Living In Oblivion

13

Avanti walked across the office floor, her eyes filled with glee and a smile playing on her lips that refused to fade. She paused near a trainee desk and admired everything before her with utmost happiness. It was hard to believe that she was about to take a step forward toward her dream. Wasn't this desk everything she had yearned for all these years? She knew it wasn't the end, and she wouldn't stop here, but there was no harm in finding a little satisfaction in what she had achieved. She was proud of herself.

Caressing the desk with the soft touch of her palm, she inhaled the fragrance that surrounded her workspace. The fresh wooden fittings emitted a comforting scent, and the subtle hint of computer systems' metallic tang added to the atmosphere. Avanti sighed dreamily and pulled out a chair, settling into it.

The floor was relatively quiet, with only a few colleagues chatting near the entrance and others laughing and conversing in groups at their desks. Avanti loved the vibrant atmosphere. Leaning on her desk, she looked around, realizing that she had arrived early in the morning to collect her documents from the HR department and, hopefully, have a conversation with Divit about taking up a part-time job.

Earlier that morning, when she woke up to the constant buzzing of her alarm, Avanti noticed that her housemate was missing. Checking her phone, she read a text from Divit, informing her that he had gone for a run. The subsequent text had a teasing undertone, implying that he hadn't locked her in the house. Smiling to herself, Avanti knew he wanted to add a teasing emoticon, even if he didn't send one. Shaking her head, she got up with a sweet smile lingering on her lips.

After getting ready, she had a simple breakfast of bread and butter accompanied by a mug of coffee. Avanti left home before Divit returned from his walk. As for coming to work together, she was clear in her mind that he never offered, and she didn't ask. Avanti understood that Divit valued his privacy immensely, more than anyone could imagine. He was a closed-off person, and she had no intention of intruding. Sitting at her desk quietly, Avanti observed her colleagues and waited for the work to begin.

After spending around two hours tediously verifying data for spelling errors, Avanti let out a loud yawn, capturing the attention of her fellow trainees. They looked at her as if she was an alien, but some managed to stifle their laughter while witnessing the petite figure struggling to keep her eyes open, fixed on the computer screen.

Ignoring the glances she received, Avanti yawned again and leaned her head back on her chair when she heard someone calling her name. "Avanti Bisht?"

Turning her head toward the peon who was calling her, she straightened up and raised her hand. The peon nodded but seemed horrified when he realized that she was the same person who had made him search for something as small as a button earlier. Unconcerned about his horrified expression, Avanti grinned and greeted him, "Hi Kamlesh Ji."

The poor man forced a smile and cleared his throat. "Divit Sir has called you to the presentation room on the seventh floor."

Before she could respond, he hurriedly left the area. Avanti shrugged and returned to her desk to pick up her phone. She put her system on sleep mode after saving the corrected errors in the data and made her way to the presentation room.

Divit was already seated in the conference hall with his team, awaiting Avanti's arrival along with another colleague who had gone to retrieve his pen drive. When he returned from his morning run, Divit was surprised not to find Avanti in the apartment. She had left after locking the flat, and he was grateful to have the spare keys hidden behind the nameplate. He felt a slight irritation that she left without leaving a text, but he dismissed the thought and hurried inside as he was already running late for the office.

Avanti entered the room and smiled at Divit, who maintained his serious expression. Ignoring his usual demeanor, she greeted the other team members with a warm smile, wishing them good morning. Divit mentally rolled his eyes at her chirpy behavior, wondering how she managed to keep going. But pushing that thought aside, he asked everyone to take their seats and glanced at Nakul, who had just entered with a pen drive in his hand.

Avanti noticed that she was the only woman among six team members. She was aware that she was the only trainee given the opportunity to work under Divit and the senior members. They all regarded her with different expressions—some with smiles, some with judgment, and others merely for appearances.

Noticing a few exchanged looks among her colleagues, Divit cleared his throat and began, "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Avanti Mehta, our new trainee intern hired by Mr. Bhardwaj. She will be assisting me and learning alongside us on this project. I hope you all will make her feel welcome."

Avanti squirmed in her chair awkwardly as she felt the judgmental eyes of almost everyone upon her. She could see frowns forming as the news sank in. Weren't they supposed to be warm and welcoming? Avanti wondered, mustering a soft 'hello' to regain her confidence, which had wavered for a brief moment.

With that, Divit proceeded with the presentation, and everyone focused on the reports. Avanti tried to speak less and listen attentively, only offering her input when necessary. Despite the urge to point out a few flaws and share her opinions, she restrained herself, not wanting to come across as overly smart. However, when she noticed a potential issue in a report that could lead to errors in future programming, she confidently raised her hand, interrupting the discussion.

"Yes, Miss Mehta?" Divit asked, slightly irritated by the sudden interruption.

"Sir, this feature may not be user-friendly in the long run. It has more disadvantages, and if we consider it from a long-term perspective, it diminishes the benefits of other features," Avanti explained politely but clearly. The man sitting beside her audibly gasped at her words.

"Is that so? Please elaborate," the man sitting adjacent to her asked in a mocking tone.

Avanti didn't appreciate his attitude and felt offended. Maintaining her composure and raising her chin, she confidently explained her point, "This reduces the chances of using the ultra-saver, as we are simultaneously providing the option to use power outlets. Why introduce another feature if it's merely an illusion?"

"Because it increases the chances of offering more to future customers," the man retorted, looking not only at Avanti but also at Divit, attempting to convince him.

"But it's wrong," she frowned.

"What's wrong with it, Miss Mehta?" Divit sharply interjected.

"It's morally incorrect. It's like we are deceiving our customers," Avanti sighed softly, her eyes filled with worry and hope. Divit felt a sudden breathlessness, his throat went dry, and his heart raced as her eyes softened. Her words struck a chord with him.

Divit's reverie was broken when he heard his colleagues and juniors chuckling at Avanti's response. "Morally incorrect?" the man questioned in disbelief. "Since it's your first day, you're forgiven," he sighed, shaking his head, and then stood up. "Divit, Man will see you after a short break."

Avanti watched him leave in fury, and within seconds, everyone dispersed. Rolling her eyes, she muttered to herself, "What a weird ass!" Divit heard her and realized his daydream had indeed been shattered.