16/9/2019 - Monday - At Design shades,Bangalore.

Aparna's P. O. V:

I walked inside the office holding myself together. I hastened to my work station and sat on my place, without looking at anyone.

Priya came in after few minutes. She sat beside me silently.

I opened my desktop and started working on my drawing.

" Aparna, are you okay? " Priya asked me slowly.

" Yeah, I am good " I said without looking at her.

" Okay " She said and went back to her work.

Then the familiar sound of the boots made me realise that Michael had come in. I gulped hard and was trying to breathe properly.

Michael's work station was on the left wing, while mine was on the right wing.

He sat on his place silently.

" Dude, What happened to your face? " David asked to Michael.

" Fuck off! " Michael said through his clenched teeth.

My hands started shaking nervously. I was trying to stop my mind to running back to the memories of Friday night.

" Man up! Rejections are a part of life! " David said and this time Michael walked out to the dining area.

"Aparna, what happened to his face? " David asked walking to me.

" I don't know " I lied.

" You know what, was it necessary to slap him in front of everyone? He was only trying to kiss you! " David said standing near my desk.

I turned to him , clenching my teeth.

" Anything without consent is wrong. " I said.

" But we thought, you guys were together! " Priya said.

" No, did I ever say anything like that? " I asked.

" But come on, he really loves you. You need not be this much harsh on him" David said raising his hands.

What everyone saw was only the kiss, and nothing that happened after that. I swallowed my tears and turned away.

" You should not take it too deep girl! These things are normal when you attend a party!" He said.

" He was drunk! He was out of his senses! He misbehaved ! What do you think I should have done? " I shouted at David. For the words that Michael spoke, I should have pushed him off the terrace.

The intercom of our wing rang and Priya took the call.

She listened silently and placed the phone back in a minute.

" Aparna, Sneha wants you in the conference Hall, now " Priya said.

I took the project report in my hand and walked into the conference Hall.

As I opened the door, I saw Michael standing inside. The room brought back everything that happened there , in that same room ,on the Friday night. I gulped hard and I consoled myself to face the reality.

As I closed the door shakily, Michael turned back to look at me.

His shirt was wrinked, his hair was totally out of place. He looked so deranged. I had never seen him this much disoriented.

His left cheek was completely bruised. I bit my tongue remembering, how I hit him with the sample wood plate. His eyes were red and the anger was radiating from him.

" I loved you, I loved you so much! " He said clenching the table.

I stood there quiet.

" And what I got back for loving you? You have stamped me as a drunkard rogue" He said.

" Look Michael, I am really sorry. I didn't know what to do. I was scared. Sorry for hitting you. I am really sorry. " I said.

" No, I don't want your apology. I am going to spoil your name the same way you spoiled mine. I am going to make you beg at my feet. " He said with a wicked grin.

" I am sorry " I said.

" But I am being serious Aparna. After all I did for you, how can you simply reject it by saying that you don't feel the same for me? " He said laughing. His voice was reaking with wrath.

" That's the truth! I need you as my best friend. Please, try to understand. I can't see you any other way. " I said as few tears slipped down from my eyes.

" When non violence doesn't work, violence is my only way. I want you. I want you in my life. I want you to marry me. And you will do everything as exactly I say. " He said.

" Did you even love me? " I asked.

" Oh dear, how can you doubt that! Who was there for you when you were bullied in School? Who was there for you when you cried missing your sister? I was there. Is it too much of me to ask something in return from you? " He asked taking a step closer.

" Can't you let me go? Is your love only true if I agree to marry you? " I asked.

" Please don't be philosophical. I have had enough of that shit from you. " He said.

" I am not a toy that you can buy and keep in your show case. I have freedom to take my own decisions. I won't be living my life under the control of someone like you! " I said.

" You know what, this bravery of yours is very charming. I am going to crush that first. You will break everyday. I will break you till you beg me forgiveness. " He said.

" In your dreams " I said with a wicked smile.

" You are going to regret every moment of this. You will cry everyday for slapping me. You will cry everyday for everything you did. " He said.

" You can't do anything! " I said.

" You have nowhere to go if not me. Today or tomorrow, you will come back to me. I can bet on my life " He said.

" Enjoy your life in hell then " I said and walked out of the room holding my files.

We think we know someone for years, we believe that we have seen all their faces. We trust them so much that, when we see their true face, we don't know who to blame.

Was it their fault to show a fake face to us or was it our fault to trust that fake face?