I too want a love story - KarEena

2.The Reader

1 year later

A girl sitting on a bench busy on her laptop on a lazy winter afternoon, the park lay barren except few old people who came out of a stroll in the sun, an old man approached her

"If you don't mind, can I sit here?" he said pointing to her side

"Sure sir," she said giving him more space

"I am Vikram Saradhi" he extended his hand

"Haseena Malik" she smiled shaking his hand

"New here?"

"Yes sir, it's just been 2 weeks"

"What brought you here?"

"New job, I am a web developer" she smiled

"I feel I saw you somewhere. Aren't you in the rising entrepreneur's magazine?" he asked confused

"Yes sir" she smiled

"Great, so you are here on a new project"

"No sir, I have a few investments of my own and those are well established at this point by god's grace and well taken care of by my CEO and employees, so to keep my creative side intact I sometimes work in new startups, kind of freelancing with a low profile" she explained

"Sorry I am disturbing you at your work" he apologized

"Oh no sir, felt tired sitting in the apartment, so thought why not go for stroll but the warm breeze lifted my mood, so started to work again"

Her phone broke their conversation, "Excuse me, sir"

"Yes, Mr. Chaturvedi"

"Oy, I am not your CEO now, I called to talk to my friend"

"Okay my bad, Cheetu, my jaan, what's up"

"Where are you? I am standing in front of your apartment"

"Oh, I just came out for a stroll, wait there I am coming back"

She ended the call and turned towards the old man, found him missing, she went to collect her things, packing her bag she found a novel near her belongings, she searched for him, as he left, she took the novel to return it next time they meet and went towards her house.

"Cheetu, what's up bro?" Haseen hugged him, and both entered the apartment and settled on the sofa

"Where were you? It's been two weeks since you moved here and we haven't met each other even living in the same city, it's like you are still living in Lucknow"

"Arey baba, relax, I have been visiting this startup company, and been a little busy with them, now tell me what are you doing in the middle of the day rather than looking after our establishments?"

"Your CEO is on holiday" he said in a straight voice

"Good for you" they both eyed each other and broke into laughter

"Wait! Am I dreaming? Haseen Malik is reading a romance novel" he said wide-eyed, picking up the book

"Oh, shut up, I met an Old man in the park, it's his novel, I'll return it to him, now give it back" She pulled the novel from his hand

"Then why are you being possessive about it" he again pulled it back

"Because it's not mine, so I have to safeguard it" She again pulled it back, and as they argued the book fell from their hands, Haseena scolded him and picked up the book

"There is a letter in it" Cheeta picked it up and continued "It is addressed as 'To You', it's opened too, do you think it's that old man's?"

"To whomever it belongs, we shouldn't open it" she chided him