Smile Mates to Soulmates ✓

Chapter Two

Shehnaaz was skimming through a file, sitting on the couch in Ashok Shukla's cabin when the man entered the room and stopped short, looking at the girl sitting on the couch, reading the file with utmost concentration. She looked beautiful with a saree draped around her. Ashok S. smiled. "Good Morning Shehnaaz." He said lovingly, causing Shehnaaz to look at him surprised. She stood up from the couch. "Good morning sir. I didn't realize your presence." 

Ashok sighed. "How many years will you take to stop calling me sir? I've told you a million times that I feel alienated when you call me with that formal title." He said with a small pout. 

"You are my boss. I can't call you from any other title sir." Shehnaaz said softly. Ashok fake frowned in response. "Do I treat you like an employee, or behave like a boss with you?" He asked 

Shehnaaz shook her head. "I know you don't treat me like that but.." she was cut short by her boss who was quick to intervene. "Then why do you keep calling me sir. You are just like a daughter to me. You need to stop calling me by my formal title and start calling me uncle or I'll not talk to you for a week." He announced, with finality in his voice. 

Shehnaaz chuckled. "You're such a drama queen aren't you? Who'd say you're the owner of a trillion dollar business, seeing you behaving like a child with me?" 

"I've tried being an adult, it didn't work." Ashok said, "Now being a child is the only option left for me, isn't it?" 

Shehnaaz rolled her eyes at him, as Ashok grinned at her victoriously. "Fine. But I won't call you uncle in front of the staff. I don't want them to assume things." She said firmly. 

"Deal." Ashok agreed with her. "Only in person will you have to call me uncle and out there with the staff, I'm prepared to bear with that dreaded title."

Shehnaaz laughed. "Can we get back to work now?" She asked 

Ashok nodded. "You're looking really very pretty today." He complimented her, making her blush. "I've always told you that you rock the ethnic attires, especially sarees." 

"Well I heard you, all those times. That's why I'm dressed this way." Shehnaaz said. 

She felt a sudden surge of annoyance. The one that I did dress up for couldn't even spare me a compliment. All of that hard work for nothing. She scowled inwardly, but then she was reminded of the way he looked all lost when he saw her in the morning. She sighed, Maybe words aren't always required. I mean he did look amazing as well and I didn't say anything either.

"Yeah right. I might've lost my touch and you do have my age to blame for that but I'm not a fool, Now be quick and tell me, who's the lucky one? Who have you dressed up for?" Ashok asked. 

Shehnaaz bit her lip. "Who told you that you're old? I just felt like wearing a saree today, I haven't dressed up for anyone." She said shyly.

"Really? What are you blushing like this for then?" Ashok asked teasingly.

Shehnaaz pouted, "Don't tease me naa uncle." She pleaded.

Ashok chuckled. "Okay. I'm not teasing you."  He conceded. "I've already been proven right either way."

Shehnaaz whined. "Okay. Okay. Back to work." Ashok held his hands up in mock-surrender.

A few hours later, Siddharth was working on his laptop, his gaze periodically following each and every movement of the girl that he had lost his heart to who was busy chatting with one of the boys that Siddharth was sure worked in the HR department. Shehnaaz was sitting in her cubicle while the man, Mr. Whatever his name was, was leaning against her work desk while they chatted animatedly with one another. Siddharth groaned, feeling a pang of jealousy hitting him in the face.