EK ANOKHI KAHAANI - Part 4
Rahul stopped Shlok pulling him by his shoulder.
Rahul : Shlok! Please meri baat toh sun lo... please listen to me!
Shlok : (in anger) Kyun bulaya tum ne uss ladki ko yahan? Aan? Maine mana kiya tha na? Then why did you call her?
Rahul was Shlok's childhood friend, his best friend infact. He knew very well how to handle Shlok's anger. Both had studied together throught and shared a very strong bond of friendship. The person to whom Shlok would open up was Rahul. Unlike Shlok, Rahul was a very jolly person, very naughty too. He had a good sense of humour and was very gentle and friendly in nature.
Rahul : Shlok, dekho... ek toh tum ne uss ka interview nahi liya. That's injustice to her...
Shlok gave an angry look to him...
Shlok : Haan nahi liya!! Toh?
Rahul : Arey yaar, online application ke waqt hum ne sab ko jo problem solve karne ke liye kaha tha, iss ladki ka solution sab se innovative tha! C'mon! You have to agree with this!!
Shlok : (reluctantly) Yeah, I agree... But you know how she behaved yesterday! I can't stand her!! I just can't!!
Rahul : Haan haan pata hai! I know you hate women! Main tumse usay yahan job dene ki baat kar raha hoon, (with a wink) uss say shaadi karne ki nahi!!
This made Shlok forget his anger at once. He smiled (which was very rare)
Shlok : Tum nahi sudhroge Rahul!
Rahul : Woh toh hai!!
Shlok : Toh tum meri baat maanoge nahi...
Rahul : Shlok, majority of us in the meeting yesterday agreed that we should conduct her interview and then decide whom we should offer the job between Aastha and Akaash.
Shlok : Jo chahe karo!!
Rahul : (teasing tone) Thank you! (serious) Waise tum achhi tarah se jaante ho ki main usi ko select karunga jo humaari company ke liye perfect ho!
Shlok nodded in agreement.
Here, Aastha and Akaash were very tensed and nervous, when Rahul entered the cabin. He had a different thought in his mind about how to take the interview. So accordingly he began...
Rahul : Sorry for the disturbance! Actually we are facing a situation here and that's why we are a bit tensed as to how to eliminate the problem.
With this, Rahul continiued to discuss with them, some imaginary situation in the company as if it was real. He told about some problems (from nowhere) and the discussion began. Rahul was keenly observing Aastha and Akaash as they both put forward their points as to deal with the "problems". He gave his own inputs as well to test how the two handle differences in opinion. He observed that both of them complemented each other very well and ultimately, after about 45 minutes of serious discussion, they both came up with a brilliant solution.
Choosing one of them was a very difficult task. But he had to. Just to drag their excitement a bit, he said...
Rahul : Oh I forgot what I had called you both for...!
This sent a shiver across Aastha's spine.
Rahul : Miss Aastha! Will you please wait outside for a while? I will call you when I am done speaking to Akaash.
Aastha nodded with a forced smile and left the cabin. Mansi smiled at her. Aastha smiled back and occupied a chair in the lobby. After a few minutes, Akaash came out from the cabin, his face beaming with happines. Aastha didn't understand at all, why he was smiling! Weren't they called to be fired at?
Aastha was called in. Rahul was there with a serious face as if he didn't understand how to tell Aastha that "sorry, you are not selected".
Aastha was all prepared to be scolded at. Rahul began in a very serious tone...
Rahul : So Miss Aastha, I have been told to hand this over to you...
Rahul handed her an envelope, a sealed one. Aastha was shocked. She took the envelope as several thoughts flooded into her mind... "What is in this? what can it be? A warning? A notice that I can never apply again for a job here? Some charges to pay for whar I did?" And the next thought scared her to the core... "Legal notice? Court? OMG!! Not it can't be!" Her heart was pounding. She hurried out of the cabin leaving Rahul confused. She stopped in the lobby staring at the envelope with wet eyes, not sure whether she should open it here or directly at home! Rahul came out of the cabin, looking at Aastha, still confused. Akaash, too, waited in the lobby, looking at Aastha in anticipation.
Finally, Aastha tore off the envelope. There was a letter inside. It was on the company's letter-head! Phew! Aastha was a bit relieved.
As she went through the letter, her expressions kept changing rapidly from tension to confusion to shock to disbelief to happiness!! It was actually an offer letter!! She couldn't control her joy. The next moment she was jumping in the lobby like a small child...
Aastha : OMG! I don't believe this! Am I dreaming? OMG!
Everyone was staring at Aastha. Rahul was smiling at her innocence.
Aastha was just too happy! This was not at all what she had expected! She went and hugged Mansi just like that.
Aastha : I got a job here!! I did!
Mansi : (smiling) Congratulations!
Akaash was happy for her. They both congratulated each other. She began jumping again! Even the peons stood there enjoying the scene. Just then Shlok came there.
Shlok : (very angry) What's going on?!! Yeh kya ho raha hai yahan?!!
Aastha stood there like a statue. Everyone went back to their work, or atleast pretended to. Aastha felt very emberassed! "Humesha mere saath hi aisa kyun hota hai?" She didn't know what to say or do.
Shlok : (to Aastha) Toh mil gayi job tumhein?!! (warning) It was easy to get the job, but it would be difficult for you to stay here for long!! Mark my words!!
He threw an angry glance at Rahul and left the lobby. Aastha was glued to her place. She had no idea how difficult her life would be after a week.
Rahul handled the situation...
Rahul : Err... Miss Aastha, if you could please come in, we have got things to discuss and some formalities to complete!
Rahul discussed with Aastha about the job offer, package and other technical details. He congratulated her.
Rahul : Actually, yesterday due to some reasons, your interview didn't take place and because of all that had happened between Shlok and you yesterday, Shlok didn't want you to be called back.
Aastha : (in low tone) Toh uss khadoos ne sab kuchh bata diya!!
Rahul : Kya kaha...?
Aastha : K..kuchh nahi Sir! Nothing!
Rahul : (laughing) "khadoos"?
And he began laughing again. This cheered Aastha up.
Rahul : Aastha,... err hope you dont mind me calling you that...
Aastha : No Sir, not at all!
Rahul : Don't worry, Shlok lagta khadoos hai, lekin dil ka bohot achha hai! He is a good person.
Aastha gave him a look like "Oh, stop kidding!"
After all the talk, Aastha came out of the cabin, happy and satisfied. She looked at Mansi while walking past the lobby...
Aastha : (winking) Next week se roz mulakaat hogi!!
Mansi nodded with a "thumbs up". Aastha was very excited to tell everything to her family and to Shruti. But she and Akaash had to wait to complete some formalities. Aastha and Akaash enjoyed chatting with each other. Akaash was a very polite person. He was very enthusiastic and was a joyful person. He was basically from Mumbai and like many others, he too had dreamt of working with the Agnihotri Group of Industries. And today his dream had come true. He also told Aastha that he was not new to Pune and his Uncle and Aunty stayed here. He added that he would be staying with them for some days.
As they both left, Akaash offered to drop Aastha home on the bike (he had borrowed his friend's bike). She thanked him for the offer and said that she would go on her own. They walked towards the parking where Akaash had parked the bike. Akaash left.
Aastha couldn't wait to give the good news to Aai, Baba and Ajju. She dialed her landline number. Kalindi picked up the call.
Kalindi : ((worried) kitni der laga di Aastha? Kahan hai tu? Kya hua wahan? Aur tu...
Aastha : (cutting in) Aai, aai... shant ho jaa! Main theek hoon...!! Aur pata hai yahan kya hua...? Tu sunegi toh...
Before Aastha could complete, she sensed someone standing behind her. She suddenly felt a strong hand grip her shoulder and she was turned around with force. She lost he grip on her mobile and it fell open on the ground with battery out of its place. With anger, she looked in front and was surprised to see who it was!
TO BE CONTINUED...
Hope you all like it... Do give your precious feedback if you want me to continue...!!
All criticism, comments, discussions, suggestions are most welcome.
Edited by neha_dna - 11 years ago
Arjun
