Kaya SS || Figuring It Out || AU Last Part UP! *19/06*

Hi everyone, I'm Ananya. Ananya Kashyap. And this is my story. As you are going to find out, I'm not a great storyteller, that is, when it comes to my own life, which is ironic cause I'm a journalist and selling stories is my business. But in my defense it's not per se a story that I'm going to tell. You could assume it is a draft or my research to figure out how I fell in love with one Kabir Sharma. I'm trying to break it up in parts. And for the first part I have snippets of conversation with my best friend Richa, which covers the time when I first met Kabir and how we became a little more than friends without us figuring that out.

12^th March 2011, Ananya Kashyap's Residence.

"Chal baith. Coffee legi?"

"Zaroor, par black haan. No sugar."

"Ugh, tum bhi Kabir jaisi hi ho. Pata nahi kaise pasand aa jaati hai tum log ko kadwi coffee."

"Taste develop karne ki baat hai."

"Woh bhi yahin kehta hai."

"Waise yeh Kabir hai kaun?"

"Channel ka newly appointed Editor-in-Chief hai. We both did our Master in Journalism from LSE, but he was a senior."

"Hmm."

"Kamaal ka banda hai. Har dum khush, beparwah."

15^th March 2011, Telephonic Conversation

"Ananya sun shyam ko free hai na, chal movie chale?"

"Nahi yaar Kabir ke saath dinner ka plan hai. Uska cook chutti par hai and he can't cook to save his life. And akele usse raha nahi jaata. How about tomorrow?"

27^th March 2011, Telephonic Conversation

"Kya kar rahi hai?"

"Presentation prepare kar rahi thi. Ek hafte ka trip hai NY ka. Ours is the only channel which has got complete access to Nikhil Garewal and we all know how important he is gonna be in the next two years. Kabir ne kal brief maangi hai."

"Uske saath jaa rahi hai?"

"Haan, humari team bosses ko badi pasand hai."

5^th April 2011, Telephonic Conversation

"Hi, wapas kab aayi?"

"Parso subah. Bahut thaki huyi hu. Kaafi busy week tha and jet lag ne poora system hila diya."

"Hmm, busy toh tum kaafi dikh rahi ho FB pictures mein."

"Matlab?"

"Dressing gown and all huh? You look so pretty."

"Oh that. Thanks"

"Mine pehle kabhi kaha nahi hai par tumhara Kabir bhi bada hot hai yaar."

"Good looking toh hai."

"And colour coordinated bhi ho dono."

"Arey woh toh bus aise hi. Dress leni gayi thi toh saath tha. Usne hi choose karwaya. Keh raha tha woh uska favourite colour hai. And bus saath wala dress shirt bhi le liya."

17^TH May 2011, Telephonic Conversation (Lunch hour) & TDS (Late Evening)

"Hey, kya kar rahi hai?"

"Caf mein hu Kabir ke saath."

"Achaa. Theek hai shyam ko free hoke baat karna."

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"Sach bata, iss Kabir ke saath kuch chal raha hai kya?"

"Kya matlab?"

"Matlab, do you like him, does he like you, are you guys dating?"

"Nahi yaar pagal hai kya? We're just friends. Bus. Kyu?"

"You talk about him a lot. You spend an awful lot of time with him."

"That's because we are colleagues."

"Uh-huh."

"What?"

"Nothing. Khana order kare?"

20^th August 2011, Telephonic Conversation

"Aur bata mera gift acha laga?"

"Richa bahut acha laga. Bahut zyada."

"Aur kya mila?"

"Kuch khaas nahi except Kabir's gift. He got me a pendent. Swarovski. Maine usse bahut mana kiya but he insisted. I want to give it you cause I can besides we both know I can afford it. Bahut over the top type ka banda hai."

"Hmm."

3^RD December 2011, XYZ Mall

"Neiman Marcus? Kuch special occasion hai?"

"Not really. Kabir ka birthday hai. I wanted to buy cufflinks for him. Bus."

31^st December 2011, Telephonic Conversation

"Hey, aaj ka koi khaas plan?"

"Nahi bus office party hai, with couple entry."

"Nice. Kabir ke saath jaa rahi hai?"

"Haan. Chal I'll call you later yeh ladka gate ke bahar horn baja baja kar poori colony ko pagal kar dega. Thoda sa bhi patience nahi hai isme. Khud time se pehle aa jaata hai and then he complains ki main humesha der lagati hu."

2^nd February 2012, Telephonic Conversation

"Ri- Richa?"

"Ananya ro kyu rahi hai?"

"Richa papa ka accident ho gaya hai."

"OMG! Uncle theek toh hai? Aur tu?"

"Papa ka operation chal raha hai. Main Delhi mein hi hu."

"Oh poor you. Aisi situation mein tu akeli hogi wahan."

"Nahi Kabir saath aaya hai."

"Oh thank God!"

"Richa main ghar and all sab aise hi chod aayi hu. Please tu dekh lena. Mujhe aane mein kuch din lag sakte hai."

"Of course main dekh lungi. Tu chinta mat kar. Just stay strong. Apna aur Uncle ka khayal rakhna."

After dissecting this whole thing. I think I get Richa's point. I do talk about him a lot. And I've also figured out why certain bimbos at the office hate me. Obviously they, like Richa, think there is something going on between Kabir and I. I also kind of think that something is going on here. Cause there are obviously a lot of things I haven't let slip to Richa. Though this exercise was useful to a certain extent, I still haven't figured out the moment when it all started. You know, the increasing heartbeats, all the butterflies in the stomach, and acute breathlessness around him. Am I just sick? Probably not. Can't figure out what to do next, read my text messages with Kabir or see if this infatuation or whatever this is, is going away in the next few days?

Part 2 - Below

Part 3 - Page 2

Part 4 - Page 3

Part 5 - Page 4

Last Part - Page 5

I haven't figured out anything. Our messages seemed friendly, I guess. They were mostly work. Few of them were about the plans we make. But nothing more. Or maybe I don't have an eye for that type of thing. After all I didn't deliberately try to chat him up. Our conversations always just flows. And there is the other thing about both of us liking to a have a conversation face to face. So maybe there wasn't anything to see.

I guess I have one option left. Forget the when and how part'. Focus on the what next part'.

As I entered my office I was pleasantly surprised a large bouquet of tulips sitting on my desk. Smiling I picked up the card next to them, after settling down in my chair.

"Welcome back"

It was not signed but I didn't need an initial to know who they were from, a) I could recognize the writing and b) Kabir knew very well of my love for tulips.

"Hey!" I said as he answered on his extension.

"Good, you're back on time. Come to my office. You've missed the morning brief." Kabir said.

"Alrighty." I said smiling.

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"Hey!" I said as I entered.

"Hi!" Kabir gave me a pleased look from behind his desk.

"Thanks for the flowers." I beamed.

"They seem to be doing there job." He replied.

"What?" I asked bewildered.

"Getting me that sunshine smile." He said jovially.

"Oh!" I shook my head a little.

"How's your dad doing?" He asked.

"Oh he's better. That's why I'm here."

"That's great. I was really bored without you."

"It's just great to see how much you care about him."

"You know I do."

"Hmm."

"Getting back to business. I've got a tip from my source and I want you to run it. It's a mis-"

"Kabir, I've got my own tip. Just because I wasn't at work for a week doesn't mean my sources have dried out."

"I just...wanted you to have something big after your leave."

"I know. Thanks. But I think I wanna go ahead with my lead. It's that political leader Ganesh Tirpude. I've got a solid lead about his involvement in a rape and murder case..."

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As I was shuffling through the work of a junior reporter that I was to present at 5 in the evening I heard a knock.

"C'mon in."

"Ananya Ma'am?"

"Hmm?"

"Ma'am ek favour chahiye tha."

"What is it Shikha?"

"Ma'am. I need vacation for 2 days."

"So?"

"Ma'am I've used up all my vacation days."

"Again, so?"

"Ma'am Khalid sir won't give vacation itne easily. And if Kabir sir bole toh-"

"Shikha, main Kabir nahi hu."

"I know Ma'am. Actually Kabir sir ka mood itna acha nahi hai. I was hoping aap unse baat kare toh... after all he won't say no to you."

I raised my eyebrows at her. Did she really mean what I thought she meant? Did people around here really think that Kabir won't say no to me?

"I'll see what I can do." I said dismissively.

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I'm staring at my finger. It's covered in band-aid. And I would like to clarify that I don't usually indulge in such morbid behavior. It's just that I was thinking.

As Shikha had said Kabir wasn't in the best of moods that day but by the end of the half hour we spent together Kabir had all but forgotten his sour mood. He gave me a peck on the cheek, talked to Khalid and got Shikha her vacation and then took me to Mad Over Donuts.

But that isn't the reason why I'm staring at the band-aid. I was actually reliving the moment I got the band-aid. You see I accidently stapled my forefinger. And I've never seen Kabir go in a flurry before but he did today. He fussed all over me as he took out offending pin, giving more excruciating expressions than I did, helped me wash my wound and tied that band-aid on. And all I remember doing is watching him do all this, with the occasional request for him to calm down. He didn't. And that has made me happy. I can see what everyone else has been seeing. There is something going on here. And it has possibility to be big.

Kaya FS - Figuring It Out

And now I'm daydreaming about him. This is just great! As much as Kabir is proficient at reading my moods and face, I am glad that he can't really read my mind cause then he would know exactly what I was secretly smiling about today in the briefing room.

I mean he was very much part of those moments when they happened. But now I'm reliving them and letting my concentration slip and I'm blushing. This is not good. I mean I didn't blush when he tucked my hair behind my ears, I just sucked in a breath and we made long eye contact, that's it. I didn't blush when he took off my specs and opened the clip tying my hair; I had just shaken my head as he commented that I looked prettier that way. I didn't even blush when he pecked my hand as a grateful gesture as I dined with him cause his cook was on leave; I had just given him an amused smile. And I sure as hell hadn't blushed when he had pecked me on the cheek that night in NY where we went for Garewals' Charity Ball. We had danced and talked and he kissed my forehead as he bade me good night. And in all this, I had not blushed. And now I do. I'm a goner, aren't I?

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"Hi!" I replied as I answered Kabir's call.

"Hey! Listen I might be late for lunch today. Half an hour or so." Kabir said in a placating tone.

"Okay." I replied.

"You'll wait, right?" Kabir asked.

"Only if you're buying." I replied cheekily.

"Kashyap you're going to make me broke one day."

"Hahaha...Not in this lifetime I won't. You're making too much money. And I'm sure you can afford this."

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An hour later we both were sitting in Greek Food and Beyond for lunch.

"What's it gonna be?" Kabir asked me as I peered over the menu.

"Let's see. Medium cooked steak with a side of potato mash and green salad." I announced.

"Okay. You're letting me off easy. I see."

"No you haven't heard the starters and dessert yet. And I haven't taken a look at the wine list either." I said with a Cheshire cat smile.

Kabir shook his head as he said "I brought that on myself, didn't I?"

"You sure did." I replied as I sipped my glass of sparkling water.

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"You know that new Tarot card reader we've hired?" Kabir asked digging into his falafel pita wrap.

"Yeah. What about her?"

"How accurate do you think her mojo is?"

"Kabir it's not mojo what she does."

"Yeah whatever. You know I don't buy into that crap."

"Uh huh. So why are you asking?"

"She gave me a reading."

"And?"

"She caught my cynicism alright. But she gave me crap about a financial set back." Kabir answered.

"This place is going to cost you. And we ordered an entire bottle of a vintage Bollinger. I think that's the financial set back she was referring to." I replied taking a sip of the said wine.

"Hmm. So you mean the other crap of being surrounded by love and romance refers to nothing more than my date with Shreya Shrivastava?"

What! "You have a date with Shreya Shrivastava, the associate with Khaitan & Singhal?" I asked, my hands stalling as I cut my steak.

"Yeah!" Kabir responded.

"Uh-huh. Do you even have anything common with her to be going on a date?" I asked as nonchalantly as I could.

"Sure." Kabir smirked.

"Pray tell." I responded.

"Um, let's see... We're both good at media law."

I almost choked as I laughed.

"Media law? That's going to be your conversation opener?" I asked recovering, and taking the glass of water Kabir forwarded.

"I'm sure there will be more." Kabir replied. "And I don't think common ground ki itni zaroorat hoti hai."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean look at us. We have effortless conversation without having anything in common."

"Kabir, we have plenty in common. For instance, we're both journalists, our Alma mater is same and the camera loves us."

"But how often is our conversation about these topics? We are very different people. I'm fun and nice. You are uptight and blunt. People are more scared of me inspite of my good nature, and though your countenance says otherwise you are the real softie between the two of us. See we are more different than alike."

"Ha-bloody-ha! I'm not uptight!" I argued.

"But you are. Actually you are a conundrum. You don't indulge in confrontational behavior but you are unflinchingly blunt. You project this khadoos exterior so that people take you seriously but inside you are all gooey like this chocolate mousse that you're having. It's actually intriguing, watching you interact with people."

"You make me sound like I'm your pet project in the science fair."

"Nah! I wasn't ever up for putting anything on display for a science fair." Kabir replied smiling. "But law I'm interested in. I'm sure it will be great with Shreya."

"I think I'm gonna order a few chocolate donuts to take on the go." I announced as I felt my heart drop lower than my stomach.

Kabir gave me a weird look. "Ananya are you alright?"

"Peachy. Why do you ask?"

"You are planning to attack chocolate donuts." Kabir phrased it out for me.

"So?"

"So you only do that when you're upset." Kabir replied.

"I'm fine."

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I don't understand what just happened. I was wrong! It's not mere infatuation! I saw the possibility of more! And he wants more with someone else! And it bloody hurts! Just what the hell happened here?!

I'm still reeling. Even as I sat on my desk and logged into my email account, I'm still reeling. And there sits the email I've been waiting for. What timing!