Silently Falling in Love: Race - #Wattys2017

Chapter 35 - May 1996

Alex

I hid away in the office while Anjali worked away in the workshop area. Ever since the photo shoot, I'd been avoiding being alone with Anjali. We hadn't had lunch in the past two months because I made sure I was busy and I volunteered to travel for my company so that I didn't have to lie to Anjali. She never questioned me on it or tried to re-schedule our lunches, which made me believe she too was avoiding me.

The last time we had hung out was when Arjun was in New York visiting and he'd been around the whole time. Honestly, I was afraid of being left alone with Anjali because I didn't trust myself. Even today Tarun cha cha was supposed to be here right now. I couldn't help but wonder where he was so I chose to work in the office area until he arrived here. I'd barely said hello to Anjali before moving inside the office. I left the door open just so I didn't seem rude, but being alone with Anjali was getting difficult. I didn't trust myself.

I decided I was going to leave the building and go get coffee and hopefully by the time I got back Tarun cha cha would have arrived.

I grabbed my wallet and jacket and walked out of the office.

"Hey Anjali, I'm heading out to get some coffee, do you need anything?"

Anjali turned to me as she was putting a pencil through a bun she was making in her hair. With her hands behind her head her pink t-shirt stretched across her chest, making me groan in-ward. Forget the tight sari blouse I had been up close and personal with at the photo shoot even a simple t-shirt and jeans could bring me to my knees. How were we going to work together, if such a simple gesture could make me want to walk back into the office and slam the door?

"Thanks Alex, I'm good."

"Okay," I said rather quickly and moved to leave our workshop when the bells over the door rang.

Tarun cha cha slammed the door and came storming into the workshop area.

"Maybe you should ask cha cha if he needs some coffee," Anjali murmured so only I could hear her.

"Hi cha cha, I was thinking of getting some coffee and something to eat, did you need anything?" I asked.

Tarun cha cha completely ignored me and cut the space between Anjali and I and stood between us but he faced Anjali and his back was towards me.

He was definitely mad about something. I moved to the other side of the table to see what had Tarun cha cha so worked up. Maybe Anjali screwed up one of the designs, that's the only scenario I could think of him being so worked up about.

He slammed a folder down on the table, "When the hell were you going to tell me, Anjali?" Tarun cha cha asked in a very pissed off voice as he folded his arms across his wide chest.

"Tell you what?" Anjali asked confused and slightly scared.

"Don't play coy with me!"

"Cha cha I really don't know what you're talking about."

"I can't believe I had to find this out from your dad! I would have expected you to tell me directly."

I freeze; I've never seen Tarun cha cha speak so loudly or sternly with Anjali. He'd use that voice on Arjun and I plenty of times when we were younger, especially when we'd been caught doing a prank but Anjali was his Achilles heel. He'd always been charming, fatherly and protective of Anjali.

"You're just going to throw in the towel and have an arranged marriage because you had one broken heart and a couple of bad dates?"

I look from Tarun cha cha to Anjali, shocked at what he's just said. I look at Anjali, he's got to be joking or maybe Anjali is not even aware that her dad's looking for someone for her.