ARNAV

I shut the door and leaned against it immediately, why was this happening to me again?

First love is never easy, it's even harder when it's once sided, what's harder than that is moving on from it and trust me when I say, it's not easy.

I don't think I had ever moved on from her, I went on a couple of dates with a few different girls but I never made it past the first date, even if it went well, I never asked them for a second date, a part of me was still stuck in the past.

Even today, I had a date in the evening, and now seeing Khushi here, right in front of me, all I wanted to do was cancel it, but I knew I shouldn't. I deserved to move on and I was going to do whatever it took to move on.

She dint reciprocate my feelings in college so she wouldn't now either, and I shouldn't even hope and hurt myself, so I did the only thing I knew how to do. Act like everything was completely normal.

I inhaled a few deep breaths trying to calm down, trying to be normal, trying to act like seeing her here dint bother me at all, when it just broke back all the feelings, I had hidden somewhere deep.

How was I supposed to be working with her when every time I looked at her, I fell in love all over again? When I finished college, I thought things were going to be easier, I would forget about her in a matter of months little did I know that even after years, she would still be stuck in my mind.

I walked to my chair and sat down, looking right in front of me, she was seated opposite Aman, she looked a bit uncomfortable.

My cabin was made of one way glass, I could see outside but people from out couldn't see inside, she grabbed her phone from the table and started doing something on it, she held it for a moment and then put it back where it was.

I had no idea how I was going to work with her, I wanted to finish college and leave because it was the only way I could stay away from her and not feel this pain, but destiny just brought her back into my life.

I dint make the hiring decisions here so it wasn't even up to me, she had been employed and I was supposed to work with her, there was no way out.

Maybe, seeing her around all the time would get rid of these feelings, staying away dint help so let's try staying closer and hope it would get rid of the feelings.

I heard my phone vibrate so I picked it up from the table and unlocked it, I had two notifications, one was a text message and one was a follow request on my social media.

"We still on for tonight right?" I read the text message, I sighed as I typed back.

"Definitely."

"Just confirming, you've been running away from me for so long, I just want this to turn out well."

"Don't worry, I'll be there on time."

"Perfect, see you tonight."

I sighed as I opened the other notification, I had gotten a follow request from Piya, Khushi's sister. Wow, I remembered everything about her even after this long.

I accepted it and placed my phone aside, did Khushi ever talk about me? Did she ever think about where I was or what I was doing like I always did?

I looked at her once again, she was just looking around awkwardly, I grabbed the extension and called Aman telling him to send Khushi inside my cabin, a few seconds later, she walked in looking all nervous.

"Take a seat." I said, she nodded as she sat down opposite me, wow this was so hard, pretending like everything was normal. When in actual, my heart was beating really fast.

Oh God, she looked so beautiful, like she always did, and she was dressed in a Patiala outfit just like she used to be in college, she was exactly the same girl I fell in love with, the simplicity, the innocence, it was hard to avoid getting all those feelings back.

She was just... My Bindiya. Only that, she wasn't mine.

Oh... how much that still hurt. Why was it so hard to move on really? Why was it so hard for me to accept that she would never love me the way I love her?

I know it's not her fault, we cant force feelings, she can't force herself to love me, but this situation we were in right now was just going to make things harder for me than they already were.

"So you have any experience with marketing?" I asked trying not to look at her.

"Yes, I did an internship for a year, I have a bit of experience." She replied.

"Okay, perfect. How about you ask Aman to give you a list of our products and then you can write me articles for a few of them. Let me see your skills then decide what work to give you accordingly.

Also get some creative works done on how you would promote whatever products you pick, once you have done that we'll move ahead." I smiled at her.

"Okay sir." She nodded as she stood up to leave, she pulled the door open and then stopped there as if not wanting to leave, she turned around and looked at me once again.

The moment she turned around, my heart jumped, here we go.

"Are we really going to act like we don't know each other Arnav?" She asked as she walked back towards me, looking at me like she was extremely disappointed in me.

Well what did she expect? For me to greet her happily and be like hey Bindiya, what a pleasant surprise, I'm so happy to see you here?

I wouldn't lie, I was happy to see her, I just wasn't happy that I had to work with her because it was going to hurt more that it already was.

"It's Arnav sir for you, I am your head Miss. Khushi." I looked at her strictly, I was trying so hard to pretend that none of this was affecting me.

"I just... I... do you even remember me?" She asked.

What? She thought I had some sort of memory loss or something? Of course, I remembered her, I was in love with her once upon a time, maybe I still am, but I wouldn't even try to figure that out.

"You are acting like you don't know me at all, I get it things dint really end well between us, but it wasn't my fault, you can't act like you don't know me, we were friends once upon a time, we spent some quality time together, you can't just pretend like we are strangers." She continued.

"We aren't friends either Bindiya!" I stood up feeling a rush of rage, why was she even asking me all these questions seriously.

"I meant Khushi. Look, you are here to work, I am here to work, yes we did know each other in the past but I left the past behind, I would like it very much if we maintained this work only relationship, and leave the past behind. So, I am only your head, you come to me when it's about work only, that's it." I spoke.

"Fine, if that's what you want, I won't bother you sir. I will do the work you gave me and report to you as soon as possible." She said sarcastically as she walked away.

I looked at her as she sat down looking like she was angry, she looked around where she was seated for a moment as if looking for something to punch. She sat silently for a few minutes and then started talking to Aman.

I couldn't just sit here while she was seated right outside and I could see her so I decided to leave, I stood up, grabbed a few things I needed and walked out of my cabin, she looked at me as soon as I stepped out and then looked away immediately.

"Aman, did you finish the work I gave you yesterday?" I looked at him strictly.

"Yes boss, I even left it on your table earlier today."

"Then you should have informed me, next time you leave something at least let me know." I said as I shrugged and walked away leaving Aman confused, usually I wasn't this strict or anything I just wanted to look like I was strict.

Honestly, I had no idea how I was going to work with Khushi, it was so difficult.

"Sir!" He called out loudly, I could hear from far away, I shrugged and walked back to him wondering what he had to say.

"What Aman?" I asked angrily. Poor Aman, I was just angry about this whole Khushi thing and I was taking it out on him.

"You have a date with my sister today, you told me to remind you before you left." He laughed.

"Well thanks for the reminder, I'll go get ready for it." I rolled my eyes at him, I turned around and walked away, of course I noticed the expressions on Khushi's face, she looked surprised.

Well, did she think if she wasn't interested in me no one else would be?

Jeez Arnav calm down, it wasn't her fault, no one has control over their feelings, you should understand that more than anyone else.

If I had control over my feelings, I would have chosen not to fall in love with Khushi.