Take a deep breath!

Uff!

Breathe in! Breathe out!

Yes! Now, do that again, Manik!

"Is everything alright?"

I looked towards my right, jumping in my seat a little due to the sudden interference. "Ye-yeah! I'm fine, thank you!"

I smiled at the guy who returned the gesture.

"Hi! You must be the new employee! I'm Dev." I nodded and shook the hand he forwarded to me. "I'm Manik. It's nice meeting you."

I managed to smile politely at him because I was anything but calm right now. I am at work.

Something I've not been to, for a while.

"You don't have to worry about anything here. Everybody is so chill. Especially our boss. He makes sure we don't feel pressurized in here. So relax!"

"Oh it's not about the company or the boss. It's just...i don't know about the workload that I need to expect here."

"Oh trust me when I say this..." I looked towards the cubicle on my left to see another guy, who looked too jovial and lively. Reminds me of Cabir! "Everything here is so dramatic that I nearly thought that I was at home on my first day. Let me tell you, if you're here just for work and work and work and then money, puh-lease this ain't the place. But if you're here for fun and masti and jokes along with some file work, wah- swagath hai aapka."

I stared at him wide eyed. Cabir's got a twin or what? The hell? Should speak to him after work.

"Naitik! You're here to welcome him and not scare him with your horrendous personality." I looked towards Dev, who gave me a smile. "Oh don't bother him, Manik. He's a little hyperactive."

I let out a chuckle hearing him.

"A little?" Dev laughed hearing my question while the other guy, who I believe is called Naitik, also let out a snort. "I'm only astonished because I thought you sounded like Cabir, my best friend. He never told me that I would meet his twin at work."

The duo laughed hearing me.

"Well! I can just say I'll enjoy his presence if he were to come visit you." I nodded at him. "I can say that."

"Good morning, Miss Nandini."

I looked up at the person who just walked inside the office. Oh, it's her. The HR.

I smiled seeing her. If it wasn't for her, I don't think anybody would want me to work for them. I wonder why she did hire me. Maybe she understood the desperation I had in me for a job.

"Good morning, guys! How's work today?" Oh yes, I remember her introducing herself as Nandini. Nice name for a nice woman!

"Not sure because didn't start yet." Naitik commented and she let out a laugh. Such a melodious sound. Oh God!

"Well, don't let me down, Naitik. Boss is definitely going to fire me for hiring you."

And she got inside her cabin, not before glancing our way, and I don't know why, but I do think that glance was for me.

"Alright, stop drooling. We all know she's pretty, Manik!"

I got snapped out of my thoughts by Dev's comment and Naitik laughing.

"Oh shut up!"

***

After two months...

"But I need to go for that wrestling show." I mumbled while looking down at the workload in my hands. The files that I need to go through before taking them to the Boss.

Shutting my eyes tight, with my fists closed, I took in a deep breath and stared at the files before looking up at the computer screen where the digital copy of my tickets to the wrestling show looked back at me, expectantly.

"Never mind, Manik!" I smiled faint, before opening the first file.

***

After 5 months from Manik joining The Vintage...

"These are the documents I was talking about, Manik. Finish them in about few hours. I need them asap." I nodded before realizing that he wouldn't be able to see me through the phone. "Understood, Sir."

Hanging up on the call, I started to go through the documents which were attached to the mail that boss sent me.

"So let's bid goodbyes to today's Wrestling match as well." Mumbling to myself, I skim through the documents to understand them better before I could look for a good advertisement campaign for the same.

"Hey! Manik?" Looking up at the intruder, I smiled a little. "Hi, Nandini!"

She stared back at me with a confused smile.

"Why are you still in the office? It's past the work time." I shrugged hearing her. "I believe you're at work too."

She rolled her eyes hearing me and somehow I found that adorable.

"Well, I'm not in front of my computer at least. I'm with a handbag leaving the building anytime soon." I chuckled before pointing at the computer screen. "Yeah, marketing is a little difficult nowadays."

She stared at my screen before walking towards it.

"I can't believe that you're working overtime. You're not getting paid for that though."

I nodded.

"Yeah, I just don't mind doing something extra for free. It's better than sitting simply at home." I smiled, glancing her way before working on the file. "It's alright. You were about to leave, yeah? Go on, don't bother about me."

I read the file a little loud so that I understand the concept behind the brand. That's something I do at work. Dev and Naitik got used to it now.

"You either love this job or you don't have a choice but go on with whatever happening in life." I looked back at her, who stared at my screen wordlessly before looking up at me. "You didn't seem like you had shiddat-wala-love for marketing during the interview."

I stared on before shaking my head and smiling down at my hands that were working on the keyboard.

"I do like marketing but not as much as you say, uh shiddat wala thing, yeah? It's not that boring." I defended before taking a sip from my bottle of water. Somehow staring at her continuously seems like a tough job for me.

"But life is?" She questioned and I looked at her confused. "Boring, I meant to ask?"

Biting onto my lips, I couldn't help but to stare at her. Was it that obvious?

"N-No. Of course not, Miss Nandini." She nodded hearing me. "It's not a fault to admit if life is boring. You can't have a luxurious life with no health problems, no family problems, no financial problems. Life's gotta be boring with a lot of negativity. You just have to accept it and move on. Sometimes all you need is to listen to what your heart says and then forget about everything else. It ain't gonna be boring. Good night, Manik."

Giving one last smile to my way, she left the building while I stared at the wall ahead blank faced, with her words ringing in my head.

Sometimes all you need is to listen to what your heart says and then forget about everything else.

***

After 8 months...

"Wow! I can't believe that four more months and it's going to be a year since I joined." I breathed out staring at the computer screen and then at Dev.

"I know right! Time just don't wait nowadays."

"Well, if time needs to wait for someone unimportant like you, then shouldn't it wait for important personalities as well? I mean, we do hear about famous people passing away . The saying is true, you know, time waits for no man." Naitik concluded and I let out a chuckle on seeing Dev's face.

"Who's unimportant here? You and only you!"Dev made a noise that said he's pissed at what Naitik said. "Awe, did I hurt your feelings, Dev? Chillax!! You'll be fine."

"Guys, shut it!" I asked the little kids around me before my gaze went up to that one girl who was walking towards my cubicle with a beautiful smile on her lips.

Nandini!

Why do I go all ga-ga over her? What's so special about her?

"Hey, guys!"

"Good morning, Nandini." Naitik greeted wile Dev too smiled at her. She looked back at me and I smiled at her. "Would you mind going on a date with me, Manik?"

And then I only stared at her, but this time not blank faced. My eyes were widened and jaws fell open in shock that I forgot to breathe.

"Oh, man!"

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