16/11/2019 - Saturday -At Chennai, Shiva's Firm

Shiva's P. O. V :

" This is totally inhumane! " Hari was cursing.

" What? " I asked, turning to him from my pc.

" Today is Saturday! It was supposed to be a holiday! " He said staring at me.

" Stop whining like a school kid and work! " I said.

" At least let us finish off by afternoon? " He asked with big eyes.

" No! " I said.

The two interns murmered to themselves with sad faces.

I shook my head and went back to work.

Hari's phone rang and he started coeing in his phone, must be his finance.

" Wait, are you serious? " He shouted on his phone and stood up.

I looked at him signalling what happened.

" Don't let her go! We will be there in copper kitchen in ten minutes! " He said and cut the call.

" What? " I asked.

" Aparna is with Shwetha! We need to go now!" He said.

When I heard that name, suddenly nothing mattered, Anjali, engagement, loan, nothing did. I wanted to see her.

I stood up and we both ran out.

" Lock the office before you leave! " I shouted to the interns and started the bike. Hari sat behind me.

I was flying through the traffic. Hari was navigating to the restaurant.

The traffic, the sun, the noise, I wasn't feeling any of it.

" Hari, you know what, today is the day I am happy that you are my friend! " I shouted to him.

" Good going Macha! What about all those days when I supplied free booze? " He said.

I laughed at him and moved quick as the signal turned green.

" In two minutes! Take the next left! " Hari said and I followed it.

The copper kitchen board came into my view. We rushed to the parking, parked my bike hastily and ran in.

We were out of breath, the restaurant was quite empty except for one corner.

I was looking at the group for that one face.

It was occupied by Shwetha and her friends. As we walked closer, Shwetha's disappointed face came into view.

She shook her head and walked to us.

"Sorry! " She said.

All the energy drained from me.

" You said she was here! " Hari said.

" She was! She got a call from her mother. That her dad was sick! She ran out! Few seconds ago! " Shwetha said.

I sat down on a chair nearby and placed my head over my hands. Hari sat near me.

"Sorry da" He told slowly. Shwetha walked back to her friends table. Two girls were giggling at me.

I shook my head and smiled at Hari.

I was going mad, over her. Why did I even allow her to control my life?

I sat there silently for few minutes and Hari woke me up.

" Shiva! Dude, you weren't this broken even on that day Anjali messed up with you. I thought you would clear off your mind if you talk to Aparna in person. I didn't know , this would affect you this much. " He said.

" I didn't know too " I said slowly looking at him.

Tears were brimming my eyes.

" I didn't know, I can be this much insane. The problem is not Aparna. It is me. Me trying to find a way out of my marriage with Anjali. Me being useless.

I didn't really see any chance with Aparna, but the mere possibility of choosing something, deciding something in my life excites me. But in the end, I am always proved wrong. I am not capable of choosing." I ranted to Hari.

He hugged me and patted my back.

We stood up and walked out. My phone rang and it was a call from Anjali.

I ignored the call and drove back to the office.

Hari left as soon as we came. I sat back on my chair, looked at the empty office. I laid on my table and slept off.

My phone rang and woke me up. It was Anjali again. The time was nearly 7 in the evening.

I took the call and replied slowly.

" Don't you remember that I was leaving to my home town today? " She said.

" I didn't " I said with a straight tone.

" Hah! You have your last chance to properly clear off what you did yesterday! Drop me in the bus stop! " She said in a slick voice.

" Your highness wouldn't feel comfortable in my bike. And I am not your personal driver! " I shouted in the phone.

" You! You were never like this before! All this courage came only because of your Anni! She has been manipulating everyone! " She said.

I totally lost my patience.

" The one who is manipulating everyone is you! Not her! You are a two faced witch , covering up your true side with a fake personality! I am not something you can buy by being adamant! " I shouted back.

" I get what I want Shiva. Wait and watch. I will make you beg to marry me! " She said and I cut the call.

As I started my bike, Rajiv called me. I attended the call and stopped my bike.

" Shiva! I was trying to call amma for more than an hour now. Give her the phone. " He said.

" I am still in office! " I said.

" Oh, okay. "He said slowly.

" What happened? " I asked.

" I booked ticked for Prerna to return to Bangalore tomorrow, wanted to inform amma. " He said.

" I will reach within 40 minutes. I'll call you back " I said.

" Okay! " Rajiv said and cut the call.

I started the bike and drove to my home. By now Anjali would have told my mom whatever I told her. I hate this.

It suddenly crossed my mind that Aparna's dad was also Anni's dad.

As I reached home, I walked straight to my room without giving ear to my mom's shouting. I told Amma to call Rajiv and went upstairs.

Anni's room was closed.

I changed into my sweatpants and fell on my bed. It started to rain outside. As I dozed off, the rain became heavy.

At midnight someone knocked my room door. The power was gone, due to the lightening and thunder. I woke up slowly and opened it.

It was Anni, standing with her phone torch.

She was in her night dress and it felt very unusual. I rubbed my eyes slowly.

"Sorry to wake you up, I tried closing the top window in your brother's room. It is completely stuck. The rain water is splashing inside. Help closing that!" She said.

It was always a problem in his room. I nodded at her and followed her into her room.

The floor was wet and the water was dripping inside from the window.

I climbed over a table near the window, and tried pulling the window from inside.

Anni was holding the torch for me to work. The hinges must have been rusted.

" Do you have any oil? " I asked her.

" Coconut oil? " She asked.

" Will do! "I said.

She took the oil bottle and handed it to me.

She brushed her unruly hair with her fingers for a moment and tied her hair into a bun over her head.

After few minutes, the hinge loosened and I closed the window.

I got down from the table and the same time the power came back. The lights turned on.

"Finally! " Anni said surprised.

Anni was replacing the oil bottle. She was turned back.

Suddenly her tattoo on the back of her neck caught my eyes.

A flock of birds flying over the word " Free bird ".

My eyes zoomed in as Anni turned to me.

" Aparna? " I uttered the name without conscious thought.