Not Around The Corner

She Did Not

“You can't look back - you just have to put the past behind you, and find something better in your future.”  ~ Jodi Picoult

Back to the present:

I was thinking about Akash when I saw Anushka walking up to her office. She was wearing a saree today and she looked absolutely chic. No wonder Gaurav was so crazy about her. She saw me and smiled.

“What a nice surprise?” she said. “How come you’re here?” she continued.

“I have to tell you something big,” I said as she ushered me in her office.

“Before you start, did you have lunch?” she asked. How was that important, I thought?

“Nope,” I said.

“Oh great then,” she continued,” We can go to this new Italian place around the corner.”

She was so unfocused. I decided to tell her while we went to the restaurant. As we were walking towards the restaurant, she asked me why I was there.

“Guess whose back in town?” I asked trying to keep myself from jumping.

“Who?” She asked curiously.

Before I could say anything, she tilted her head as if looking carefully at me.  

“It’s Akash, isn’t it?” she asked. I gave her a how-did-you-know look.

“Your face,” she teased. I smiled. “He is the assistant manager of a company Gaurav’s handling. I was to preside over the meeting but I couldn’t stay in the same room.”

“What? You left him and came here?” she was bewildered.

“Yes, I had to tell you,” I replied. “And not face him,” I added in a whisper.

“You could have called me. Running away wasn’t such a good thing to do,” she replied strongly.

“I can’t face him, Anushka,” I complained.

“I don’t know what happened the last time you saw him that was so bad. You aren’t even telling me,” she said. “What happened?” she asked again.

“I am not telling. It was embarrassing,” I replied.

“Ughhh, you are impossible,” she said. “You are going back though,” she replied sneakily.

“No. I am not,” I stubbornly retorted.

“I will make you,” she replied giving me a challenging look.

She took out her phone and made a call to somebody.

“What are you doing?” I asked her. She ignored me.

“Hey, darling,” she said. Oh shucks! She called Gaurav. She was so obstinate.

“Rhea will be getting back to the office after our lunch is done. She told me how excited she was about today’s meeting. Sorry she had to come over here,” she continued.

She was such a liar. Excited about the meeting? Spare me! I gave her a glare while she was talking. She was unaffected.

“Please keep her on this project, okay?” she finally asked him. He must have said a yes because her face lit up like fireworks on a Diwali night.

After the phone was done, she said,” There you go. Now you will work with him all day.”

I groaned. She could never make my life easy.

“Why Anushka?” I asked fake-unhappily. Part of me wanted to be in the same room as him but part of me was very apprehensive.

“Because you have been crushing on him since you were 13,” she replied happily.

“And because of him both of your latter relationships never worked out. I told you he would come back in your life. He is your destiny. I am just helping your fate,” she said innocently. “And we had a deal,” she continued.

“I know about that. Why do you think I didn’t snatch that phone away from you?” I said.

“You promised me you would give him a chance if he ever came back in your life. This is the fifth time he’s here. Back in your life once again. You have to try Rhi,” she said.

‘Rhi’ was a pet name she used for me when she wanted me to do something for her.

“You have left me with no choice,” I replied smiling now.

“I am so excited,” she said as the food arrived. As we dived into the delicious food I remembered that Gaurav thought we met for their anniversary plans. I had to give her a heads up.

 “By the way, Gaurav thinks we met because you are doing something special for him for tomorrow’s occasion,” I said.

“What’s tomorrow?” she asked.

I grinned. She was a piece of art. She didn’t remember her own anniversary.

“Your 10th anniversary. He asked you out this day ten years ago, remember?” I replied casually.

Her face went a deep shade of red and gave me a look. “No need to be sarcastic. He is doing something, right?” she asked.

“Uh-huh,” I replied smiling at her unpreparedness.

“I totally forgot about it,” she said sadly. “What do I get him now?” she continued to herself. “Thank you for reminding me about it,” she said as an afterthought.

“What are actual good friends for?” I teased her.

“Oh please, I have helped you too. You will thank me for today,” she said excited about my future prospects.

We discussed about Akash for the rest of the lunch. I couldn’t help but feel really cheerful.

I left after lunch to go back. Face that awesome smile that made my knees go weak.