Beautiful disaster (completed)

Chapter 21 - Green-Eyed Monster

Kabir's POV

I glanced up from my laptop screen for what felt like the hundredth time that morning, my attention constantly drawn to Kiara's desk across the office.

My gaze involuntarily drawn to the same spot it had been all week - Kiara's desk. She was chatting happily with the new developer, Dev. Again.

I clenched my jaw, a bitter taste flooding my mouth as I watched them joke and laugh together.

My eyes followed her in the office - I just couldn't seem to stop tracking her movements and interactions. I knew I was being ridiculous, but I couldn't deny the simmering feeling in my gut whenever I saw her laughing with Dev.

Even from across the room I could see how relaxed and happy Kiara seemed in Dev's company. They clearly shared an easy rapport, likely stemming from the friendship I heard they developed working for the same company previously. She had never smiled that warmly at me, not even when we were kids.

In that fleeting moment, I was reminded of a similar feeling from school days. I vividly remembered Vivek's inquiry about Kiara, and how he had confessed his affection for her. That surge of protectiveness and uncertainty seemed to echo now, and I found myself at odds with my own contradictory emotions.

Dev Ahuja...my college mate who had tried a little too hard to be everyone's friend back in the day.

Was this the same Dev whom Kiara had mistaken me for at that café months ago? Back when she had bumped into me after over a decade apart and I, in a momentary lapse of judgement, decided to let her believe I was the blind date she was waiting for?

"We were on the same team at my last company," she had explained when Taniya asked how they knew each other. "We became pretty good friends working from home this past year. Crazy that he ended up here too!"

Her enthusiasm made my stomach twist itself into knots. I kept replaying our last real interaction from a few weeks ago - the vulnerable look on her face when we had talked about our broken friendship, when I had tentatively suggested we try to put the past behind us. She had never given me a direct response.

Was Dev the reason she had so firmly resisted the idea of reviving our friendship when I suggested it that one night over dinner? Had there been something blossoming between them even back then that made my presence in her life feel like an unwelcome intrusion?

A wave of resentment washed over me. If she really valued our friendship back then, she wouldn't have just disappeared without a word. It had hurt me so much at the time. I had every right to still feel angry at her for that. And now, over a decade later, seeing her indifference made me angry all over again. When she had first shown up at Lumen Technologies, I'll admit I had given her a hard time intentionally. But over the past months I had come to realize she wasn't a bad person - everybody makes mistakes when they are young. And despite our rocky start, I had found myself missing her friendship.

Seeing her again had reawakened memories from simpler, happier times between us. Times when she would sneak into my class room to pull pranks or fake illness to get out of class just so we could spend the day in campus café.

Ever since Dev had arrived at our office last week, it seemed like Kiara was spending every spare moment with him. They would eat lunch together, chat at the coffee machine, and now even worked side-by-side on projects. I still remembered the smile that had lit up Kiara's face when Dev had walked through the glass doors that first day.

Over the last week, I threw myself into my work, avoiding the balcony at lunch times. I stayed late in the office each evening, busying myself with every minor task I could justify. Being team leader provided the perfect excuse for the extra hours. Anything to avoid thinking about Kiara.

Maybe I had been delusional to think Kiara and I could ever go back to the way things used to be. Too much time had passed. The easy affection, the laughs we had shared once upon a happier time...that magical, golden bond was gone. And no matter how desperately I scrambled to grasp the fading threads between us, the tapestry of our history was unraveling before my eyes. One missed call, one missed chance at a time.

I sighed, raising a hand to rub at my temple. This onslaught of nostalgia and confusing emotions was giving me a headache. Maybe if I just avoided looking over at her desk I could distract myself by burying my head in work. At least for a little while.

I forced myself to look back at my screen, the words on the page blurring together meaninglessly. I couldn't focus, irritated by how often my gaze kept sliding back across the room. I lasted ten minutes before giving up entirely.

My thoughts kept wandering back to her throughout the day. During lunch break, I noticed Kiara and Dev exiting the building together. My jaw clenched at the sight. Were they going out for lunch? Just the two of them?

I stared broodingly at my computer screen, mechanically forcing down bites of my cafeteria sandwich. I had no appetite today. On my way back from the restroom, I overheard whispers from the ladies' room next door.

"he's only been here one week and they're already so close!"

I paused in my tracks. Were they talking about Kiara and Dev?

Another female voice responded. "I know! I heard they used to work together before this. Do you think they're...you know...dating?"

My breath caught in my throat. Were the rumors true then? Were Kiara and Dev involved romantically? An unpleasant emotion gripped my insides at the thought. Before I could ponder this further, I noticed them returning to office, chatting lightly. Kiara's eyes briefly met mine, then darted away nervously. I wondered what she was thinking. Did my presence make her uncomfortable? Or was it something else?

***

Pushing abruptly to my feet, I crossed the room in quick strides. I was her team lead after all. It was my job to check on my team's progress, right? Even if part of me was also maybe hoping my sudden arrival would cut short whatever chummy bonding session was happening over there.

"Kiara," I called out briskly as I neared her desk. "I have sent review comments on your design document. Let's discuss."

Kiara turned, eyebrows lifting in surprise. "Oh, okay. Just give me a minute."

"Cool. See you at lunch then!" With a little wave, Dev ambled over to his assigned cubicle on the other end of the room. I watched him go, oddly relieved.

Kiara looked back up at me inquiringly. "So you wanted to discuss the design document?"

"Hmm? Oh right." I cleared my throat, crossing my arms over my chest again. "I noticed a few gaps in the requirements you outlined. Have you validated those with the product team?"

Her eyebrows drew together. "Yes, of course. I sat down with them last week to walk through everything."

"Are you sure?" I pressed. "Because some of the acceptance criteria for the lead capture form don't seem to align with what we discussed."

Kiara's confusion morphed into indignation. "What do you mean? I wrote those criteria directly from the meeting notes. Maybe you're the one misremembering."

I bristled. "I don't misremember requirements, Kiara."

"Well neither do I," she shot back.

We stared at each other, irritation simmering between us. I knew I was being petty about this. She probably had written the correct requirements and I just wanted an excuse to interrupt her cozy chat. But now that we were arguing, my stubborn pride wouldn't let me back down.

Finally I exhaled, glancing away. "Let's just review again later when we've both had a chance to recheck our facts."

Without waiting for a response, I turned and headed back to my own desk, mood thoroughly soured. This was not at all how I had intended that interaction to go.