Story of Our Life

Chapter 21

"Baba." Prerna mumbled later that evening, as her father served her dinner. "Aaj mujhe Anurag mila tha, college mein."

"Hmm." Rajesh just nodded, urging Prerna to continue.

"Usne mujhse pucha...shaadi wali baat ke baare mein." Prerna said and looked at her father. "Maine usey mana kardiya."

"Priyu! Tune aisa kyun kiya?" Her mother responded, her rice filled spoon clanking on her plate, as she shook her head. "Aise uske muh par mana kardiya?"

"Usne bhi toh mujhse mere muh par hi pucha na Maa?" Prerna frowned and crossed her arms. "Should I have lied? Audacity dekhni chahiye thi uski, jab maine usko mana kiya. Puch raha tha mujhse...mujh mein kya kami hai?"

"Beta, ye sab maamle sensitive hote hain...wo jakar apne ghar walon ko bolega-

"Toh bolne do Maa? Sach hi bolega na?" Prerna sighed loudly. "Aur maamla sensitive hai, isilye isey jitna kheechenge utna galat hoga na? Hum unse jhooth kyun bolein? Baba, am I wrong?"

Rajesh sighed and took a sip of water, as his family members stared at him, awaiting his reaction and response. Clearing his throat, he looked at his daughter and held her hands calmly.

"Nahin beta. Tu galat nahin hai. Galti meri thi, mujhe hi Moloy ko pehle bol dena chahiye tha..lekin nahin bol saka." Rajesh smiled a bit, tapping his daughter's cheek. "Aur meri beti ab itni badi ho gayi hai ki apne faisle duniya ko khud bata sake."

"Aise hi iski har baat maan kar aap isko bigaad rahe hain Rajesh!" Veena glared at the both of them.

"Bigaad nahin raha, I am preparing her for the world. It's a bitter place aur humari Priyu ko khud ke liye ladna seekhna hoga Veena." Rajesh said in a stern voice. "Hum hamesha uske saath nahin honge. She should know how to fight for what she wants and also, for what she does not want."

Prerna smiled and her eyes watered as her father looked at her proudly.

---

"Moloy, Priyu ne mujhe bataya...uski aur Anurag ki baat hui thi college mein. I am sorry main-

"Tu kyun sorry bol raha hai Rajesh." Moloy sighed. "Bacchon se puchne ka objective hi ye tha ki unke dil ki baat humein pata chale. Prerna ne mana kardiya, koi baat nahin. Koi usey force nahin karega."

"Thank you. Gharpe sab theek hai?" He asked and could hear the hesitation in Moloy's tone.

"Ho jayega. Tu iski tension mat le." Moloy said slowly. "Kal office mein milte hain."

---

"Aaj aap zarurat se zyada khoobsurat lag rahi hain Ms. Sharma. Sorry, poore din mein bata nahin paya." Rishabh's deep voice startled Prerna and she looked back with widened eyes.

"Mr. Bajaj!" She whimpered as blood rushed to her face. "I got scared."

"My apologies, that wasn't my intention." He smiled and looked around the empty office. "Aap akeli hain, it's pretty late right?"

"Hmm." Prerna nodded and a slight smirk adorned her otherwise innocent face. "Kyun? Aapke iraade nek nahin hain?"

"Do you want my intentions to be corrupt Ms. Sharma?" His eyebrows went up as Prerna walked towards him slowly. "Filhaal aapke iraade mujhe nek nahin lag rahe."

"Good. Hain bhi nahin." Prerna stopped in front of him as he stared deep into her eyes.

"Yahan cameras hain." He said, pointing around the empty office and she shrugged.

"Footage delete karwa denge. I am sure you can do that." She whispered and Rishabh chuckled. 

It wasn't a funny chuckle, it was a deep one, coming deep from his gut, and going straight to her toes. Prerna almost took a step back as he moved towards her. Almost.

"You are quite something Ms. Sharma." He said in his bedroom voice and Prerna thanked her gods for not letting her faint then and there. "It's a pity we are not going to be together tonight."

"It definitely is, I agree." Prerna nodded and looked at him. "But to be honest, I am not going to miss you."

"Really?" He smirked and nodded. "May I ask why not?"

"Because I am gonna take your name in bed tonight, irrespective of you being in it or not. If you know what I mean." Prerna almost whispered and witnessed Mr. Bajaj's eyes go dark with desire before he closed them and sighed with a chuckle.

"Sadly, I do." He said in a gruff tone as his blood rushed to all the wrong places at the wrong place. "You will be the death of me Ms. Sharma."

Prerna giggled innocently at him, as if she had not just uttered the most lust inducing words to his face mere seconds ago as they stood in the middle of their office.

"So...I am leaving now." She said and took a step back to take her bag. "Are you coming?"

"Not tonight I guess." Rishabh mumbled lowly, causing Prerna to laugh out loud.

"Do you want some help Mr. Bajaj?" She said softly with a suggestive smile. "We can go somewhere without cameras and I can-

"Please stop right there before I take you right here." Rishabh said and Prerna smirked, nodding her head. 

"Theek hai phir, kal milte hain...Rishabh!" She said quickly and left, leaving Rishabh alone, in a very uncomfortable position. 

Prerna had left the office building and hailed a taxi, when she realised she hadn't stopped smiling since the last fifteen minutes. Shaking her head, she remembered Mr. Bajaj's words and closed her eyes, breathing in the cool Kolkata air as the taxi sped up. She could still feel his presence around her and as she recalled his beautiful expressions from their conversation, she could feel her heart rate go up and up by the passing minute. 

There was a bubble in her stomach, exciting and jumping around...kind of like butterflies but more potent, almost tangible. She had no idea what this was, it wasn't lust. She had experienced lust with him before and this wasn't it. Her body had always reacted intensely towards him, like a physical pull that made her crave him in really unholy ways. He knew what to do exactly and where and Prerna knew her lust towards him very well. 

This was something else. 

Prerna opened her eyes as the taxi stopped in front of Sharma House and realised there were tears in her eyes. Her heart beat loudly as confusion fogged her brain.

Was this feeling that strong that it made her cry?