The Dating Charade ✔️

Chapter-31

"...and this is where the stage will be set up, so make sure you leave enough space there."

It was a few days after Sahil left, and Annika was currently busy instructing the people she was working with, in the Grand Palace Resort. This was where the function of the Malhotras' would take place, and Annika was here today to make plans about what would be kept where, where the guests would sit, etc. The Malhotras' had insisted with Annika to take help from their event management department, but she had refused, opting to work with people she knew and had previously worked with, such as during Shivaay's wedding planning days. None of them were hi-fi workers, but did their job with full dedication, and that was what Annika valued most.

"Annika beta, there's someone here to see you." Rajesh Uncle, who was an old friend of Annika and in charge of the lightnings, informed her. Turning around while keeping a hand above her eyes to protect them from the sun in this open garden, Annika spotted a man coming her way, wearing dark shades and a formal attire sans the suit jacket, his shirt sleeves rolled to the elbows. Coming closer, he gave her a charming smile.

"Hey," He said, and Annika smiled in return.

"Hi, Rohit. What brings you here?" She asked, and Rohit shrugged.

"Nothing much, was just passing by." Thankfully, Annika didn't ask for any explanation on why he would be 'passing by' the outskirts of the city in this sunny afternoon, and he didn't have to lie any further. 

"All going good?" He asked, looking around the place impressively. Everyone seemed to be working in full swing, and even though the event was still a few days away, no one seemed to be slacking off.

"So far, so good." Annika replied. Rohit noticed that she was squinting under the hard sunlight, and opening his sunglasses, he made her wear it, catching her by surprise.

"There's no need for this," Annika protested, while trying to open it, but Rohit stopped her.

"Hey, I wouldn't want my event manager to go blind, alright?" He joked, and Annika giggled. The workers dealing with floral arrangements then called her, and Annika excused herself, while Rohit took a chair and took to observing her. It seemed that by each passing day, his liking for her kept on increasing. He was disheartened thinking that after the party, he wouldn't be able to meet her, and so was trying hard to become her friend and thus keep in touch. Even today, his motive for coming here leaving all his other work, was to hopefully take her out for the coffee she had promised him. 

"Would you like to have something, sir?" A staff from the hotel came and asked him cordially, and Rohit politely refused. That is when a thought struck him, and he asked the waiter if he knew whether the girl in pink there- here he pointed towards Annika- had had her lunch yet.

"Oh, Miss Annika?" The waiter said with a fond smile, having been charmed by her in the short meeting, "No, she hasn't. I asked her, but she said she'll eat later with all the other workers." Saying so, he left. Rohit was concerned that she was working in this hot weather without having eaten, but was awed that she wouldn't eat without everyone else. Taking matters into his own hand, he arranged for lunch to be set up on the tables, and instructed everyone to stop their work.

"But Rohit, we're almost done-" Annika started, but he stopped her.

"Nope, no more working till you all have eaten. Now come on and have a seat." He pulled out a chair for her, which Annika reluctantly took, and settled down beside her. They all then had a delicious lunch of Rice and Curry, much to Annika's pleasure, and she thanked Rohit for being so considerate.

"Don't embarrass me, Annika, I'm not doing any big work by taking care of people who are helping us so much." Annika smiled at his kindness, and proceeded to eat the lavishing food, according to her atleast. When they were done, everyone resumed their work, and Annika was about to follow, when Rohit stopped her.