Part 5 Real Challenge

The next day

Arnav entered A2. He rolled his eyes seeing Khushi coming out of her room.

"Damn it... don't know how will be my day seeing this White Lizard's face" he said a little audibly, intentionally for her to hear.

Khushi dropped her jaw.

"Hey Devi Maiya, Lizard should fall in his juice. That's the punishment for calling me White Lizard" She prayed.

"Whaaat? What did you say?"

"What did you (stressing) say? How could you name me White Lizard?"

"Go and look at your face in the Mirror. Then you will understand"

"Oh, really? See, a DINOSAUR itself calls me Lizard"

"Me and Dinosaur?"

"Yes, you..."

"How dare you...!"

"If you call me Lizard, I will call you Dinosaur"

"I will see you... Ms. Khushi Gupta..."

"See me..."

Arnav turned to leave and again turned towards Khushi thinking something. In that process, his head banged with Khushi's. He closed his eyes irritatingly.

"Sssss" She hissed, rubbing her head.

In no time, she cupped his face and again banged her head with his, making him speechless.

"What the... what are you doing?"

"I don't want to get a horn in my head," She said.

"Whaaaat?" he frowned.

"A horn will grow if our head banged on with someone's... Don't you know that?"

Arnav looked at her motionless as he remembered SOMEONE who had the same faith. He gulped down hard.

"I will look good even with horns because I'm beautiful but you will look MORE horrible with horns," She said feeling sad.

Arnav composed himself.

"More? What does that mean?"

"That means, you look horrible already"

"What the..."

"Don't you know anything other than What the?"

Khushi tried to leave the place taking a step. Arnav also moved in the same direction. Both of them stopped for a second and moved in the same direction again.

Both of them looked at each other with annoyance and again moved in the same direction. In no time, Arnav dashed her shoulder and walked off. Khushi revolved herself and dropped her jaw. Arnav looked at her turning behind with a winning smile. She slammed her feet on the floor and walked to her cabin.

The man who had the order to watch them could not understand anything... Aman. What was happening between them? He had never seen Arnav being so tolerant towards anyone... not even towards Ratna. Then how did he bear Khushi's taunts? How did Khushi daringly tease him? Why Arnav didn't do anything? He scratched his head.

Khushi started her work. She didn't think about Arnav and his challenge but Arnav was thinking about it only. He didn't like her reminded of SOMEONE to him. Whenever he saw Khushi, she reminded of HER to him. He closed his eyes, thinking about her hazel EYES. He swallowed hard. He didn't like it. He wanted to expel Khushi without delay. To do that, he should put her under pressure. Then only he could make it possible.

Arnav came to Aman's cabin. Aman smiled at him.

"You have achieved something big ASR..." Aman appreciated him.

"We have bagged the deal... but it's not a big deal..."

Aman frowned.

"We have to complete it perfectly...that's the real success"

Aman nodded yes.

"So, I have decided something..." Arnav said.

"What?"

"I think we should work separately," Arnav said rotating the paperweight.

"Means?"

"We should not mix the contracts to avoid confusion"

"But, we never get confused," Aman asked with confusion.

"But we never worked on BIG projects at a time... I don't want any mistakes to happen. So, we will work separately. You work for the award function and I will work on the Chennai concert"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes... I already planned about it"

"But from the ticket sales, you have to concentrate on parking, seating arrangements, traffic, everything... do you think, you could do it alone?"

"What's the big deal? You will do the same to the award function too..."

"But, it's going to be held in a closed auditorium, unlike the concert that was going to be held in an open ground. The crowd would be uncontrolled, ASR"

"That's why I'm saying we should separate our schedule and concentrate on ONLY it"

Aman nodded ok thoughtfully.

"I will work with Akash and you will work with Ms. Gupta"

Aman was stuck.

"But, Khushi is not an experienced employee. She has not dealt with any project so far..."

"This project will make her experienced. Let her work" Arnav said and walked out smirking.

Let's see, what Ms. Haughty Gupta would do now, Arnav thought.

When he came close to Khushi's cabin, he heard her talking with Anjali on the phone. He stopped moving when she took his name. Yes, Khushi was talking with Anjali. She asked Khushi about Arnav.

"ASR...? Don't ask me about him, Anjali, I have never seen such a... (Arnav was nervous... what would she tell Anjali about him?) nice gentleman. (Khushi said and Arnav huffed) We should SEE his face when he talks to others... wow... what a MERCIFUL gesture... (Arnav was confused. Did she really talk about him?) I should have been a blessed soul to work with him..."

"But, Khushi, Aman said you are not working for Arnav but for Aman," Anjali asked.

"That's what I'm saying... he himself said, I can't cope with him. He didn't want me to be stressed... that's why he took Akash Sir for himself... so sweet, right?"

Arnav was sure Khushi was taunting him but however she didn't say anything about their fight to Anjali.

"I'm glad, you are comfortable in A2, Khushi. come to our house when you get time"

"Sure, Anjali... bye"

"Bye"

Khushi disconnected the call and turned behind only to find Arnav.

"Why did you lie?" He asked.

"Thank God, you understood I lied... So, you agree you are not a gentleman and have a merciful face"

"Stop your blabber and answer my question"

"I lied because I'm a gentlewoman. I keep my word"

Arnav walked away. He wanted to look at her, but at the same time, he didn't want to. So, he didn't...

Aman called Khushi. She attended the call.

"Khushi, come to my cabin"

"Yes, sir"

Khushi went to Aman's cabin.

"May I come in, Sir"

"Yeah... take your seat"

Khushi sat in front of him. Aman gave her two contract orders.

"Give it a look"

Khushi saw them. She looked at Aman excitedly.

"Wow... this is great"

"Yes. But we didn't get it easily. ASR's hard work is behind these orders"

Khushi nodded.

"ASR is going to deal with the Chennai concert and I'm going to deal with the Award function of the magazine... I mean you are also IN"

Khushi nodded ok.

"We have discussed our previous programs in the last week. We will be busy in the upcoming days. We have to work hard, Khushi because ASR will complete his work perfectly. If we do anything wrong, he will kill us"

Khushi gulped down hard. She knew it. He would fire her if she made any mistake OFFICIALLY. This was purely official. Arnav would not spare her if she made a mistake. She should not make any mistakes and get fired by him. Khushi thought.

"You can put your ideas for this project, Khushi. Both are our company projects only but it will be a kind of competition. ASR will try to show himself the best in every aspect. I don't say we should compete with him but we should not compromise with anything. We should have uncompromised persistence"

Khushi nodded ok. She didn't know why Aman was expecting a lot from a beginner like her. It was a big project. She was inexperienced. Yet, Aman was including her in the project. Why?

"Khushi, I want you to give your best. Yet, you don't have to worry about it. I won't expect much more from you but I don't want you to be pointed out for anything"

Khushi was alerted. Would she be pointed out for her mistake? She somewhat understood what kind of problem could be caused. So, the real challenge was in front of her. Maybe, Aman should also have guessed it.

"I will follow your instructions, Sir," She said.

"Be attentive, Khushi. Don't be careless even in a simple matter"

Khushi nodded ok.

"Can I get the details of the award function, sir?"

"Yeah, sure..." Aman gave the demands of the magazine to her.

"They are one of the oldest magazines in India. This is their fifth Award function. Every year, they change the Program Organizing company... which means, we are the fifth company... satisfying them is not a simple thing. More than the payment, we should get goodwill"

Khushi nodded ok.

"You can put your ideas without hesitation"

"Ok, sir. I will give my best"

Aman smiled.

Khushi came to her cabin thinking about the program. Arnav was up to something. She didn't care about getting fired but about being ineligible. She took it as a challenge.

To be continued...