"Really? He did?" Jiya asked, her eyes widening with intrigue and Meera nodded her head, her ponytail bobbing in sync.
Jiya and Meera huddled in the corner of the bustling cafeteria, a hub of student activity during lunch break. The air was alive with the cacophony of laughter and chatter, yet pockets of quiet conversations unfolded at tables where cliques and social hierarchies were on full display.
The affluent crowd, with their designer labels and confident air, stood out from the scholarship students, who carried an aura of determination and focus.
Meera and Jiya's table, tucked away in a quiet corner, was a refuge from the din.
Meera's eyes reflect fear as she recounted the events of the previous day at Madhav's mansion, her voice barely above a whisper. Jiya listened intently, her expression a mix of fascination and curiosity, as Meera's words painted a vivid picture of secrets and surprises.
"Wow, it's really bizarre," Jiya said, furrowing her brow. "Arjun's actions don't add up - he hated you at first, then insisted on driving you home, and now he's warning you? It's all so contradictory."
Meera sighed, her eyes clouded with worry. "Tell me about it." Jiya shot her a concerned glance, sensing her friend's fear.
"Well, at least there's one thing he said that I think you should take seriously," Jiya advised, her voice low and urgent. "Stay away from him, Meera. Far, far away. If you see him coming, turn around and run."
Meera nodded vigorously, her eyes wide with agreement. "Oh, you don't have to tell me twice. His presence alone scares me."
Jiya nodded a small smile on her face. "At least Mr. Siddhartha is a good man, despite his...family background." She nudged Meera playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
Meera's thoughts drifted to Siddhartha, and she felt a flutter in her chest. She quickly pushed the feeling aside, reminding herself of his mafia connections. But Jiya's next words snapped her back to reality.
"Your face is all red, Meera!" Jiya giggled, teasing her friend. "I can't believe you have a crush on him!"
Meera's eyes widened in horror as she clapped her hand over Jiya's mouth, glancing around the cafeteria nervously. "What's wrong with you? I don't have a crush on him!" she hissed, trying to maintain a stern tone.
Jiya just grinned mischievously. "Sure you don't."
"Stop! Just...stop. My head is throbbing already." She rubbed her temples, trying to ward off the impending headache.
But her expression quickly transformed into a sly grin as she turned to Jiya. "So, how's your project going with Mr. Khan?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Jiya's face turned a deep shade of pink, and Meera burst out laughing. "It's going great, thanks for asking," Jiya replied, trying to sound nonchalant despite her obvious blush. "We have three sessions scheduled, just like you."
Meera's curiosity got the better of her. "And how's Mr. Khan?" she teased.
Jiya giggled. "Actually, he's really considerate, despite being a total workaholic. And he's been great during the interviews too."
Meera raised an eyebrow, playfully skeptical. "Sureeee," she drawled, making Jiya pout.
Jiya quickly changed the subject, her expression turning serious. "Did you see the news on the group chat?"
Meera nodded, her mind shifting gears. "Yeah, I saw it. About the End Event?"
Jiya nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Will you invite Siddhartha?"
Meera hesitated, her expression uncertain. "I don't know...it's not mandatory, and I can't ask him right now. Maybe after the project."
Jiya nods with a smile and diverts the conversation as they talk about other things.
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Arjun stood at the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, gazing out at the cityscape below.
But his eyes didn't see the concrete jungle, they were lost in the depths of a pair of hazel eyes that had captivated him the day before. Yesterday had been a strange and unsettling day, one that had awakened feelings he thought were long dead.
The moment their eyes met, Arjun's body had ignited, his heart beating with a rhythm it had forgotten. She had sparked something within him, a sense of contentment and happiness that he couldn't shake off.
The scent of vanilla on her skin had hypnotized him, making him want to bury his face in her neck and inhale her sweetness all day. And when he saw his brother standing close to her, a fierce possessiveness had risen within him. He didn't want anyone else near her.
Arjun's mind replayed the encounter, his desire to hear her speak driving him to ask for her name. And when she spoke, her voice had sent his heart racing. He struggled to maintain his stoic facade, but he was overwhelmed by the unfamiliar emotions swirling inside him.
Her praise of Siddhartha had only added fuel to the fire, his anger, and jealousy simmering just below the surface. Retreating to his room, Arjun sought to make sense of the turmoil that had taken up residence in his chest, but his mind only seemed to taunt him with more questions.
A sudden knock at the door broke into Arjun's reverie, and he barked a curt "Come in." His assistant, visibly trembling, entered with a file clutched in his hand. He adjusted his glasses, his eyes darting nervously to Arjun's face.
"Is it ready?" Arjun asked gruffly, his gaze still fixed on some distant point.
The assistant nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Y-yes, Sir." He approached Arjun's desk and handed over the file.
Arjun's gesture dismissed him, and he was alone once more. As he opened the file, Meera's picture greeted him, and his heart skipped a beat. His eyes locked onto hers, and his hand instinctively traced the contours of her face on the photograph.
"Meera" he whispered, a soft smile spreading across his face.
He delved into the file, scanning the details of her life and work. Yet, despite the ordinary nature of the information, he felt an inexplicable sense of contentment.
His gaze lingered on her phone number, and he found himself copying it into his phone. Returning to the first page, he couldn't help but stare at her picture again.
As he finally closed the file, Arjun's thoughts spiraled out of control. A small voice in his mind grumbled about Meera's persistent presence in his thoughts, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was drawn to her in ways he couldn't understand.
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As Meera left the college premises, bound for her workplace, she was intercepted by a familiar voice calling out her name. She turned to see a young man approaching her, his wavy hair and tall stature making him stand out. His chiseled features and rare, honey-colored brown eyes made him undeniably handsome. Meera's eyes narrowed slightly as she placed him - Rohit, a member of her team and a quiet, brilliant presence in class. He was known for his awkward demeanor, especially around her, and his affluent background set him apart from the middle-class crowd. Meera felt a sense of familiarity, but no spark of attraction or love, as Rohit drew closer, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her wonder what he wanted.
"Rohit?" Meera said, her voice tinged with a hint of surprise.
"Hey, Meera... sorry to stop you," Rohit said, his eyes darting around before focusing on hers.
"I needed to give you this." He handed her a folded paper, his cheeks flushing slightly.
"It's the questions we need to work on. We have to redo our research... sorry again for yesterday."
Meera took the paper, her smile warm and encouraging.
"Thanks, Rohit."
Rohit's blush deepened as he stuttered
"Y-yeah... no problem."
As Meera turned to leave, Rohit called out
"Wait!" He reached out, his hand brushing against her arm before quickly releasing it.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..."
Meera turned back, her expression gentle. "It's okay, what's wrong?"
Rohit's eyes dropped, his voice barely above a whisper. "I... I need your help with something."
Meera's smile returned, genuine and encouraging.
"What is it?" she asked, her tone soft and supportive.
Rohit approached Meera with a hesitant expression. "I know this might sound unusual, but I need your help with a gift idea for my grandma."
Meera's curiosity was piqued. "Is it her birthday?" she asked, and Rohit nodded.
"Well, what are her interests?" Meera inquired, and Rohit replied, "She loves ancient things. That's why I thought of you - you're always fascinated by that stuff."
Meera was taken aback, surprised that Rohit had noticed her passion. "How did you...?" she started to ask, but Rohit explained, "Remember our donation drive last semester? You mentioned how much you love ancient history."
Meera nodded, still a bit surprised but willing to help. "Okay, I have to run to work now, but I'll text you some ideas on WhatsApp later. Is that okay?"
Rohit's face lit up with gratitude. "That's perfect, thank you!"
Meera smiled and waved goodbye as she headed to work. Rohit watched her go, a smile still on his face.
*
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*
Arjun paced back and forth in his room, his frustration growing with each passing moment. He glared out the window, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of Meera.
"Where is she?" he muttered to himself, his voice low and menacing.
He couldn't believe she had taken his words to heart and was actually avoiding him.
"Did she really think I meant it when I told her to stay away?" he growled, his fingers raking through his hair in agitation.
Arjun was consumed by his thoughts of Meera, and he hated it. He hated how she had disrupted his peaceful existence, how she had turned his mind into a chaotic mess. He longed for his old self, his calm and collected demeanor, to return.
"F*ck it!"
With a final glance out the window, Arjun stormed out of his room, his heavy breathing a testament to his turmoil. He hastened down the spiral stairs, his eyes fixed on Siddhartha, who was engrossed in his computer work.
Arjun composed himself, hiding his turbulent emotions.
"Siddhartha?" he called out, his voice even.
Siddhartha turned from his computer, his eyes locking onto Arjun's.
"Yes, Bhai?" he replied, his expression changing to concern as he took in Arjun's disheveled appearance - his slightly red eyes and tousled hair.
"Are you okay? You look stressed."
Arjun forced a casual tone, trying to deflect attention from his emotional state.
"I'm fine. I see you finished the interview on time."
Siddhartha put aside his laptop and stood up. "Actually, we didn't have an interview today." He scratched his head, puzzled.
"I understand you don't want her here, so-"
Arjun cut him off, his voice firm. "It's fine. The interview can continue here. She passed her first day." His stern expression didn't invite further discussion.
Siddhartha smiled, relieved. "Thank you, Bhai."
But his concern lingered. "Are you okay, though? You look troubled."
Arjun brushed him off, his reply curt. "I'm good." He turned and headed back up the stairs, leaving Siddhartha's concerns unanswered.
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Whatsapp Chat:
Rohit: Thank you very much Meeraâºï¸, all these idea are amazing.
Meera: always happy to help, anytimeð
Read.
Typing......
Meera set her phone aside for a while, focusing on organizing her assignment. But when it dinged, she assumed it was Rohit and ignored it, prioritizing her tasks.
Another message arrived, and she brushed it off again. After finishing up, she headed to the bathroom.
As she stepped out, her phone started ringing, catching her off guard. It was 10:23, and Jiya wouldn't be calling at this hour.
The ringing stopped, but Meera's gaze lingered on her sleeping sister before snapping back to the phone as it rang again.
She approached her study table, hesitated for a moment, and picked up the call.
"Hello?" she said softly.
"Why didn't you pick up on the first call?" a low, growling voice demanded, accompanied by heavy breathing.
Meera's confusion turned to caution. "I'm sorry, who is this?"
The voice ignored her question. "Always pick my call, always."
Meera's eyes widened as she checked the number, but it was unknown.
"Who is this?" she asked again, her voice firm.
"Arjun" he breathed out, his name sending a shiver down Meera's spine.
Fear took over, and she quickly hung up the phone.
"Oh God" She breathed out.