KHUSHI

I really dint know how to feel about Arnav's reaction, he was acting like he hated me, I mean what was my fault here?

At least I told him the truth, that I dint feel anything for him? What would he have done if I had pretended to love him and then break his heart and leave him when I was bored or something? At least I had been honest with him.

He couldn't punish me for now having feelings for him, it wasn't that I chose that oh I was going to love this guy and I wasn't going to love this one, it was a natural process, just because I dint fall for him doesn't mean I did something wrong.

I was just hurt that he had been holding so much bitterness towards me all this while, all I wanted was for us to talk like normal people, like we used to in college, but well things were different now.

He told me what he wanted and I was going to do that, do my work and report to him about my work, I wasn't going to try to be friends with him or anything, just the way I couldn't force myself to fall for him, I couldn't force him to be friends with me if he dint want to.

"Hey there. Come back to earth." Aman waved his hand in front of me.

"What?" I asked.

"You looked lost, are you nervous as it's your first day at work or Arnav sir gave you too much work on your first day? Or wait, you must be terrified of him, he looks quite intimidating. I remember I used to be so scared of him when I first joined." Aman laughed.

"Then what changed?" I asked.

"I just realized he looks intimidating but he isn't, he's soft on the inside, he just tries to maintain a strict image outside so people would take him seriously."

"Oh... nice. So now, you two are friends?" I asked, I mean Aman was reminding him that he had a date with his sister, so did Aman fix them up or something? I was curious.

When I heard about the date I was surprised, quite honestly, I was thinking he must already be in a relationship with someone, or even married. I don't know, I just always pictures Arnav as someone that would settle down as soon as he could.

"Yeah... we hangout sometimes." Aman nodded.

"And what about your sister? I mean you were reminding him of a date so..."

"Yeah, I remember they met sometime back when Arnav came to my place one day, and my sister was smitten." Aman laughed.

"Later she even stole his number from my phone and talked to him, she even asked him out but Arnav was never really interested, so she just kept on trying and finally he agreed to go on a date with him." Aman smiled.

"Oh, that's great." I smiled.

I was happy for him, it was good that he agreed to go on a date with Aman's sister and gave her a chance, hopefully things were going to work out well between them and he was going to find the happiness he deserved.

I decided to get started on my work as I had to report back to Arnav, so that's what I started doing.

*****

I spent the whole day working and trying to finish the work Arnav had gave me so I could hand it to him. He hasn't come back the entire day I wondered where he had gone, of course it was none of my business.

"Hey, go home, you can finish it up tomorrow." Aman said at five o'clock, I looked at the watch realizing my working hours were over.

"Yeah, I will, let me save everything and get going." I smiled, he nodded as he grabbed his things and left while I saved all my work then shut down the computer so I couldn't leave.

I grabbed my purse and made sure I had put back everything when I heard footsteps, I looked up and saw Arnav walking towards his cabin, he looked different than he did in the morning.

He was dressed differently right now, not in a three-piece suit, he was wearing a black trouser with a white shirt that was tucked in, and the sleeves of the shirt were rolled up, and to finish it off some black official shoes.

He had a really nice watch on his wrist which completed his entire look, he looked so good and so different, I mean he was the same Arnav I knew in college but I don't know there was some kind of difference I felt, I was even staring at him admiring him, he had looked the same his entire life, why was I admiring him now?

"You need anything miss Khushi? You were looking at me like you needed something?" He asked as he stopped in front of me putting his hands inside his pockets. Okay enough Arnav, why was this suddenly affecting me in a way I never thought it would?

"No sir, I was just... You are dressed nicely, I was just admiring your dressing sense, it's nice" I said nervously.

"Thank you, I have a date in a couple hours, I've got to look and dress nice right? Anyway, is the work done?"

"Almost, I just need to do some final editing, can I submit it tomorrow morning?"

"Okay, incase I'm not around, leave it at my table, I'll check it whenever I come back. Anyway you can head home now, your working hours are over."

"I was just leaving sir." I smiled, Arnav nodded as he took a step backward, turned around and walked inside his cabin, while I grabbed my things and stood up to leave.

"Miss Khushi." Arnav said as he walked out of his cabin.

"Yes sir." I stopped walking and looked at him.

"Do these shoes match? Or should I put on another pair? I really want everything for this date to be perfect." He smiled. Wow he was being really weird, I mean just earlier today he said we were only going to be workmates and now he was asking me about his shoes? Was he doing it on purpose or was he genuinely concerned?

"They look good sir, everything is perfect. She must be really special if you're putting so much effort into this." I looked at him curiously. Was she special Arnav? Jeez Khushi, why did you care if she was or wasn't?

"Yeah, the girls I'm interested in don't always end up liking me back, so I have to try harder. Anyway, thank you for your help." He smiled faintly as he headed back inside his cabin.

I stood there in confusion for a moment, the way he said those words, it felt like he still had feelings for me. Did he? I don't think so, I'm sure he should have moved on by now, and he also had a date, he had definitely moved on.

I was supposed to concentrate on my work and career here, not wonder whether Arnav still had feelings for me or not.

While I walked out, I kept visualizing Arnav, like his image was just somehow right there in front of my eyes, I dint know why all this was happening to me out of nowhere, maybe it was because the Arnav I knew in college and this Arnav were so different, he had grown up, he looked like he had become mature.

I shrugged as I tried to brush of his thoughts from my mind, I had to stop looking at him any other way rather than my boss, it was the only right thing to do.

*****

I arrived home and found mom eagerly waiting for me wanting to know all about my first day at work, if I hadn't met Arnav here, I would have also been excited to tell her all about it but things were kind of different now and I dint know what to tell her even.

I just dint feel like talking about it right now as I had so much going on in my mind, and I couldn't stop thinking about Arnav despite trying so much.

I literally thought of him the entire day at work and even on my way home, it was like he was stuck in my mind and dint want to get out.

"How was your first day at work Khushi? Tell me all about it." Mom looked at me excitedly.

"Who is your boss? Is it a lady or a guy? If he's a guy is he old or young? If he's young is he hot?" Piya asked curiously.

"Seriously do you ever think of anything else than just guys? Go study in your room." I rolled my eyes at her angrily.

"What happened Khushi?" Mom asked worriedly.

"Nothing... it's a great job, I am just tired I had to do a lot of work today itself, can I take a rest? We'll talk about it later?" I asked.

"Sure, go take a rest, I'll prepare you something yummy to make you feel less tired." She smiled, I hugged her and then headed to my room immediately.