Finally our shift is over.

I came to the residents' common room to send the shift report to the group mail and handover my shift to Hussain.

When I entered my eyes automatically went to his seat. He is working on something on the computer. He is making his shift report too I guess. Once all the residents send their individual reports, junior residents are responsible to make it into a single report and submit.

I sat and got down to work. After sometime my phone vibrated with a message.

My work is done. I will leave now and wait for you in my car in the parking. It’s parked near the laboratory.

I looked up to see him looking at me. I nodded at him. He smiled and left.

Why the hell my stomach is filled with all these butterflies these days?

This is not what I expected to happen. Suddenly I started feeling guilty. Whether it is towards him, or my sister, I don’t know.

He smiled as soon as I sat in the car. I too smiled at him stiffly.

“Are you hungry? We can stop to grab something" he asked me.

“No sir, let’s just grab my stuff and go home".

I don’t know whether he observed my behaviour or not, but thankfully he did not press further. He also did not press me to call him by his name.

Me calling him sir is like a reminder to me to not forget that he is just my boss and the guy whom my sister loves. He is literally the only guy in the world that I cannot have a relationship with.

He too is busy with some phone calls regarding some business matters throughout the journey.

When we reached home no one is there as his parents are in evening clinic, Kavya went to meet some friends, Amit dadu is sleeping.

He directly went to the office room while I went to his room to get freshen up. The nagging feeling is not leaving me as if I am doing something wrong.

Once freshened, I sat at the window couch and started reading some book. Later I got a message from him asking me to come downstairs for dinner as everyone came. When I reached, his mom is supervising the dinner arrangements while he, kavya and his dad are in deep discussion.

I went to his mom. She smiled, hugged and kissed me on my forehead.

“Is your thesis work done?”

“Yes aunty"

“Pinky, how many times I have to tell you to call me mom? If I caught you calling me aunty another time, I won’t talk with you" she pouted at me.

I smiled.

“Sorry, mom"

Why does everyone keep asking me to call them this or that?

“What are you guys talking about?” his dad asked and came to hug me.

“Missed you beta. Is your work done?”

“Yes, unc- dad"

I can see Arjun sir looking at me surprisingly. I didn’t have the courage to look at him without feeling guilt.

I greeted Kavya and we all sat down for dinner.

Conversation at dinner was mostly about their day and some random things.

“So, how was Misha’s engagement? Aarthi told me that you guys were inseperable during the event" his dad asked us.

We both immediately looked at each other and I can feel my face getting red and his ears are already red.

“It was good dad. Ananya didn’t know anyone there, so I was with her" he explained his family.

We can see them suppressing their smiles and giving us meaningful looks. I don’t even know where to look now. I feel guilty deceiving everyone.

“You guys should spend some time together. I never saw you guys going out. You two only know work. Take a vacation and go to honeymoon. I will book resort on maldives" his mom advised us.

God, this is getting out of hands fast. I need to stop this madness. But, before I could open my mouth he objected her.

“Mom, you know we can’t afford leave after the marriage. I have used a week in my leaves and I only have another five days. I want to keep them for emergency purpose" he explained her.

“Yes mom. Even I can’t afford leaves. I have to submit my thesis this year" I too supported him.

“Okay. Okay. At least go for dates on your off days. Golu, you didn’t even took her out once” she scolded him.

He looked at me. I turned my head towards my plate as soon as he looked at me.

“We already planned going to movie this week mom. Don’t worry about us" he tried to convince his mom.

“Good good. Also take her to the new Italian restaurant opened in Star hotel. I will make the reservations” she told us excitedly.

Now we have to go on that date without any choice.

“Yes, mom" he told her accepting his defeat.

After dinner, we both went to his room and he immediately went to freshen up. I came here almost after a week and this feels like a deja vu. Not knowing where to sit and what to touch and wondering what will he think. God, I am back to square one.

But the difference this time is the butterflies in my stomach and my heart bearing fast. I know what that means. I am not stupid to recognise my own feelings. And I also know what he wants. I may not read his eyes but I can read his actions. As I mentioned already, I may be ignorant but not stupid.

I can see him trying to make an effort for the relationship. I know him before marrying him. I have spent two years working with him. There is a reason he was given the nickname devil by all of us. He is not a person who will accommodate anyone. He is not the one to have patience. He is not the one who will compromise.

But , I can see him trying hard to accommodate me, to have patience with me when I throw tantrums, compromise for me.

I can see why Sharanya fell for him. He may be a devil professionally. But, in personal life he is a sweet guy who takes care of his family. After seeing this side of him, it is hard for anyone to not like him. And I started liking him. It’s not rocket science. You will have feelings for a person who is good to you, it’s basic human nature.

Here is the hard part. I am aware that I started liking him and if I stay with him some more time, there is a chance that I may even fall for him. And this I cannot afford.

While I was having my inner monologue, he came back from the washroom. Did I ever tell you guys that he is a good looking one?

No?

Then let me tell you ladies and gentlemen, he is handsome. And that light stubble be always have makes him look more beautiful. As he just now got freshened, he is not wearing his glasses, so he doesn’t have that nerdy thing but he is still looking good.

God, this is getting dangerous. I turned immediately to stop myself thinking about these weird things and went to open my books to study.

Did I ever tell you that I have the worst luck? I did, right?

He came to sit next to me because of my worst luck.

“Show me your thesis, let me check it once", he asked me.

Why the hell he is sitting close to me?

“Yes, sir"

“Arjun"

I looked at him questioningly.

“My name is Arjun"

“I know, sir" I said averting my eyes from him.

He chuckled at my reaction. Does he know how fast my heart is beating and how I can feel his warmth next to me?

“Take your own time Anu, I will wait"

I looked at him.

“Umm.. I meant it might be weird for you to call me by my name, so you can take it slowly", he explained.

Is he always this understanding?

Did he really mean in the regard of his name or for our relationship?

Do I have the courage to accept this relationship?

Can I have a relationship with him and not lose my sister?

I don’t want to overthink everything and ruin this...friendship between us. I will let the time decide. As of now, I just decided to go with the flow.

Why is the room feelong so hot?

I showed him my thesis and he gave me some pointers. And after sometime, I started to yawn.

He closed the laptop immediately.

"Come, let's sleep. You are tired" he told me.

We both lied on the bed on our backs. I know we both are not sleeping. Will it be weird if I turn my back towards him? I certainly cannot turn towards him.

Why is this so difficult?

"Not sleepy?" He asked me after sometime.

"No, sir"

"Do you want to watch a movie?" He asked me hesitating.

"Yes, sir"

He switched on the TV and opened Netflix.

"You can select the movie" he told me.

"No sir, you can select. Anything is fine for me."

"Do you like sci-fi movies or romcoms?" He asked me.

In this situation, it will be a bad decision to watch a romcom, so I asked him for a sci- fi action film. I don't want to make it awkward between us.

He chose some movie, I forgot the name. We both were sitting with our backs to the headboard.

Thank god, it doesn't have any romantic scenes. From the start, there are some weird looking aliens, blasting the hell out of the earth.

This shit is super violent. I don't know when I slept.