Thnx Karen. 😳
Sadizzle:well here is the next part. 😆
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Recap:Whether it is because so many years have passed or because she feels safe in this place,she did not look up nor did she feel his presence.
And his tall form,clad entirely in black,leaned against the door and continued to watch the woman in front of him.He traced her face with his eyes.....the smooth cheeks,the slightly pouted lower lip,the delicate yet firm chin.
Standing for a moment longer,he moved away from the door,stirring the air but so quietly that when she finally recognized a presence and looked up,there was no one there.
The shadows welcomed him as he moved through the darkened passageways with a quietness,his stride casual and graceful.
Things do not change.We change - Henry David.
Chapter 7
With the same control and silence he had used in the library,he walked into the meeting room.Not many people had arrived yet and he was among the first few who had.There were a few vaguely familiar faces and some quite familiar.He saw Gunn sitting quietly next to her daughter who was conversing with her husband.
Gunn looked up and saw him approaching her.
She smiled and got up.She had been expecting him as Parvati had informed her about his arrival during lunch.
"How are you, Aunty?" No matter what the situations were,she had always been kind towards him.
"I'm fine beta...and you?"
Adi smiled at her and shrugged.
Looking behind her,he nodded towards the couple and greeted them "Mr and Mrs Kapoor." Pragati smiled at him,still quite shocked at seeing him here.Vishal came forward and shook Adi's hand.After exchanging a few more pleasantries with them,he took a seat down the table.
He leaned back slightly in his chair watching the other members of the staff file in.
Parvati walked in and immediatley her eyes fell on him....eyes which flashed momentarily with affection.She took her seat and inclined her head slightly acknowledging him............professionally as was expected in such situations.Adi responded in kind.
Following Parvati,Pallavi walked in.Looking around,she spotted him and took a seat right beside him.Although she and his grandad never got along, she had always been cordial towards him.
"Aditya",she said holding out her hand,"How have you been?"
"Never been better", he said shaking her hand.
There were a few more to arrive but only one more for Adi.He felt a thrum along his nerves.His eyes,deceptively lazy,scanned the entrance.
The moment she entered, as if drawn by an inexplicable force,her eyes fell on him and for a moment everything stopped.
For that one moment,everything faded.......except them.
Her eyes portrayed a million emotions in that one moment.
Her step faltered.....very slightly but not so much that anybody else noticed..........Except him.
Gathering herself discreetly,she looked away and took her seat.
Finally Suyash Mehra came.
"Good evening everyone.I apologize if the suddeness of this meeting caused any inconvenience to you all but I wanted this to be done as soon as possible" he said and started the meeting.
Adi listened quietly as his grandad spoke of a few changes that he wanted to bring about.
Several eyes flicked to him discreetly,curiosity in them as to who he was and what was his purpose there.Some of them,who had been working there since his college days,recognized him.And found this man quite different from the brattish and care-free boy he had been back then.Now,he seemed to have a mysterious edge to him.
He ignored all of them.
His eyes landed on Maithili who was looking straight ahead at the soon to be ex-owner,listening to him.Her eyes were intently focused,trying not to look anywhere else.
A stray of hair fell again over her eyes and her hand pushed it backwards.
His hands slowly tightened again.He turned to look at his grandad.
"There were also a few short-term courses that Mrs Parvati and I had discussed,"Suyash continued."They have not been finalized yet but as soon they are,you all will be informed."
A short,plump looking woman raised her hand to ask something.Distracted again,Adi's eyes moved to the person sitting next to Maithili.He looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't place him.He watched as he leaned closer to Maithili,who was looking down, to tell her something.He then remembered that he had seen him at Pragati's wedding.Her brother-in-law.
Adi looked away again.
The meeting continued but his mind was far away,focused on a memory from long back.A few strands of hair falling over her eyes.Him leaning over without realizing it.She had startled,catching sight of his hand from the corner of his eye and then stilled looking at him as he pushed her hair behind her ear.She had smelled of something flowery which he had learned later was the fragrance of lillies.
Hearing his name,he came back to the present.Suyash had finally come to the main purpose of the meeting,his retirement from the college.
"And so from now onwards,my positon will be held by my grandson,Vikram Aditya Mehra."
There was a small moment of silence after which Suyash started speaking again.Excluding a few,everyone was quite surprised at this abrupt announcement.
Adi was not interested in anyone's reaction except for the woman a few seats away him.For the first time since she had seated herself,Maithili looked over and locked eyes with him.
Her eyes were wide,shock in them and he realized that she didnt know.
Bloody perfect,he thought to himself,a mild anger beginning inside him.
But still,he allowed a small smirk to play on his face.Anyone else would have missed it but she did not.Her chin rose slightly and she looked away.
The smirk on his face grew into a grin briefly before falling away.
He turned to his grandfather who was assuring everyone how more than qualified his grandson was to take over the position.
"Aditya,would you like to say something?"
Adi stood up slowly and spoke,his voice clear and deep."Well.....first of all, good evening.I'm sure Mr Mehra has said everything that is needed to be said.....All I can say is that you will not find much change in our style of working."
There wasnt anything left to be said after that and so the meeting was dispersed.As Adi rose from his chair, he was greeted by an elderly-looking man.He had been one his professors when he had studied here.After speaking to him,he scanned the room.She was already gone.
He acknowledged his disappointment.He had wanted to speak with her....,just to say...to say something..anything insignificant or even cruel.
He walked out of the meeting room and noticed Parvati waiting for him in the empty corridor....as he had expected.
He bent and touched her feet. Her hand touched his head,silently conveying her blessings for him,her eyes watery.They walked towards her office making irrelavent talk.
Once seated in her office,black clad legs stretched out in front him,he watched in ill concealed amusement as she tried too explain what was worrying her.
"It will be fine",he finally said watching her face move from worry to relief.She sat down in her chair and poured herself a cup of tea from a tray,which had been sitting ready on her table when they had entered her office.
"You dont believe working together will be a problem? I understand you have not spoken since........since Pranay's funeral."
Outwardly nothing indicates the sudden clench of stomach muscles.
Catching her eye and holding it,he said,"From what I remember from my college days,Maithili is first and foremost a professional.I think that is why you did not feel it necessary to inform her of my involvement in this college.
Adi caught the look of slight guilt on her face but ignored it. "You will find the same professionalism from me."
"And I can assure you",he continued "that whatever Maithili's and my relationship consisted of during those days was a result of time and circumstances and has effectively been left in those days......All of use have moved on,Maam.And all of us have changed."
Parvati slowly nodded.She understood now clearly what Suyash had said that day."He is not the same person anymore."
After talking some more about things in general,Adi took leave of her and made his way through the dark passageways.
As he walked out of his old college, a small voice,whispered within him, the same fact that Parvati was thinking,sitting in her office.
But some things never change.
~~~
After sometime,Pallavi walked into Parvati's office.
Sitting down and pouring some tea for herself,she drawled,"Well,what now?"
"Now",Parvati replied,sipping her tea, "We let fate run its course."
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Edited by sidsk - 17 years ago
Jhanak
