Colors - Paradox ✔️

21

Shreya jumped out of the seat, and got a hold of Payel's forearm.
"What do you mean by Shivam's table?", Shreya asked.

"Um.. he.. actually..."

"What? He actually what? Wait, both of you planned it together, right?"
I can't believe this..."

"No no no!", Payel firmly protested.
"Don't get that wrong idea about him."

"Are you coming straight to the point or not?", Shreya narrowed her eyes at Payel.

"You should remember that he wanted to help you in some way with your project. But you didn't let him do that.
Maybe he just took your pendrive during your absence.

When I went to his cubicle, he was already giving your project a view and making some changes. When I asked him what he had been doing, he didn't me tell me at first.
I kept pressuring and he finally he told me that he did some modifications with your project which were really good.

I couldn't stand that. I couldn't take it that he was helping you. How could he? How can you become this much important? I got.. a little jealous, angry and perplexed.. and I left. "

Shreya's eyes were wide opened by her words. It was some kind of a whole different story she'd been narrating.

Payel paused for a moment and then again started to tell the rest of the story.
"When he went away for the coffee with you, I came back to his cubicle and stole your pendrive.
I saw him being very tensed and flustered after that about what to do that he had lost your pendrive.

Even when you went to ask him about it, I guess he became more anxious and shouted aloud to suppress his tension. "

Shreya couldn't believe what she was listening. If she could, she would have slapped her for whatever she had done.

"I am sorry Shreya. I couldn't stand him getting close to you. Since the university days, I was the person who received the most of his attention.

After the breakup, I thought, moving on will be easy as we had a bunch of fights between us. But I couldn't let him go. So, when the chance came, for me, to come to Pune for this job, I grabbed it readily.

But the first person, he let me meet here, was you. He told me that he likes you. But the way he was being all natural with me too, it was hard for me to think whether he was even serious about you or not. I thought I could win him back.

I.. I made several mistakes. I know that. When both of you lost the projects today, it hit me hard, that if it wasn't me interfering, you guys could have shared a fair competition and everything would have gone straight."

Shreya sat down on her chair again. She could feel her hands shaking when she brought it towards her face to wipe the droplets of sweat appearing on her forehead.

" You know what? You are one of the most irritating persons I've ever seen in my life. What you did, in the whole last month, was bringing all kinds of problems to my direction.

You made every type of arrangements to make me face troubles and I should congratulate you.

Because you succeeded, girl.

Neither I'm getting that promotion, nor he's going to talk to me ever again.

Great job!" She remarked and scoffed at Payel.

"Hey I don't think so. He will definitely talk to you. You just go and contact him. He'll talk to you. Mark my words." Payel smiled with a shivering hope in her voice.

Shreya couldn't believe that anyhow.
"Really? And how do you think he would react when I'll tell him that you're the one who stole my pendrive?"

Payel lowered her head.
"I think he had already guessed it. I was the only person who knew it was there. He came to me this morning too, to ask about it. But I didn't tell him the truth. " She mumbled.

"Wow! I just -- I just need to go home.. right now.. bye! " , Saying that Shreya turned on her heels to leave.

"Listen, you won't complain about me, right? Please don't! See, I regret what I did. And I don't want to lose this job, please! ", She pleaded.

"I will think about it", and Shreya left the floor.

                      _______________

Sangeeta thought about what to answer.

Finally, she decided to lie.

Well, not whole of a lie.

"You're right Mitali. I was afraid that I would never be able to adjust this change. He was my best friend. I didn't want to lose him and when he told that he liked me, it became confusing. It was not like that I didn't like him back then. Maybe I did.

But you should know one thing, Mitali.
That I'm really happy
for him that he found you. You're such a beautiful and honest person. I don't regret my decision. I'm happy for both of you."

Perhaps, it was good not to divulge the feelings she developed for him after reuniting.

Mitali smiled a little and nodded.
"I'll take care of him Sangeeta."

Sangeeta looked at the evening sky again. It showed a little bit of sadness  tangled with it's red and pink aura.

Birds were going back to their home spreading their wings. She wanted to go back home too.
But not that rented apartment.
Her home in Kolkata.

Amidst of all this, it was a relief to her that she was going to Kolkata the next week for Anusha's invitation. She thought of taking a longer leave and spending some time with her own people. She had missed everyone she left.

We must not leave the people we love, it hurts a lot. She thought.

[A/N: hello! there's something good in the next chapters.
Enjoy
And I love you! ]