Better Together

Chapter 9(Abhay)

FLASHBACK CONTINUES (19 y/o Abhay)

We had all been waiting for Sahika. I was sitting in the back row, keeping an eye on the door and calling Sahika continuously but her phone was not-reachable, at times even busy.

Raghav was on the stage trying to drag his presentation longer to buy time. I turned to the door again and saw Sahil exiting the AV room without taking teacher's permission. Where would he be going, when ma'am was so close to calling him on stage, I thought of asking him but then decided not to, he isn't that important right now.

Maybe he was just going for a smoke, he did that whenever he was in stress. Nobody else from our group knew about that, I had seen him smoking outside college once and he said he did it only during stress. I doubt that and then he asked me not to tell anyone about his habit, I didn't because he never mattered much.

I don't know but my mind drifted from Sahika to Sahil, the moment I saw him exiting the room, he had also went out about 15 minutes ago. What would be more important to him than his presentation, that too twice.

I called Sahika one last time, still unreachable. I decided I couldn't wait more. My presentation was already and I had no reason to stay in the AV room longer; I handed my laptop to Yakshita and went to search for Sahika. I signalled Yakshita about my plan and she nodded.

I exited and room and went towards the stairs, I climbed 3-4 stairs before I saw Sahika running down the stairs with a pen drive in her hand, her face was red and her eyes were watery. Sahil was following her in full speed.

Sahika stopped when she saw me, I climbed the rest of the steps towards her and then held her shoulder, "Sahika, are you okay, where were you? We have been calling you so many times, but your phone was unreachable. I was so tensed about you. I was coming to look for you.", I said in one motion.

Sahika opened her mouth to say something but Sahil beat her to it, "Yes you were going to look for her, but I did actually go and find her. I had been looking her for the last 10 minutes. Now is not the time for this conversation. Sahika we will get late for our presentation", Sahil said to me and pulled Sahika towards the AV room by her elbow.

For a moment I thought Sahil had smirked at me but then I pushed the thought at the back of my mind, saying to myself that it was just an illusion.

When I reached the AV room, Sahika was presenting her project but she was off, she looked distracted, she kept stammering and fidgeting. Maybe it was just nervousness or maybe it was something that happened while, she had gone missing. Whatever it was, she was affected deeply, and it was showing on her presentation.

The teacher was looking extremely unpleased. After a minute or so, she stopped Sahika and told her to take her seat, she started to plead ma'am to give her one chance but the teacher was unaffected, she started calling Sahil on the stage for his presentation and he rose from his seat.

Sahika was on the verge of crying which is why I couldn't stop myself from interjecting, "Ma'am, we had all been told we could present for 3-5 minutes, it has just been a minute for Sahika.", I said and stood up. All the eyes snapped towards me.

"So?", ma'am asked me.

"Please let her present for the remining time.", I said.

"That is going to be my decision Abhay, not yours."

"I am not taking a decision; I am just placing a request."

"We all are requesting ma'am, please let Sahika speak. Her presentation is really good.", Kali chimed in.

Ashika, Yakshita and Raghav also started pleading to the teacher and then she finally let Sahika continue with her presentation.

Sahika still stumbled with words but it was better that before.

FLASHBACK ENDS (29 y/o Abhay)

And that was the first time, I took a stand for Sahika. It was also the first time I felt as if Sahil wasn't a nice person as if he was hiding something from us, as if he was planning something. I shared my worries with Sahika after we started dating, but she had grown too close to Sahil and refused to believe me.

I decided to take a coffee break and went to the cafeteria with Ankit. He suggested that we should go for a short walk to refresh our minds and we were just leaving the cafeteria when I say Sahil coming towards us while talking on the phone. He saw me and hung up his call.

He came to me, "What on earth are you doing in this office?"

"I have been appointed as Sahika's new secretary.", I replied with a smirk.

"Sahika would never allow that."

"Actually, she did. in fact we had a really nice chat this morning and she even mentioned that I can be an asset to this company.", I lied just to intrigue him. "By the way what are you doing here. Are you visiting Sahika?", I asked.

"You wish. I am a head client manager of S MEDIA", Sahil replied with a smirk.

The head client manager that means he works right under Sahika. They are still close I guess.

He gave me a smirk and walked towards the lift.

Ankit turned to me, "you know Sahil sir?"

"We were in the same batch back in college."

"Ohh, now I get it why you call Sahika ma'am by her name.", that's when I realise what I have done.

"Ankit promise me you won't tell anyone about this"

"Why? What's wrong in knowing ma'am from college."

"I don't want people to think that I got my special contract because of knowing sahika.", I lied. "Please promise you won't tell anyone."

"Okay buddy as you say."

I wasn't feeling like going for a walk after my encounter with Sahil so I went towards the lift instead. I went up to my floor and was just going to my cabin when I saw Sahil entering Sahika's cabin.

I went to Kriti's desk and asked her, "What's happening?"

"It's nothing. He often comes up for a chat when he is free. You know they are quite close, Sahika ma'am and Sahil sir.", Kriti said with a slight giggle while my blood was boiling because of anger.

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