Originally posted by: ..optimist..
It's okay dear... No worries 😊Yes, Kaveri Mausi is very sweet and she is right about the intern 😳I am glad you liked the name of the bungalow!! 😃Yes, kind of love at first sight 😉😆 But you haven't read the next chapter yet 😉Thanks so much Pranu for this lovely comment 🤗And all the best for your exam!!! 😃
Originally posted by: ..optimist..
Will update in another half an hour 😃
hey btw wts the name of d story u hv startd??
Hello everyone!! 😃 I bring for you the fourth chapter 😃 I am so glad to recieve such a lovely response for this story 😊 Thank you so much for all the support and love 🤗
I HATE YOU!!!
CHAPTER 4
Shlok sat leaning back on the chair in his study, resting back his head, his eyes closed. He wasn't able to concentrate on his new story. He needed some time off. He walked to the shelf to get some book to read. His gaze fell on a file, the same file Nakul had given to him... the file having the details of his new intern! He quickly took the file and sat down on the chair. Placing the file on the table, he put on the table-lamp and opened the file. The first couple of pages had the details of Aastha Kirloskar along with her passport-size photo. Her address, her phone number, her educational history, her job details. Shlok read everything in detail. Something strange caught his attention. After completing her education, Aastha worked for an year in Mumbai. But she left the job and then after two years she joined as a lecturer in College of Arts, Pune. This made Shlok wonder... Why did Aastha leave the job which was quite good? And why the gap of two years before she joined as a lecturer? Why didn't she continue the job in Mumbai? And she joined as a lecturer? She could have got another job, why lecturer? Her education took place in Mumbai. Her first job was in Mumbai. Then she leaves the job... Nothing for two years... And then she is in Pune working as a lecturer... That's strange! Where was she in those two years? And what did she do? He turned the page in the file to find the offer letter to join of the internship. There were other documents including her identity proofs. And then at the end was the paper that had Aastha's entry that was sent with the application for internship. Shlok read it line-by-line, word-by-word...
...Life... It is simple and beautiful, yet very complicated. Complicated... when it suddenly changes everything and we don't understand the reason. When strange things happen and people hold you responsible for the wrong you never did. When you are forced to take the decisions that were supposed to be right just because the people felt so. Why do we fear the society? Who are they to decided our how our life should be? Why are we forced to take decisions based on the concent of the people who would never be with us to face the consequences? I have learnt the most important lesson of life - Never depend too much on anyone, no one cares for you so much to always be with you through the dark times. Even our shadow leaves us when we are in the dark! There's no one our's as such. Sometimes things make me think... Am I really responsible for what happened? Am I the one to be blamed? And then I feel guilty. A fear creeps over me... fear of being responsible for more horrible things... I have lost faith in myself...
Yun thukra diya iss zamaane ne humein,
Har woh khwaab suhaana bhool gaye...
Zindagi ke iss gam mein itne ulajh gaye,
Ki hum aansoo bahaana bhool gaye...
(Meaning : I am so abandoned by the society, that I forgot every dream of mine... I am so lost in the misery of life, that I even forgot to shed tears...)
Shlok was lost into his thoughts. He could feel the pain behind those words of Aastha. Why so much pain at such a young age? Shlok remembered what Aastha's words... I have read all your books so far... And I love your writing! The only thing I don't like about your stories is that you have ended all of your stories on a sad note. Why always sad? Does every story have to end that way? Shlok remembered Aastha's wet eyes when she had said that. Her words were still echoing in his mind... If you are planning your next story too with a sad end, I am sorry but I will not work on it with you! He couldn't believe she had said that. He had seen interns before. No one would have dared to say that. But Aastha did. That was unusual. Now Shlok wanted to know more about her. He was sure that she had had some unpleasant experiences in life. Was it related to that gap of two years? Shlok was very curious to know what had happened to Aastha. Shlok heard a knock on the door. Was it Aastha? Shlok quickly kept the file in the shelf and went to open the door. He opened the door preparing himself to face Aastha but he saw Kaveri Mausi standing there. He sighed.
"Arey Kaveri Mausi, come!" he said.
"Why? Were you expecting someone else?" she asked.
Shlok didn't say anything. Kaveri Mausi sat down on a chair while Shlok sat down on his. Both were silent.
After some time Kaveri Mausi spoke, "She hasn't come out of her room since you yelled at her..."
Shlok looked at Kaveri Mausi. He was ashamed for what he had said.
"You told her to leave?!!"
"I know I shouldn't have said that..." said Shlok helplessly. "She made me angry... and... and you know how I react..." Shlok sighed. "I will apologize to her during dinner!"
"You must!!"
After silence for a couple of minutes, Shlok said, "You were right Kaveri Mausi, Aastha is different! You remember the other two female interns? My God! The first time when I had met them, they didn't stop praising me and my works. They were so dramatic and always tried to come close to me. Useless girls! I hated them so much. They had not come here for internship, but for something else, you know!! But Aastha... she is different!"
*****
Aastha had put all her belongings in her bag. She sat on the bed with her legs folded. "I don't want to stay here any more!" she said as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I miss you Baba!!" she sobbed, "I miss you so much!" she was crying embracing herself. "I am coming back Baba! I will never leave home again... I don't want this internship... I don't want anything!! I just want to live... I don't want people around me!! I want only you Baba... Only you understand me! Only you believe that I am not bad!" Aastha's head was heavy. She was sobbing badly. Her eyes were red, and swollen. She heard a tap on the door. She quickly wiped her tears. She heard Kaveri Mausi calling her for dinner. Aastha refused to go saying she wasn't hungry and didn't wish to eat. Aastha didn't open the door. Kaveri Mausi tried a lot to bring Aastha out of the room, but failed. After all her efforts in vain, Kaveri Mausi went away. Aastha sighed in relief. She was about to lay down on the bed to sleep when she again heard taps on the door.
"I am really not hungry Kaveri Mausi... I don't want to eat anything!" said Aastha gently.
But Aastha was surprised to hear Shlok's voice. "Aastha?! Please have something with us..." But there was no reply from inside. Aastha was just staring at the door as Shlok spoke, "Aastha, I know I have hurt you! I am sorry... But believe me, I didn't mean it!" Aastha didn't say anything. Tears couldn't stop flowing from her eyes. Shlok said, "Open the door now... Aastha, I said I am sorry! Please open the door!"
There was no reply from Aastha. Shlok sighed. He felt bad for Aastha. He began walking away knowing that Aastha will not open the door. But he stopped when he heard the door open. He was very glad to see Aastha. He went to her and said in relief, "Thank God you finally came out! You know how worried I was??!!!" He saw that Aastha had packed her bag. He looked at her and said, "You are NOT going anywhere, get it?!!"
He wanted to take Aastha with him to the dining room but then he felt that might not be right. So he called out to Kaveri Mausi and they all went to have dinner. Aastha was very silent and anyone could make out from her face that she had cried a lot.
After dinner, when Aastha was going back to her room, Shlok called her, "Aastha!" he said, "I am sorry, I understand how hurt you were! Sometimes I cant control my anger, you know! And I may say things I don't really mean. Please don't misunderstand me. I was just..."
"When are you going to tell me about your new story?" asked Aastha.
"Aan?!!" said Shlok, surprised.
"When are you going to tell me about your new story, Sir?" repeated Aastha.
"Tomorrow? After breakfast?" said Shlok still not believing she asked that.
"Okay!" said Aastha and turned to go to her room.
"Aastha!" said Shlok, "Thank you!" Aastha smiled and Shlok was happy that she had forgiven him. "And Aastha, I might yell at you very often... I am like that, you know! Please don't mind..."
Aastha nodded. "Good night Sir!" she said.
"Good night!" Shlok wished back.
*****
The next morning was pleasant. Both, Shlok and Aastha, were back to normal. Kaveri Mausi was glad to see that. After breakfast, Shlok introduced the idea of his new story to Aastha. He had not started working on it yet. Aastha listened to his idea and liked it. Unlike the previous interns who agreed blindly to whatever Shlok said, Aastha freely shared her views, positive or negative and Shlok appreciated that.
*****
Four days had gone and by now Aastha was comfortable at the new place. She had developed a good rapport with Kaveri Mausi as well as Ramu and had no issues with Shlok. Shlok tried to ask Aastha about her past, directly as well as indirectly, but Aastha didn't reveal anything. Shlok decided to take Nakul's help to know more about Aastha. He told Nakul to visit College of Arts, Pune where Aastha worked as a lecturer, and find out more information about her. Also he told Nakul to keep everything confidential. Nakul agreed. Now only thing Shlok could do was to wait patiently for Nakul's call...
*****
Link : CHAPTER 5
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I hope you liked the chapter 😃 Do let me know your views 😊
hey btw wts the name of d story u hv startd??
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