Love at the time of dentistry

Chapter-11

Manya got out of the Rajiv Chowk Metro station feeling completely out of sorts with her nerves frayed at the ends, metro rides did that to her. That and the fact that Ronit Raheja was back in her life. It was one week after her parent's fateful party and she still had to come to terms with the fact that Ronit was back and back for good. She was meeting her friend Anaya at the Café Coffee Day outlet in Connaught Place to get some serious answers. She was still have a difficult time thinking that Anaya knew everything about this and didn't breath a word to her. What was she thinking? Didn't she knew how much she hated the guy and couldn't stand the sight of him? Anaya was the only one of her friends who had stayed behind in delhi with her to work. It was Anaya only who had told Manya about the opening at Forbes for the post of senior resident and it was she who had her application for her. She couldn't fathom that Anaya knew something so big and had kept it from her. It was time she got some answers. She needed all the ammunition she could get to face Ronit on her new job. Thinking of Ronit brought her thoughts to the kiss they had shared on the balcony. Her cheeks turned red just on the memory of it. She couldn't believe that Ronit could generate those same feelings inside her as he did 7 years before. She had felt so alive in his arms. Why did she had to feel like this with the man she hated the most in the world? She reached the outlet and entered inside to be greeted with the wonderful aroma of coffee wafting in the air. It was a nice place and at this time of the day was not occupied by many people. She saw Anaya sitting in a corner seat, sipping her coffee. She beelined straight towards her. "Hey girlfriend, how you've been?" Anaya asked her cheerfully, getting up to hug her. Inspite of the anger she was feeling towards her friend, she hugged her tightly and sat in the seat in front of the one her friend has just deserted. Before she could say anything, a waiter arrived at their side to take her order. Manya ordered a cappucino and settled in her seat to confront her friend. "Ah oh, I know that look, looks like I am in big trouble, I should be very scared right now" Anaya said jovially, not the least bit scared. Was she so transparent that anyone could read her so easily? Then she must have been passing angry scowls to her fellow passengers on her way. Pushing aside these thoughts, she concentrated on why she had come, "Yeah you should be scared and big time, young lady". "Young lady?!! Boy! You must be hell of an angry with me, you sound just like my mom", Anaya said laughing. "Will you tell me why you are angry or will I have to pry it out of you", "Why didn't you tell me our boss is going to be Ronit Raheja?" Anaya burst into laughter at her indignant face, "Is that why you have take Goddess Kali's avatar, I thought I must have murdered someone unknowingly by the look of your face". "This is not funny Anu, why didn't you tell me there was going to be an interview and why wasn't I called for it, why did you keep it all from me?" Anaya had sobered up sensing her friend's anger. This must mean a lot to Manya for she didn't get this worked up for just anything. She put up her most conciliatory and charming tone, one she used to assure her patients before they got their teeth extracted, "Look honey, I really didn't know why you weren't called for an interview and as for the not telling you about Ronit part, he asked me not to tell you anything until you start work, by the way how did you come to know all this, we don't start our jobs till next week". "I got it from the horse's mouth itself", Manya said, the anger draining from her leaving her feeling deflated. It was not Anaya's fault that she was feeling so disoriented. This had all got to do with Ronit and his unexpected return. Anaya was looking at her with a confused expression so she hurried to explain, "I met Ronit at my parents' house last week, he told me everything there", Manya said in a dismayed voice. "Your parents' house? What was he doing there?" Anaya asked more confused. "He is the son of my father's oldest friend; they have just returned from New Zealand permanently and settling. That's why Ronit took this job." "Wow! That must have been a shocker for you and to think he was with us the whole time we were in college and you both didn't know a thing about this", Anaya said laughing. "What am I going to do now? I can't possibly work with that guy, how am I going to face him every day?" Manya cried in an exasperated voice. "What's the big deal about it, he is an excellent surgeon from what I've heard, it can't be that bad working for him", Anaya said not at all understanding why her friend is so dismayed at this. She didn't find any reason for her friend feeling like this. "How can you say this when you know how I feel about Ronit", Manya asked her putting her head between her hands. She could feel a headache building up. "Oh my god! I can't believe you are basing all this on some silly feelings you had for the guy 7 years ago, it's a long time Manu, don't tell me you still feel like that." "Yeah I still hate that guy, I just can' stand him." Manya said looking up and taking a sip of her cappuccino which had just arrived. "I can't believe you are saying this, this is not the Manu I know, there's something else you are hiding from me." At this Manya turned a guilty shade of red, she indeed was hiding the real reason of her feelings from Anaya. Anaya caught her guilty expression instantly and pounced on her, "I knew it! There is something else that you are not telling me, something big, tell me, tell me!!" Anaya insisted. Manya couldn't find a way out of this situation. She figured it was high time she told someone about her breakup. Anaya was chanting her litany of 'tell me tell me', she took a deep breath and said, "Ronit is the reason I broke up with Siddharth". The silence that followed her words was deafening after her friend's constant chanting. Anaya looked like she had just announced that she was marrying a Martian. Slowly she found her voice back and asked, "What in the world are you saying, how is that even possible?" And then the whole story came pouring out of Manya's lips. Anaya was looking more shocked at the end of it, she clearly wasn't expecting this. If this wasn't happening to her, she would surely have laughed at the comical shocked expression on her friend's face. At the end of her story, Anaya said, "Phew, this was not what I was expecting; no wonder you are in such a bad shape". Manya was glad her friend understood her feelings; she could use all the help right now. "Now you know why can't work with him, I'll be constantly remembering everything which will be like hell." "Come on, sweetheart you don't think he might still be having feelings for you, you clearly rejected the guy that too for another guy. That is not good for a man's ego" Anaya tried to reassure Manya. "Apparently that's not the case, he kissed me again at my parents' party" Manya said with a rueful shake of her head. She was clearly going out of her mind here and it was his entire fault. "Well the guy has clearly some nerve but you've got to admit the guy is sexier now, you should feel lucky being kissed by him. I was a little confused when he asked only about you at my interview-where you were working, where did you get your post graduation from, I felt like I was filling in for you at your interview but now I understand why, you lucky devil" Anya said trying to make light of the situation. "That's not the point! I can't afford being messed up by him. This is a really nice job and I don't want to lose it over him. What should I do?" Manya asked her. "Maybe you are looking too much into it, maybe he was just trying to rattle you by that kiss for rejecting him, from what you have told me he was just teasing you. I don't think it was anything serious and anyways from what I have heard, he is and extremely professional person, kind of a perfectionist. He won't try any hanky panky with you at work. You have nothing to worry about" Anaya reassured Manu as best as she could. Knowing her friend, she knew that she must be going through enough emotional whirlwind right now. She had seen how depressed and broken Manu had looked days after her breakup with Siddharth. It had taken all of their cajoling to pull her out of her depressing mood and take part in what was happening around her. Now with Ronit's return into her life, all those times must be coming back to her. Manya felt a little better after hearing this from Anaya. She was right, Ronit won't try anything with her while they were at work and there was no reason that their paths would cross outside work. She will make sure of that. She smiled at her friend for the first time she had arrived and finished her coffee. She was a lot better now that she had talked it out with Anaya. She felt a lot lighter. They talked common acquaintances and exchanged news about their other friends. After that they roamed around the Connaught Place complex, looking at the designer stores, commenting on the other people walking on the pavement. It felt good to spend this time with Anaya; both of them had got busy with their lives and had little time to spend with each other. Now that all their other friends had gone back to their home cities, Anaya and she had grown closer to each other. She had helped Anaya get an apartment near her own, though she had asked her to share her own but Anaya had refused saying that she had always wanted a place of her own and now she had it. After about an hour or so of aimless wandering, both friends parted ways at the Rajiv Chowk metro station, giving each other hugs and promises to call each other soon. She was happy she had this meeting with Anya before starting her job; she felt whole lot better and ready to face Ronit with everything she had.