, I heard the voice of front door opening. I closed my eyes and pull back. I open the car door and walk towards the house. I saw keerti at gate waving her hand to me.
I looked back at Siddharth once again and saw him stepping out from the car.
"You guys take to much time to reach." Keerti said.
"Today is a lot of work in office." I said.
"Work or you guys busy in romancing." She said mischievously while wiggling her both eyebrows.
"No, really I was caught in some work." I said looking at Siddharth.
"What happened to your hand bhayi." Keerti asked worriedly as soon as her fell on his bandage hand. She hold his hand and examine it while looking at it worriedly.
"Nothing, I slipped." Siddharth said while taking his hand back.
"Seriously bhayi...., if you slipped you hurt your head not your fist. I am not that fool. At least think about a perfect excuse before you lie." Keerti sternly said while glaring at him.
"Keerti.. don't forget I'm your elder brother. So stay in your limits and think before you speak to me." He said glaring at her.
" okey.... I just care for you. You guys must be hungry. Let's go inside and eat." She said looking down. I can saw the glint of tears in her eyes.
"I'm not hungry. " He said in a bit of irritated tone and walked from there.
"Woo.. someone is in a bad mood today. Are you guys fight?" She asked me looking at me and I looked at Siddharth who walked to upstairs.
"No..." I shake my head as 'no' and walk inside with keerti.