FOE TO FLAME

5. RISING TENSION

The first day at the office went smoothly until I encountered Reyan. I wish Aryan hadn't asked me to deliver the coffee to him. With this thought lingering, I'm strolling down the bridge towards my home. It's 6 o'clock, and I have plans with Eesha, my closest friend for the past four years. We're also neighbours

She's currently studying architecture, but her true passion lies in the arts. Her dream is to become a renowned painter worldwide. However, her aspirations were thwarted by her father.

she, contrary to her parents' wishes, her father is a lawyer, and her mother is a doctor. They prefer her to pursue something other than painting thus she's studying interior architecture.

As I ring the bell of her house one of her maids greets me, "Mannat beta, come in Eesha is in her room."
"Okay thank you masi" I replied before heading in.

Upon entering her room without knocking I'm taken aback by what I see. Eesha is sitting on the floor, her hair disheveled, eyeliner smudged, lips chapped, clad in a nightdress, looking unkempt. Papers are strewn across the floor.

She turns to me with teary eyes and a trembling voice, calling my name "Mannat." I need a moment to process the situation, wondering why she's in such a state. With a thousand thoughts racing through my mind she calls my name again this time more insistently as if urging me to enter her chaotic room. After gathering my thoughts, I cautiously step into her room making sure not to disturb the scattered papers on the floor. I toss my bag onto her bed and embrace her tightly asking, "What's wrong, my dear? Why are you acting so differently today?" She breaks the hug abruptly and declares, "You won't understand the pain I'm going through."

Despite her dramatic tone, I can't help but let out a laugh. She seems embarrassed by my reaction as she mutters, "You're the worst. I hate you." "Aw, come on, Eesha. Do you really hate me?" I tease, preparing to leave. However, she grabs my hand firmly and pleads, "If you leave now, don't ever come back to me again."

"Don't even think like that," I reassure her. I can see a glimmer of happiness in her eyes  

Then I suggested to take a bath while she was in the shower, and I tidied up her messy room since I'm skilled at it. In about 15 minutes, she returned from her shower, surprised to find her room cleaned.

"Mannat, you always find a way to make me happy" she remarked, to which I smiled, knowing how dreadful my evening had been after encountering Reyan. But meeting Eesha made me forget about that rude person entirely.

She then inquired about my day. "It was quite good. I got along well with my coworkers, especially with Reyan's secretary," I replied with excitement. She then asked about Reyan. "Let's not even mention his name," I said dismissively.

She looked saddened and questioned whether he looked different from his pictures. I chuckled at her imagination. "No, he's not fat or ugly at all. He looks good in his pictures, but you know people aren't always what they seem when you meet them in person," I explained.

She raised her eyebrows, asking if he had misbehaved with me. "He didn't use any bad language, but his behavior was undoubtedly rude.

He lacks manners when talking to women. There's a huge difference between Aryan and Reyan," I said, grabbing a pillow. Confused, she asked about Aryan. "He's Reyan's secretary, a well-mannered and humble person" I replied, detailing how I got the job and every encounter with Reyan. We chatted for almost four hours, poking fun at Reyan's appearance and speculating if he would gain weight.

After dinner at Eesha's house, we watched a movie until it was almost 11:30. "Eesha, it's almost 11:30, and Jani Maa is waiting for me. I should head home," I said, but she was reluctant to let me leave. However, knowing we had plans the next day, I hugged her tightly before leaving.