Falling In Love With You

Chapter -16

The morning progressed on but the developers continued to work, so that they could complete the tasks that were assigned to them . However , they would leave their stations to take a few minutes of break now and then to relax their hyperactive minds so as to work efficiently.
Since it was her first day in the company, Vasudha didn't leave her station altogether throughout the entire morning and even late into the afternoon. Other than being new to the company she was also not familiar with her surroundings and that was because she didn't have the chance to explore the other floors in that building as she came up the elevator to her designated floor as directed by the receptionist and she didn't even know where the cafeteria was. But Vasudha didn't even bother about that at all, her entire concentration was solely directed towards the task at hand that was assigned to her. It has always been like this for Vasudha , she would forget the whole World around her when her mind gets immersed in her work.
The time elapsed by and the morning progressed on to become the afternoon. Vasudha felt some commotion and shuffling on to her side , but she didn't even avert her eyes from the monitor screen. It was only when someone shook her shoulder did she looked up from her screen and saw Shreya looking down at her with a solemn expression on her face. Vasudha stared at her quizzically as to why the woman was staring at her so seriously when everything was just fine between them that very morning. " Seriously Vasudha ! You really don't realise now , don't you? " Shreya asked Vasudha in a slightly exasperated tone. Vasudha just blinked her eyes and looked down at herself to remember if she missed something but nothing came to her mind. Vasudha once again looked up at Shreya with a blank expression on her face.
" Oh dear Lord! Aren't you hungry, Vasudha ? Or have you programmed your mind in such a way that it skipped the most important thing as it is something irrelevant? You know Vasudha, food is the only one thing that is of importance in one's life ...Because that's what keeps us Alive!! " Shreya exclaimed . Shreya is not someone who would extend amity towards anyone who comes in her vicinity but it was different with Vasudha for her. Shreya felt a deeper connection towards Vasudha , she felt that there was something more to that girl than her sweet mien , she wanted to get close to her , to know her better. She felt bad for not taking Vasudha with her for a break and when she saw her still working on her computer even during the lunch break Shreya felt disappointed at herself for not taking care of her teammate given that she was new to the company. So by the time she stopped balking Rahul too joined their little chat.
" What happened Shreya ? Why are you shrieking on top of your voice ? Did someone die?". "Yess..." "What ?.. for real?" Rahul asked Shreya in a ridiculously shocked tone. "Of course no you idiot! I was just talking some sense into her . You know she didn't even budge from her seat since morning , not even for small coffee breaks. Her eyes were glued to her monitor screen since morning and it's already close to 1:30 in the afternoon and she hasn't eaten yet , Rahul !" Shreya poured her heart out .
" Hold on Shreya! I'm sorry , I didn't realise so much time has passed , now let's go before you announce the whole building that I haven't eaten yet. Let's leave now ,shall we?" Vasudha gave into Shreya's hysterics and rose from her chair. " This way ladies ...!" Rahul bowed dramatically with his hands pointing towards the direction of the elevator.
" Thank you monsieur...!" The girls said to him while passing him and giggled among themselves. Rahul too fell into step behind them and joined in their laughter.  On passing through the cubicles Vasudha's eyes sought Pallavan's cabin but she couldn't see him as the door to his cabin was closed . The three of them treaded towards the elevator .Together as a small gang the three of them waited for the elevator to reach their floor.
" Ugh ! Why won't they just repair this shit excuse of an elevator ? It's taking forever to go from one floor to the other." Shreya whined.
" Hmm... What's wrong with this elevator ?" Vasudha asked both of them.
" Oh ! It's just that our elevator has become slow over the past three months and since there is construction work going on in our top floor they are planning to repair this after the construction gets completed. Although it is no big deal but I would advice not to use it at your late night shifts , it's a bit scary ...atleast for me..." Rahul told Vasudha.
" Hmm... Then why shouldn't we take up the stairs , since it's getting late and I have so much work left to be done guys ." Vasudha said. Vasudha didn't want to loaf around on the very first day of her work. "Ohoo! You worry too much Vasudha! It's not going to be a problem , there is plenty of time left for us to complete our tasks and it's also important for us to have our food at the right time to function productively, besides that I also want to discuss the incident that happened this morning." Shreya told Vasudha .
" What happened Shreya ? What are you two talking about ? " Rahul asked them both. But before telling him anything Shreya seeked permission from Vasudha with her eyes as to whether she can tell him about the incident , as it was not a issue concerning her but was entirely related to Vasudha. Vasudha liked Shreya very much at that instant , she realised that this woman could be trusted with her life . Vasudha acquiesced her answer with a simple nod and at the same time the elevator opened in their floor and out came several people . After entering the elevator,they waited for the other other people to enter in and pressed the button to their respective floors .
Vasudha felt the impatience within Shreya that was evident in her constant tapping of her foot and the tension in her shoulders. After what felt like more than fifteen ( but it was actually around five minutes in the elevator) minutes the elevator dinged their arrival on the third floor. The three of them made their way in to the cafeteria and the ambience was lively with people taking their plates filled with food and others relaxing with beverages and the nutty aroma of the freshly brewed coffee hit their nostrils as soon as they entered the area. The three of them went to the kitchen area to order their food. It was only now that Vasudha realised that the company had recruited a special chef for preparing the food for the employees. After ordering their food the three of them went and sat at a rectangular table with six chairs arranged on either side of the table . The cushioned chairs felt comfortable , after settling in, Rahul started off their conversation from where they have left off.
" So tell me girls ! What were the two of you talking about ? " Rahul asked both of them. Vasudha hesitated for a moment but Shreya spoke swiftly " Oh ! It's something that was said by our beauty queen Thara about Vasudha , Rahul! She commented on Vasudha's appearance, you know . I thought of lashing out on her the moment those words left her mouth , but Vasudha stopped me. It's still grating my nerves Vasudha , you should've let me give her the taste of her own medicine. " Shreya told Vasudha. " You should calm down Shreya! This isn't the first time anyone has commented about how I look or what I wear . There is no point in reacting to everything that anyone says about me , its a waste of time and I've more productive work to do and I would prefer to do something useful with my time rather than to nurture a grudge on someone. That was not the right time too besides there will be plenty of time and plenty of chances to treat her with her own bitter medicine." Vasudha told her new friends. " Well said Vasudha ! I appreciate your courage and your balanced way of thinking Vasudha ,every women should know to defend herself in any situation , but why don't I remember anything of that sort happening , hmm?" Rahul wondered out aloud.
"That's because you were busy on a call from our HR manager at that time and didn't even bother about Rithika quietly yelling at Thara for coming in late and how she's fed up with covering up for her . You know Vasudha ! This has become quite a routine for them , Thara would often sleep in late and Rithika would tell some white lie to Saravana to save her. " Shreya told Vasudha . "Hmm...I surmised as much from their conversation. But what I'm more intrigued about is that... May be I should not..." Vasudha trailed off. This was something that was in her heart all morning but she didn't want to be so open about her queries regarding a certain one person.
" Oh come on Vasudha ! You can ask us anything about anyone , we are not gonna judge you and you know that . You are gonna be working with us and you should feel free to ask about anyone and anything , now tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours ?" Shreya assured her. " Shreya is right Vasudha , you can ask us anything , what is it that you want to ask us?" Rahul too reassured her.
" Well , it has been nagging my curiosity since morning...it's about what Thara was telling Rithika , something related to our team lead , I somewhat don't remember his name . Are they both a couple?" Vasudha asked them as if she was really hesitant about asking about that particular part in Rithika and Thara's conversation.
"Oh ! About that ... This is something that is been going on for sometime Vasudha . It all started when Pallavan saved her from a lewd situation and I remember this happened in our own company during a late night shift two years ago. I don't really know about the details of the situation , Rahul wouldn't tell me about the specifics . I guess she fell for him then on but I don't think our team leader is interested in her. He did what any true man would do for any woman in that situation. But personally I don't like Thara , she is way more arrogant than is required for a girl and I feel the same way about Rithika too." Shreya finished the story. " I would agree with you too Shreya...but I don't give much thought about that , I rarely talk with her other than when it's required. And Vasudha our team leader's name is Pallavan , since we are discussing about everyone's character I'll tell you about Pallavan too , he is a sensible and smart guy. He rarely gets angry , since joining this company I'm yet to see him in a rage , the people who doesn't know him quite well will describe him as grumpy and bad tempered but in truth he is a cool headed guy and he had always been calm and composed during a dire situation. He is devoted to his work , I rarely see him relaxing in his free time if he ever has one , I know this for a fact that he is been single for quite a long time , absolutely no girlfriends. I know this because I'm quite close with his cousin Saravana." As soon as Vasudha heard this news she felt the noose tighten around her neck even more "oh shit! Saravana is his cousin ... That's why he looked familiar. Both of them do have some similar features... Now I've to handle the both of them way more carefully or else my entire plan will get destroyed..." These thoughts flashed in her mind so suddenly that she heard Rahul's voice as if it was coming from an abyss. But Rahul continued on.
"...Well, Vasudha I know it's quite a rare name but after sometime you'll get used to it but until then try to remember it. " Rahul was saying . " Well ! His name....! That man himself has been imprinted in my heart for almost a decade now ... " Vasudha thought to herself but then pushed the thought to the back of her mind. The call for their lunch came , so the three of them went and took up their orders. Although she wouldn't acknowledge it , but in truth Vasudha was really hungry so her plate was loaded and so was the other two people's plate. They sat down again and just when they were about to dig in to their food Vasudha saw Shreya looking up at someone with a tense expression on her face. When Vasudha looked up she saw the protagonist of their previous conversation. With a smug smile on her face Thara greeted the three of them ,
" Hello guys! I've been informed that a few new recruits have joined our company , so I came to greet you Vasudha!" Thara welcomed Vasudha but her tone dripped with sarcasm . She then sat in the opposite chair as if she owned the company , "Well , your food looks delicious Vasudha . But I guess I won't be able to know whether it tastes as good as it looks , because you know I'm very conscious about my health . For a woman everything has to be in the right place , right size , not more , not less." Thara said to Vasudha , the arrogance and the haughtiness of the woman flared Vasudha's anger. But Shreya couldn't sit idle there when her friend was been ridiculed by another woman so she opened her mouth to give an acerbic retort but Vasudha stopped her by holding onto her hand beneath the table. But Thara didn't bother about anything , she leaned in and said to Vasudha " You know Vasudha , I can refer you to my personal dietician if you wish he would devise a perfect diet plan for you. You should definitely consult him or it would be very difficult for you to maneuver yourself in this company , he would shape up your excess flesh and turn you into an impressive young woman ." Thara said with a feigned sympathy.
Vasudha tasted the bitterness of her anger in the tip of her tongue. She didn't want to create a scene in the cafeteria on the very first day but at the same time she wanted to give a cutthroat reply to the woman in front of her. So Vasudha too leaned in and said " That's a very kind offer Thara. But no thanks , I'm not in need of your or your dietician's services. Besides if you had everything to perfection , you should have become our team leader's wife by now , shouldn't you? So I guess I'll pass." Vasudha replied ever so sweetly with her smile intact the whole time whereas her eyes assessed her up and down , scrutinizing her. She knew she shouldn't poke about another person's personal life but what Thara said in the morning , especially becoming a dear one to Him, scraped at her heart , so she said those words out aloud in order to reduce the pain in heart by inflicting some of her pain to the other person and just like Vasudha thought it hit the target brutally . She saw a mix of emotions , anger , pain , shame , frustration that danced on the other woman's face. She stood so suddenly , causing her chair to screech on the tiled floor so loudly that Vasudha felt many pairs of eyes looking in their direction . But she just looked at her friends , but she heard the clicking sound of Thara's stillettos indicating that she left the area. When Vasudha looked closely she saw that the both of them were looking at her with an incredulous reaction on their faces. " Oh my god Vasudha ! That was a savage reply if I ever heard one. I've always wanted to say something like that to her so that she would know her place but now I'm sure what you said had hit a nerve because her face shrinked like a brinjal." Shreya's voice was filled with excitement. "Well that's quite a reply Vasudha , I guess Thara won't bother you anymore. Now come on guys let's finish our lunch it's getting late." Rahul urged the girls.
Just as they were half way through their meal the chatter of some people around them died down. When Vasudha scanned around, a few people looked up from their conversation , saw someone and began murmuring among themselves and when she looked in the direction of their interest she saw a man making his way through the cafeteria. He was tall , fair with a jet black hair that was perfectly gelled and his perfectly tailored burgundy shirt and beige slacks snugly fit his lean body . He had a kind of aura about him that pulled the opposite sex towards him , but something rubbed in the wrong way for Vasudha about him . So she asked Shreya under her breath " Hmmm.... Shreya , correct me if I'm wrong. Shouldn't he be the lady's man of our company?" Vasudha pointed in his direction without anyone knowing except for her friends. " Yes , you're right Vasudha and not only that he was the antagonist in that incident from two years ago involving Pallavan and Thara. I always warn our teammates about him and I'm doing the same thing for you too. Although you are new here I already feel protective towards you Vasudha just like the way I feel about Shreya, so any time , whatever the situation might be you can always count on me Vasudha. " Rahul spoke instead of Shreya. " Yes Vasudha , Rahul would become a mama bear , so would our team leader and Saravana, whenever Karthik comes to our station for any issue or any requirement whenever both our teams are coordinated for a large module . So Vasudha steer clear of Karthik !" Shreya warned Vasudha.
By the time the three of them finished their meal it was around 2 o'clock, so Rahul and Shreya decided to get back to their work while Vasudha excused herself from going along with them in order to use the restroom. "You guys should carry on , I'll be back within a few minutes , I just want to use the washroom for a bit ." So while Shreya and Rahul retreated, Vasudha went in search of the bathroom. She found the bathroom situated on the other corner of the floor and she also noticed a beautiful balcony situated a few feet away from the main hall in a secluded area , since everyone were busy with their afternoon meal that particular spot was devoid of humans. After freshening up , Vasudha neared the balcony so as to bask a few minutes in the afternoon Sun. Just as she neared the balcony she heard footsteps behind her , however Vasudha thought that the footsteps wouldn't progress in her direction but to her astonishment she heard the footsteps getting closer to her person. When she turned around , she saw the man in a burgundy shirt standing close to her with a seductive smile on his face.