Part: 11
Flashback to the first time they met in canteen:
Khanak: "aur nahi tho kya, jahan jati hoon wahi pahoch jaate hain ... are u alright?"
Shaan fumes, but calms down before speaking softly: "I could say the same for you, u are always there where I am, I was in the train before you came and sat across me, I had my tea and was already taking a seat when u walked with your tray here. So should I ask you - Why are you following me?"
Khanak is at a loss of words... and just stares at him as if she saw a rare species of animal across the table ... those deep brown eyes were sparkling, looking right into her - hers were spitting fire and his were calm, at peace, just holding her gaze.
Just then Srini, their manager walks over, "Hey! You guys, hows it going?"
Shaan looks up with a half smile, "going on boss"
Srini turns towards Khanak, "So how do you find the client location? Pressure?"
Khanak just gives him a nod and says "Good so far, not much pressure as of now."
Srini: "Shaan, about that other project we need to finalize and submit a contract proactively, so that the engagement can be started ASAP, the offshore manager would need a formal contract to get the team on board."
Shaan: "Let me talk to Pete, and see what all needs to be added there as a start."
Srini: "yeah, do that and let me know the progress by end of day. Vaise Natasha kaha hain, najar nahi aa rahi hain" looking at Shaan.
Khanak: "She got late but should be in by now" surprised that he asked Shaan.
Srini has a questioning look, says "Kyu, tere sath tere gaadi mein nahi aayi who" to Shaan.
Shaan, glances at her, has an all-serious kind of look and then his eyes go back to Srini. Khanak answers, "nahi, she go up late, but was in by 9:30 or so for her call"
There is an awkward silence around.
Srini taps his hands on his legs, "I better get going, have a meeting at 11" walks off towards the door.
Shaan also gets up from his seat, picks up the tray of remaining food, dumps the contents into the waste-bin, moving towards the door. That reminds her that she needs to pick her tray and throw all the contents. She follows his path.
As they climb the stairs, he a couple of stairs ahead and she's following. He looks behind and has a small smile, "Why are you following me now?"
She is flabbergasted by the question, "Excuse me???"
Shaan turns around and says, "you are following me from the canteen..."
Khanak: "Of course not! I am going back to my seat." almost offended and not understanding that he is kidding around with her.
Shaan bursts out laughing, "You are something"
Khanak just hurries ahead and walks out of the stairway into the office area.
Lunch time ...
Lalit calls out to her while walking by, "Chal Khanak, Lunch!"
Khanak picks the lunchbox that Natasha had packed the earlier night and walked behind Lalit and his other gang members. She was so immersed in the thought process that she does not notice that Shaan is walking by her side. They enter the canteen just behind Lalit and sit on opposite each other, with Shaan on one side and Khanak on one side of Lalit.
Natasha is sitting next to Khanak, says "Hi" to Shaan and Lalit individually. That's the time Khanak notices that Shaan is sitting right across her. After the morning fiasco, she really did not want to see him, worst having her lunch with him sitting across.
The whole table is full with everybody of their company sitting together, Khanak for a few seconds has a smile on her face, remembering the office in India with her friends and colleagues, and they used to have the most awesome 45 mins break in the cafeteria, over fantastic India food served in the canteen. All with sidey comments, puns thrown and full-fledged leg pulling of the bakra of the day!
Lalit has opened her dabba and says "kya hain dabbe mein?" When he gets no response, he looks up at her.
Shaan is also now looking at her. For any person looking in her direction would have thought she was looking at Shaan and smiling away. He was amused by her behavior.
Lalit and Natasha smile and loudly clear their throats, which grabs Khanak's attention and she looks around at both of them, questioning look on her face.
Lalit: "Where were you lost?"
Khanak says solemnly, her smile washed away "Mumbai ki yaad aa gayi!"
Lalit: "Oh! Haan yaar, shuru shuru main bhi apne Mumbai ke dost miss karta tha, jab tak idhar ke dost nahi ban gaye, kya boltay Shaan?"
Shaan nods with a smile and murmurs "yep!"
Natasha starts to eat, asking "What have you got today Shaan?"
Shaan passes the lunchbox to Lalit, he smiles instantly, "hey French toast! Sahi!"
Out of the 6 slices brought, 2 are already gone. Lalit offers her, she declines politely and digs into her own lunch.
The lunch box goes around and comes back to him with 2 slices remaining. Shaan smiles and starts eating the same.
Lalit pats on his shoulder and says, "ye le, mera thoda rice and sabji."
Shaan starts eating rice from Lalits plate, while the rest of the 'dabbas' are passed over towards Shaan n Lalit.
Khanak is astonished with the kind of sharing that is going on and a warm smile creeps back onto her face.
As Khanak starts thinking that this place is not so bad, she is again looking straight, staring at Shaan sitting opposite her.
Shaan gives her a warm smile, his eyes filled with warmth. Eyes she could not resist from staring into.
Note: Will try to complete the FF and not leave it hanging.
Coming up: more flashbacks on how they interacted and befriended
Edited by dishbhan - 13 years ago
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