HER:
Booze and conversation flowed effortlessly between the two of us. Alcohol has some good side effects! ;) Aditya actually turned out to be a lotta fun and amazingly witty too. During the course of our conversation he let slip that he might be leaving the firm soon. When he got up to receive a call for the fifth time in about an hour, I quizzed him if it was his girlfriend. He shook his head to indicate that I was wrong and told me he’s never had a girlfriend. “And I don’t think anyone will ever like me,” he added. He just gave a sarcastic kinda smile on my asking him what made him feel so. And in an instant of extreme stupidity, which I justified by thinking that what the heck, he’ll be leaving soon anyway; I told him!
I told him that I had had a CRUSH on him!! I told my EX-BOSS that I had a crush on him!!
HIM:
“Please let this NOT be a dream! Please let this NOT be a dream!”, I kept repeating in my head. Mansi confessed that she had a CRUSH on me!! MY crush had a crush on ME!! I was doing a mental Joey dance!!!!
And that was it! I went ahead and told her how I have had a crush on her since the moment I first saw her in the office. How every time she smiled I lost focus of whatever it was that I was doing. How I had been yearning to be at least friends with her since forever now. Just letting all of it out made me feel so light!
The alcohol had worn off by now. An awkward silence later, I ventured, “Let’s get outta here.”
“I’d like that.”
HER:
I could not believe what had just transpired….ADITYA had a crush on ME!!!! I mean what the hell!!! How lame could he be!! He does not give ONE teeny weeny hint all this time and today he decides to let his feelings overflow????!!!! Guys I tell you!!! Anyway, we headed out for a drive, since the atmosphere had suddenly become too much to take. Once in the car, silence made an entry again. Looking out the car’s window from the DND flyway, Delhi looked its beautiful best, all dressed up in shiny lights. I asked the question that had been bothering me for the past half hour. “Why didn’t you say anything all this while, Aditya?” And he gave me his incredulous smile saying, “Are you kidding me!? You with all your confidence and popularity had me intimidated to death!” “You are mad Aditya. Really!”, I laughed it off. I was switching on the stereo for some music when our hands brushed against each other, and lingered. We gazed into each other’s eyes for a moment before I withdrew it and wondered out aloud “This is going to be weird….”
“Let’s talk this over ice-cream?”, he suggested, focusing on the road once again.
HIM:
We drove to India Gate in the middle of the night for an ice-cream. I got her a chocolate chip knowing that it was her favorite. She always took that flavor on all team outings. The quiet of the night helped us in clearing our heads. I asked her if she was ready for this - a relationship in the office. She seemed wary about it, considering that I was her boss. I assured her that I wouldn’t remain that for long and that made her worry even more. After a long discussion, the two of us decided that we’ll give this a shot and see how things go.
She suddenly realized that I had not got ice-cream for myself and asked if I’d like to have some of hers. And without waiting for my answer, she thrust the cone in my face!!! I ran after her to do a repeat performance with whatever little of what was left of it and managed to catch her in under 30 seconds. Grabbing her arms, I was ready to give the final blow, when a local policeman appeared out of nowhere reprimanding us of creating unnecessary “hullah” and telling us to leave right away. Laughing, we got back in the car and I dropped her off to her place.
On my way back, with the sound of her cackling laughter still ringing in my ears, I realized I had just lived the happiest moments of my life till now.
- * - * - * - * - *Epilogue* - * - * - * - *
Six months later
HER:
Lunch break finally! You’d think that a year down in the office, things would get easier but FAR from it. The work pressure just keeps increasing!!! Gah!!!! And if that wasn’t enough, Adi is there to constantly remind me of his presence through whatever means he can, phone calls; texts; emails and the likes! I think I was too harsh on him in the last mail…poor guy didn’t deserve it. I should make it up to him. Did I tell you what a sweet heart he is? ;)
HIM:
At times college is really interesting and challenging, but it is at these times when I feel if IIM was really worth it. Maanu also seems pissed off…not replying to messages properly. :(
This teacher is going on and on about behavioral ethics in an organization. Wait! Did she just say ‘refrain from getting involved in personal relationships at office’…oh! She messaged! :) Here’s what she wrote:
“Hey sweets!! I’m sooo sawie for that last mail. Lottsa work pressure. :( Have just broken for lunch. Graduate soon and open your own company na. I’ll work for you. FREE! Or you can pay me in kind if you like. ;) Gimme a call when you are over with the class, I’ll catch up. :) Love”
Well, what does this teacher know; for me, ‘Love Work(ed)’. :D
Author's note: Constructive criticism will be much appreciated.
Click here to read the first two parts of Adiya's and Mansi's twisted professional love lives - Love Work(s) and Love Work(s) - II.
HER
It’s amazing how spending just a couple of months at a new place can change so many things – you, people around you, your equations with them, your views, and perceptions. I’m finally settled in my office and have more than got a hang of my work. My managers love me and so do my friends there. Life as I know it, has never been better. Yes, I keep terribly busy, but then that’s the way I prefer it to be. But I promise to be more regular in writing this journal. Some things you just have to find the time for. :)
P.S. Read the last entry and was ROFLING! Aditya!! Gosh! He’s a typical IITian…work, work, and work is all that interests him. He wasn’t that bad a boss though. Yeah, I don’t work under him anymore. And thank God for that! Helped a zillion in getting over him. ;)
HIM
Life – God’s most beautiful gift? I beg to differ please!! Work has been driving me crazy off late. And whatever little time that is left is spent preparing for the CAT. I have to nail it this time, else my only option will be GMAT. Not a very feasible option, considering the financial constraints. Moreover, India is where heart is. Though matters of the heart are something in which I have been unlucky consistently. Mansi was de-staffed from my project a couple of months back. The only words that we exchange now are hey/hi in the corridors. Yet that smile never fails to make me skip a heart-beat. Apparently, she is not as shy as I had presumed her to be. She seems to be very popular around everyone. Adds to my woes all the more. Clearly she didn’t find me good enough to even have a decent conversation with. I just want to get out of all of this asap. :\
HER
Aditya really is weird. I greet him with an enthusiastic ‘hi!’ and all he does is give a weird stare. Don’t know what’s that all about! Anyway, guess what!!?? I have my first office party the next week!!! I’m sooo excited !!! I have only heard/read about office parties thus far! Can’t wait to actually be a part of one of them!!! Yippeeee!!!! Gosh!! So much to do, so much to figure out…..!!!!
HIM
Office party next week. Could very well be my last party here. Kinda undecided on whether I’ll go or not. Should be devouring my books right now. Though I could definitely do with a break! Let’s see…..
HER
Strange, strange, STRANGE night. It was all going well. I was having a ball with my friends. Talking, dancing, being crazy, and what not. And suddenly, out of nowhere Aditya joins us to dance. Not too good a dancer, he was kinda fun to dance with. Super tired, I took a break to catch my breath. Two minutes later, he joined me. “You dance really well”, he said. “Thanks! Wish I could say the same about you”, said I, before I could realize it was my senior at office I was talking to.
Yes, this was how it all started…..
HIM
“Drink?”
“Sure. Vodka with orange juice.”
I couldn’t believe my luck that the two of us were actually talking to each other as regular people! And not as some have-to-bear-each-other kind of colleagues!! :)
Little was I to know of what was coming……
We live in such a mechanical world nowadays that sometimes it becomes necessary to just stop, take a break, and appreciate the smaller things in life....
Today morning (meaning the morning of the day when I wrote this post in my cell drafts), I was all ready for another gruelling day at office, waiting for my cab (which had been delayed due to the city's pitiable traffic situation) and I happened to come across various genres of movies playing on different channels...and I was amazed to realize the human mind's capacity to feels so many emotions that soemtimes even words cannot convey the EXACT feeling that we may be experiencing....
Think of it...you can be MADDENINGLY happy....like when you crack the college of your dreams! Or get your dream job...or you can be just plain normal happy that you have had a good day at school/college/work
You can be devastated if God forbid, a close one is no more...sad that you didn't get that promotion you had been hoping for
Furious that a trusted one lied to you....angry over a stupid fight with a friend
Irritated with the guy behind you in the traffic jam who's constantly honking...pissed when someone is overtly obstinate
Scared to death when your dad catches you doing something you shouldn't be doing
Proud when you see your work being appreciated
Disgusted when someone spits on the road
Curious when you know a friend has some juicy gossip for you
Excited when you are taking your first trip with friends
Lonesome when you are missing someone badly
Compassionate when you see someone dealing with the hardships of life bravely
Thankful when you realise that you are lucky to have the life that you do
Jealous when someone beats you at what you thought you were the best
Nervous before giving your first interview
Relaxed after it goes surprisinglt well
Embarrassed after you have just managed to drop a mannequin in a huge departmental store
Ashamed when you realise you have hurt someone
Regret when you realise what you did was not only stupid but wrong
Tired with dealing with life and its unending problems
Amazed at how a two year old can be addicted to smoking
Surprised on how much you can write on a nonsense topic :D :D
