XOMANTORAL

Chapter 4

A smile, pink cheeks and a happy heart, that was all she felt at the moment. A little heart race added to her pink cheeks. Her face was glowing. She directly went to her bedroom and opened the gift. Very minutely she unwrapped the gift paper and kept it under her bed mattress. There was a box. She opened the cover. It was a beautiful kurta. The embellishments on the kurta were shiny and intricate. One could say that it was costly. The white details on the black kurta were breathtaking. She took out the kurta and saw yet again, a very beautiful white dupatta which suited very well with the kurta. The dupatta was simple, yet it had embroidered bits and pieces. A drop of tear fell down from her eyes. She found a note at the bottom. With the most beautiful hands, it was written,
"My first gift to you!
Snehai okon help korise, but choice tu mor deii. Eta palazzo kinim buli bhabisilu, but mor choice r napalu. Tumar jodii bhaal lage kibaa, let me know. Iyaar logot etaa white palazzo pindhiba ase jodi. Otherwise, I know it'll suit on you. Xeidina koisila nhoi, 'black chikankari kurta keitaa bohut dhuniya'. Moi kiba chicken buli bhabisilu. Dumb ass me. Snehaai bujaai dile, and here it is.....
Yours, Arohan"
He remembered. Yes, yes, he remembered. When Sneha and Aditi were talking about kurtas and suddenly Arohan entered. She embarrassingly went out of Sneha's cubicle. Yes, he overheard it. And he remembered. She touched the gift and wiped her tears. It was a special moment for her. She didn't realize how close they had become in such a little time. She felt it. The bouquet was lying on her bed. She picked it and went to the dining room. She filled a vase with water and put the roses in the vase. Yet again, she found a small note.
"You like red roses, right?
Here it is! Keep smiling :)"
The smiley was a little out of place, but it was cute. She brought the note and kept it in her box of valuables.
After all the unwrapping, crying and smiling, she changed her clothes and lied on her bed.
She opened her phone. The lock screen wallpaper had her childhood picture. She was chubby. She kept looking at it until the screen zoned off. She opened it again and unlocked it. There was a picture of Arohan and the food that she clicked in the restaurant. She scrolled through the pictures. She found a selfie. He took it. She saw herself looking at him with the red pulpy cheeks and him laughing uncontrollably. It was cute. Her gaze was cute. His smile was the cutest. She locked off the phone. All the moments from the last few hours flashed infront of her. She saw his laugh and his tears too, mainly his laugh. It was weird for her to see him so informal. His smile kept rolling in her head. She fell in love with him. Oh no! Was she really falling in love with him? No no. It can't happen that soon. Or can it? Aahhhaaa! She was confused. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Suddenly her phone started ringing. She picked it up.
"Xulaa?"
His voice had a soothing effect on her. Her fast racing heart slowed down. She replied
"Naai. Apuni ketiya goi paale?"
"Eii just bisonat porisu. Phone tu khuloteii tumar message tu paai bhabilu phone etakeii koru."
Yeah yeah. She acted desperate. She messaged him 'goi paai jonabo....'
"Ohh."
......
"Hello?"
.....
"Sir, xunisene? "
"Kene lagil?"
He laughed from the other side.
"Ki hol?"
She asked
"Eii je ohh ohh kori thaka. Nathakiba. Kiba kua aakou."
"Hm. Aji bhaal lagil. Thank you."
"Moro. And thanks to you. Bohut halka lagise mon tu."
"Hm...
...
Sir, eta kothaa."
"Yes, boliye."
She giggled
"Apunar maak kobo apuni je apple bhaal npaai. Next time apunr favourite fruit loi ahibo."
Arohan didn't say anything
"Sir? Beya napabo aaru."
"Dhett kio beya paam. Pise tumii mor maar tat atki kio asa?"
"Hm.... Cuz I feel like apuni apunar maak beya napai. Just olop ego aaru valueless toxicants kunubaai apunar murot xumaai dise. Try to talk to her. Definitely sob thik hoi jaabo."
"Hmm".
"Etiya apuni he sn hmm hmm korise?"
"Naai. Bohut kotha Aditi. You won't get it."
"Kouk. Xuni asu."
"Naai diya.. Baad mein."
.....
"Heri. Xui thaka. Office para jodi jldii ahiba. Etaa kaam asil, khotom koribo lage as soon as possible."
"Hm hobo diyok jaam."
He kept looking at the ceiling. Tears fell from his eyes
"Bye Aditi."
"Hm bye"

Office.....
Aditi reached the office early as was suggested by Arohan. She took two cups of hot coffee from the canteen to his room. She knew he was a little upset over the last conversation they had. She walked over to his room and knocked at the door. He said,
"Come in "
She entered the room. He was stand with his back towards the door. She hesitantly said,
"Sir."
He straight away turned back and gave the widest smile.
"Oh Aditi. Iman xunkale je?"
He got a little confused
"Kelei? Apuniei kali kua nasil ne?"
He made a ironic face and said,
"Oh did I? Pahori golu."
Yeah now she understood what happened.
"Sir, kalir karone bey...."
"Please Aditi, not again."
Shit. Dumb person. She was upsetting him again and again even if she didn't want to. She shutted her inner mouth and joyously said,
"Saaok apunar karone coffee loi aihsu. Khabo ha. Thanda hoi jabo."
She kept the cup on the table and rushingly went out of his room. As soon as she came out, she slapped at her forehead. She slowly went towards her cubicle. Sneha was coming running towards her. She embraced her and said,
"Guess what happened! "
Aditi confusingly asked her by moving her head
Sneha replied
"Tumii eta official trip r karone select hoisa!"
Aditi gave a confused look
Sneha again said
"Arre. Kenekua khon korise eii. Amr juntu management group tat eimatra message ahise. Tumi nominate hoisa, and I am sure you will be selected with ease."
"Mor concern eko luai naai sun."
Aditi said, still confused walking towards Sneha's cubicle.
"Arre baba. Nominate kori select hole tumak xudhibo. And if you reject, next nominee jon select hobo. Simple."
Aditi smiled vaguely. Sneha bent towards her face and said with eyebrow raised
"Ki hol?"
Aditi was zoned out for a moment. Hearing Sneha's voice, she returned
"Naah. Mane maa hote jodi jabo nidiye, tetiya toh jabo nuwaru noh."
"Ouhh, tumi sun xoru puwali, pahoriyei goisilu."
Sneha giggled after saying. Aditi got irritated and said,
"Dhett. Moi xoru nohoi. Just maar pora permission lagibo, xeye."
As they were talking, Arohan entered the cubicle.
"Aditi, tumak bisari aasu, aaru tumi iyaat lukaai asa."
Arohan said, out of breath with a little annoyance
Aditi got a little scared
"Sorry sir. Snehak kiba eta xudhibo aahisilu."
Shit. She lied. Sneha looked at her face with a little pride.
Arohan shook his head and said
"Xei.. Ki kobo ahisilu."
Sneha gave an evil smile and said,
"Aditir mukh dekhi kunubaai kothatu e pahori thakile."
She threw her hand in the air
"Shut up Sneha. Eitu office hoi. Jiti boki nathakiba."
Sneha got a little scared seeing Arohan that angry
"Heri, Aditi, amar eta official trip ase. Mumbai t ekhon conference attend koribo lagibo. Amr management authority e tumak select korise. If you're willing, then next sunday aami flight book koribo lagibo."
Aditi was already scared hearing Arohan's tone. She said with a shaky voice
"Sir, maak... xudhibo... lagibo."
"Ok, maak kobo lagibo neki office r pora."
"Hobo diyok nalage, moi e sesta korim."
She said, very slowly
"Diya maar phone no. tu. Phone kori koi diu."
She said, panicking
"Nalage nalage sir, eneke kole direct nalage bulii kobo. Moi kaile ghor jaai kobo lagibo bhalke bujaai."
"Ok, do it fast."
He went out of the room. Sneha looked at Aditi with wide eyes
"Ki asil eitu?"
Sneha said
"Najanu dei. Kenekua khon korise sun!"
"Kiba hol neki tumalokor maajot kali? Kio eneke pagolor dore behave kori ase ee. Moi jabo lagibo aaji taar logot."
"Eko naai sun. Sob thikei asil. Najanu ki baa hol. Bhoiye lage sun."
Aditi silently went out of the room. That day, she didn't talk to anybody and finished all the work early. Her mind was stuck to Arohan's weird behavior. She couldn't accept how he reacted to everything. He was rude and arrogant.
After finishing all the work, She again came to Sneha's cubicle and said,
"Moi jaau Sneha. Gaa tu bhaal loga naai."
Sneha looked at her and asked
"Kio ki hol?"
"Najanu."
"Arohan k jonaai thoi jaba. Aaji eneii blast hou hou ke ase. Koi jaba."
Aditi nodded and went to Arohan's room. He was working on his computer, eyes fixed to the display. He didn't even realised that Aditi was present in the room.
Aditi's heart was beating fast. Although she was angry, she could never get over his formal attire, his serious disposition. His serious face always attracted her, and he was looking way too cute. She again called, holding her bag straps tighly
"Sir!"
She was startled and looked up. He said,
"Oh."
"Sir, moi goi thaku. Mor gaa tu bhaal loga naai."
"Kio? Kiba hol?"
"Naai."
"Kua aakou."
She didn't say anything. He stood up and went to the door. He peeked outside and slowly closed the door. She got scared. Her hands and feet grew cold. Her heart felt like it would come out any minute. The words choked her throat. She couldn't say anything. Arohan came near her and half sat on his table
"Ki hol kua."
She was still silent. He kept sitting there. She saw his hand coming near her hands. She hid her hands behind her back and said,
"Apuni mor logot upset hoi ase. Eko naai. But Snehak enekoi kobo nalagisil."
Arohan threw his hands in air and said
"Pfft. Moi tumar uporot ketiya khong korilu."
"Apuni mor uporotei khong korise"
"Xikarone etiya jabo ulaisa? Kaam saam baad di?"
"Kaam khotom hoise sob. Mor issa naai thakibo. Jaau moi"
"Ki hoisi mane Aditi? Kio enekua khon kori asa?"
She didn't reply and kept looking at the floor. He got angry and stood up. She took two steps back
"Ki mane? Sob nijor uporot kio loi lua? Iman kio nijok dangor dekhabo jua?"
"Moi eko dangor dekhabo jua naai."
"Sob kothaa nijor gaat paati loi kio lua? Mok xudhisa ebaar moi kio enekoi asu? Nije assume korii hahakar kori ase. Kio enekua tumi huh? Nalage jua thakibo. Jua ghor."
She kept standing there
"Go Aditi, ne aaru khong uthabo baaki aase?"
A drop of tear fell down her eyes and she went out of the room.