"Congratulations on completing the first batch of trials. Hum kuch aur formations mein fly karenge. Aur testing baaki hai, I know. But we have completed phase one."

Everybody claps at Samrat's words. It's a bright, scorching Saturday morning. 8 am and the sun is already at its peak. Sector 53's hangar is wholly occupied. Tanvi also joins the other officers in giving him a round of applause. She is ecstatic that the first trials were successful. It almost feels like her and Vivek's hard work has paid off. Can she only attribute 50% of this success to the both of them? The flying squad aside, the engineering girls did nothing but gossip. So yes, hopefully she can.

"Jo bhi data collect kiya hai. Humare devices mein record kiya hain aur note kiya hain, I want it to be put on the Excel sheet and also want printouts of the same. I want the data in digital and hardcopy format ready for Harjot ma'am to access when she arrives." Samrat's voice booms across the hall again. He's still not done with his speech, "aur yeh kaam Tanvi karegi."

Tanvi's eyes widen out of shock. "Huh?"

"It is an honour, isn't it, Tanvi?"

Samrat poses the same question that Harjot once asked him. Tanvi inwardly cringes. It is an honour, but it is also a lot of work at the same time. Samrat wants her to work alone on this? Has he gone crazy? Oh yes, he is showing her his worst side, isn't he? He really is the worst, ugh.... Why!!!???

Tanvi wants to scream but knows she can't. All eyes are on her, expectant, some of them regarding her with pity. Is she supposed to say yes? Vivek is the only one who is silently cheering her up, pointing his fist in the air when she looks his way.

Before she can retort, Samrat speaks again.

"I think you didn't hear me, Miss Sharma. Itni khas responsibility tumhe mil rahi hain, you should consider yourself lucky. You really have to agree that it is an honour."

Samrat is smiling officially. Tanvi only views it as an evil smirk. He never smiled at her like that before. Yep, this is his worst side at action.

Tanvi suppresses a bitter chuckle and nods, agreeing to the responsibilities being given to her. There's no round of applause or encouragement in response to her yes. Vivek is the only one who claps, to whom she throws a grateful look.

She takes a deep breath and faces Samrat. She only agreed because to protest would be to lose. It would be giving Samrat what he wants. So she will go along with his whims. Will he stop when she shows him his worst side is having a zero effect on her? Is that a better way of tackling things than head-butting? It's also professional, isn't it? Samrat is still looking at her. She clears her throat.

"Yes... it is an honour... sir..."

Sir... she uttered that word, suppressing her pride. Samrat seems immensely satisfied by her reply, although she spies a slightly sorrowful expression cross his eyes before they turn sharp again.

"Everybody else is dismissed for the day! Tanvi, follow me to my cabin."

Tanvi almost chokes on her breath hearing Samrat barking the new set of orders.

"To your cabin?" She murmurs under her breath as she sits reluctantly in the front of his jeep. They drive to the administrative block and walk straight into Harjot's cabin.

"How crude," Tanvi mutters under her breath as she follows Samrat. He walked ahead really fast with the authority of a superior. So crude.

The cabin door falls shut with a click. Calling Harjot ma'am's cabin as yours! And dumping all the work on me! Such brazen abuse of power! You want me to hate you for this, nahi, Samrat? Ugh... I want to, but I won't... I shouldn't...

Just as she calms her thoughts, Samrat addresses her once more. If he has heard her muttering her thoughts aloud, he has ignored her.

"Alright. I know you have recorded all the parameters of a flight testing in your tablet. I want them all transferred to an excel sheet on Harjot ma'am's desktop. Of course, print a hardcopy of the same when it is done. Let me know once you are done. Good luck."

With those clipped orders, he makes her sit on Harjot's chair, quickly types in the password and unlocks the desktop screen. Yep, he's so swift; Tanvi hasn't caught the first letter of the password. He pulls open the excel sheet she's supposed to work on the computer screen and distances himself.

"Don't drag yourself over. Yeh sara kaam sham tak complete hona chahiye!"

With those words, he picks up the thermos coffee mug from the desk and moves to the sunlight illuminated window in the cabin's corner.

Tanvi takes a moment to process what's happening. The air conditioning in the cabin is comforting. She's not sweating as bad as before and her breath is even. She can smell the aroma of hazelnut coffee in the air, undoubtedly emanating from the beverage Samrat is so casually drinking.

She sneaks a glance at his dignified profile. "So bossy! Yet classy and elegant! He does make one fine leader. Ugh, what am I thinking? Swooning over him when he's harassing me?"

She whispers under her breath again and curses herself. "Ugh! Khadus kahinka! I cannot even go against his orders! Boss hai mera. If I pick a fight with him, it would be acting according to his wishes. Kya karun main? Oh god, iss excel sheet ko dekh kar abhi se thakan ho rahi hai mujhe! Chal beta, Tanvi, kaam kar le! Tu kar sakti hai. Tune iss kaam ki shuruaat ki hai toh anth tak tik sakti hai. Chalo khushi ki baat hai na yeh, at least Samrat ko yaad hai ki yeh Harjot ma'am ki computer hai!"

Motivating herself, Tanvi begins working. After a while, it hits her she is alone with Samrat inside his cabin. Harjot's cabin, yeah, but now it's his. Won't Vivek be there to help her now? Well, when she last praised Vivek, the guy revealed it was Samrat who asked him to assist her. It was Vivek's humbleness that he revealed this. Vivek is a kind guy. But seriously. What's going on in Samrat's head!? Still, it is sweet, just teeny bit sweet, that he asked Vivek to help her.

Tanvi sighs. Her thoughts can no way be calmed yet she tries her best.

Samrat sips coffee for a long time. Then pulling a chair next to the window, flops down and looks at the vast expense of the airbase. Tanvi glances at him again and finds no difference between him and the gossiping girls. He's chilling while she's melting her brain. He won't even give her a break!?

By the end of the day, it's her skill and Babaji ka aashirwad that she finishes the work assigned to her. She naively thinks that the nightmare has ended, but it has not. Her stomach is ready to combust because of hunger. Yet she cannot blame this on Samrat. He didn't have his lunch either. And they are both soldiers who can hold in their urges and requirements for a long time.

Samrat now stands next to her as she rises from her chair, announcing she has finished her work. She worked on it for 10 hours and it took another 40 minutes to take the printouts!

"Good job, Miss Tanvi," Samrat says. "Now follow me to the cafeteria."

"Kya?"

Tanvi falls in a daze after hearing him. He is already turning on his heel, heading out of the cabin. Surely, the worst-guy-Samrat will not treat her to something nice. She wonders what's this new musibat?

"What? What's happening?" Cursing out loud, she's standing near Harjot's desk. Samrat pauses at the cabin door and turns towards her.

"Oh, I need the printouts. So bring them along, okay? Hurry now."

Samrat doesn't wait for her to respond after saying that and steps out of the cabin. Tanvi hurriedly grabs the printouts, puts them in a file and shuts off Harjot's computer in agitation.

"Sam, you donkey! I'm trying to keep my cool, lekin mujhe bahut gussa aa raha hai.... Oh God, jab Harjot ma'am yahan aaye, mujhe laga she is the worst. Lekin ab tum apna worst side dikhane ke zid par ade! Tanvi, ye kaha fas gayi tu?"

She clamps down on her anger and hurries out. Samrat calls for her from the hallway again. "Aarahi ho ya nahi?"

"Aa rahi hoon, sir!"

"Lock the cabin!" He tosses the keys at her and walks faster again.

"Khadoos! Akdoo! Adiyal! Donkey! Monkey!" Tanvi mutters, but obeys his command. Samrat walks so fast, she ends up jogging after him to the cafeteria.

***

"Hi, Sam, Tanz!"

Farhan greets them in the cafeteria, clearly having finished his duties and relaxing. Samrat waves his hand dismissively. "Farhan, we are still on the clock!"

"Huh? You're on the clock?" Farhan stares at his wristwatch. "Arey, barah bajne wale hai!"

Tanvi shows Farhan a stiff smile, and with a shrug follows Samrat's lead. They sit at a table a little further away from Farhan. Samrat holds his hand out.

"Tanvi, woh printouts."

"Yeh rahe!"

Tanvi hands Samrat the file with the and heaves another small sigh, all the way aware that Farhan is watching the two of them from afar.

As Samrat flips through the file, Farhan sends Tanvi a sympathetic glance, which she returns with a small smile. Samrat is being the worst boss, she conveys the message through her eyes, although she is not sure if Farhan receives the message.

Farhan quietly sips his coffee and remains still for a good while. Time ticks slowly; with nothing else to do, Tanvi watches the seconds ticking in her wristwatch.

"Hm, the quiet feels nice," Samrat suddenly says, placing the file on the table. "Ab mujhe coffee chahiye."

Tanvi is baffled as his eyes land on her and then comes his request—

"Tanvi, get me my coffee."

"Huh?" Tanvi blinks in disbelief. Samrat only smiles a little.

"Come on... Apne boss ke liye tum coffee bhi nahin la sakti?"

"Haan? Excuse me! Kya? This is..."

Yahan main bhooki hoon subah se aur... okay, maybe tumne bhi nahi khaya, but still... AND WHY ARE YOU MAKING THAT CUTE FACE?! IT'S UNFAIR HOW HANDSOME YOU ARE UGH.... Tanvi wants to protest but curls her fists and goes behind the counter. Ramu Kaka, who is watching from a corner, disappears further into the back kitchens with a shake of his head. She sighs, following him.

"Ramu Kaka, dekhiye na! Yeh kaam keliye aap hai na! I'm an officer na. Yep messy hall mei self service hota hai but! How can he make me do this?" Muttering under her breath, she prepares a steaming cup of coffee and carries it to Samrat.

Samrat, who's drumming his fingers on the table, eyes the coffee cup in her hands weirdly. With a chuckle, he shakes his head.

"Mujhe coffee nahin green tea chahiye. Main bhul gaya ki der raat ho gayi hai, coffee is not good...please get me green tea, Tanvi."

"Huh?"

Tanvi stops herself from lashing out at Samrat with difficulty. Please. You said please, Sam. Bach gaye tum! she thinks as she walks back to the kitchen, warna yeh sara coffee tujh per dump kar deti!

Farhan shows up in the kitchen and takes the cup from her hands. "Give me that, Tanz. Tumne itni mehnat se coffee banayi toh main pi leta hoon isey. Green tea bana rahi?"

Tanvi chuckles at Farhan, feeling her tension melt on the spot.

"Haan, green tea for my boss," she says sarcastically and boils water on the stove.

Three minutes later, a steaming cup of green tea is ready for Samrat. Tanvi walks out clutching the cup, Farhan following her out of the kitchen.

Behind them, Ramu Kaka exasperatedly mutters to himself, "yeh kitchen mein roz-roz raat ko naya drama chalta rehata hai! Ab ye pakke dost ladayi kar rahe. Na jane kab halat sudhre..."

"Green tea!" Samrat eyes the green tea in the same weird way.

Tanvi has a bad feeling about what's happening.

"Actually, Tanvi... mujhe green tea nahin herbal tea chahiye. Main aajkal so nahin pa raha hoon na raat ko. Ramu Kaka se poochho. He'll tell you my favourite brew."

Tanvi is reluctant to return to the kitchens. Her anger is reaching its boiling point. She may burst any time. Samrat is truly testing her patience today! Farhan pats her shoulder soothingly while sending a glare at Samrat.

"Ider doh green tea. Isko bhi main hi pi leta hoon." Farhan takes the green tea from her and begins drinking in the corner, flashing her a thumbs up. He sends Samrat another glare, yet it doesn't calm Tanvi's anger fully. However, she can only smile, glancing at Farhan.

Back in the kitchen, she consults Ramu Kaka and uses Samrat's favourite brew to make a cup of herbal tea. When she presents it to Samrat minutes later, his reaction is the same as before.

"Uh.. while you were gone, Tanvi, I was thinking mujhe herbal tea nahi green tea chahiye..."

"Ugh! Enough, Samrat!"

In a fit of anger, Tanvi dumps the herbal tea she made on Samrat's shoulder. He lets out a low wince and stares at her in disbelief.

It's her turn to smile savagely.

"Oops!" She steps back with exaggeration,

"So sorry, sir! Galti se slip ho gayi! Ab aapke uniform par yeh chai giri toh, you have to get it changed, sir. Otherwise it is an insult to the force, hain na? Aur samay bhi toh dekhiye... it is time to end our shift, haan?"

Samrat clutches his tea-soaked shoulder, half wincing, half looking like his senses have returned to him thanks to the hot tea.

Tanvi hears him sigh softly and then grunt, loosening his collar, lifting the damp portion of his shirt sticking to his shoulder up with stiff fingers. He keeps his eyes averted. Tanvi feels a sense of monetary satisfaction in that. The anger, frustration from many days, is temporarily satiated. Only Farhan's gasp makes her realise the gravity of what she did.

"Oh my god, Tanvi!" Farhan shrieks belatedly and rushes to his guy pal. "Samrat, are you all right? Let's get you changed and cooled down, yaar! Let's go to the changing room. Come on!"

Tanvi clamps a hand to her mouth as Farhan and Samrat exchange a nod and together leave the cafeteria. Alone, Tanvi fully realises what she did. The cafeteria is eerily silent.

"Yeh maine kya kar diya."

She truly poured the hot tea on Samrat! It happened on an impulse; she hates herself for doing it now. Hurt the man she loves, what woman would love that?

"Really, the tea was boiling hot. Poor Sam! Oh god!"

Tanvi clamps both hands to her mouth, suppressing her scream. Samrat is trying to be the worst guy and is harassing her, but at the end of it, she only loves him. She can't help but be worried. That is how it is always, isn't it?

Worrying won't do her any good! It's time to act! Grabbing the keys and the file that Samrat left on the table, Tanvi runs out of the cafeteria. Putting the file back in Harjot's desk drawers and locking the lady's cabin, she races towards her destination — the men's changing room at the end of the first floor south corridor. She needs to find Samrat!

***

TBC

Up next: Tanvi confronts Samrat and does something totally unexpected! After which the equation between her and Samrat will surely change. How will Samrat accept his love and change his ways? A confession coming in the next 2-3 chapters. Stay tuned!

AN: Vote n comment!