New SS : Pathjad Saawan S2 - Part 2 Pg 6, 9th MAY - Page 3

Part 1

"Sir, this is Arohi Ahluwalia" Natasha introduced Arohi to Arjun who happened to pass by the IT department. "She is joining the development team today".

Arjun smiled and extended his hand for a handshake, while Arohi with a thudding heart joined hands for a quick formal shake and took it back. Memories flickered through her mind causing her to search for words. "Hi" Arjun said "Welcome aboard. Hope you will find everything ok" "Thank you. I am sure I will" Arohi replied with difficulty. Arjun walked away then stopped turned back "Have we met before?" with a faint recognition in his eyes. Arohi just smiled. Arjun was too busy to ponder or wait. He smiled and walked away.

Arohi cursed herself for going mute in his presence. But can you blame her. She had just encountered her major teenage crush, her first kiss after 10 long years. Just the remembrance brought a faint blush to her cheeks. Immediately her practical mind hushed her feelings, this was improper for a young widow of 26.

Arjun was running late for the scheduled meeting. Even as he drove his car memorizing all the points that need to be addressed, one part of his brain was taking a trip down the memory lane. It was unlike him to not find an answer to any kind of doubt that arises. He usually found the answer. He found it now too. 'wow has it been so long' he mused. 'She was just a tiny petite girl but with big enchanting eyes. Moreover she was his first kiss'. His lips curved into a smile. Small world indeed!

Arohi went to the office cafeteria for a coffee break. Of all the people it had to be Arjun she thought. When she came for an interview she did not get any hint that the MD of this company is Arjun, neither had she researched. She called her best friend Shefali "hey sheff" "heyyy so how is your first day going" "unexpected" "hmm that is a different answer, I either get a fantastic or boring. So what was unexpected?" Arohi hesitated for a second. Then she lowered her voice and said "will tell you in the evening" "oye I can't wait for that long, you should not have told anything then. Now that you started finish it. you know na, me and suspense are enemies". She quickly glanced at the clock on the wall, she did not want to spend too much time away from her desk on the first day. "Shefu, you remember Arjun from our school days?" "Arjun?" shefu asked and there was silence for few seconds "Arjun as in all rounder Arjun?" "yeah" "Arjun as in your one and only the most Major crush Arjun?" Arohi blushed a little, she felt her cheeks warm. Not getting any response from Arohi Sehfali said "oh wow, he works there too? that is definitely unexpected. But wasn't he in Australia? He left in the middle of 12^th grade no" "No idea. But that's not just it, he is MD of this company. Apparently his dad's company" "Oh my god!! this is sooo exciting. Our very own Arjun is MD of his very own company" Shefali could not hide her excitement "Aru, how is he now? he was the most handsome boy in school, tallest, athletic, school topper. Does he still look the same?" "he is grown taller, put on a lot of weight" "of course he would have silly. He was just 16 or so around that time" both the friends smiled remembering Arjun from his school days "so did you both talk? did you get to catch up" "no not yet" Arohi said, then continued "Sheff I don't think he recognized me" shefu was silent for a while "I told you not to put on so much weight, ppl can't recognize you anymore" she giggled. "shut up" Arohi shushed her then quickly muttered a "will talk to you in the evening" "ok, if you talk to him, tell him I said hi. Get his number I will call him myself" "ok". She hurriedly walked back to her desk. Much to her annoyance she kept thinking about and looking around for him rest of the day. That evening while getting out of the office on her two wheeler, she saw his car coming in. He did not see her, but in the few seconds that she got his glimpse, she took in his entire form. One hand resting on the wheel, other one probably tapping his phone, those shades, that light stubble, he did not have the jacket or the tie on which he had when he left..that lean tall boyish frame might have gone, but those mannerisms were still there, giving the glimpse of who he used to be... without any effort her mind was drifting out of control.

Only when she stopped in front of her house and saw Vinod coming out as if he was waiting for her, did she realize, she had just traveled back in time. Vinod took the scooty from her "My bike is still at the garage" he said ready to go out "get the tank filled" she said, placing two crisp notes in his pocket giving him a knowing smile. He threw a grateful smile at her "ok didi" he took off. "Arohi, is that you?" "yeah ma, hello papa" "hello beta, how was you first day. Everything was smooth?" "yeah papa. People were really nice" "good good" "coffee" "Thanks ma". They chatted about her first day. Prepared dinner, had dinner, then called it a day. Arohi entered her room and closed the door. All alone again. Arjun's smiling face flashed, she smiled walking towards the dresser, and her smile vanished. Her husband Vivek's smiling face stared back at her. Guilt and gloom filled her eyes.

Arjun came back home late that night. As expected his daadi and didi were awake "Whats up moti and naati" he greeted them both. "Moti hogi teri daadi" his daadi quipped, he raised his brow and what did he say?. Raashi got his dinner plate to the couch they were sitting on. "What experiment did you do today" he asked "same that I did on my husband. he is alive no, now eat" "bechare jijaji" he showed sympathy to Jignesh. Texting with one hand, "how do u endure her expts" half way through the dinner his brother in law replied, "it is either this or starving, I chose to live" "chalo will call if I survive this". Same time Raashi pulled the phone from his hand "eat" she ordered. Finishing the tasty and scrumptious dinner he leaned back stretching his legs. His favorite part of the day. Being with family. With Raashi visiting them it was even more better. "Stay here" he had asked both his sister and brother in law after his parent's death, they had politely refused saying since they lived close by they would visit frequently. Daadi was distraught for a long time, after her son and daughter in law's untimely death in an accident. But Arjun and Raashi needed her to be brave and she eventually gulped down all the sorrow.

After irritating his daadi and didi some more, he finally came up to his room. That is when he remembered Arohi. When he was back she had already left. He did not get a chance to talk to her. He will tomorrow. It did not look like she recognised him. Well he would n0t blame her. He had lost touch of his school friends, and had made minimal effort to contact them. He was too much involved in his dad's business that his only mission was to taking it forward and never looked back. At 28 he was MD of his dad's company and he had big plans for it. Somewhere down the road he had drifted from his old friends, made some formal friends within the business circle. Seeing her today felt good. She looked quite different he thought. Funny how he remembered her face from school days so clearly. Those two plaits, uniform, glasses, oh yeah the glasses, he smiled. She did not have them on today. Wonder how she was doing. He had to catch up. That thought gave his some comfort, like how he got downstairs, among his family.

Shefali called Arohi. "hey you forgot to call me". Arohi replied "I was feeling a bit tired" sensing her low voice and knowing her friend too well shefali asked "Are you ok? I mean do you want me to come over?" "no yaar, I will be fine. It is just that..." Arohi's eyes were filled with tears. "Aru" Shefali felt a tug in her heart "you promised you will not cry" "I know" Arohi wiped her eyes "You have to be brave no. for your sake your in-laws sake" "yeah" "now please smile". Arohi smiled. "So did you get to talk to Arjun?" "no he did not come back afterwards" "hmm, when you talk to him, tell me everything" "shefu.." "yeah" " ... nothing" Arohi's somber mood was hurting Shefali "I am coming over" "no no, it is already late. I will meet you tomorrow evening ok" "fine I will meet you tomorrow". Arohi did not like how she had felt this entire day. She took the frame that had Vivek's picture. She respected her husband a lot. She caressed his face with her fingers "why did you leave so soon" She hugged it to her heart. Feeling much better she went to sleep.