Recap: I headbutted my crush.

Naveen sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head with a wince. His dark gelled back hair was messed up from the impact, and his usually composed expression was replaced with one of confusion and mild pain.

"I'm so sorry!"
I squeak out, my face flushed with embarrassment.
"I didn't see you-I mean, I didn't mean to-"

He looked up at me, adjusting his glasses, a small  smile tugging at the corners of his lips despite the situation.
"Well, that's one way to make an impression" 

Impression? Like this?

I felt my face grow even hotter.
"I'm so sorry,"
I repeated, resisting the urge to facepalm myself right then and there.

"Are you okay? I didn't, like, break anything, did I?"
I stammered, half-joking, half-praying I hadn't done any serious damage.

"I'm fine, really," he said in his usual honey dripping tone, and my heart melted like a butter on a hot pan..

"But I think I'm going to need a helmet if I'm going to run into you again."

Ha! Ha!
Awkward!!

"Maybe I should be the one wearing the helmet. I seem to have a knack for causing accidents."

"Accidents happen," he started as calm as summer's day.
Naveen chuckled softly, standing up and brushing off dust from his jeans.
"Don't worry about it. I've had worse encounters."

He's definitely making fun of the situation?
What's worse than being headbutted?

I opened my mouth to say something—anything—but my brain had completely short-circuited. All I could do was stand there, staring at him like an idiot.

Naveen seemed to sense my internal struggle because he chuckled again and took a step back.

"I'll see you around, Aisha,"
He announced already walking away, while I remain rooted to the spot.

It wasn't until he disappeared around the corner that I finally exhaled, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Shit. Did that really just happen?

I glanced around, expecting someone to pop out and tell me it was all a prank. But no, the hallway was empty, and the dull ache in my rear reminded me that, yes, I had just headbutted my crush, and yes, we actually talked.

I groaned inwardly, resisting the urge to smack myself. Of all the ways to get Naveen's attention, this was definitely not how I'd imagined it. But then again, it's pretty normal for me to casually embarrass myself.

Well, at least he noticed me.

I shrugged. With a deep breath, I patted my pants and ran for my dear life. I signed in as quickly as possible and practically scurried to my desk, feeling a wave of relief when I realised I was just half a minute early.

Ha!

Take that Mr. Misfortune.

As soon as I plopped down in my chair, my phone buzzed, and of course, it had decided to bury itself at the very bottom of my bag, so I had to dig through the clutter—gum wrappers, stray pens, a half-eaten granola bar—before I finally found it.

Dina’s name flashed on the screen, and a pang of guilt hit me. I hesitated, my finger hovered over the answer button for quite a bit long.

Should I pick it up and suffer her wrath now or should I present my head to her later?

Ugh! She'll definitely scold me for ditching 'the mission' last night!

But what if it's important.

Just as I was about to pick up, a sharp knock on my desk made me jump in my seat. I looked up and it was none other than—Serena—The boss’s ridiculously hot secretary, who somehow managed to make even a simple office errand feel like a red-carpet event.

She was the human embodiment of a perfectly manicured thorn bush—beautiful to look at but likely to poke an eye out if you got too close.

"Meeting. Now."

She delivered the message with all the warmth of a snowstorm before turning on her heels and strutting away. I huffed in annoyance.
Of course, it was now my duty to gather everyone for the meeting—
like some kind of office sheepdog.

Serena could’ve easily done it herself with a quick intercom announcement, but no, that would apparently 'disturb the peace'

I shoved my phone into my back pocket and set off on my mission to collect every wandering soul in the office. And well, someone please hand me a whistle and a clipboard because—The office was a chaotic mess of fast-paced footsteps, constant chatter, and the kind of buzz that could make your ears ring for days.

And that's 'peace' for Serena

Finally, after herding everyone into the meeting room, I grabbed my trusty notepad and pen and slipped into my usual spot in the back corner, just in time.

"So, I want to announce something important. Please try to listen to me," Mr. Patel, our boss, began, his eyes found me and stayed on me when he said the last part.

Either I'm imagining things or he's definitely holding a grudge against me for that one time I accidentally locked him in the bathroom!

The room fell silent, apart from the occasional cough and the faint hum of the air conditioning. Everyone knew he doesn't call meetings lightly, so whatever he had to say, had to be big.

He cleared his throat like most old folks,and adjusted his glasses.
"As you all know, I've been with this company for over thirty years. I've watched it grow from a small start-up to the global sensation it is today."

There were nods and murmurs of agreement around the room.
Well, not for me. It sounded like the kind of thing people say when they’re about to announce something earth-shattering.

"However," he continued, "the time has come for me to step down and pass the torch to someone new."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. I glanced around at my colleagues, everyone were surprised- shocked to the ground.

"I know this may come as a surprise to many of you," he said, attempting a reassuring smile.
"But I’ve been considering this for some time, and I believe it's the right decision for both myself and the company."

For a moment, there was nothing but stunned silence.

"I want to assure you that the company is in good hands. The new CEO will bring fresh ideas and energy to take Nexus to the next step."
He finished with a quick laugh at the end.

"And now," His voice dropped slightly as if preparing for the grand reveal, "I'd like to introduce you to the person who will be stepping into my shoes. Please give a warm welcome to your new CEO—Mr. Ryan Roy."

The door at the far end of the room swung open, and in walked a man who looked like he’d just stepped out of a freaking magazine.
Tall, with sharp features and a confident stride, he exuded an air of authority that was impossible to ignore. His tailored suit fit perfectly, and his hair was styled in that effortless way that probably took an hour to achieve.

As he made his way to the front of the room, people craned their necks to get a better look, whispering in a hushed voice about this mysterious new boss who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Thank you, Mr. Patel," Ryan began, his voice smooth and rich like velvet, yet still holding a commanding and authoritative tone as he continued,
"I’m honoured to take on this role and to work with all of you. I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead."

I tried to observe him closely, to get a read on the guy. He was definitely the type who knew he was in charge—confident, maybe even a little cocky—but there was something else there too, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. 

Suspicious enough?!

"I look forward to getting to know each of you better and working together to achieve great things."
Finally, Ryan wrapped up his speech with a polite nod.

The room erupted into polite applause, before everyone started to walk out in a buzz, as the crowd thinned, Naveen passed through me.

"Well, this should be interesting,"
he whispered, playfully although his intense gaze remained fixed on Ryan.

Before I could say anything, Serena appeared beside me, her usual smirk in place.

"Looks like things are about to get a lot more... exciting around here,"
She almost purred in a slightly whisper voice with a knowing look before sauntering off, pushing Naveen out on the way. I scrunched up my nose at that glittery voice of hers.

I glanced over at Ryan, who was deep in conversation with Patel sir.
Serena will definitely hit on him.
I mean who wouldn't— from the face to the base, he had literally everything.
As if sensing my hard stares at him, his eyes met mine, and he raised an eyebrow.

Oh no, busted!

Shit!

I quickly averted my eyes. Clutching my notepad as if it were a shield, I turned on my heel in a hasty attempt to escape.

But, as I tried to walk away, my ankle decided to— you know casually bent, making me stumble adding an extra layer of clumsiness to my already mortifying exit.

Just when I thought I might actually collapse from sheer embarrassment, I ducked around the corner,finally letting out a deep breath. I leaned against the wall, eyes shut tight, wishing I could  somehow disappear or atleast teleport to my room.

My phone buzzed, and without thinking, I picked it up and answered with a gasp, knowing it's Dina.

"You wouldn't believe what just happened."
I swiftly darted towards the stairway, whispering through the phone.

"Aishu..." Dina whined, and I immediately scowled. With Dina, there’s one thing to always remember: if she whines, something has gone hilariously, catastrophically wrong.

"What- What happened?"
I stammered, bracing myself as if expecting a brick to fall on my head.

"I.. I messed up. Really, really bad."

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