Gehraiyaan.

Chapter 05

We're in his cabin.
Existing in daunting silence.
It has been an endless silent treatment for around fifteen minutes now.
As though I'm punished because I called up his dad.
What a little kid.

He was on his phone for a while, and now - he's looking around, as though it's the first time he has walked into his father's own company.

He takes a close look at the paintings, touches the canvas and takes photograph. And I know for a fact that he's doing this to get on my nerves.

"I reckon Tanya isn't your name?", he poses whilst looking around, still. I wonder what's so fascinating!

"No, Sir", I answer and silence returns.

"Oh. So, you're waiting for me to ask what your actual name is? What's your name, Madam?", he's sarcastic. "Navya", I mutter under my breath.

"Vya?", he echoes. "Navya", I repeat. This time, out loud.

"Oh. Tanya was close", he shrugs. Of course. There's barely any difference I can see!

"So, you were the girl crying in the parking lot on Friday, weren't you?", he throws at me and I stare at him, shocked. Now, how does he know that? 

"It's a bad thing do to - looking into others'business, you know. But my car went through the parking lot that afternoon and I couldn't help but stare at the little drama happening there", he shrugs and I remain silent.

"Oh. I traveled all the way from Ahmedabad, urgently, because my dad wanted me to meet you on Friday. But you left even before I arrived and never returned. You didn't show up and I left", he pauses. "But when I didn't show up today, you called your Devesh Sir. That's one hell of a move, eh", he picks at it again.

"Sir, I'm sorry but---"

"No, you don't have to apologize".

"I'm not apologizing. Your dad called me up in the morning and asked if you were at work. I don't have a single reason to lie to him, until of course, I'm retarded enough to lie for a stranger and throw my job away", I tell him and he simply stares at me, silently and stunned.

"I'm definitely sorry about the entire saga that happened on Friday, though. That was entirely my fault", I add. "You don't look like a person who would talk this much", he simply says and sits down.

"You call your Devesh Sir for every minor inconvenience. No wonder you're always the eligible candidate for the Employee of the Week", he blabbers.

"Sit down", he points at the chair and I take my seat.

"Why did you sit down?", he questions literally a second later, leaving me utterly confused. Was I hallucinating or does he suffers from amnesia?

"You--you told me to, Sir", I say, and stand back up, uncomfortably and embarrassed.

"Unless told twice, employees aren't allowed to sit. It's a rule...", he taps his pen on the desk. "...that I made up two seconds ago", and then, his lips curl into a smile. I cannot even force a smile; it's not even funny.

"Sit down", he chuckles. "It's okay, sir", I decline his stupid offer. "Please sit down, madam", he requests, again.

"I can stand, Sir", I tell him, still embarrassed from the incident that happened ten seconds ago. "But I cannot look up for a long time, no, madam. I have a stiff neck; looks like I woke up from the wrong side of the bed", he wrinkles his nose. "Sit. Sit. I was joking", he insists and unwillingly, I sit back down again.

"So?", he looks at me, expectantly, and I look back at him in cluelessness. So? So, what?

"Did your Devesh Sir praise about me to you?", he questions and I shake my head to the sides in disagreement. "Of course not because I'm not praise-worthy when it comes to business. Before you find out yourself, I'll tell you that I have no idea what to do. You'll have to figure everything out on your own until...I learn, maybe. I don't know. I don't know anything. I don't even know why I'm here", he blurts out, shocking me.

"Now, don't call dad up and complain about this, too", he smiles forcefully and I don't bother looking at him.

"Here's the schedule, Sir", I slide the A4-sized paper across the table and he looks down at it, furrowing his eyebrows. "I've booked an appointment with Mr. Ramesh for an online conference and once, you talk through the criteria and how things are going to work, we can go to Coimbatore - most probably on March 13. Well, it depends on Mr. Ramesh", I brief him through half of everything.

"I cannot make it on March 6. It's impossible", he informs. "But I've fixed an appointment and it's...fixed", I answer. "Asking whom did you fix it? You work for me, but decided everything on your own. I don't know what you do, Navya, you have to change March 6. Somehow. I have some serious work to do that day, trust me", he sticks to his decision.

"You're more-or-less my assistant, right?", he looks up at me and I nod my head. "Then you can definitely make some phone calls on my behalf and change the plan", he smiles. Oh my God. Damn him.

Together, we sketch an alternate plan; he picked the dates according to his convince and I simply wondered in silence about the number of phone calls I'd have to make just because the petty little prince isn't ready.

Honestly, he's times worse than his dad!

"That's all for today, Madam. You can go home", he smiles at me and collapses back on his chair.

"And listen - if I'm late tomorrow and if I don't answer my call, call my mom. I'll send you her number", he tells me and I actually end up smiling. He sounds like a little kid in school, fearful of giving his dad's number.

"I'm a deep sleeper. When people call me, in my dreams, I'm dancing to my ringing tone", he goes on. "You can laugh. It's not harmful", he says and stands up, picking up his blazer.

"I'll see you at 10 tomorrow, then, Madam?", he raises his brow. "Yes, Sir", I chip back, hugging the files against my chest.

"Turn off the lights and AC. I'm off", he utters and walks out.

What's this 'Madam' thing going on? I cannot tell him to stop, because he'll definitely, definitely point out at how fussy I am and somehow link it to Devesh Sir.

"How is he?", Kesh rolls back once I reach my desk. "The definition of pain", I breathe in annoyance and she giggles. "I wasn't kidding when I said you need to be far more patient than God when it comes to dealing with him. Start meditating, Navi. He's up to no good", she jokes.

Whilst waiting for the elevator, I check my phone for Advik's message for the thousandth time today. And each time I touch my phone, I create my own heartbreak.

Me : Do you have time to tell me what's happening? Or do you expect me to keep waiting, aimlessly?

Screw it. Screw his rules! I deserve an answer. He's definitely not fighting a war with his mom; he was online 30 minutes ago.

×

[heyyyyy. That's all for the uploads this week. Hopefully next week, either on Tuesday or Wednesday, I'll be updating the next set of chapters. Until, do let your views down and do share this with your friendsss!]