Thanks guys for your wonderful support..hope it didn’t reached well but I am happy that I have constant readers. .thanks a lot ….the next chapter is here…go on..
“Marriage has no guarantees. If that’s what you’re looking for, go live with a car battery.” -Erma Bombeck
Next morning, I wake up and find myself on the carpeted floor. An unpleasant smell fills my nostrils and I can even feel the dust under my cheek. It seems like abhi is putting no effort to keep this place clean and I would have to give him a lecture later on.
Groaning, I stand up and tilt my neck to a side until it cracks. As I tie my unruly hair in a bun, I notice abhi, who is sprawled out on the bed, sleeping in peace. Soft snores escape his lips with his mouth agape, which makes me chuckle in amusement. He doesn’t look cute; rather he looks weird, which makes me laugh loudly this time.
I don’t want to disturb his sleep because if he woke up now, he’d fight to go to the bathroom first and I don’t want that to happen.
*****
Apparently, abhi didn’t have real food in his kitchen and I had to resort to eating a bowl of cereal, which is now troubling me a bit. My stomach has started to make low noises and I’m just waiting to stuff some food in.
As I enter my office building, a gush of cold air greets me, whipping my hair into my eyes. I make my way towards my desk, greeting a few of my colleagues. Upon reaching my desk, I put my handbag on the polished table and sit in my chair, smiling at riya. She smiles back as she noisily chews her bubblegum.
“Where have you been, girl?” she asks, turning around in her chair.
“It’s about abhi.”
“What about him? Is he saying no for the divorce?”
“No, actually, it’s complicated, riya…we visited a renowned relationship counselor at our parents’ request and now she wants us to live together for a month. In fact, we have to go meet her next week,” I sigh.
“Oh,” she says, her minty breath fanning my face.
“Yeah, I have so many problems to deal with.”
“Add one more to your list because David has called you in his office and he doesn’t look pleased,” she says, typing something on her computer.
“Really? David is in a bad mood, I can’t believe that.”
She chuckles, turning her head in my direction. “Yup, he is.”
I run a hand through my blonde hair in an attempt to to smooth them out. Frankly, I’ve tried so many shampoos and oils and nothing seems to be working out. Sometimes, it gets frustrating when I buy expensive things and they don’t show any results.
“Did you try the shampoo I recommended? It’s working for my hair,” she says, blowing a small bubble.
Riya’s dyed cinnamon red hair really enhances her warm white skin and it’s quite aggravating that I’m the only one carrying a nest on top of her head.
“I tried, but it didn’t do any good. Riya , I fear I’ll be bald in less than a year.”
“Don’t worry, girl, you can always wear a wig.”
“Shut up!”
She shakes her head, her lips tugging upwards in a large smile.
“I guess I better go see David. I shouldn’t keep him upset for long.”
After a few minutes, I find myself standing outside David’s office. I can see him staring out of the large glass window, casually leaning against it. David has been my boss for more than three years now and frankly speaking, he’s one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. He’s rarely ever upset and now I’ve to figure it out what’s bothering him.
I knock on the glass door and David turns around, motioning for me to come in.
“I am upset?”
Okay, this is strange. What’s up with this man?
“Really David,” I reply, chuckling.
Walking over to his disarray desk, he picks up a file and starts skimming through it. David’s fashion sense is somewhat outrageous and I’m not exaggerating when I say this. Today, his attire is zebra printed pants, a lime green jacket and a wrinkled tie. It hurts my eyes to see someone wearing such bright colors altogether in the most awkward way possible.
“¿Dónde has estado, PRAGYA ? Hay mucho trabajo que hacer!” he frowns.
“Whoa! Hold on there. I know only a word or two of Spanish, okay.”
He sighs, “Where have you been? There is so much pending work. Do you want to see all of us on the streets?”
“David, take a deep breath…good, now don’t worry about anything. I’ll complete all the pending work as soon as possible.”
I’ve been working as a columnist for All heart magazine for almost three years and unlike most people, I love my job. Being a writer is one of the toughest jobs and yet, the most enthralling one.
David hands me three files and tells me write all my pending articles within two days. I know it’s going to be an arduous task.
“By the way, why were you talking in Spanish?” I ask, arranging the files in my hands.
“Well, I don’t think you know, but my wife is of Hispanic descent.Her father is turning sixty in ten days and she wants me to give a speech in Spanish at his birthday party,” he says, his jaw clenched.
“Oh, okay…I hope you can pull this off. All the best,” I say, half-smiling.
Sighing, he strokes his beard. “Thanks, pragya , I’m kinda desperate for best wishes now. I’m keeping my fingers crosses that I’ll be able to deliver a great speech in Spanish.”
I can see that David is really working hard, but I feel bad for him because it’s hard to learn a language in just ten days. I haven’t met his wife personally, but I hear a lot about her from my colleagues. They call her ‘The Evil Incarnated’.
Before I start working on my articles, I decide to grab a cup of coffee. As strange as it sounds, coffee helps me to write better.
I enter a coin into the slot on the coffee vending machine and press the espresso button. The machine flashes a countdown and I take this time to go through a file that David gave me earlier.
“Hey.”
“Oh hi, raghav,” I smile at him.
The machine makes a whistle like sound, instantly getting my attention. Steam rises from the cup and I pick it up carefully.
“So, how was your trip to the Bahamas?” I ask, raising my eyebrows at him.
Raghav is our employee of the year and that is the reason why he got a trip for ten days to the Bahama Islands. Here, everyone works off to get a chance to go to an exotic place they desire. I can’t help but envy raghav because I need a break, not from my job, but from my personal life. I wish I could take a few days off from my personal life.
“Oh, it was marvelous…but what are you thinking?”
“Nothing, I’m just tired, that’s all,” I say, slightly shaking my head.
He flashes me a toothy smile. “How about we go somewhere out after work?”
“That’d be great, but I’m afraid it won’t be possible today. I’ve so much work to do, but after a few days, we can definitely go,” I say, taking a sip of my coffee.”Okay, no problem. I’ll see you around,” he says, as his shoulders slumped.
“Cool.”
Smiling, I give him a pat on the shoulder and make my way towards riya
*****
I open the door with my spare keys and step inside the house. A rich aroma of smoked bacon fills my nostrils, instantly taking me to a different world. A few seconds later, I come to my senses and notice the changes in our living room. The position of the couches looks different. Abhi’s gaming console, along with his acoustic guitar rests on the round table in front of the television.
I drop my handbag on the couch and walk into the kitchen. Abhi is standing there, wearing his apron that reads-Kiss me if you are happy.
The bacon sizzles as he tosses it neatly in the pan.
He looks at me through his lashes, giving me small smile.
I highly doubt he is doing all this for me because he is not really romantic.
Hesitantly, I walk towards the fridge. As soon as I open the door, the cool air fans my face and I deliberately take a little longer to take out the water bottle.
“You seem happy,” I say, as I pour water into the glass.
“I’m happy.”
“What’s so special today?”
“My friends are coming over. It’s our guys night out,” he says, his eyes crinkling.
I almost choke on the water and for a second it becomes too hard to swallow it. I put the glass on the counter, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“And it’s your turn to host the party?”
He shrugs. “Hmm.”
My eyes go wide as I stare at him for a bit too long. Abhi snaps his head in my direction, trying to read my face.
He frowns. “What happened to you?”
“Can’t you party somewhere else?”
“PRAGYA, it’s my turn…I can’t do this to them.”
“Well, I don’t like those morons,” I mutter.
“Excuse me? They’re my friends and you have no right to call them that.”
I can see a vein peeking through his neck, but I am not scared. I know his so-called friends very well and they’re not a bunch of pleasant people. Abhi is naïve and his friends take advantage of that. Most of the times, it’s abhi who has to host their guys night out.
His friends are a group of rowdy men and I despise them. Every time they come here, they make his place look like hell, but I’m not going to take that bullshit anymore.
“Truth is always bitter, abhi,” I say, folding my arms across my chest.
He laughs humorlessly, “pragya, you are just jealous because you don’t have close friends like I do.”
“W-what? I am not jealous, okay. It’s good to have one true friend than having hundreds of fake friends,” I say, scowling at him. “If it’s any consolation or if it makes you feel any better, you can believe it.”
“Fine, I was trying to help you, but you just have no respect for anyone, abhi. And don’t come to me crying like a baby when they kick you,” I scoff.
“Fine!”
I clench my fists and walk away from Abhi . It will be his loss, not mine and I don’t care if his friends use him like a remote control toy. He is blind to see the truth. I was just making an effort to show him the reality and that’s how he treats me.
He just proved that I’m the stupid one, who’s trying to help him in vain.
Hope you like the new pragya..truly speaking I am bored of silent pragya..let’s see what are gonna do..to kick his friends..and whom they are……see you guys soon….bye , love you all…