Besabriyaan

Chapter 25

Same day,
1pm

"Ms.Murthy, you need to sit one day with the Director of the upcoming biopic and ensure the progress of the project once. If a single project eats up so much of time and budget, I don't think one can be patient enough with the design." I nodded at my boss who stood up from his revolving chair to wear the denim jacket previously hanging on the headrest. He was leaving for a renowned calendar shoot.

"I had a talk last day and he said there's some compliance issue with the safety measures, still I'd try to sit and talk afresh." I informed standing on his opposite across the table.

"Do I personally have to negotiate? I'll be tremendously jacked up with outdoors and all so I don't think...."

"No Sir, I'll take care of it." I assured and he glanced over me.

"Cool" He mouthed.

He got busy checking his phone whilst rubbing his chin with his index finger and I bought the time to admire him for a little. My mind travelled to the moment in the morning when he asked me out over a dinner and I also recalled when he cleared like a crystal the junky dreams in my head divulging that it was merely a dinner and not a date. Not a date, Nandini.

Sighing lowly, I looked down at the floor pondering how dinner with Manik would be to visualise.

Come what may, I knew the date.... no scratch it. Dinner. The dinner was going to be awkward with maybe formal yes Sir, no Sir or with weird silence that the knives on our plates won't be able to cut in. More than the silence, I knew our conversations were going to be more awkward. He'd be busy being all bossy or laughing at my expense. Damn, I realised I didn't have a constructive topic to have with him except those stars and moon and poetical artefacts which I was sure would bore anybody if done on a daily basis, specially anybody like Manik Malhotra. My cheeks turned the darkest shade of red as my mind contemplated the night and the flashes of his lips staying inches away and his body hovering over mine. A weird rush in my stomach tickled me. What would've happened had I not brought Maddy's topic that night? Would he still be the same grumpy man from the next day or.... Of course, he would've been the same, Nandini. Why was anything happening that night going to effect him in any way at all! Was he having mercy on me because of that night when he saw me cry like a little girl? I sighed.

"Anything else?" He took a quick look at me and I shook my head.

"I'll...take your leave, Sir" Whilst I was about to reach the door, Julie stepped inside receiving a nod from Manik.

She placed a classy steel coloured envelope on his table which gave me the feeling to be an invite and bouquet of Juliet Roses. Everything about the invite screamed sophistication and affluence with a sheeny royal blue ribbon covering it forming a flower at the corner. After Julie took her leave shortly, Manik found me gaping him.

"I-I was leaving only." Edgy, I was.

"No, wait. Read it for me." He was the boss after all, dwelling on lap of luxury every moment.

He again settled down delaying his schedule despite the possibility that Abhimanyu awaited him outside the door. As I ended up near the table, he eyed me the envelope indicating to speed up as he repeatedly kept watching the clock. I pulled one end of the ribbon letting the satin unfold smoothly and I knew my snail's speed was pricking him. I lingered my fingers on the silkiness a little and slipped the card out clearing my throat.