EK ANOKHI KAHAANI - Part 30
Aastha's eyes watered. "Believe me Sir, I didn't receive the file... I swear I didn't!" Shlok was angry. "I am not understanding whether or not to believe you!!" he said in disappointment. "Even I am not understanding whether to believe you!!" said Aastha. "What do you mean?!! You doubt me?!!" asked Shlok, he was shocked. "Who knows?!! May be there is no such file... You always want a reason to scold and insult me...!!" said Aastha strongly. Shlok felt bad. He was hurt. He sighed. "I always thought you understand me, know me... But alas..."
Aastha could see the sincerety in Shlok's eyes. She felt sorry for what she had said. Shlok looked around searching for someone. Aastha was confused. Before she said anything, Shlok called a peon passing by. "I had told you to give the file to Aastha. Why didn't you give it?!! Where is the file?!!" Shlok angrily asked him. The poor peon trembled at the sight of angry Shlok. "I...I did Sir!!" he said in a trembling voice, "I had kept the file on the table...!" Aastha was surprised. "What?! But there was no file when I saw...!!" she said, worried. Shlok threw an angry glance at Aastha and then said to the peon, "But why didn't you give the file to Aastha? Why did you have to keep it on the table?!!" The peon was more scared. "Sir, I had gone to give the file to Aastha Madam, but she was not there in the cabin..." Aastha could see Shlok's angry gaze towards her. She just looked down. She knew she should have stayed in the room till she recieved the file. The peon continued, "So I was waiting there for Aastha Madam to return when Sonali Madam came there. She told me to keep the file on the table, so I kept it there and went away." Aastha was shocked. "Sonali?!!! Why is she doing this?!!" wondered Aastha. Shlok told the peon to call Sonali there immediately. But he informed that Sonali had left early today as she wan't feeling well. "Iss Sonali ko toh main baad mein dekh loonga...!!" said Shlok in anger. "I didn't do anything... Maine kuchh nahi kiya sahab..." the peon was pleading for forgiveness. Shlok saw that the peon was very scared. He calmed down a bit and said, "Haan, jaanta hoon tumne kuchh nahi kiya hai... Jaao, apna kaam karo...!!" I know you have done nothing. The peon was relieved and gladly went away.
Aastha was tensed. "Sir... presentation...!!" she said. Shlok seemed tensed too. "Aastha I told YOU to give the presentation because you are the one that knows the project well. You are working hard on it. And you know about the project more than any other team member." Aastha realised how much Shlok trusted her, how much he believed in her work. Shlok continued, "And these people too... inform at the eleventh hour that they want to visit the company and want everything to be perfect. I just don't understand these people!!!" said Shlok in diappointment. "There will be all important clients, the committee will be there, all the dignitories will be there... We can't afford to mess this...!!" Aastha understood Shlok's worry. This was the time to do something, something for the company, something for Shlok. "Don't worry Sir, I will give the presentation!" said Aastha with determination.
"Arey you sure? How will you..." Aastha didn't let Shlok complete the sentence. "Sir, I have no problem in presenting the part of the project I have worked on. But the other things..."
"That's what was there in the file Aastha. I knew you would need those details for the presentation. But..." he sighed and continued, "Okay... You quickly prepare whatever you can. We will see about the other things later. I am sure you would do great!!" Aastha nodded. Now she too believed she could do it, because Shlok believed in her.
Just then Rahul came there. "What are you both doing here?! The guests will be arriving any minute. And why are you both so tensed?!" asked Rahul.
"Sab gadbad ho gaya hai yaar...!" said Shlok. Rahul was confused.
"Aastha, how much time will you need?" asked Shlok.
"Aadha ghanta Sir... Half an hour!!" replied Aastha. "Okay!" said Shlok and checked his watch. It was 5. "Rahul, we need to somehow extend the introduction and felicitation till 5:30. Aastha, be ready by 5:25, okay? Don't be late!!" Aastha nodded as she opened her laptop. Shlok and Rahul went towards the reception to welcome the visitors.
Aastha checked the time. 5:05. She quickly opened Microsoft Powerpoint. She opened all the files on her laptop from which data was needed. Quickly going through the files, she copied all the required and important data to the powerpoint slides. She checked the time. 5:15. "You have ten more minutes Aastha... hurry up!!" she told herself. She added some more points to the slides. It was 5:20. Aastha was not at all satisfied with the slides. They were not appealing. Aastha was wondering how she could make it more presentable. She had five minutes left. "What else can I add?!! What else...Think Aastha, think...!!" she told herself.
Just then Shlok came there. "Are you ready Aastha?! Your name will be announced in a couple of minutes..." he said. Aastha was busy thinking about improving the presentation. Suddenly her face glowed and her eyes sparkled. She jumped on her place in excitement, "Yess!!! I got it...!!" she exclaimed. Shlok was confused. "What?!" he exclaimed. Aastha quickly got hold of her pen-drive and hurried to somewhere. "Aastha!!! Where are you going now?!!" asked Shlok, confused and tensed.
"I will just be back Sir...!!" said Aastha as she ran away.
"Oh God..!! I will never be able to understand this girl...!!" thought Shlok with a sigh. Shlok went back and occupied his seat. He just hoped that Aastha came back in time.
Finally Aastha was called upon the stage.Shlok was waiting to see her on stage. Everyone was waiting for her to arrive. But no one came on stage. "Where is this girl?!!" wondered Shlok. Aastha's name was announced again. She didn't arrive. Shlok got up to go see where she was. Just then he saw Aastha come on stage, running towards the podium with her laptop. Giggles spread across the auditorium.
"Thank God she is here...!" thought Shlok as he sat down. While the peon was connecting Aastha's laptop to the projector, Aastha's gaze was searching for Shlok. There he was!! She saw him finally!! Shlok could easily make out that Aastha was very nervous. Shlok's sight soothed Aastha. His eyes assured her that everything was going to be fine and there was nothing to worry about. Aastha regained her confidence and began the presentation. Though the slides were very simple, Aastha's presentation was quite impressive.
Everything was going on well till a question was raised that was out of Aastha's scope. Aastha froze at her place. She felt weak in her knees. How she wished she had recieved the file sent by Shlok! She was blankly staring at the audience. She had failed today. People had their eyes set on her waiting for an answer. Aastha couldn't understand anything. This was a terrible feeling. "I am really sorry Shlok Sir..." she thought as she blinked her wet eyes.
Suddenly she heard someone speak, someone answer the question. Aastha was surprised. And then she realised that it was Shlok's voice. She turned to see Shlok on the stage. Shlok was satisfying all the related queries. And then he looked at her, smiled and said, "Next slide please...!!" Aastha felt relieved seeing Shlok by her side. Aastha and Shlok together carried on the presentation. And that was very impressive. They both supported and understood each other so well that there was nothing that could go wrong. After they were done with the powerpoint presentation, Shlok was about to leave the stage when Aastha held his hand telling him to stay as she announced... "We would now like to present the model that we have developed based on our work till now...!!" She connected her pendrive to the laptop as Shlok looked on. "Ohh!! So this was what she had gone to get before the presentation...!!" thought Shlok. He looked at the 3-D model on the screen. It looked beautiful. He looked at Aastha and raised his brows appreciating the model. Aastha smiled. Both of them together explained the model. Now the presentation seemed to be complete. Shlok was very happy. He had not expected it to be so good. Aastha had done a great job. After the presentation, Aastha announced the names of all her team members saying that, "We wouldn't have been able to do all this without all of them...! Thank you so much!!"
The clients were more than satisfied. The committee was very glad. Niranjan came up to Shlok and Aastha to congratulate them on their efforts and wonderful presentation. "I think you both should give every presentation together!!" he suggested. "You both were fantastic together!"
No one noticed Aastha blush. She looked at Shlok, but he was busy talking to the guests. All the team members came there. Shikha congratulated Aastha and said, "That was so sweet of you Aastha to mention our names..!! Thank you so much yaar!!" she said. Aastha just smiled as everyone agreed.
The clients wanted to have a talk with Aastha and Shlok. So they all had a short discussion in Shlok's cabin. The clients left. It was late. As Aastha was preparing to leave, Shlok called her and said, "Aastha, before leaving, don't forget to collect the file of their (client's) specifications from me...!!"
Aastha just stared back at him. She checked her watch. "No way!!" she exclaimed. Shlok was surprised. Aastha continued, "Sir, it is already late!! Now if we go to your home to search the file, that too in your room, it would be too late...!! I will collect the file tomorrow... Please Sir... I have to leave now... I wont be able to..."
"Aastha!!" interrupted Shlok. "The file's in my cabin!!" he said. Aastha was silent. She bit her tongue. "Oh No..!! I am sorry Sir... I thought...!"
Shlok smiled and said "Come now... take the file" and he went to his cabin. Aastha followed cursing herself.
Shlok reached home. He was tired after a hectic day. He needed a long sound sleep. He went to his room, and as soon as he entered he remembered Aastha's words... "Sir, it is already late!! Now if we go to your home to search the file, that too in your room, it would be too late...!!" He looked around his room and smiled as he jerked his head. He threw himself on the bed drifting away whatever was lying on it - a shirt, his towel, newspapers... everything. He just lay there thinking about Aastha as he fell asleep.
Shlok woke up to the ring of his alarm. It was time to get ready and go for his usual jog. He got up and smiled to himself. The glint in his eyes told that he was upto something. He quickly got out of bed and lifted the jug to fill the glass with water. But the jug was empty. He came out of his room to fill water in the jug. It was still dark. He heard someone following him. He turned to see it was Aditi. "Aditi?!! What are you doing here?! That too at this time?!!" asked Shlok, surprised.
"Shlok..." said Aditi smiling sweetly, "I too am coming with you for a jog today!!" Aditi was very excited.
"What?!" exclaimed Shlok. "By the way, sorry to say but I am not going for a jog today...!!" said Shlok as he filled the jug with water. Aditi was disappointed. "But why?!!" she asked following Shlok as he walked to his room. "Because... I have an important work to do..." said Shlok as he entered into the room, "and I don't want to be disturbed... at all...!!" and he shut the door on Aditi's face. "Huh!!" Aditi went away stamping her feet.
After a couple of hours, Aditi saw Shlok coming out of his room, ready to go to office. She was surprised to see that Shlok was locking the door of his bedroom from outside. She went to him and curiously asked, "Shlok, why are you locking your room?!" Shlok looked at her and smiled mischieviously putting the keys in his pocket. "So that people like you wont enter my room...!!" he said in a teasing tone.
"What do you mean by 'people like me'?!! And you never locked it before, then why today suddenly?!!" said Aditi following Shlok as he came down the stairs. He stopped a his place listening to the query. He looked at Aditi. His eyes sparkled as he said, "Because... today is special...!!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
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