AsHlok FF~Love Finds Its Way~ Chapter 12 Pg 134 *up28May14* - Page 20

"Come I will drop you home..." He offered.

Astha nodded. He held her hand and led her out. She finally relaxed once the lights were there. Shlok realized how much darkness frightened her. She was utterly exhausted and scared.

"Why are you so scared of darkness?" He asked while driving.

She kept silent for a while and then slowly whispered.

"It leaves me helpless..."

He did not get what that meant but they did not speak a word after that.

*0*

Chapter 4

The New Man

Shlok came out in his terrace with his emblematic coffee mug and started strolling here and there aimlessly. Flashes of his moments spent with Astha flickered in front of his eyes. The first time he saw her, then the interview, her stupid but funny antics, her gloom over his rudeness, the never ending staircase he made her climb, and in the same evening her fainting and his climbing down the stairs with her in his arms, her being scared of darkness and then hugging him with fear. Everything filmed inside his mind again and again until he realised what he was doing. Shlok, surprised at himself, looked at his reflection in the windows glass.

O hellow are you okay? You are thinking about her? Her?' He asked himself and the prosecutor from inside was out too.

I was only wondering how come my behaviour change with her so soon. I was the one adamant to make her miserable but it is so easy for her to melt me. I wish she doesn't know that!'

Is there something...'

He shook his head snubbing his thoughts, feeling stupid at the same time.

She is just a subordinate and nothing else! And by the way there is nothing in her... it takes much more to impress Shlok Agnihotri...'

He tried satisfying himself and relinquished his plan of having coffee so that he could force himself to sleep. The thoughts lingering in his mind were too bizarre to concentrate upon; that too with an active mind. He went inside and in matter of minutes drifted into the arms of slumber.

***

Astha almost ran to her room and locked it shut behind her. She knocked out on her bed and gazed at the tiny artificial stars on her room's ceiling. Her mind slowly drifted back to the evening. She closed her eyes to recollect the black out only . How she had screamed in that reckless, grinding anxiety of hers. An image flashed before her eyes followed by a loud igniting noise. She cringed and held the corner of her dress tightly. Astha tried to hold back her desperation, a tear rolled down her cheeks as she fought the blurred images in her mind. Thankfully sleep came by soon, finally bringing peace to her.

She wasn't afraid of darkness, actually no one is. We are rather terrified of the ambiguity and the associated dangers darkness calls for. And when a dark truth of the past is associated with it, there is no running away.

The next day,

Astha woke up a little tired and exhausted . she glanced at the wall clock and rushed towards her wardrobe.

Dont be late dear or that monster Agnihotri is gonna eat you alive...' Astha muttering to herself stopped abruptly. She recollected that it was Shlok who had brought her out of that gloomy dark last night. She recalled her hugging him, She remembered the spark that ran down her on the touch but that time she was too busy feeling afraid. She shook her head refuting her own doing.

What must he be thinking of me?' She mused but then shuddered the thought away. Like he ever thinks anything sane of me... mon...' She divulged while heading for a quick shower.

***

The next day was another hectic day not only for Astha but Shlok too. They hadn't seen each other since morning. Astha went home to get organized for the evening after completing all the deadly tasks assigned to her by her Boss. He had intentionally piled all outdoor work for her to keep any distraction away from him. She was exhausted and didn't realise when did she fall asleep with her bag on her shoulder and sandals still on. Kalindi came in her room to see her sleeping in such an awkward position. She woke her up.

"Astha...are you okay? Why are you seeping like this?"

A confused Astha woke up; it took her a moment to realise that she was actually sleeping. Very unintentionally her eyes fell on her wrist watch and she sprang on her feet.

"OMG! I had to go to that office pa...dinner! i am so late!" She felt like banging her head in the wall. In no time Astha got ready and without even buckling the straps of her heels she ran down the stairs; checking her cell phone on her way it had 5 miss calls by Arav and one by Shlok.

"Eeeks... please no trouble today! I have done so much for this event! Please God please!" She prayed all her way.

Just before the entrance she collided into Shlok. Pulling back her self she gave him an apologetic look but he dint seem to discern it.

She was dressed in white. Nothing like the other fancy flowers inside, her dress was simple, decent yet very alluring. It had a white base with white intricate embroidery in the front and the back side, creased with black white and yellow, had a very complicated geometry along with something written in Espanol, she had done it herself using the little knowledge she had of the language. It was long almost reaching her feet but a little high, enough to expose the ends of her skinies. Even with minimum make up on and unironed hair she looked stunning enough for eyes to follow. She has a great taste for traditional yet trendy wears', Shlok thought while still looking at her. Astha, in her chaos, did not know whether he was staring or glaring at her.

"I am sorry sir... i am a little late." She hesitated anticipating a harsh reaction, all she got was a confused look and more confused words.

"You are late!" He announced walking away. Astha stared behind him.

"Dint i just tell him i was?" She self talked before rushing behind him.

The rest of the evening she was busy with the clients. This was her second time with an international construction company, the other being the one she worked for. Everyone said that they had high hopes with the designs and success of the project. Astha's eyes shined hearing everyone praise her work, Shlok didn't miss that. One thing he had to admit, he was really impressed by her dedication to her work. His doubts on her being a newbie and not much competitive were long gone. He regretted the trouble he had taken in convincing the Board of Directors not to keep her just after she had given her interview. That place was always hers.

After the dinner was opened a thirsty Astha made for the bar, Shlok's eyes unintentionally followed her but he was not alone in doing that. A tall fair man took seat beside Astha.

"A pina colada please..." Both said at the same time and then laughed at their unexpected synchronization.

"Nice pick beautiful..." Said the man.

"Thanks..." Astha replied.

"Hi... I am Mohit..." He smiled, and what a glittering infectious smile it was, Astha thought.

"Astha... Astha Kirloskar... the Dep..."

"I know." He cut her in between.

"Really?" She was indeed surprised.

"yeah... the new Deputy Chief Architect of AMD Constructions."

"Oh... i've never seen you around, are you from..."

"Yes i am from the other side." He said, emphasizing on the other side'.

"So what do you do?"

"I am a representative."

"Oh an Agent?" She asked, surprised. He laughed.

"Can i ask you something?" There was a soft insidious plea in his tone.

"Sure." Astha said taking her goblet from the one serving, while his laid untouched.

Shlok from a distance, busy in a formal conversation with a man, stole glances at Astha and the guy with her. He tried to have a look of the guy's face but he was sitting the other way so as his face wasn't visible to him. For a moment he wondered what could they be conversing about. He saw him ask her something to which her eyes widened and then narrowed as if in a trivial shock.