The Silence Between Us

Game of rivals

~ 𝘼𝙮𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙖 𝙋𝙊𝙑 ~

It's been a week already, and my team and I are burning the midnight oil. Every day is an exhausting marathon, pushing us to our limits. Yet, the sheer excitement of the upcoming presentation, the anticipation of seeing the look on his face, and the chance to seize this golden opportunity fuels our determination. It drives me to work harder than ever before, pushing through the fatigue with unwavering resolve.

"Ma'am, see this one," an employee asks.

"Good enough, but try to modify it a bit," I answer.

Just after that, Naina barges into my cabin, a whirlwind of energy. "Heyy... Ayeshaaaa!" she exclaims, practically leaping towards me. She wraps me in a tight, enthusiastic hug, her excitement contagious.

"Damnn, it feels like this week is equal to a whole damn year. You have been busy for so long... I missed you so much," she whines, her voice a mix of affection and longing.

I caress  her hair gently. "I missed you too." Being in her embrace instantly melts away all my tiredness and exhaustion.

She pulls away from my arms and says with a little pout, "Well, someone is so busy that she doesn't have time for me at all."

"Ahh, how I wish I could spend time with you right now. But this workload... it's relentless. I promise you, though, once this project is done, I'm all yours," I say with a grin.

"Aye, that's like my girl! But seriously, how's everything going? No, wait, I should ask-are you eating on time? You tend to skip meals when you're busy," she says with a hint of concern in her voice.

"Ahem, I am eating, so don't worry," I say, rubbing my ear sheepishly.

"Oh c'mon, you can't lie in front of me. You know what, I didn't even have breakfast today and now my stomach is singing the anthem of hunger. I can't wait... It's time for a break. Come with me without uttering a single word," she commands with a determined look.

"But... I still have so much work to do," I try to protest, but she grabs my arm and pulls me out of the cabin before I can finish my sentence.

After a while, we reach a restaurant despite my multiple protests. She even puts cotton in her ears so she can't be convinced by my objections.

"Now, you don't have any choice. Let's go inside and grab something tasty," she says with a triumphant smile.

"Yeah, I know. Then let's just go and eat something tasty since we're already here," I say with a resigned smile.

She smiles from ear to ear and links arms with me. We both enter the restaurant and take our seats, ready to enjoy our much-needed break.

The waiter comes to our table and hands us the menu.

"Let's eat Italian... What do you say?" she asks with an eager look.

"Sure, after all, it's your day. You can order whatever you want as I am not a picky eater," I say with a playful grin.

"Even though I'm not a picky eater," she says while smiling sheepishly.

"Aha, I know, I know. You aren't... It's just your favourite and non-favourite things," I say with a chuckle.

"Everyone has their favorites and non-favorites," she replies with a knowing nod. "Now, stop teasing me. Let's just order."

"Yeah yeah. Sure," I say with a grin.

She places the order, and we settle into a comfortable conversation, anticipating the delicious meal to come.

"So, how's it going with that Ayaan Malhotra?" she asks curiously.