Well, I'm back guys. I'm sorry that I took so long to come up with an update, I know that you guys have all been waiting like crazy that you probably don't even remember the story anymore. Hope you haven't forgotten! Well, here's the next part. Enjoy :)
~ 62 ~
A deserted stretch of the department laid before Roli to rummage through. The unusual emptiness and deadly silence gave her the creeps. A bunch of papers on Dhruv's desk flapped noisily under the chilled gust of the air conditioner and intensified the "haunted" effect.
"Come out come out wherever you are!" That's all what she could do to muster up some courage. As much as she loved this game, it did freak her out. There were instances from her childhood where her playmates would pounce out of their hiding spots just to scare the shit out of her. For some funny reason, she had this incessant fear that history would repeat itself.
Meanwhile, Siddhant couldn't help but smile at the cuteness overload. He had managed to stuff himself under a smaller table in the conference room... just in the nick of time. And thankfully for him, Roli hadn't noticed.
Unlike the larger oval table that was placed in the centre of the room, this one was boarded up on all three sides, which made it easier to hide. It wasn't easy though! Considering his size, it was pure torture for him to confine his long limbs in the limited space that was available. He felt like a broiler chicken that was mercilessly packed into a tight coop with many others.
Unaware of his presence, Roli exited the conference room and advanced gingerly to dig up her mates out of their hiding spots. Her eyes prowled every nook and corner. And then, one by one, she began to smoke them out of their pits.
First - Dhruv. He was caught red-handed from the filing room just as he was trying to fit comfortably behind a wooden cupboard. And as soon as he was pulled out, the both of them burst into a loud cackling laughter.
"How did you find me?" he laughed.
"Your joints," answered Roli whilst she tried to get a grip on herself. "I heard them crack and pop."
"Shit yaar! I think I've become arthritic already." Dhruv laughed on and joined Roli in the hunt.
Next. Mukti. From under her table. "Aw damn!" she hissed. "I knew that I should have chosen a different spot!"
"Better luck next time!" replied Roli proudly.
And Cabir... He had so brilliantly camouflaged himself as a floor lamp with the lamp shade covering up his head. Dhruv, Roli and Mukti laughed their hearts out when they finally spotted him and pulled him out.
"Sheesh," breathed Cabir in defeat as he played with the lamp shade.
"Dude, you should join the army as a sniper!" laughed Mukti.
That seemed to cheer him up a bit. "I was good, right?" he asked excitedly.
"Good!!? That was mind blowing!" replied Mukti with awe.
When the guys and girls had finally managed to get a grip on themselves, they threw curious looks around the room. Roli had unearthed all of them except one. "Where's Siddhant?" asked Cabir quietly.
"Hiding somewhere I suppose," replied Dhruv with an amused smirk. He so badly wanted to see that million dollar look on the monster's face when Roli dug him out of his pit.
"Let's look around," said Mukti in a hushed but excited voice. She just couldn't wait to catch hold of Siddhant in an awkward position. However, Roli didn't want to be a part of the hunt though she was the seeker.
They scoured the department but found no trace of Siddhant. "Can you believe that?" retorted Mukti in disbelief. "He left! What a chicken!"
Determined to not be discouraged by anything, the team shrugged off his absence and carried on with the game whilst Siddhant continued to hide under the table.
After what seemed like an eternity, he groaned and shifted uncomfortably. "Why isn't anyone looking for me?" he whispered to himself. He was desperate to be found just because he couldn't bear to be in that crumpled up position any longer. It was killing him and he so badly wanted to stand tall and stretch out his screaming muscles and aching joints. "Do they think that I've left by any chance?" he muttered to himself and cautiously poked his head out from under the table.
"Shit!" he hissed and pulled in hastily as he spotted them coming towards the conference room seemingly done with their silly childish game. He was now beginning to regret his ridiculous decision to hide. His body felt like it was on fire. The very thought of his team discovering him... not to mention... laughing at him... was too much to bear.
"Let's sit there," came Cabir's voice.
Siddhant could see four pairs of legs move towards the smaller table... right where he was hiding! "Dammit," he mouthed through clenched teeth and tensed up as the team rolled up their chairs and sat around the rectangular table.
Siddhant plastered himself to the wall and ogled at the two pairs of legs that were very close to him now. So close that he could feel the wave of warmth radiating right onto his face. One of them belonged to Cabir and the other... Roli.
The team kicked up a casual conversation amongst themselves as they began to dig into their lunch. But Siddhant wasn't paying any attention to that. He was "leg watching." Unintentionally that is. Like an idiot, he ogled at her delicate slender legs which were deliciously moulded into a pair of dark skinny jeans. He probably hadn't seen one this perfect for a very long time. He gulped down the huge lump that had formed in his throat. It was really steamy under the table and a thin sheet of sweat had begun to form over his skin.
Just then, she shifted in her seat abruptly and itched one leg with the other whilst Siddhant watched her movements intently with his eyes wide open and his heart thumping. He could feel his head reeling as his gaze followed the smooth curves of her legs. Siddhant... what are you even thinking? His eyes flickered and darted away as his conscience began to prick inside. Shit... what am I doing? If by any chance I get caught now... God... it's gonna look so bad! Shit!
That was when he noticed Cabir scratching away at his crotch. Siddhant looked away quickly, his face contorted in disgust. Eeeshhh! The things which happen under a table. Yuck!
Though the team finished up and got to their feet within a short time, it seemed like ages. Siddhant was aching all over and felt like a sixty year old. "We'll be back soon girl," came Mukti's voice.
"Alright," replied Roli who was still standing at the table.
The team moved out whilst Roli stayed behind and meddled with what sounded like crumpled paper. Siddhant remained absolutely still now. He wasn't even breathing properly. The conference room was so dead quiet that all what could be heard was the blast of chilled air from the AC ducts on the ceiling. Her legs were so close to him now, inches away from his torso. He bit his lip as he tried to compose himself.
"Wow..." he heard her whispering. Siddhant was intrigued. What is she wowing at, he wondered.
TRING-TRING! Roli's ringing phone sounded like a bomb explosion in the deadly silence. Startled out of his senses, Siddhant almost jumped out of his skin. "Dammit..." he hissed angrily but quietly.
Roli too was as startled as he was! She fumbled with the phone in an attempt to answer it but... THUD! It slipped out of her hands and smashed to smithereens on the carpeted floor. "Shit yaar," she muttered as she knelt down and picked up the phone which had now split itself open on impact. The battery and the cover were lying inches away from each other.
Siddhant felt as stiff as rigor mortis. He couldn't move. He couldn't even breathe. She was now kneeling on the floor and just inches away from him gathering up the phone's parts. Damn... damn... damn... don't... don't... please God no...
But it seemed that God was in no mood to hear his prayers. Siddhant felt his heart freeze to a big block of ice as Roli cocked her head up and glared right into his eyes in utter shock and surprise!
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Udne Ki Aasha
