White Tulips

Chapter-9

The next morning, Rohan arrived at the office early, eager to start the day. As he settled into his cubicle, he noticed Isha walking in, her hair tied up in a sleek bun and a bright smile on her face. He felt a sudden flutter in his chest, and his eyes lingered on her a bit longer than usual.

"Hey, Isha! Good morning!" Rohan called out, trying to sound casual despite the nervousness growing inside him.

Isha turned around, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "Hey, Rohan! Good morning! How's it going?"

Rohan shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It's going great, thanks for asking. Just getting ready for our team meeting."

As they chatted, Neil walked into the office, his eyes scanning the room and lingering on Isha with a subtle interest.

The three of them headed to the conference room for the meeting, Rohan enjoying Isha's company and feeling grateful for their friendly banter.

After the meeting, Rohan lingered near Isha's desk, trying to find an excuse to talk to her. "Hey, Isha, can I ask you something?" he said finally, his voice low and hesitant.

Isha looked up from her computer, her eyes curious. "What is it, Rohan?"

Rohan took a deep breath, his heart racing. "I was just wondering if you'd like to grab lunch together sometime this week. Maybe we could discuss that new project we're working on?"

Isha smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "That sounds great, Rohan! I'd love to."

Rohan's heart soared, and he felt a sense of elation.

Neil watched the exchange from his office, his eyes narrowing slightly as he felt a pang of jealousy. He had been developing feelings for Isha and didn't like the idea of Rohan pursuing her too.

As Rohan and Isha continued to chat, Neil got up from his office and walked towards them, a subtle frown on his face.

"Hey, guys," Neil said, his voice friendly but with a hint of tension. "What's going on?"

Rohan and Isha turned to face him, their expressions cheerful. "Just discussing our project," Rohan said, his eyes locked on Isha. "We were thinking of grabbing lunch together to brainstorm some ideas."

Neil's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze flicking between Rohan and Isha. "That sounds great," he said finally, his voice a little forced. "Mind if I join you?"

Isha smiled, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "Not at all, Neil! The more the merrier."

Rohan hesitated for a moment, feeling a pang of discomfort. But he couldn't say no to Neil, not without being obvious. "Yeah, sure," he said finally, forcing a smile.

The three of them stood there for a moment, the tension between them palpable. Neil's eyes seemed to bore into Rohan's skin, as if challenging him to back off. Rohan felt a surge of determination, his heart racing with excitement.

"Shall we grab lunch then?" Isha asked, her voice breaking the silence.

The three of them headed out of the office, the encounter setting the stage for a complex web of emotions and rivalries.

As they walked to the lunch spot, Neil couldn't help but notice the way Rohan and Isha interacted. They laughed and joked, their conversation flowing effortlessly. Neil felt a pang of jealousy, his heart twisting with discomfort.

As they sat down at their table, Neil's mind flashed back to a memory from years ago. He remembered how Rohan would always get angry with him, accusing him of being selfish and prioritized by their parents. But Neil knew that wasn't true. He had always tried to be understanding and accommodating, but Rohan's anger and resentment had eventually led to a fierce quarrel. Neil had walked out of the house, unable to take it anymore. He had started living on his own, rarely visiting their parents' home and barely speaking to Rohan.

Neil's thoughts were interrupted by Rohan's laughter, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he talked to Isha. Neil's jealousy simmered, his heart racing with frustration. He thought to himself, "I'm not the selfish one, I'm the one who left to avoid causing more tension in the family." Neil's eyes narrowed, his mind still stuck in the past.

Neil got up from the table, trying to compose himself. "I'll be back, I need some fresh air."

Isha looked concerned. "Neil, is everything okay?"

Neil forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just need a minute."

As he walked away from the table, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Why was Rohan always so charming, so effortlessly drawing people in? And why did Isha seem so captivated by him?

Isha followed Neil outside and asked, "Hey, everything okay? You seemed a bit off back there."

Neil shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed some fresh air."

Isha looked concerned but didn't press the issue. "Okay, well...um.... I wanted to tell you something. This Friday is my birthday."

Neil's face lit up with a genuine smile. "No way! I had no idea. We should celebrate! Let me take you out for dinner or something."

Isha's expression turned melancholic. "I don't really celebrate my birthday, Neil."

Neil's smile faltered. "Oh, why not? It's a special day! You deserve to be celebrated."

Isha shrugged. "It's just never been a big deal for me."

Neil's eyes locked onto hers. "But it could be! If you'd let me, I'd love to make this birthday one to remember. No pressure, just a small celebration. Would that be okay with you?"

Isha hesitated, a small smile playing on her lips. "I...I suppose it couldn't hurt."

Neil's face lit up with excitement. "Great! I'd love to take you out for dinner, then. Just the two of us, a quiet birthday dinner. What do you say?"

Isha's smile grew wider, and she looked at Neil with a hint of delight. "That sounds lovely, Neil. Thank you for offering."

Neil's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled back at her. "Awesome! I'll pick you up at 7 pm on Friday, then?"

Isha nodded, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Looking forward to it, Neil. Thanks again for making my birthday special."

Neil beamed with excitement, feeling happy that he could make Isha's birthday special. "It's my pleasure, Isha. I'll make sure it's a night to remember."

Isha smiled, her eyes shining with warmth. "I'm sure it will be, Neil. Thanks again."

As they stood there, the tension between them was palpable. Neil felt a strong connection to Isha, and he couldn't help but wonder if she felt the same way.

Just then, Rohan walked out of the cafeteria, his eyes scanning the area until they landed on Isha and Neil. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked, his tone casual.

Neil felt a pang of jealousy, wishing he could spend more time with Isha without Rohan interrupting. But he pushed the feeling aside, knowing he had to be friendly. "Just making plans for Isha's birthday dinner," he said, forcing a smile.

Rohan's eyes lit up. "Oh, cool! I didn't know it was your birthday, Isha. Happy early birthday!"

Isha smiled politely, but Neil could tell she wasn't thrilled about Rohan's interruption. "Thanks, Rohan," she said briefly.

Rohan: "We should celebrate your birthday, Isha! It's a big deal!"

Isha: "Actually, Rohan, I don't really like big celebrations. Can we just keep it low-key?"

Rohan: "Okay, no problem! How about we just go out for dinner, then?"

Neil: (silent, not wanting to ruin his own plans, but relieved that Isha doesn't want a big celebration)

Isha: "Yeah, that sounds good. Just dinner would be great, thanks."

Rohan: "Awesome! I'll make the reservations. Where do you want to go?"

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