A Withered Rose

A fateful encounter

Adrita woke up the next morning with a renewed sense of purpose. She knew she had to fix her phone and decided to take Nurse Dimple along with her. Dimple, who was not just a nurse but also one of her closest friends, had been a constant support through all her endeavors.

"Thanks for coming with me, Dimple," Adrita said as they walked towards the cellphone shop in the bustling market area. "I feel like I've been hit by a train after yesterday."

Dimple chuckled, nudging her friend playfully. "You know I'd never miss an opportunity to hang out with you. Plus, I need to get my own phone checked too."

As they approached the shop, Adrita was engrossed in recounting the events of the previous day. "I can't believe how many puppies we had to treat. It was heartbreaking but rewarding."

Dimple nodded. "That's why we do what we do, right? To make a difference."

Suddenly, Adrita's path was blocked by a tall figure. She looked up to see a handsome man in his early thirties, dressed smartly in business casual attire. His eyes were a striking shade of green, and his expression was one of mild amusement.

"I'm so sorry," Adrita began, stepping back. "I didn't see you there."

The man smiled, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "No harm done. You seemed pretty engrossed in your conversation. Everything alright?"

Before Adrita could respond, Dimple jumped in. "We're here to get her phone fixed. It decided to take a bath in yesterday's rain."

The man chuckled. "Tough luck. Phones never seem to survive that."

Adrita gave a polite smile, already feeling her interest waning. "Yeah, I learned that the hard way."

The man extended his hand. "I'm Aryan. I own the electronics store next door. If you need any help or advice, feel free to ask."

"Nice to meet you, Aryan," Adrita replied, shaking his hand briefly. "I'm Adrita, and this is Dimple."

Dimple gave a friendly nod. "Thanks for the offer. We might just take you up on that."

Aryan's eyes lingered on Adrita. "So, Adrita, what do you do when you're not rescuing phones from rainstorms?"

"I'm a veterinarian," Adrita said curtly, handing her phone to the technician. "I run a small clinic nearby."

"Wow, a vet," Aryan said, clearly impressed. "That's really noble. You must love animals a lot."

"Yes, I do," Adrita replied, her tone flat. She turned to Dimple, already tuning Aryan out. "I hope they can fix this quickly. I have a lot of work waiting for me."

Aryan leaned in slightly, trying to catch her eye. "You know, I find dedication really attractive in a woman. Maybe we could grab a coffee sometime? I’d love to hear more about your work."

Adrita barely looked at him, her mind elsewhere. "I don’t think so. I have too much to do. Plus, I’m more into my books and anime characters," she said, her voice distracted.

Aryan laughed, clearly unfazed. "A woman of mystery. I like that."

Just then, Dimple’s phone rang. She answered it quickly, her expression turning serious. "Adrita, we need to get back to the clinic. There’s an emergency."

Adrita's focus sharpened immediately. She turned to the technician. "Can you please hold onto my phone? I'll come back for it this evening."

The technician nodded, and Adrita handed him her phone. "Thank you," she said, already turning to leave.

As she rushed out of the shop, Adrita glanced back at Aryan briefly, her expression one of urgency. Aryan watched her go, his smile fading into a thoughtful look.

Once Adrita was out of sight, Aryan's demeanor shifted. His playful smile disappeared, replaced by a serious, almost calculating expression. He pulled out his own phone and dialed a number. Within moments, a large, imposing man in a blazer appeared at the shop entrance.

"May I ask what you have seen in her, sir?" the man inquired, his voice respectful yet curious.

Aryan smirked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Something interesting, Rajiv. Something worth pursuing."

Rajiv nodded, his expression neutral but his eyes sharp. "Shall I make the necessary arrangements?"

Aryan shook his head slightly, still smirking. "No, not yet. I want to see how this plays out naturally. But keep an eye on her. I have a feeling this won't be the last time our paths cross."

As Rajiv left to carry out his instructions, Aryan looked back at the spot where Adrita had been, a hint of intrigue in his eyes. "Well, this isn’t the first time I saw her running," he murmured to himself, his mind already working on the next steps.

To be continued...