You and I - a pranushka tale

chapter thirty-nine

"You work here?"

Eyes wide, Mithrah stared ahead at the seamless marble steps leading the way to a domineering, white building. Her mouth slightly opened in surprise at the wide pillars which stood proudly, not at all subtle in its power or of those who worked inside.

When Prabhas said she had to meet his boss, what she wasn't expecting was to arrive right at the headquarters of the Hyderabad Police Force. "I thought you work at that station near me." She mumbled, barely sparing him a glance as she took slow, tentative steps up the stairs. She couldn't help but feel like an intruder in a building of high authoritative figures.

"I work there too." He explained falling into step beside her. "But my office is here. I'm only there most of the time because of a project."

She couldn't help but feel curious when she realised his voice dropped for secrecy. She wiggled her brows at him cheekily and asked, "What project?"

"That's top secret. I can't exactly tell a writer that can I?" He asked with a grin. Once they reached the entrance, he lead her through a long corridor. Officers walking past them stopped to salute Prabhas, something Mithrah still wasn't used to. She almost forgot the dangers that came with such a powerful position as she admired him greet them in return.

"I wouldn't tell anyone." She replied with a pout. "You can trust me."

"Maybe if you ask nicely at the right time and place...with the right methods..." He trailed off suggestively with a smirk causing her to screw her face up as she looked around them hastily.

"Seriously, Prabhas?" She asked, dropping her voice. "What if someone hears you?"

"I didn't say anything wrong," He replied with a laugh. He gently tugged Mithrah's hand towards him as her body clashed beside his, allowing him to wrap his arm around her waist. "Even if they did hear they wouldn't say anything."

She swiftly got out of his hold and hurried a few steps ahead to leave some gap between them. "They won't say anything directly to you. But they will still speak and you don't want that reputation. Imagine. DSP Prabhas was seen walking into his office with a random woman in his arms."

"Would you feel better if I left the office door open?" He teased which only resulted in her flipping the bird at him.

With a smirk, he allowed her to walk ahead with a distance between them that appeared unnatural as she kept glancing back to say something. The smiles that were shot at him from the passing officers made it clear however that they were all aware of who she was no matter how hard she tried to appear platonic.

In a moment where he had looked away to greet someone, he realised that she had randomly frozen on spot. With a frown, he looked at her transfixed face. "What happened? Why did you stop?"

Mithrah was staring across the courtyard, where they could see the parallel corridor and the officers walking through. A new incomer had caused the previously buzzing atmosphere to quieten down so that only a weakened hush echoed around them.

Mithrah leaned closer to Prabhas, her face etched with curiosity as she balanced her elbow on his arm. "Who's that hottie?" She whispered.

He turned to look at her with a raised brow. "Hottie?"

"Just stating the obvious." She replied nonchalantly noticing how the officer was walking straight ahead, barely paying attention to the others who greeted him.

"Do you want to talk to him?" Prabhas asked before he beckoned the man to come over. Mithrah hastily turned around to look at him, shaking her head with wide eyes.