Better Together

Chapter 3(Abhay)

I am staring at the calendar with eyes wide open before going to sleep. Its Monday tomorrow. How come its already Monday. The week passed by the speed of a bullet train. This Monday haunts me for various reason.

I had always known that I would be nervous about the first day of work at S MEDIA. But the things I am feeling right now is not just nervousness, I am nervous, scared, shocked and sad all at once and none of them are because of work. It's all because of Sahika.

There can be a hundred people having that name and working in the marketing industry. What are the odds of her actually being my boss. Also, if her family owned S MEDIA, she definitely would have told me so back in college, knowing how badly I wanted to work here.

But then, she was always a bit secretive about her family and she did have an elder brother whose name I am not able to recall at this moment. Is she really that Sahika?

I am not looking forward to tomorrow morning at all. I waited 6 years for this day and all I want to do right now is quit even before going to the office on the first.

I take a deep breath and walk to my bed. Tomorrow is going to be long day and I need a good sleep to deal with it. After turning and twisting in bed for around half an hour, sleep finally kicks in.

Sahika is standing in front of me right now with a nervous glint in her eyes. What is she nervous about? The way she looks at me right now, feels like she is not Sahika I know from such long time now. I thought I knew her but the words she says next changes my whole perspective towards the situation, "Abhay I like you."

And that's when I wake up. Since, I broke up with Sahika, I have had this dream for a million times. It kept getting shorter as the time passe. Earlier it used to be the whole conversation and gradually it decreased to only these 4 words, Abhay I like you.

I liked her too, hell I loved her but sometimes love isn't enough for a relationship to sustain, especially when our priorities, views and choices were so different from each other.

I sit up on my bed and press the heels of my palms over my eyes as the memories of her flooded through my mind. Not that I had ever forgotten even a single moment spend with her, but its days like today that trigger my dreams and memories.

Sahika and I were in the same class back in college. Her best friend, Kali and my best friend, Raghav were childhood family friends so we all used to hang out together. Sahika with her three female friends, me, Rahul and Sahil. I am not in contact with anyone except for Raghav.

We were in second semester when one day Sahika came to me told me she liked me. At that moment, I had no hard and fast feelings for anyone and after thinking for a day I decided to give this relationship a try because I had always felt close to Sahika in a way I never did with any of the other ladies in the group.

That was the best and worst decision of my life, best because the three years we spend together were terrific. There were moments when I couldn't imagine my life without her and yet here I am today hoping that the Sahika I am going to see in 4 hours from new isn't the same as the Sahika I just dreamt about. And worst because when we called off our relationship, she didn't just take away the life I had imagined with her. She also took away a part of me, a part that I will never be able to share with anyone ever again.

I get up from my bed and move towards my desk. I stare at my laptop for a few minutes before opening my secret file. The file that contains all the photos from back when I was dating Sahika, I clicked on my favourite photo of her and sat on the chair, staring at her.

We were in the college library when I clicked this photo. It's a candid and Sahika was so deeply concentrated on her book that she had no idea I was capturing her. "What have you done to me smoothie?"

Yeah I used to call her smoothie back in college because of her shiny and smooth black hair. At the initial days, when I gave her this nickname she used to blush so hard. Eventually she got used to it and even started question my mood whenever I called her by her real name.

I sit there talking to my smoothie for around an hour before my alarm rings. Noone knows about this habit of mine of they would think that I am insane to sit in front of a photo of my ex and talk to it. But it is what it is, Sahika has been my one and only comfort person till date.

As I walk into my new office, my nerves kick in not that they were ever settled. But right now my overthinking has reached another level. What will happen if my boss really is my smoothie, will she be happy to me? would she treat me like other employees? Can this be a chance for us to resume our relationship?

I walk into the lift and press the button for the 14th floor. The whole of 14th floor belongs to Sahika and the employees working directly under her.

As the lift stops and I get out of it, I spot a reception and see ladies talking and laughing about something standing by the reception.

I go up to them and clear my throat, unable to form proper words. One of the ladies look up to me from with a smile. But when she doesn't say anything, I take it as a clue and introduce myself.

"Good morning, I am here to work as Sahika ma'am's new secretary? Can you please tell me which way I need to go?"

"I was just waiting for you, I am Kriti, Sahika ma'am's personal assistance", the other lady replies to me.

"I am-", I try to give a proper introduction but she stops me.

"I know everything about you. Sahika ma'am provided me with all the information. She is wating for you in her office."

"Oh, am I late?", I say checking my wrist watch. I wasn't late according to it.

"No, she just likes to be early. Especially on days like these. Now please follow me."

Kriti leads me towards the left corner of the floor, greeting various people who are working on their desks. Does everyone here like to be early? I guess I will have to do that too if I want to get in good books of SAHIKA MA'AM.

Kriti stops by a small cabin and says it belongs to me starting today. It had no nameplate on it but she assured me, it will be installed in 2-3 days. I enter my cabin and find in nearly empty with nothing except for a shelf, a computer on the desk and a chair behind it.

"The last person who worked here was a minimalist. You can decorate this however you like to, but please keep it professional.", Kriti says to me in a polite tone.

"of course", I say and keep my bag and other belongings on the desk after which I walk to the cabin next to me with Kriti.

The nameplate reads SAHIKA SARAOGI. The time has come I guess. Kriti knocks on the gate and when there is no reply, she opens the door a bit and pokes her head inside the cabin.

"Ma'am he is here."

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Hey readers, 

I think a lot of questions have been answered and a lot of confusions have been cleared in this chapter.

Also, please tell me how are you liking Abhay so far in the comment section.

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