In the World of Variables You are my Constant

2. Decide

AAKANKSHA:

Entering my office I phoned one of my best friends Rahul.

"Hey, good morning."

"Hey Cherry, morning.." he spoke yawning.

"You are still sleeping?! Lazy fellow. Don't you have to go to office?" I asked.

He runs his own auto mobile manufacturing company and is one of the successful firms in the country.

"You are the boss and you're late. What are you telling your employees with this?" I asked chuckling.

"Oh come on. Don't be a hostel warden now. Telling all the rules and all. I had a late night meeting with the client. I will be heading to my company in an hour." He said annoyed.

"Fine. I don't care."

"We will meet in the evening. 'The pub'. Tell Rohit." I said logging onto my computer.

"I don't think he will meet today. He was talking about a date or something." Rahul said still with that sleepy voice.

"Date?! Who is that girl?" I asked all excited.

"I am not sure. I think it's his PA." He said.

"It doesn't matter. I want to have shots. Tell him not to plan for today."

"Anyways I am getting late. I will talk to you in the evening. Don't forget about Rohit." Saying I cut the call and started my work for the day.

Rahul and Rohit are my childhood best friends. We went to same school and college. They know Karthik as classmate but not so close to him.

Me and Karthik were pretty close during our college days.

We used to spend a lot of time together, flirting with each other, roaming, just staying in each other's company.

But all that changed because of the way he treated me in my absence. That one incident broke my heart.

After that I allowed only Rahul and Rahit to be with me. I cut contact with all other friends, not knowing whom to believe.

.

In the evening I went to my apartment to see my roommate lazing on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in her hand.

"Hey Priya. How was your day?" I asked plopping on the couch next to her.

"All the same. Boring. Yours?" She asked stuffing popcorn into her mouth.

"I don't know if it's eventful or not." I said taking some popcorn.

"Why? What happened?" She asked getting curious.

"I met my college friend in the interview. Actually childhood friend will be correct. He is the boss there." I said sighing.

"So what? What's wrong in that?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

I remembered how Karthik has raised his eyebrow while speaking. I blinked my eyes rapidly to distract myself.

"Nothing. It's a story for another time. Am going to the pub. Will be home late. Don't wait up." I said getting up from the couch to get ready.

"Something serious ha? Okay. Should I expect Rohit and Rahul sprawled on the floor by tomorrow morning?" She asked laughing.

I shook my head smiling and headed to my room.

Clad in a red skirt and a t shirt I reached the pub.

Rohit and Rahul were already waiting for me .

"Vodka shots please." I said to the bar tender sitting in between them.

"What no hi or anything? I cancelled my date today to meet you. And we didn't even get any pleasantries." Rohit said fake offended.

Not bothering to answer him I gulped the shot.

"What happened? Are you going to tell what's the matter or not?" Rahul asked.

Always spot onto the point. He always knows what's going on in my mind, if  anything's bothering me.

"I attended an interview today. Got selected." I said taking another shot.

"That's nice. But why the sulking?" Rohit asked facing me.

"Karthik is the boss and I will be his PA." I said glancing at both of them.

"Karthik, as in our Karthik?!" Rohit asked surprised to hear his name after two years.

"Yes the one and only." I said staring at the crowd on the dance floor.

"So? What's the problem?" Rahul asked.

"Seeing him after all these days, it feels like all the memories are still fresh. The love, the pain everything. I don't know if I am over him." I said taking another gulp of my drink.

"It's not like you resigned your old job. Don't bother too much. Come let's dance." Rahul said getting up from his stool. Rohit agreed to the same.

"Yea. I will think about it later." Saying we joined the crowd on the dance floor.

.

With a pounding headache, I woke up to see that I am in my room in Rohit's flat.

I have my own room in both Rahul and Rohit's place.

Growing up together, your best friends will be more like a family.

Getting up I washed my face and reached my flat which is on the next street. We basically have our flats in the same neighborhood.

Entering my flat I headed straight to the fridge to have some water and noticed a sticky note attached to the fridge door.

I know you were in one of your friends flats. And I know you are having a killer headache. Breakfast is waiting for you on the table. I will see you in the evening. XoXo

Shit I forgot to tell Priya yesterday that I will be staying in Rohit's flat. I face palmed myself.

After getting ready on snail's pace I sat on the couch with a plate full of breakfast in one hand and mobile in another going through the mails.

My hand stopped midair when I opened one of the mails.

It's an official mail informing that I have to join Little Feet from coming Monday.

That's it.

I have to decide on where I want to work.

Thinking for a millionth time in that day, I decided to take the offer as the Pa for Karthik.

All I have to do is control my heart and stay in my limits.

Then it will be easy for both us.

Not sure about him as he doesn't love me.

I had this pep talk with myself all the weekend.

Rahul is not happy with my decision.

And on the other hand all Rohit said was 'Be careful and take care. You are not an adolescent or neither were we in college for you to take haste decisions. In the end all I want is you not getting hurt and be happy.' always the cool and collected one among the three of us.