Seasons Of Love

#3 : Our History

Vicky's POV

🎶🎶

I know it breaks your heart
Moved to the city in a broke-down car, and
Four years, no calls
Now you're looking pretty in a hotel bar, and
I-I-I can't stop
No, I-I-I can't stop

🎶🎶

            I closed my eyes and memory flashes of our first meet in office, on our induction day reeled out. It was the very same day I had met Asim, Chitra and Ruhi and touch wood, I was in good terms with everyone still, except her. That memory was so vivid like it happened just yesterday, even though it was five years ago.

            A young girl with mid-waist length, jet black hair bouncing away in her high pony tail, wagging like a horse's tail due to her swift strides, came towards me. Glancing at my wrist watch, I realized she was late on her first day. The worry fused with embarrassment marred her pretty, wheatish toned, delicate face; framed on either sides with neatly twirled hair strings.

            Hah! It wasn't love at first sight. After all I wasn't mad to fall for a sweaty, triggered red bull, charging away to meet it's non-living matador — the induction room's entrance.

            Don't get me wrong, the salty droplets having a 10-inch running race from her forehead to chin, wasn't a deterrent. I was way too focused and energized for the start of my career, but a little distraction wouldn't put a dent to it. That's what I thought. I stand by the phrase, 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'.

            I had been wandering around, in search of a water cooler, to quench my thirsty throat. My decision to come outside, not only provided relief to my parched throat but also soothed my black orbs with a-surma-like-effect (Traditional Indian eye cosmetic that cools the body heat). Gulping down the remaining contents in the water tumbler, I made my way back to the entrance.

            Like a scene straight out of an overdramatic Indian movie, she and I met at the door step, crossing over the entrance threshold at the same time. People have heard of a newly wedded couple doing ghar-pravesh (Indian House warming ritual / first time entering a new home), and here I was an active participant of 'office-pravesh'. The only thing missing was dramatic background music and the Kalash (tumbler filled with rice), waiting to be kicked off along with the thalli (plate) with alta (red color liquid). Might be the bustling noise of chitter-chatter and laughter surrounding us, could double as the ringing of bells or blowing of horn shells. It was used to  wade away evil eye from the newly married couple, in our case — newbie colleagues.

           A slight jerk felt on my swivel chair, rotated it by five degrees, making me come out of my reverie. I looked back to check the source of disturbance and saw a frightened soul, whose face was devoid of any colour, Akhil.

Looks like I'm going to have a series of bloopers thanks to this fumbling kiddo here, I thought.

I faked glared at him and he visibly gulped down in fear.

Chuckling internally, on the hind side, sharing the desk-cum-cubicle with him will be fun. I will have my unlimited daily dose of entertainment!

           I went back to my work emails and followed up on all the logistics required for our offshore client. It kept my mind occupied for a while, inhibiting it from indulging in memories shared with a certain someone. My luck was short lived due to the constant mumbling of Akhil, sitting behind me. He was grumbling away that straight out of the training days, without any grace period or bench period, he landed himself on the toughest project, available to freshers, among all of them. Cursing his luck, "Why did I have to be a top performer in the training period?" He face-palmed himself for digging his own grave.