Chapter 6
It had been a couple of months since Khushi had started working for AR Ad Agency. Life had settled into a routine pace. She came in early to avoid trouble. She hardly ever steeped into the cafeteria at the times she knew ASR would be around which was mostly in the morning.
All her free time was spent with NK and Lavanya..
At work she was doing simply wonderfully. Her fresh ideas were fast becoming a favourtie with the team and she was busy working on all the ad campaigns that they could get her into.
Life is good, Khushi thought. But a small corner of her heart remembered a handsome face with chocolate brown eyes that she had been unable to forget easily...
Whenever she heard his voice she felt a strange excitement. Whenever she heard anyone talk about him she would listen. She heard a lot about him.
He was a tough taskmaster but a good boss.
He was a sucker for the poor and the needy.
He was hard as stone with women.
He was tough as nails with people who betrayed him or lied to him...
With everything she heard her awe and fear of him grew.
If ever there were meetings where the senior management needed to be there, she would hide in a corner of the room behind people but watch him with fascination.
She had tried to get over this madness. But somehow she had not been able to. She knew nothing would come out of this strange attraction ' still it refused to go away.
So she kept her safe distance and remained focused on her work and took care to avoid him...
Until that fateful day...
She was working on a new campaign for a brand of jewelry.
She had racked her brains all day for some unique ideas but she was having bad case of writer's block.
By the time the ideas started flowing in it was 5'o clock in the evening.
She continued to work hard on her assignment and she completely missed seeing the clock.
When she looked up it was 8.30. Most people had left as it was raining. When she looked out of the window the streets were flooded
Alarmed she quickly collected her things and called her mom 'Ma I will be a little late. Tell Daddy not to worry. No I don't need a car to pick me up. I will come,' hurriedly she left her cubicle.
She was a little scared as most people had left. She ran to the lift and as it was closing she put her foot in between the doors and rushed in when it opened.
She smiled to herself happily and looked up, only to find herself gazing into the steely eyes of ASR
'Why do you always stop lifts like this? It can be dangerous' he reprimanded her. Khushi hung her head as if in shame. She decided not to answer him or get into debates. Her heart was racing already.
She stole a glance at him as the lift started moving. He looked so handsome in a black shirt and gray trousers and grayish blue tie. His coat was slung around his arm.
Again her heart started racing.
ASR glanced at the girl in front of him. He had not seen much of her for a while. But he did remember her sometimes when people mentioned her work, especially NK who seemed to be quite taken with her. He had heard she was doing well in her work. He already knew she would.
In a soft pink kurta and white leggings and pearl earrings, she looked soft and feminine and eminently attractive...even at the end of a tiring day...he checked his thoughts immediately...She is just a girl, he told himself, just like most of the others.
Suddenly the lift gave a jolt, spluttered and stepped and the lights went out
khushi looked around frantically. She was terrified of the dark.
'Wh----what happened? Why did the lift stop? Will it be fixed,' she said.
ASR sensed the panic in the girl's voice. Was she afraid she would never get out?
'Hey relax. I will ring the alarm,' he said and pressed the alarm.
But they waited for the next 15 minutes and no one came. ASR had tried calling. But the signal was weak inside the lift. He had tried using the girl's phone too. But nothing had worked.
After 15 minutes had turned to 45, ASR was worried and the girl was frantic...
'Dad and Mom will be worried,' Khushi kept chanting. To be honest she herself was terrified. She felt she would never get out of this hell hole in time to tell her parents she was fine. Plus the dark was scaring her...
ASR sensed her worry and kept talking to her as if she was a child
'So where do you live?' he asked.
'Naraina' she said
'How many people in your family?' he asked
'I am the only daughter and my parents also adopted my cousin Payal' she said. Why was he asking all this?
'Do you like working in ad agencies?' he asked. He had to keep talking to her she was getting so tense.
'Of course I do...tell me when will we get out, I want to go home. Ma will be crying,' her voice wobbled. She was sick with worry. Dad would be mad at her for being late and Ma would be so tense.
Suddenly, impulsively ASR moved forward towards her in the dark. She must have moved closer to him in the dark too because he collided into a soft feminine form.
It was difficult to say who was more stunned.
Khushi felt a wall of protection around her when ASR's arms went around her to steady her. Suddenly all hear fears subsided as she heard his heartbeats against her'.
ASR was equally stunned. He was not a mere teenager experiencing his first hug. But the sweet smell of her perfume, her soft, silky hair smelling of some weird feminine shampoo and her soft form crushed against him, were just a massive assault on his senses'.
Edited by rima - 13 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
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