siddhi was sitting restlessly in her office and eagerly awaiting for kunal to come.she looked at her wrist watch. ' yesterday by this time he was here...aaj kyun nahi?...π why the delay?π...so far why he did not come?...' while she was worrying she heard the soft padding of foot steps approaching her from out side.immediately she fixed herself , opened a file , lay eyes on the file to hide her anxiousness dripping over it.
'good morning...π' ritcha entered wishing her.
siddhi:'...guu..good morning...π' she replied with a big disappointment.
ritcha:'O! π...you started your work before i come! very nice...π'she went to her desk appreciating her.along with her she brought a elegant and fresh red rose bouquet wrapped in a transparent cellophane paper , at the very end it was artistically tied with a maroon ribbon. she kept it carefully on the table.the fragrance of the rose spread all over the room and attracted siddhi's attention.
siddhi:π...she tried for a happy smile on her face and admired looking at the roses from distance as she love flowers especially red roses.
ritcha:' siddhi...in 1973 there was a case between three brothers and one sister regarding the division of their ancestral property...in this book that case detail is given.i would like you to study the case and take notes form it...and this law book has updated laws for ancestral property inheritance...read this book too so that you may able to give points while i am preparing for my next case...π' she allotted the work for her.
siddhi:' ji...π' she took both the books from her with zero mood and interest to work.
it was around 1pm:
siddhi was frequently glancing at the time and the exit door. for the past 240 minutes she was doing the same.her eyes and neck started hurting. she felt as if her eye lids stopped blinking.where as ritcha didn't bother about kunal's absent and was busy with her work.
'... abhi tak kyun nahi aayeh...? is every thing fine with him? how to know about him?π...ritcha ji may be knowing...but how to ask her?...' worrisome thoughts troubled her constantly.
around 1:30pm there was a sudden commotion out side their office room.
ritcha:' he is coming...π' at once she got up from her seat and rushed towards the door.at the same time kunal walked fast in to the room. behind him the janitor raju was trying to stop the press and the media people who were following kunal. he stood obstructing them.
media people:' Mr.kunal chopda...political leader Ratan Lal's confession was highly unexpected and a big twist of this case... how did you made it?...what made him to feel guilty...? how long is he going to sentenced ? ...' they spasm him with their non stop questions
kunal:' maine yeh sab sawalon ga jawab court room kay bahar dediya hai...no more questions please...π' he tried to get rid of them and rushed towards his office.
media people:' Mr.kunal chopda...what is the secrecy of your success?...behind every successful man there is a women...who is that women in your life?...' they continued.
raju:'...you are not suppose to come here... this is prohibited area for public...please keep away...aap log jaye yeh...' he control them and send them back.
kunal:' uff...finally...' he came in to his office.he was in his pure white shirt and trousers,with two stripes of white neck band .black leather belt and black shoes....rimless spectacles ...elegantly holding his long black gown in his left arm...more than sufficient to say that he came directly from the court.
ritcha:'congrats... congratulations...π€...she almost ran to him and hugged him tightly.it was her usual way of receiving him when ever he comes to office after winning his case.
kunal:' π€...' he accepted her wishes by gently hugging her back.in his excitement he completely forgot that siddhi was present in that room.while he was hugging ritcha , from her back he noticed siddhi standing near her desk and staring at them with her cold and empty eyes, which made him feel awkward to stay in ritcha's hug.
siddhi:π ...for the past 240 minutes she was dying for his glimpse...finally she got to see him hugging ritcha! ...sudden waves of anguish and disillusion expanded from her guts...for a second she was paralyzed to see kunal hugging ritcha...she could not digest that scene...her mind refuse to convince that it was a very formal and congratulating hug.first time she is seeing kunal hugging a girl, feeling of possessiveness burnt her heart...during her college days even though all the girls drool over him siddhi is the one who was more close to him...she was the one who had guts to look directly in to his eyes, had courage to cross question him , she was one to whom kunal showed his personal concern indirectly, she was the only one with whom he interacted the maximum.
kunal: ' thanks...π' he quickly came out of her hug.
ritcha: ' wow! it is amazing to see the way you win every single case...great going...π'she appreciated him endlessly.
kunal:' π ...he accepted her appreciation with a short smile and walked towards his desk. while crossing siddhi's table from corner of his eyes he tried to look at her.
siddhi: ...she was standing aloof and disheartened beside her desk...she stepped back weakly , sat in her seat and tried to show as if she is busy with her work.
ritcha:' kunu...this for you...π' she stopped him while he was passing siddhi's desk and gave him the red rose bouquet with a grin.
' oh!π²...that means ritcha already knew that he had a trial today...that is why she was not worried about his absence...' siddhi understood the things when ritcha gave him the bouquet.' such a happy day, i was not aware of it...what a looser i am...' she felt sorry for herself. first time she hated red roses...agony and anger rode her , she felt dejected and desperate.she was on the verge of becoming cranky.
kunal:'shall we have our lunch? i am dying with hunger...π' he avoided one more hug from ritcha by giving alternate suggestion ' why do i feel awkward to hug ritcha in front of siddhi...π' he was confused.
ritcha:' sure... but not here...tum itna bada case jeeta hai...treat tho banta hai...take us out side for lunch...π' she suggested with a wide happy smile.they were standing in front of siddhi's desk and talking.
kunal:' oh no!...π' he immediately refused. ' yeh kya musibat hai? ...ek musibat taal ne kay leyeh doosri musibat mol le...' he regretted.
ritcha:' you can't say that ...we deserve a treatπ...siddhi tum bhi bolo na...π' she called siddhi for support.
siddhi:π ...she gave a gentle smile as if she has no interest in their talk...but as soon as ritcha called siddhi , kunal's eyes sparked.
kunal:' fine...par aaj nahi ...kal...π' he immediately agreed thinking that he can have an outing with siddhi during the weekend.
ritcha:'really! π...but tomorrow is saturday ...π'
kunal:' so what?...tum dono hotel evershine aajo...we will have the treat there...π' while saying he keenly looked at siddhi's expressions with enthusiasm. she was sitting expressionless looking at a case file.
ritcha:' not a bad idea...π' she agreed with him.
kunal:' now shall we have our food...π'
ritcha:' o yes...let me bring my lunch...π' she took her lunch box from her bag and went to kunal's desk.that was her routine.she used to eat her lunch with kunal.
ritcha:' siddhi...you too come and join us ...π' she gave a courtesy call to siddhi.
siddhi:' nahi aaj mera upvaas hai...' she said in a sour voice without looking at them.
ritcha:' upvaas!π² aaj kyun?π...' she asked siddhi.
siddhi:'tch!...i need to control my mind and body...π' she
replied weakly...closed the file, got up from her seat and left the office leaving them alone to enjoy their lunch.
kunal:' ...he understood that she was telling lie to avoid seeing him with ritcha and the reason she said for her fasting was indirectly meant for him. he was deeply hurt by the way she said upvaas and left the room.he realized that his relation with ritcha is creating a havoc in siddhi's mind.her determinate love over him can't take it.he has to simmer down it. other wise it is going to be tough for siddhi to work in that atmosphere...' his feeling for her ran deeper than he thought and experience a constant pain in his heart.without knowing the inner feelings of kunal ritcha kept talking , eating and talking.
ritcha:' don't you think some thing is wrong with her? π' she asked while chewing the food.
kunal: ...he didn't feel like eating his food even though he was hungry and he was the one who hurried to have lunch.he was worried about siddhi.' where did she go?...this place is new for her...' the food he was chewing refused to go in to his gullet.he swallowed hard. after taking few formal mouths he got up.
ritcha:' kunu...you did not complete your foodπ...' she said looking at the food left in his box.
kunal:' i am done...π' he closed the box.
ritcha:π
kunal:'you carry on...' he left her to eat and came out of his office room in search of siddhi. after a few minutes search he found her
sitting all alone on a raised cement platform under a old banyan tree, eating pea nuts.
' why i am upset?...what is making me feel sadden?π...' she removed her left foot from the sandal and dig the ground with her toe to let out her frustration. she looked at the random design she made in the mud with her toe.she always enjoy doing that but today!...for some reason she disliked it.she love to eat roasted peanuts but today!...for some reason she didn't like it...she like to sit under a tree in a open space and enjoy taking fresh breath but today!...for some reason she felt suffocated, felt like sitting on a thorn bush...what is that some reason?...she could easily figure out...it was ritcha! ...that some reason which was bugging her was ritcha!...while she was looking down and drawing on the mud with her toe, pair of black shoes appeared next to her feet.she instantly found that they were kunal's...her breath caught in her throat and heart gave a violent shudder. felt as if she was caught red handed. peanuts dropped down from her hand and fall on his foot...emotions bubbled as tears. she tried hard to hid them and struggled to hold them in her eyes.
kunal :' ahem!...' he cleared his throat to catch her attention.
siddhi:'...her heart beat raised ...raced miles per minute.
kunal:' tum jhoot bhi bol thi ho?...π‘' he questioned about her upvaas.
siddhi:.. she remained deep with his presence.a sharp pain shot up from her stomach and stuck in to her throat.she was on the verge of cry.she was sacred that her eyes may shed tears if she look at him.
kunal: ' why you did not eat your lunch?...'
siddhi:' i don't like to...π'she spoke.her voice was teetering on the edge of tears.
kunal:' what do you mean by i don't like to?...π‘' his voice was low and sheepish.
siddhi:' i don't want to...' she bit her lower lip to stop trembling.
kunal:' why?...yesterday we had lunch together isn't it?...'
siddhi:' yesterday was different...today ritcha was with you...' her voice chocked with emotion.
kunal:'Ooo my god! she is my college days friend.by the way ritcha aur mere dosti se tumai fark padna nahi chahi yeh...not good for you...π‘' he advised keeping his tone rude.
siddhi:' excuse me... you can not rule on my feelings......π'she stood up...felt tears wiggling down on her cheek!
kunal:' don't be silly... i never felt bad about your relationship with rohit...'
siddhi:'... cuz...you have no feelingsπ...aap patther dil kay ho...π' she burst out...threw the left out pea nuts from her hand on the ground , pushed her left feet in to the sandle and ran away from him.
kunal:π€’...he stood still as if he has no life.
as it was 2pm siddhi went back to the office to continue her work. she expected that kunal will follow her and come back to office but he did not.
ritcha:' siddhi...did you see kunal out side?π ...' that question shook siddhi .
siddhi:' π²...nahi...nahi tho...π'she said lie concelling her worry about kunal.' i have battered his feelings by saying that he is stone hearted and has no feelings in it...i should not have spoken to him like that...' she realized that she was wrong.
ritcha:' where did he go?π...' while she was asking to herself kunal came back.
ritcha:' kunu...where did you go?π...' she got up from her seat.
kunal:' ...' a pain filled and fake smile crept across his face, not answering to her question.
ritcha:' without having your lunch where did you go?' she asked again.
siddhi:π² ...'with her question she came to know that kunal too did not had his lunch because she didn't...but what she did?...she abused him that he has no feelings...he is stone hearten...he can't rule over her feelings...' feeling of guilty pierced her heart.' certainly he deserve a sorry from me...' she said in her mind.
kunal:' no need to worry ritchu...samaj lo mera bhi aaj upvaaas tha...' he went to his seat and started packing up his things.his tone proved he was offended.
ritcha:' are you leaving now?π...'
kunal:'umm...not in a mood to work...better to go...' he sounded dull.
ritcha:' fine...take care...π'
kunal:
ritcha:' by the way... is there any change in tomorrow's treat?π...'she don't want to miss his treat.
kunal:' no...both of you to come to hotel sunshine around 2pm. i will book the table for three of us...π' while instructing ritcha he looked at siddhi.
siddhi:π she was putting her head down and looking at her files , felt guilty to face him or had no guts to give a smile at him to accept his invitation.
kunal:...her reaction made him think that she is avoiding him and neglecting his invitation.he walked out with a sad sigh.
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