Falling For The Enemy

Chapter 5: Tight

After the lunch break was over and all of them came upstairs, their laughs were thundering in the office. It caused a sharp swing in Lyla's stomach. She hated their laughs.

Did they even notice that she wasn't there with them?

She was barely holding her tears. All she knew is, she must not show her emotions in a professional settings. She held it in and saw Riya, Sangeeta and Jeet coming in, giggling and talking about cars. They all strongly avoided the eye contact as they felt her presence. The atmosphere was tense and they stopped laughing and opened their laptops.

She felt like an outcast. She was drinking her tears and trying to breathe as she stared at the laptop screen intensely. Her mind wandering to various images of running away from here and never coming back again-- of telling them off on their behavior towards her.

Why couldn't they just say if they don't like her?

A hand on her shoulder pulled her back to the laptop screen of various colourful balloon floating in the air. Lifting her head, she saw Jeet; his eyes soft and kind. All the bad thoughts vanished as she looked at those eyes. He sat next to her, closer than he should and spoke in hushed tone. "Lyla? I feel like smoking. Mind joining me?"

She thought for a few seconds, trying to make sense of his words, after it resgistered in her head, she tentatively said "yes"

They went to the smoking zone of the office building. He casually handed her the cigarettes which she denied immediately. "Cool. You don't smoke? What about weed or.."

"No nothing at all."

"You're a good girl. Aren't you?" Jeet smiled holding the cigarette between his lips. As he lighted it, he looked up at the bright blue sky and said incoherently, "wish it was raining.."

"You like rain?"

"Yes. Yes I do. Love it. It's beautiful."

"Well it should rain soon. The monsoon is about to arrive."

"Totally. But what's up with you? Why didn't you join us today? You just disappeared." He started the difficult conversation.

Hearing that, she felt the mixed emotions arising, that of a relief and shame-- relieved as someone came to her to give her the support she needed and shame because how she much of a loser she appears to be.

"I felt like I was being left out.." She said slowly, looking at the ground.

"I'm sorry that we made you feel that way Lyla. Please join us from tomorrow onwards?"

"I wanted to join... but it's hard. I don't get along as well as you and Riya and everyone else does.." Lyla slightly raised her voice but calmed herself down progressively as she spoke.

"You know, you will feel more like an outsider if you don't try hard enough. Just chill and act like you've known us forever." He tried to cheer her up. "Now, don't be sad okay? Cheer up." He side hugged her.

How does it come so naturally to them? To act so friendly, to make others so comfortable? Why does whenever she tries something, it makes her feel like she's making others uncomfortable.. as if she's taking up too much space? .

"Oh, if only I was like you, Jeet." She thought.

They went back into the office and continued with their daily tasks, mingled with lots of time-killer activities such as playing games on their phone.