Vicky sat in the office prepping himself for the meeting. He was nervous. It was not a feeling he was unacquainted with. Nervousness was something he experienced every time he went on stage. It was good to be nervous...
''Yes,'' he told himself, 'Nervousness is good...but then why do I feel like an absolute moron.'
The new project that he'd be overseeing was all under him. He had seen it inside out. Meera had informed and completed all the specifications. Then why did he feel like something was wrong. He opened the file to the page of clauses again. Something was amiss.
He called Meera inside. She walked in, her expression completely blank.
''Have you read these clauses? There is something that doesn't add up. You have 2 hours before the meeting. Go through this again and let me know what you think.''
''This isn't really my job,'' she replied coldly. ''I think you should ask the legal department''.
'Rajiv in on leave ' he's sick and I don't trust the opinion of anyone else. You being directly under Maan bro , I think you should go through this.', he replied sternly.
She stomped out of the file, a look of complete defiance on her face.
There was no way she could help this idiot. He was so completely ignorant about business. Why the hell did he have to come here and disrupt her perfect working life. He had no clue as to what he was about. How could he be so stupid. Why did he have to make that bet??!!! How could Maan sir leave? It was ridiculous. Khurana Constructions had become a fiasco, post his advent. She hoped this went down the drain , then Maan sir would probably return and the office would return to its initial glory!.
Vicky Sir had not been able to do a single thing right in his stint of the past two weeks. Nothing had been organized enough and he seemed to have made friends with all the staff. They didn't even seem to treat him like he was their boss, more like a respected older brother. What was happening to the office. She had been so proud to belong to a place like this.
Ok , so the work had been completed without hitches, but this was Maan Sir's office, dammit.!! Why did he have to leave her haven in the hands of this nincompoop!!
Her eyes drifted to the clauses in the file, but she resolutely shut her eyes.
No...she rebelled. There was no way she was going to help him!!
Vicky sat in the meeting room. He hadn't heard from Meera since he had given her the file and now she was conveniently missing. He drummed his fingers on the desk. He hadn't been able to get through to bhai. What should he do. Buy some more time to get Bro's decision on it? No ' he couldn't do that. He realized she wasn't going to show up and prepared himself on what he was going to say to the clients.
The clients entered and the meeting began. The deal was about to be signed, when in true filmy tradition Meera entered dramatically and asked to have a word with them.
Vicky didn't know whether he should be angry or relieved. He held his breath while she asked his permission to go through the clauses again.
He nodded. The clients seemed disturbed. Vicky watched astounded as Meera put forth her point as firmly as possible, showing no speck of anger. He was awed by the way she got her way ' making valid changes and making it equal in profits for both companies.
* * *
Later in his office he sat quietly, thinking over the events of the day. He didn't understand why Meera had helped him. Everything in her demeanour showed that she disliked his presence in the office. Why then did she help? One mistake in the deal and the bet would be lost. He'd be out and back in Studio 77. She didn't know that, but why did she help him?
Unable to take the suspense any more, he called her in his office.
''Miss Shergill, why did you do it?'', he asked getting straight to the point.
She looked at him, a little startled. From his expression, it was clear that he knew what she thought of him.
She thought for a moment.Fine, he wanted the truth, so she let him have it.
Levelling her eyes with him, she spoke without fear or regret.
''This company is the baby of Maan sir. He is one person I look up to more than anyone. This office is my haven ' at least it was until you arrived. Viram sir, I have no problem with you personally, but when it comes to your methods of working in this office and disrupting protocol, creating havoc in the workings of the company ' that I abhor and I won't stand for it.
You are alone when it comes to anything outside of my duties ' this is the last time you get help from me. The sole reason behind me doing this was for maan sir ' I cannot bear that his company suffers because of incompetent management.
I don't know why he's asked you to head Khurana Construction, but I'm sure he wont mind you asking him for advice now and then. I hope I've answered you question. If you'll excuse me, I have work to get on with.''
Vicky watched her retreat. He was stumped by whatever she had said and awestruck yet again. The loyalty she displayed for Maan, made him envious. He knew he had the same from his dance troupe, but the greed for appreciation remained. He wanted it from Meera. He wanted it bad.
Challenge number 2 presented itself to him and he wanted to take it up...he would prove himself to her. He didn't stop to reason why. But win her, he would!!
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Geet ate her breakfast quietly. Naanima wasn't surprised by this. It had been days since she had heard her incessant chatter. She craved to hear her talk. She missed her granddaughter and worried about her. She had known all about her nightly visits to Nik's apartment. She also knew about the loss of that place. She was glad it was gone. But, the mystery still remained ' where had she been last night. She hadn't been drunk, nor had she shown any signs of it . None of her closest friends were there in the city. She had to inform Mohinder about it.
She looked at her now. She seemed to frown a bit, lost in thought. For a change, some other thought seemed to occupy her mind. What was it? She called out to her. Geet looked up.
He eyes looked as hollow as ever ' dark circles under her eyes. She looked questioningly, now.
''Beta, don't you have to go to the studio today?''
''Haan Naanima, I have to be there by 9:30. I'll have breakfast and leave.''
''Ok, I'll turn the geyser on for your shower. ''
''No, that's ok, I've showered already.'', she replied off hand. She seemed to go back to that line of thought again.
Naanima, became worried again ' where had she had a shower?
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Geet was worried. Maan had almost caught her today. She knew Vicky wouldn't mind her staying over at the studio. But Maan Singh Khurana was a completely different thing.
He had already been suspicious. A little too much. She didn't want to lose out on her new found refuge. She hoped he hadn't caught on to her nervousness. She would have to be careful.
***********************************************************************
It was late, past 2am and he wanted to go home and sleep. Running the Dance company was anything but easy, but he was Maan Singh Khurana. Defeat was something he couldn't accept nor was it anything he had ever encountered.
When he had taken up the challenge to run a dance company he had never imagined how tough it would be. But, a challenge was a challenge and he'd only give up when the company was on firm ground and he could return to Khurana Constructions.
He thought back to all that had happened in the past few weeks of him heading Studio 77. He was beginning to appreciate Vicky's efforts.
There were so many things going on his mind. He had returned late in the evening when most of the troupe had left ' and the rest had left after that.
He pulled out his keys and switched off all the lights. The complete darkness made his senses even more alert. He walked out of the room, when he heard music.
''That's strange. Did someone leave the system on?'', he thought
He had thought everybody had left and he was the last one. Heck even he wasn't supposed to be here , but the need to finish pending work pulled him there - Not even Farhan stayed that late.
He walked quietly to the studio from the back door of the office and saw a light on. The door was a bit ajar'''.
He tread as quietly as possible and walked in from the wings. The studio ws dimly lit and the music was on softly.
That was when he saw her. Surprise hit him as he actually saw her. Dressed in black tights and a vest with her wild mane open - she was dancing!
Dancing like there was no one watching. Dancing in a way that he had never seen her dance. It was raw. It had passion and he could feel pain emanate from her body as she moved and turned and twisted and leaped. He recognized the song. It was an old R&B number, ''Bleeding Love''.
He didn't want to let her know he was watching so he partially hid behind the wings and stared. He drank in her movements.
Every move was perfect and every turn had an expression. The energy she used, seemed to reverberate from her. The movements were saying something, but he didn't seem to understand. She whipped from place to place following the music... melding steps not conforming to any dance style in particular.
He was stunned by her- the quiet girl, the loner, the girl who kept away from the group. The most unresponsive person he knew, the one who's presence irked him, was doing something that he had never imagined. He had taken her for being non-committal and lazy.
The music stopped and she moved down and huddled to the side, on the floor and kept her head on her knees, panting. Her shoulders started shaking and it was then that Maan realized that she was crying. Heaving heavy sobs and crying her heart out. He felt a bit guilty about spying on her in this moment of weakness.
Suddenly she punched the floor and let out an angry noise. She stood up and walked to the main door and picked up her things and went out of the main door. Maan just stood stunned, unable to process what he had seen.
''Geet??'', he whispered aloud, letting go of the breath he had been holding. His mind questioned. Is that the same unresponsive rude girl he saw every day??
Trying to post a video here -it's not quite what I had imagined for Geet - and the expressions of this dancer are far from what she is feeling at the moment. But it is just to give you an idea of the kind of dance she is doing.
Hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. I am so sorry that the previous video did't work - I hope you managed to see it on YT
Here's another one...watch it from 4:32 minutes for the same solo.
[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiDKPU7GfoU[/YOUTUBE]
Ok NOW I want to know what you guys think...please pretty please ' We have reached the exact high point of the story ' or so I think. There's gonna be changes in the story from now on. So please comment on what you think is going to happen, or what you think should happen ' or anything as such!
Lots of love
Amruta
Chapter 31 -Flash Mob - Page 58
Ishaani
