Hi, all! So finally the next chapter. Though the update is quite late, I know, but anyway... And wishing you guys a very, very, very Happy New Year. Have fun! Chapter 43
"I suppose you're busy." Ishani heard Ranveer's voice as she entered her kitchen the next morning to prepare her breakfast. She turned back and saw Ranveer stood there, smiling at her, that she thought, mischievously.
"Of course. I'm preparing my breakfast, you see," Ishani answered. "But wait! Who let you in?" she added, recalling he could not be invited inside her house without her permission.
"You," Ranveer said, still smiling, and making Ishani wonder if she had kept her door unlocked from inside. "I came here because of you."
"Don't lie," Ishani said. "I'd locked the door already and I don't open it until I leave for the office. It's just 7 now."
"You are so innocent, Ishani." Ranveer sighed. "Don't tell me you were not thinking about me."
Ishani unknowingly blushed and Ranveer chuckled. "This proves it," he said.
"Proves what?"
"You were missing me and thinking of me," Ranveer said.
"Oh, c'mon," Ishani said.
"No. You should admit it," Ranveer said, coming closer, his voice reducing in a whisper.
"Admit it! Never. I have other things to think about and they are in my mind, not you, Mr. Ranveer," Ishani said, making a failing attempt to look convincing but his gaze gave her away and she shifted her eyes on the stove.
"Aren't they all about me?" he asked, his voice carrying a mild magic she had never felt before.
Ishani swallowed. "Stop speaking like that. Talk normally, like everyone does," she said.
"What more normal do you need? Is it better?" Ranveer said, laughing aloud, and speaking in his original voice now.
"Better." Ishani nodded, but said no more.
"What happened?" he said, noticing the color of her face falling. "Did I do something to upset you?"
Ishani shook her head, looking at the floor. "I can't believe you're here," she said. "I don't trust you..." Ishani continued but her words faltered as she turned her gaze upwards and saw Ranveer standing right before her, his eyes staring into hers and his face inches away from her own. She closed her eyes as he tucked the strands of her hair back tenderly.
"Do you believe me now?" he said. His voice was enough to send chills down her spine as he spoke.
"I do," Ishani said, her eyes still closed as tightly as she could, but few moments passed when she heard no more from Ranveer and everything felt silent apart from the regular sound about the place. Slowly, she opened her eyes and a surprised gasp left her lips to see the kitchen same as ever: empty. "Ranveer! Ranveer!" She ran to and fro in her house but could not find him anywhere. However, her quest to find Ranveer came to an end when she saw the main door locked from inside and realized no one could invade in without her permission.
"Ranveer, are you there?" she yawped again, wondering if he was there or she had been hallucinating of him in such a crazy way. No answer came. Ishani embarrassingly turned back to her kitchen and preparing the breakfast as soon as possible and finished it, still thinking what might have happened to her. Her heart hammered loudly as the memories of her crazy adventure and questions popped in continuously that why she felt like losing her mind and if it was the outcome of the heavy work that had occurred suddenly since last few weeks.
"Ranveer, it's better you stay out of my mind," she said, as if Ranveer was listening to her and would make an answer. But to her comfort no answer came. However, his words still rang in her head like a tender music, its note comforting her agitated heart, yet filling it with a strange, envious longing she had never felt before. It was no time to ponder over what she felt and why. Mr. Khanna had informed her to attend a meeting and early so.
*
Ishani's life, however unexpected, felt ridiculous at times, or so she assumed. Why certain things happened or in what manner was beyond her ken. Though she tried to keep record of the things happening to her, but there came a moment she could not comprehend anything. Her meeting with the CVR Group was one of the same events.
Ishani sat in the conference room as the meeting ended and all the members left the room one by one while Ishani still sat inside pondering over the happenings since morning when suddenly the door clicked softly and to her surprise there stood Ranveer, in his white shirt and grey trouser.
"You?" Ishani asked, surprised. "You were not supposed to be here."
"Oh, really? I love surprising people and that is why I'm here," he answered, advancing towards Ishani.
Ishani smiled at him involuntarily, her eyes glittering as the lights of the room dimmed. "Really," she said, "but why are you here?"
"For you," he whispered in her ear, coming closer. Again, Ishani felt her heart fluttering on a different pace, and her breath getting slightly heavier.
"Stop doing that, Ranveer. You are stupid," she retorted. "God knows what makes you do this."
Ranveer, it seemed, did not care of her anger as his face still remained plastered with a mischievous grin, and his eyes fixed on her. By now he sat next to the chair Ishani sat.
"Ishani, c'mon. Don't be a kid," he continued in the same low voice. "You know something and believe it, but don't want to admit it. I want nothing more than that you admit you're losing yourself."
"Have you started working with a let's-play-riddle company? Go and don't come back. I don't want to admit anything and nor is there anything either," Ishani said, breathlessly at once and heard a click on the door which revealed a young man, looking at Ishani curiously.
"Everything alright, ma'am?" he asked, as Ishani looked about her, wiping the sweat on her face and few drops of vehement tears. She looked around and found the room empty.
"There was..." the situation again made no sense to her as she, confused, tried to look for Ranveer but he was not present anywhere. "No, nothing," she said at last.
"I heard you were talking to someone."
"I was talking to"uh" myself," she answered, throwing her hands in the air, and pretending to be normal. "I like doing so when I'm...I'm worried about something."
"Are you sure?"
"Perfect." Ishani smiled. The man left, rather confused, as if Ishani's answers did not satisfy him. She did not bother to explain anything any further and drew a deep sigh. Ishani felt her heart and head could explode with confusion or the feelings churning in on every opportunity they got create an awful havoc. "I need to ask Ranveer why is he doing this, playing such stupid pranks!" Ishani decided she would ask Ranveer himself. But what? The question to even herself was hard to answer. What was the question that she was supposed to ask and why?
Ishani could not decide what to do though she wanted to end the misery that had occurred to her. It was late evening when she saw Ranveer that day. He was sitting in his first floor cabin and examining few files while rest of them lay there sprawling abysmally: some with their pages out while few without any enveloping covers on them and many might have lost their true identity.
"Oh, my God!" Ishani shrieked as she saw him, for he hadn't noticed her presence. He looked surprised and jumped onto his feet.
"Oh, you!" he said, relieved. "What made you scare me like that? I would have died of heart attack."
"Of course not," Ishani chuckled softly. "And don't speak like that. It's not good."
Ranveer smiled lightly. "I didn't think you would come today since the project of ours is about to get finished. Your job is almost done."
"You mean to say I cannot visit you if I want to without any professional tasks?"
"Of course you can," Ranveer responded immediately. "I just thought you were busy."
"Well, it's not done yet and we are bound by one more contract now." Ishani handed over Ranveer a file and added, "Mr. Williamson wanted to surprise you...kind of. And here it is. We are now bound by one more project. I don't want to spoil fun for Mr. Williamson as there's more he needs to discuss and that might happen soon. It's just a demo that I thought you should have a look upon. You know what, Ranveer, I'm never leaving you." Ishani finished proudly.
Ranveer, for a moment, looked at her perplexed until understanding dawned upon him and he smiled. "Everyone says that. And Mr. Williamson is really a man full of surprises," he answered while Ishani asked no more questions. She stood silent, refusing to take a seat, and observing his face closely.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, as Ishani coughed slowly. "Anything on my face?"
"Uh, no." She shook her head, not daring to ask her bizarre questions that had drawn her to him this evening. However, she dared to let one thing out. "Have you been out of this place today?"
"Not yet. But tonight we have a meeting with a new party, for which I am leaving in a few minutes. Do you want me to drop you home? It's late."
"Oh, no. I'd go by myself. You should leave."
"Are you sure?"
"Do I look confused?" Ishani asked, irritated.
"No." Ranveer laughed. "You cannot be trusted for your own safety. I have seen you enough creating troubles for yourself."
"Not this time. I've learned to tackle things now." Ishani smiled, proudly. "Anyway, Ranveer, I think I'm wasting your time and you have to go."
"Time spent with you is never a time waste," he said, while Ishani felt herself blush lightly and left.
*
Ishani drove towards her house when her phone vibrated slightly.
"Hello," she said, seeing the unknown number.
"Hello. Is that Miss. Ishani Parekh?" a man in a professional voice spoke from the other side.
"Yes, that is me."
"Miss Parekh, this is Dr. Mark Thomas from Basildon Hospital. We have few medical reports of the deceased Mr. Zaveri and when talked to his daughter she said you would get them from here by this evening, and since you did not turn up I had to inform you about this. Can you please come over here now?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I suppose I missed this," Ishani said, recalling she had missed various messages and calls the whole day. "I'll just be there in an hour."
In the next one hour Ishani managed to reach the Basildon hospital and getting in she was directed to Dr. Mark who seemed to have been waiting for her already.
"Hello, doctor," she said, panting. "I'm here, what reports were they?"
"I was waiting for you, Ms. Parekh," the doctor said. "Mr. Zaveri was having some issues with his health since last 6 months and I was his doctor. His sudden demise has taken me by shock. Here are the reports."
"Thank you, Doctor," Ishani said, trying not to say anything further and finishing the matter as soon as possible. "His death took everyone by surprise. I should be leaving now."
"It's alright," he smiled as Ishani made her way out. She hadn't taken more than 15 steps when her eyes fell on Puneet, talking to a doctor in the cabin next to that of Dr Mark's.
"Puneet," she said, leaping forward to him, "is everything alright?"
Puneet looked flustered for a few moments. "Oh, yes," he said, at last. "But you?"
"Nothing, I came to fetch some reports of Zaveri Uncle. And I hope everything is fine with you?"
Puneet nodded. "Everything is fine. I came here to..." Before Puneet finish could his sentence Ishani saw Ranveer entering the doctor's cabin with a bandage on his forehead. Ishani looked at him, terrified, as he came in smiling nervously at Ishani and Puneet.
"Hi," he said awkwardly.
"Ranveer!" Ishani shrieked. "What on earth are you doing here? And what is this...what happened to you? You were supposed to be going to the meeting...what is this?" Her words came erratically.
"Ishani, relax. I'm fine. Look," Ranveer answered, trying to pacify an agitated Ishani. "It was just an accident...not a big one. Don't worry."
"You love to torture me, don't you?" Ishani said, while Puneet left the room without either of them noticing it. "It's such a fun to you, is it not?"
"No, Ishani," Ranveer said. "I didn't mean to get myself injured. It was just an accident. Trust me."
"C'mon, Ranveer. Just an accident? You would never change. Does it hurt?" Ishani said, running her finger across his wound, softly.
"It does, but it'll be fine. And please no crying," he added immediately, as tears brimmed in Ishani's eyes.
"You are such an evil, Ranveer," Ishani cursed, wiping her tears. Ranveer laughed.
"That I am. Now, come on. Let's go. And you should not be scolding me here as everyone will notice."
Ishani glared at him which made Ranveer withdraw his eyes away and be silent. They came out of the hospital as Puneet waited for them.
"Will you be alright?" she said, as Ranveer winced slightly as they walked.
"I'm already perfect," Ranveer answered.
"You're not," Ishani responded, "And what about your meeting?"
"Cancelled."
"Excellent," Ishani smiled. "Now go home and take rest. Don't spend your time too much in work and do take care of yourself." She stressed the words yourself.'
"Oh, God! Ishani, don't worry. Don't overreact. Take a deep breath and be happy. I'm well and fine and this accident so..."
"You are impossible," Ishani cut him short, shaking her head in irritation and disappointment. "Puneet, take him home and make sure he does take a proper rest." However, the look that Puneet gave made her realize she did indeed overreact as she, embarrassed, looked away. "I mean, Ranveer, do take care of yourself. And see, you were talking about I being careless few minutes back, but it proves you were in dire need of being taken care yourself." One could sense taunt in her tone.
Ranveer sighed. "Alright, ma'am. Any more prescriptions I should be taking?"
"No, you can go now," she said, smiling.
Ishani saw Ranveer's car fading from the view as she turned back to leave, thankful that he did not insist to accompany her or it would have caused something she did not want to go in.
Her house even at night looked a brighter place now. Her own heart felt lighter and jovial and she could not help but thank the light that had finally made its way in her life. Getting into the house Ishani put aside the papers and Mr. Zaveri's reports. As soon as she placed the papers on their places, her eyes fell on something she hadn't noticed before: an invitation card. Unwrapping the cover she read the details and her heart was filled with delight.
"Oh, my God!" she laughed. "Puneet's wedding invitation card! Now this is going to be fun."
2nd April was close enough and Puneet would be leaving soon, Ishani thought. She couldn't wait what awaited next though Puneet had been so silent, and she herself too ignorant that when everything happened she could not guess or notice. It was going to be a good day indeed.
Edited by Elvish_Hobbit - 9 years ago
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