T for Trouble [COMPLETED]

Thirty Two: Him

Radhika's POV:

"This is ridiculous!" The head of our department, Sneha Rajnath shouts, looking around at the drapes in the palatial hall where the opening of Eleganza Gala would take place today.

I sigh. I had told Aishwarya to follow whatever Sneha, our boss, had instructed. But would she listen to me? Noooo.

"I had specifically asked for periwinkle drapes", Sneha says, furiously. "What colour did I mention, Radhika? Can you reiterate it?"

"Periwinkle, ma'am", I say, in a quiet voice.

"Precisely", nodded Sneha. "And what colour is this, Nakul?"

"Mauve, ma'am", Nakul says and I throw a fleeting grin at him. He grins back.

"Very good", Sneha breathes deeply, trying to calm down. "Who. Was. The. Inane. Dimwit. Who. Brought. This?" She hisses, and all of us cower a little.

From the corner of my eye, I can see Aish positively shivering. What a dumbass.

"Who was it?" She barks and slowly, Aish raises a trembling hand into the air.

"Oh my God!" A high pitched yet mellifluous voice exclaims and everybody falls silent at once.

"Isn't that the owner's wife? Niharika?" I whisper in Nakul's ear, who nods, smiling.

Nakul and I haven't had the time to go on a date, yet. The entire week we were busy with the preparations of the Eleganza Gala. We aren't exactly dating, but we're not just friends either. It's complicated, just like my life.

"Who changed the colour from periwinkle to mauve?" Niharika asks, and suddenly a man enters from behind her.

"Well, shit", Sneha swears under her breath, throwing daggers at Aish.

"Who made these last minute changes?" Anish Verma, the owner, or Big Man V, as we like to call him, asks in a tranquil voice.

"Well? Sneha?" He asks her. Anish Verma is over fifty years old but he still has an amazing personality and he looks very attractive even now. Most of the girls are swooning over him.

"It was Aishwarya", Sneha answers, her voice quivering.

I can hear Aish whimpering.

"Aishwarya who?"

Aish then slowly raises her hand again. "Me, sir", she squeaks.

"This is brilliant", Big Man V smiles at her, and beside him, I can see Niharika nodding her head enthusiastically.

"Mauve suits the colour scheme much better than periwinkle", Niharika or Mrs. V, as most of us call her, says, smiling at Aish who looks dumbstruck at the sudden turn of events. "Very good, Aishwarya. Who do you work under?"

"Mrs. Sneha, Ma'am", Aish answers, with a sudden display of confidence.

Sneha looks even more nonplussed than Aish.

"Well done, Sneha", Mrs. V congratulates her. "You lead your team well."

"I- we-", Sneha begins but Aish interrupts her.

"It was actually Radhika's idea, Ma'am", Aish says. "I just merely executed it because she was afraid of the boss's reaction."

I turn a deep shade of red and look down at my feet, eschewing everybody's gaze. That little tattletale! I'm going to kill her!

Nakul nudges me and whispers, "Make eye contact, silly. They're not gonna eat you."

"Nakul, could you please escort Radhika to my office in fifteen minutes?" Big Man V says and my face grows even hotter. "We still have to overlook the other decorations and preparations."