* *

I hadn't thought of the repercussions of my actions (or the lack thereof) when I had chosen to not call him that Friday night. Or the entire weekend. What would I do when he would come before me, in all his Bengali hotness, first thing Monday morning? Our days began with me personally taking the files that had to be signed to his cabin, or when he arrived earlier than me, he would walk to my cabin to take those. I didn't have the time to ponder the question all weekend, owing to the mental torture I was inflicting upon myself by repeating the fated evening in my mind. And all the worries associated with it. And trust me, there were a thousand of them. But none I found a solution to. It was beyond maddening.

And now, as I walked in the foyer to the glass gate of my office, the question of facing Abeer plagued my mind. I clenched and unclenched my fingers, my palms clammy with anxiety. Keep your professional and personal life separate. Well, that was rich, considering I was planning on romancing my own senior.

Or was I? It is just a date...

And why would he suggest a date if he hadn't felt attracted to you? The thought made my heart swell. Someone had shown a romantic interest in me...someone like Abeer. The thought was enough to get any girl giddy. You had to hand it out to him, the guy had his charm. Not the boyish, immature kind, but then disembarking, shivering kind. The one that didn't make your knees go week, but pierced you, body and soul.

I had never been in this situation before. I had never stepped out of my comfort-giving, romantically-uninvolved state of life. I wasn't afraid, just blissfully preoccupied with my career.

And all of a sudden, my career had shown me the path to romance. Stupid, stupid life.

I sighed, and pressed my hands to my face. It is fine, it is work first, I reminded myself as I entered the office. It was abuzz with activity, just like any Monday after the two-day weekend was. I was greeting Mrs. Saxena, our new middle-aged receptionist when I heard him.

"Good morning, Aashi." I whirled around to face him, and my breath hitched. He looked nothing out of ordinary, but something had changed since Friday night. He looked far more handsome than before. I had never thought a simple white shirt and black trousers could make one look...ravishing. But he did. His posture was calm, normal, showing no sign of anything being amiss. But his eyes, his eyes spoke the truth. They held a knowing glint in them, telling me they knew something. And I knew it too.

"Good morning, Abeer," I replied, surprised at the steadiness of my tone. He smiled and stepped forward, thrusting a file towards me.

"This needs reviewing. Could you do it and bring it to me later for the signatures?"

I nodded mutely and stepped forward to take it. But Abeer hadn't let go of the file. Our fingers brushed against each other, sending tingling sensations through my hand. I looked up at his face, surprised, only to see him already watching me, a mischievously devilish look in his eyes. His fingers, which were beneath mine till now, slowly moved above mine, caressing them in circles.

My eyes widened, as I felt my cheeks heat.

He hadn't, had he? This was Abeer, Abeer!

I looked up again, only to see him fight a triumphant smile from taking over his face. My eyes narrowed. "Uncommonly flushed today, Aashi, is it too hot outside?"

I glared at him, making him cough in response. "Yes," I gritted, not quite believing Abeer was laughing, and, Good God, flirting with me. I snatched the file from his hands, my glare only making him laugh more.

Abeer had never moved me to an edge. At least, not deliberately. But damn, the man is a nuisance and freaking hot at the same time! And somehow that made me even more furious.

I stomped towards my cabin, muttering all kinds of unpleasant things I could think of in relation to attractive guys and their douchebag tendencies. But just as I was opening the door, I looked back towards Abeer's cabin across mine, only to find his gaze upon me. He grinned, his lazy, boyish grin, which always managed to melt my insides. My irritation puffed into the air, a giddy, buoyant energy taking hold of me. I didn't let it show, though. I glared at him and shut the door behind me, to which, as I watched from the glass door, he smiled indulgently and shook his head, while getting into his cabin.

He understood. Abeer always understood.

My lips curved into a smile of my own.

-----------------------------

An entire week. Yes, a week of absolute nonsense that involved sneaky glances, brushing fingers, and stealing parathas from my tiffin, and regretting making them after my return from office, it was finally Saturday. I had flirted. I had smiled. I had touched. I had done everything I had never imagined myself capable of. I was still in a fix, though. If only he had flirted, it wouldn't have been a problem. But I had flirted too. I had reciprocated in every sense of the word.

The knowledge made me nervous. I didn't know what I was doing, yet, I was doing it. I was going on this so-called 'date', with absolutely no idea why I was.

Or did I know? Was I really this innocent?

I huffed and sat on my couch, fishing for my phone as I called the only person I knew would hear me out.

"Two weeks! Where have you been, woman? Ignoring my calls again! Abb konsa kaam tha madam?" Taira's voice boomed from the other end.

"I'm sorry. I was in some shit. Umm...I'm going to a concert today," I said, my voice suddenly nervous.

"Oh wow, with whom though? Or are you going alone?" I sighed.

"Why would I go alone?" I replied, stalling the moment.

"I wouldn't put that past you. It's possible if we're talking about Aashi Singhania." It was true. It wasn't that unexpected, which also made my question why I hadn't done that earlier. Brushing away the useless thoughts, I finally spoke.

"I'm going with Abeer."

All hell broke loose. "YES! I knew something was up! You-"

"Nothing is up, Taira. Like why can't a girl and a guy go just like friends?" I questioned indignantly, but regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth. I had to go the extra mile to make the situation difficult.

"Oh! Okay, then! Have fun!" Taira said, her voice just as cheery as it was earlier. I groaned, rubbing my face as I steeled myself to say the truth.

"Taira...God, no...something happened, yaar!"

Taira spoke after a brief pause. "Kya hua? Bol."

I told the tale of the fated evening, the almost-proposal, and the week we had spent flirting. Shamelessly.

Taira, as inexperienced as I, was squealing in delight at my obvious romantic rendezvous. I, on the other hand, wasn't so proud.

"Taira, this...this all isn't this easy. My family...everything...its just too much. And you know the scene. And having an office affair...like...God!" I shook my head in exasperation, even though she couldn't see my distress. She quietened hearing that, her silence thoughtful.

"Aashi, you have read the office rules, right," Taira spoke, he tone low, careful.

"Umm...yes, I have. Obviously. Why are you asking me this?"

She paused, before speaking again. "We have a no-dating policy, Aashi. Like it isn't what is written word-to-word, it states 'no romantic involvements' or something of the sort, and it has a lot of loop holes and like..."

My stomach dropped. She was rambling, trying to cover up the blow, but it wasn't working. I had read all the rules of the company perfectly, never concerning myself over the 'personal affairs' part of the contract. It had bloody not mattered at that time. I, the career-oriented Aashi Sighania, would dare get 'romantically involved' with someone from her own office. The thought was laughable at that time. But now...now...

I could lose my job. Just another thing to add on to my 'dangers to life from Abeer Sen' list. Another reason to bail out from this 'date'.

"Aashi, Aashi?" I heard Taira call my name from the other side.

"Hmm?" I mumbled.

"Aashi, do what your heart says. You can deal with other issues, but you won't be able to live with the regrets. They would eat you up. Do what you desire, Aashi." I hung up the phone after that.

It was the most impractical statement I had ever heard in my life. Stupid...foolish really. My job was on the line. My job! Something I had worked for so hard my entire life...something I valued so much.

And yet...

I don't know anything else that could prove my insanity better than this.

I looked at the clock hanging on the wall. 5 o'clock. Just an hour before Abeer would come to pick me up.

I got up from the couch and grabbed my towel from the nearby chair. Enough time to prepare for the evening.

Was it?

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For Our Readers:

*a taunt by the way*

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