Fated Under The Dark Sky

Chapter 6

He narrowed his eyes as though; she had offended him in some way. Sammy's throat went dry and heart beat in her mouth. My damn mouth!! A single drop of sweat rolled down from side of her forehead while she tried to read his face.

No matter how much he tried, he just couldn't keep a straight face and laughed aloud, watching her terror-struck expression. She was like an open book. "Did you by any chance think, I was going to report you or something?" Or Something – she thought as she nodded. Gosh, she felt so naked in front of him; he could see through her effortlessly. "Don't worry; that's not what I'm going to do." He assured her. "Instead, I have an offer for you. I am working on a project with similar concept and I was wondering if you would want to join my team?" 'Keep your enemies closer' was his belief and that's exactly what he planned to do.

"T-That's it?" Sammy asked confused; Kunal nodded. Still unsure of his seriousness about the offer, she gave him an edgy smile. His offer was enticing, since that's what she had hoped to do ever since she joined Sognare. But, 'Samaira overwhelmed with fear and confusion' was prone to make blunders. "Um... I'll think about it" She blurted, hoping to end the discussion. They exchanged their numbers and Kunal asked to call once she had decided.

"I also have a favour to ask." He spoke. "Only my boss, my team of three and now you, know of this project in the entire office. Can I trust you with this secret Samaira?"

She blinked at him, lost in thoughts. His project was nowhere close to MI6's secret mission; moreover, it was nothing compared to hiding her life's secret. She extended her pinkie to him and he stared at it confused, then blinked his long eyelashes thrice before looking at her. Seriously?!! Kunal rolled his eyes internally and chuckled. She was being such a child. "That's... a two-year-old thing. Do you... fit the age criteria at Sognare?" He asked mockingly.

"There always lives a child in everybody. But with time and life's complexities we lose touch. If you try, you'll definitely find him somewhere inside you, I'm sure." The philosopher in her spoke. Kunal stared at her unblinkingly. Something about her eyes told him, there was much more in them than innocence; there was pain, fear, sadness and loneliness. He wished he could dive in them, to see everything they were trying to hide. "Yeah... well" He cleared his throat and mind, before linking his pinkie with her.

When they reached below her apartment; she got down the car, collected her stuff while Kunal watched her from inside. "So, this is me. Umm... Thanks for.... Everything... Good night." She hated goodbyes ever since her childhood; it made her feel awkward.

"See you at work." Giving her mischievous smile, he winked; that was so not him. Sammy's eyes almost popped out from its socket but thankfully, he wasn't there anymore to witness it. Watching the car turn around the corner, she walked inside her apartment. It was a very long and strenuous day. With no more energy left in her, she quickly changed into her pyjamas and a tank top. Lying on her bed, staring vacantly at 'Tom Cruise', she sighed, "What a strange guy!!"

Kunal had created an impact on her; she just couldn't get him off her mind. Rihaan being her only friend at work, held a special place no doubt, but the way Kunal made her feel was something she never felt before; a stranger, yet not. Kunal was no different; to him Samaira was familiar, yet not; bright on the surface, with darkness coiled beneath. He wanted to know everything; she was intriguing.

Samaira sprung up from her bed, when her alarm went off the next day. High stress level usually made her clumsy and it being the presentation day her clumsiness was at its apex.

She almost slipped on the bathroom floor in the morning and almost tripped over her, when entering the bus. Her sling bag must've slipped a hundred times from her shoulder by the time she reached office and with her newly developed elevator fright, she unknowingly clung onto an arm closest to her in nervousness, making the entire situation awkward. By the time she reached her floor, she looked like a beetroot, earning hell lot of weird stares.