Chapter 9
Prerna woke up the next day even before the sun was properly up. She took her razai, wrapped it around her body cosily and walked out to the balcony. Her eyes gazed blankly at the morning fog swirling in front of her eyes, unseeingly. The sky was a beautiful shade of midnight blue with slight hints of dawn trying to break. It was a beautiful sight. And Prerna would have admired it had she not been too preoccupied. The ordeal of yesterday still hung over like a foul smell. She was unable to get herself to think straight and was totally clueless about where they could begin to make things right.
But she knew one thing. Crisis was inevitable. Just when you think things can't get any better and start to relax, crisis always peeping round the corner makes it's presence announced. We have to deal with it. And that's that.
She cajoled herself and tried to put her mind into all the good things that could result from this quite obviously bad thing for three whole hours.
By the time Prerna was ready to go to office, she ws positively brimming with confidence that they could totally do this. She reached office, in her usual spirit and found everybody busy at work like every day. Sure everyone moved about more urgently and business-like than usual. But Prerna thought that was a totally good sign.
She reached her cabin and opened the door to find it empty. Anurag hadn't come yet? She droped her bag onto the couch after drawing her phone out of it. Just as she was about to dial his number she spoted his phone on the desk. Okay. So he did come in. But where was he?
She went into the next cabin to inquire Vaibhav if he's seen where Anurag had gone to.
"Yeah. He just walked out of the office, I dunno where to, as soon as he came in." He nodded grimly. "I didn't expect anything else. Poor guy. Not after that nasty piece of writing came out in the news today." He said, tutting.
"What news?" Prerna asked, apprehensively.
"Preu! Have you been living under the radar or what? You know we have filed an infringement case against the Basu's right? Yesterday itself?"
Prerna nodded.
"Yeah well tabloid has something else to say. Well, read it yourself," he said, handing her his mobile.
ANURAG BASU - THE BASUS' MASTER PLOY TO DESTROY THEIR COMPETITON?
For anybody living under the rock, following the big launch of India Cellular, the CEO of
KM Communications, Mr. Keshav Kashyap made a public statement about how the Basu Group of Industries 'robbed their creative asset' and were going to 'bear consequences' for their actions (Full statement HERE).
Amidst the confusion of all the corporate drama, speculations are rife that Anurag Basu, the eldest of Moloy Basu's prodigies could have had a possible hand in the alleged infringement.
Anurag Basu, a graduate from the London Business School is working as a manager not in the Basu Group but with KM Communications.
"It's very suspicious," says a source, wishing to remain undisclosed, "that Moloy Basu's son is working with the competition. The Basus have been time and again dragged into litigation since ages. Their notorious means are not unknown to the industry. This boy could be their newest ploy."
When questioned about this, Keshav Kashyap replied vaguely about 'trusting his team' and 'baseless insinuations'.
However, many are convinced with the version of events where Anurag Basu could actually be doing his father's bidding. Well, only time and justice will tell what is what in this latest corporate tiff of the country. (More on Anurag Basu HERE)
Prerna put the phone down and slumped onto the seat, thinking.
This was getting really nasty.
And this was just one of them, Vaibhav informed her. If he was to believed the tabloids have gone crazy and thought. this explanation was the most likely and there have been numerous articles about the same.
Prerna simply listened not knowing how to react.
But she was still placid. The self motivation session that she gave herself in the morning seemed to have made its mark on her. The article was surely disturbingly. But it did nothing to perturb her new found confidence and positivity. This combined with the fact that she completely and without any second thoughts believed Anurag Basu was innocent. Sure, she didn't know him well enough. Sure they had known each other only for two months. But she could still bet all her property that he wasn't the kind to do anyone's bidding for a wrong thing.
She broke from her reverie to realise Vaibhav had been talking all the time and she had tuned him out.
"Are you okay?" Vaibhav inquired, peering at her with concern. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and said, "I know all of this debacle is taking a toll on you, Preu! You toiled for days on this. It shouldn't have happened the way it did. Its really sad."
Prerna gave him a smile and chose not to reply.
"I will see you around, Vaibhav. Thanks for being so caring!" she said and walked off to her cabin.
As soon as she was inside the comfort of her cabin, Prerna took a deep breath.
Okay. First things first. Things messed up badly. But there was nothing that they could do about it. What they could do was find a solution, better than theast time. Two. Anurag had been dragged into this mess badly. Three he seemed to have taken this to heart. And she had to know how badly.
But what could she do! The guy had left his phone there. How was she supposed to contact him? She made her way to parking lot to see his car parked in the area where it always was.
Where could he be! She thought, running her hands through her hair, frustrated. It was raining heavily, all of a sudden, adding to her misery. Because rains put her off like nothing did. She hated them.
She leaned against Anurag's car, the black Audit TT that he so loved, thinking when it struck her as to where he could possibly be.
And she made an immediate dash for the exit, unthinking. She had to get to him as soon as possible.
She came out onto the almost deserted road, drenched to the the skin in seconds. She ran her way down the street, stepping into puddles of mud rain water. The rain water splashed all across her floor length white kurta, her hair plastered to her face. She could hardly see the way ahead and she still kept running.
She came to a halt, teeth chattering from the cold, and wound the corner to spot him exactly where she thought he would be.
The Chai Stall at the street end.
Why he was standing there, and what gave her the idea that he would be there, she had no clue. But she was glad she was right and that she found him.
But Prerna was so focused on finding him, she never really planned what she would say to him. She was utterly, utterly bad at consoling. She would be such a bad companion right now she thought sadly. But Anurag did need someone. And she would be that to him.
She stepped around the fallen tree branches. He had her back to her. Prerna placed a tentative, trembling hand on his shoulder.
He turned around slowly coming face to face.
And Prerna gasped. Anurag Basu looked raw and vulnerable his eyes red and bloodshot like he has been crying for hours. Still was.
He looked at her with eyes that were filled with anguish and pain not bothering to hide his tears.
Prerna, totally unaware of how to react, placed her hand into his.
And that was his undoing.
He broke into noisy, heart wrenching sobs. His shoulders shook as he collapsed onto the wodden bench, taking her along with him.
Prerna rubbed her thumb along his knuckles trying to calm him. He held onto her hand like his life depended on it, sobbing uncontrollably.
And they sat like that, Prerna didn't know for how long. She vaguely registered how the rain has reduced to a light occasional drizzle and the sun was peeking out hopefully. By which time Anurag's sobs had subsided too.
Prerna moved closer to Anurag. And slowly, very slowly, she wrapped her hand around his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. The light breeze tortured her skin pores, begging for release, to run back to the confines of her warm cabin, because it was so cold, but she still held on, making herself and him as comfortable as she could.
Anurag leaned into her, almost reflexively, snuggling closer.
"I am nothing like my father, Prerna." He muttered at last, his voice hoarse.
Prerna lifted her head to look at him. His eyes were directly pouring into hers.
"I am nothing like him," he appealed to her earnestly. So earnest was his appeal and so heart wrenchingly genuine that Prerna's eyes watered.
"I believe you." She said with as much firmness as she could muster. "I believe you and so should you. You know you are not wrong. Correct?"
Anurag nodded, his vulnerable eyes still pouring into hers.
"That's all that matters then," she said titling her head, smiling like a child, like she had just found the solution to all his problems.
Anurag gave her a genuine smile. His tired eyes however were still wry.
"I wish it were that simple, Prerna," he whispered.
"It is!" She said, sincerely.
"You know?" He said, cradling her hands in his, "I came her to KM Communications begging for a job so that people wouldn't compare me to him anymore. I wanted to be associated with him in no way Prerna! And now? I am being blamed for his shit?" he said totally anguished.
Prerna listened to him rant, her hands gripping his tightly. He has to let it out of his system. He had to vent out his frustration.
"Prerna, my dad is the worst man I have ever known! I hate him. And now? I am know to the world to be the son of a man with no morls. A traitor!"
"That isn't true!" Prerna said, sharply. "You aren't a traitor and nobody who knows you would believe that. Stop saying such stuff."
"Others would, anyway," he muttered moodily. "I have to go through this because I am his son. Its sealed in my fate."
"Our choices make us what we are, Anurag." Prerna replied firmly. "This line's totally copied somewhere out of Harry Potter. I am not exactly sure where. But it's true!"
"Here I am! A crying mess and all that Prerna Sharma comes up with is a filmy dialogue." Anurag said, ruffling her damp hair fondly, shaking his head.
Prerna smiled brilliantly finally glad he was back in their back and forth teasing mood. From here, she was confident, she could brighten his mood. She was so lost when someone cried and opened up their heart to her. She cannot offer them any comfort to them with words. And would probably come across as uncaring and aloof. But that totally wasn't the case here. She wanted Anurag to be alright. She wanted him to know that she had absolute faith in him. And that she would vouch for his innocence. But all she ended up saying was,
"Look who is speaking. You were the one being filmy. Excuse me? But did I actually hear you right or some thing's wrong with my hearing. You said it is your FATE?"
"Yeah,"Anurag said, defensively, his sharp nose still red, his eyes blotchy but sobs totally under control.
"FATE?"
"Stop repeating things, Prerna," Anurag said, unnecessarily annoyed.
"There is nothing like fate. You heard this really good song called the Brothers Anthem from the movie Brothers?" Prerna asked to an obvious, totally not unexpected answer from him which was-
"No."
She sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. The action that was so endearingly familiar that it made Anurag smile goofily.
"Are you human?"
"14,000,605th time"
"What?" Prerna asked, confused.
"14,000,605th time you are saying this." Anurag said, starting to smile.
"Okay?" Prerna said, still clueless.
"That's the Infinty War reference!" Anurag cried, excited, suddenly grinning like he just won a lottery.
"Shit!" Prerna muttered scandalised. How did that happen? She couldn't get an Avengers reference! And she spent her whole darn time on those films. Shit. Shit. Shit.
"This day is going down in history!" He said, still grinning. "Prerna Sharm, the Queen of references, who claims to be the biggest fan of Avengers couldn't understand an Avengers reference? How sad!" He finally outdid Prerna Sharma and he was going to rub it in her face. No comprise.
Prerna's nostrils flared. "That's becasue I was too involved in consoling you."
"Which I think you suck at-"
"-f*ucker! That's so mean-"
"You know what, Prerna?"
"No. I don't know. I don't care-"
"-you should just stop drooling too much over Chris Hemsworth and start paying a little attention to the dialogues as well-"
"-Chris EVANS! But Hemsworth is hot too," she said, giving a far away look, weighing them on her hotness quotient scales.
It is Anurag's smug I-told-you-so smile, which Prerna's totally-disoriented-crushing-over-Anurag Basu part of her brain thought was so freaking hot, that brings her back.
"Don't give me that look," She threatened him. "And how can you say I suck at consoling?" she said, indignantly, swatting his arms. Sure she sucked. But he can't say things like that. Ungrateful git, assho-
"You were saying something about some anthem?" He reminded.
"Oh yeah!" Prerna said, clapping a hand to her head, "Not some anthem. It's the Brothers Anthem. See you totally got me off the point-"
"-yeah becasue I was the one looking into distance calculating who was hotter?"
"Shut up! I am trying to help you out," she bristled defensively. "Listen first! It has this line called 'Tere haatho mein karam hain tera' which just translates to-"
"Your fate is in your hands."
"Exactly, Anurag!" said Prerna, her beautiful black eyes shinning brightly, trying to make him see her point. "What has happened was bad. But then that's how it goes. Good stuff, bad stuff everything keeps happening in a circle. But our fate is what we make of it. What happened to you is worse. I get it. Or maybe not. The one who actually goes through it gets it. But what do we do about it? Sit and mope? Or try and work? I am sorry if I am being rude and difficult on you, Anurag, but get this clear. We. Need. To. Get. This. Project. Going. Better than before. And we start working TODAY! Okay?"
"Okay," Anurag said, his eyes not leaving hers once.
"Good," Prerna muttered and pulled him up by his hand.
He didn't budge. He gave her an amused smile, his eyes lighting up as the always do when he devises new plans to irk her.
"Move!" she said, giving him one big shove.
Still didn't budge.
"You are deliberately digging your heels into the ground and your butt into the bench. If you didn't cheat, I would have been able to pull you," Prerna complained.
"Yeah?" Anurag muttered, with a lazy grin.
"Why are you being so cocky today?" Prerna asked, annoyed.
"Because I am hot when I am cocky," Anurag said not at all demurely, having fun as she gave him the look that he loved.
Why-do-I-even-put-up-with-your-crap look.
"Okay, here's the deal," said Anurag, trying to negotiate. "You pull me up and then I will come with you. Otherwise no."
"Okay stay," said Prerna and turned around to leave.
"Oh god! Can't act cute around you also!" Anurag said, grudgingly. "Okay change in terms. Um, pull me up and if you don't succeed you will tell evryone you come across that I am the hottest soul you ever met."
"Told you, if someone's dug their ass and shoes into the solid ground, it's impossible to pull them up! Shall I show?"
"Show," Anurag obliged.
And then Prerna Sharma sat on the bench, putting all her might into fixing herself there. And she did it perfectly. She was ready. Not even a storm can move her.
"Chalo, now try," she said, challengingly.
In one swift movement Anurag pulled her off the bench. In the expectation that it would be hard to pull her up, Anurag exerted too much force, result being that she landed on him, totally losing her balance. Knocked off by the sudden force of her falling onto him, Anurag stumbled but caught himself and her too before they could reach ground.
And they stood there the suddenness of the whole situation rendering them silent. Prerna was the first to realise that his hand was wrapped around her waist snugly and hers were fisting his shirt. For anbody looking, they would look like a couple who had totally just made out, Prerna thought, her cheeks flushing. The scene which played (in HD) involuntarily in her mind, though, didn't seem awkward to her at all. It felt like the right thing. This thought alarmed her even more.
Anurag, to her horror, seemed to be playing some scene of similar sort and seemed flustered too. He removed his hand from around her, but didn't move away.
Prerna unfurled her fists and took a step back to move when Amurag pulled her into a rib cracking, breath squeezing hug.
"Thank you so much, Prerna," he said, his voice muffled having hidden his head in her hair. "Thanks for everything!"
Prerna hugged him back with an equal fervour conveying all that she was incapable of conveying through the hug. "You are one of the strongest people I know Anurag. Stay that way!"
He pulled back and smile at her. Throwing his arm around her shoulder he said, "Let's kick their asses," his eyes gleaming.
In response he received a dazzling smile from her.
"Let us," she agreed.
__________
That was part 9. I hope you giys are all still liking the story! Lots of love.
P. S. Parth and Erica are just growing on me day by day. They look like million bucks together. I hope there is a good script supporting their chemistry and acting abilities.
P. P. S. Do tell me how it is!
-Vignyathri
