The Second Time

3. First Impressions

3. First Impressions

"So, which one's better? Red or Pink?" Charulatha asked Rudra who was lying on his bed. It had been a month now that Charu, Rudra and Veer were roomies. "Red looks sexy and pink looks cute so you decide," Rudra answered. "I want to look sexy!" "Yeah right then your brother would first ground you and kill me for letting you look sexy." Rudra replied. "I wish my brother was more matured!" Charu sighed in her pink dress. "It's not about maturity, just that brothers don't want their sisters to look sexy! You won't understand just leave it."

Charulatha looked at Rudra who was busy playing on his cell phone. "Do you have a girlfriend or crush?" she asked him. "Nope, not interested!" he replied without looking at her. "What about you?" he asked her. "I do have crush on someone but maybe he is out of my league." Rudra let out a light snort at that and looked at her. "I wasn't aware that even girls have leagues for boys. Nice to know of our growth in that forte," he said and Charu frowned at that statement. "All men are so egoist! And by the way it's not always boys being the victim in this dating game; girls also have to deal with the same drama when they like a guy!"

"Actually I have seen a girl like a guy and a girl love a guy and no doubt that there's lot of drama involved. If a guy doesn't like the girl in return than she's the victim but if a guy does like the girl and can't say it, even that time she's the victim. Fucked up logic!" Rudra told Charu as he sat on the bed in his shorts and messy hairs. "It's not like that and guys cheat a lot." "Girls cheat too. It's not girls or boys, you know! It's assholes who cheat on their partner; they can be a girl or a boy."

"Were you in a relationship before sometime?" Charu asked him suddenly and he just nodded at her. "Explains many things," she replied. "And what does it explain?" he asked her back. "You know so much and you are getting so interested in this topic! Who was she? Do I know her?" she asked him. "Actually I have liked many girls. Last year also I had crush on a colleague of mine but to be frank, I have only had one real relationship! Her name was Meera and she is the sweetest girl that I have ever met."

"And did she look good? Better than me?" Charu asked him further and Rudra got confused with this sudden comparison. "Well no! Looks wise Meera was average. She was little healthy too but overall a cute girl," Rudra said remembering her face. "You mean little chubby and fat," Charu said folding her hands and standing in front of the mirror, admiring her looks. "No. I mean cute!" Rudra cleared himself. "Yeah right!" Charulatha said sarcastically.

"But does it mean that you think I look good?" Charulatha asked with a flirtatious smile dancing on her lips. "You know what Charu, how about we imagine your brother standing right next to you? It makes things for me and maybe it will work the same for you." Rudra left the room confused about Charu's behavior. She just stared at his back and snorted at his actions.

***

"There is definitely good news for you buddy!" Rudra heard his lead say to him the next day at office. "What is it Momma darling?" Rudra asked. 'Momma darling' was a name only he was exclusively allowed to use for her as she reminded him of his mother. "The client is set to develop an entire different mobile application and we are in talks with them to give you a chance to lead it!" He couldn't believe his ears. "Does it technically make me the lead of this new venture?" he asked her.

They made sure that no one heard them as nothing was confirmed. "Yes but nothing is final! They have personally recruited a new analyst for this application because Pratik left. It's going to be a big experience and if you do this in the correct direction... I hope you do it so that I get promoted as a Manger and you as a lead!" she finally completed and he couldn't stop smiling. "You are so selfish, Momma darling. You are doing it for your own promotion," he said and she just rubbed it off but it was the truth.