Hey Guys,
Here is Chapter 3. It is longer than usual but I won't be able to update till Friday, so hopefully this will keep you entertained till then. It is a rather serious/intense chapter, but things will start to become light again starting the next chapter.
Chapter 3
Rohan went through the rest of the day in a haze. He didn't have much to do, he wasn't meeting clients or their families but instead he received a file with all the information about the client. The file contained everything yet felt incomplete. He made his way out of the office to meet Vikas, his partner.
"Hey Vikas," Rohan said as he extended his hand forward. "So, how exactly do things work around here? When do I start meeting clients."
Vikas laughed as he thought Rohan was joking, "Oh… you are serious. Why would you want to meet clients? It's unnecessary hassle. We have people trained to ask them all the relevant questions, the computer analyzes the data that is received and comes to a conclusion of the perfect matches. Your job would be to correspond with the clients if necessary and if there is any dilemmas or conflicts. But otherwise, you don't really have to do much at all. Aren't you loving the job already?"
Rohan wasn't sure what he felt at all this. "So, I can go for the day?"
VIkas nodded, "Yup, I am just about to head out. You have a surprise waiting on your table. Let me know how she goes."
"She?" Rohan asked rather surprised…
Vikas nodded, "I tried her out yesterday, it was a wonderful experience."
Rohan raised his eyebrows as he walked on over to his table and found a small box with a key inside. "What is this for?"
Vikas motioned him to follow, "It's for that."
Rohan stood opposite a red sports car that looked completely beautiful. "Wow. She… is gorgeous."
Vikas smiled as he walked over and opened the door "Welcome to your new car, partner."
For the first time that day, Rohan felt slightly excited about anything related to India Marriages. "All right, well I am going to take it out for a drive."
VIkas moved away "It's all yours. Do whatever you want. So, who is going to be the lucky person who gets to ride in your car first?"
Rohan's first instinct to say Isha but he stopped himself, "Well, that's for me to know and you to find out." Rohan got inside the car and tried to think of where to drive to. All of his friends at Rishta would probably not be too excited about seeing him.
After a long time, he had a day off but nowhere to go. Just then his phone rang and it said "Isha".
Isha had forced herself to call, it was business and extremely necessary.
Rohan was surprised but pleasantly so, "Hey."
Isha felt her eyes water at just hearing his voice, what was wrong with her. "Hey Rohan. I hope I am not disturbing you."
Rohan smiled as he leaned into his car seat and pulled over, "When have you ever disturbed me?"
Isha tried not to become too happy about that statement, "I.. well Mr. Shetty and his family were coming over today and I have no information about all of them since they were…w ell your old clients."
Rohan paid extra attention to the way Isha said the word old "Oh yah, I have all of their information at home. I am just heading over there right do you want to meet me there and I can give you all the stuff on each of my… old clients."
Isha laughed softly and bitterly, "All right, well I am meeting the Shettys at 7 which means I have a couple of hours. I will meet you there at 4?"
Rohan confirmed that and headed home to grab everything that he would need. He looked over the files one last time to review and make notes on who he thinks would go with whom. This was his favorite part of the job, despite the numerous times he had complained about it to Isha. He loved reading about and meeting with people to figure out who would be whose perfect bride or groom.
Isha was outside the house at exactly 4. She waited for another few minutes and then made her way to the front door. Isha remembered how she had helped Rohan move in and thn ended up
decorating the entire place herself since he had failed so miserably.
Rohan had seen Isha park outside the car and noticed her sitting inside for another few minutes. It had never been awkward between the two of them before but he figured, there was a first time for everything.
Isha knocked on the door and it was opened right away. "Hello Rohan."
Rohan smiled and opened the door wider, "Hey."
Isha looked around the apartment, it looked exactly the same. She smiled at the large picture of the four of them together that lay on his table in a corner. She had gotten one made for all four of them and though Rohan hated photographs, he had agreed to keep this single, solo picture on the table.
Isha sat down on the couch as Rohan went inside to grab the box. Isha had promised herself she wouldn't ask but curiousity got the best of her, "Whose car is it outside?"
Rohan knew he should have kept the car in the garage and mentally scolded himself, "Oh… it's a car the company gave me."
Isha looked up and then looked right quickly before he could sense the hurt in her eyes, "Oh okay. Umm… do you have the notes?"
"Isha, look" Rohan really wanted to clear it all out.
Isha shook her head, "Rohan… I came here to make sure that Rishta wouldn't suffer. Right now, the last thing I want to do is talk to Rohan, my best friend. I just want to talk to Rohan, my ex-partner.
So, can we just pretend you are just another guy who worked in this company and then decided to move away and are giving me a brief on your part of the job?"
Rohan nodded and the two of them discussed clients and their best matches for the next hour. For a little while, both of them forgot that they had been fighting just minutes ago.
As soon as their discussion was over, Isha got up and went over to make coffee when she realized that things were no longer the same. "I… I am going to go."
Rohan got up and grabbed Isha by the hand, "Isha…"
"Don't" Isha said as she pulled over and let the first tear drop.
Rohan stepped forward and took Isha into his arms quickly, "Isha."
For a second the two of them stood in an embrace while Rohan felt like a royal jerk. Isha knew that she didn't want to seem weak or vulnerable in front of Rohan but she was losing her best friend for God's sake. She had the right to be emotional, and she wasn't going to yell at herself for that.
Rohan kept his hands firm on Isha's back as he said a few simples words, "I… didn't want to leave Isha."
That made Isha cry even more, she backed away from the hug and sat down on the couch. "Then why did you?"
"I told you… I was just unhappy." Rohan said hoping that he had a better answer for her.
Isha grabbed Rohan's hands and made him sit down right next to her, "What were you unhappy about? You and I… we are perfect together, a great team. I can't imagine working like this with anyone else. We understand each other instinctively and the friendship we share with Ruchika and Huzeifa and Ashish is to die for."
Rohan shut his eyes at the mention of Ashish's name. "Isha… I… Are you dating Ashish?"
Isha was completely thrown off by that question and all she could mutter was "I… ummm…"
Rohan nodded as he got up and walked towards the picture with the four of them, "You lied about being alone that night… I asked you to drinks and you said you were busy… I have seen the way you two look at each other."
Isha was still shocked but she walked over, "Yah… but its nothing serious yet. I promise, I would have told you otherwise."
Rohan looked up, "Why didn't you tell me yet?"
"Because… I didn't tell anyone at Rishta. This was personal and not professional." Isha said surprised that it mattered at all.
Rohan nodded, "It was personal… but I thought we were more than just professional. At least that's what you have been saying. If I really am your best friend, you would have told me. You wouldn't have lied about it so many times."
Isha was flustered, "Okay fine, I am sorry. But is that why you left? Cause I didn't tell you about one part of my life?"
Rohan shook his head, "No… I… don't know why I asked you that."
Isha was so confused, "Rohan you have weaved in and out of relationships in front of me for years. We have both dated people before… we don't always tell."
Rohan shrugged and started to skim through his phone, "I… never mind Isha. It doesn't matter."
Isha shook her head and grabbed Rohan's arm, "No let's just talk it out."
Rohan grabbed Isha by her shoulders and so uncharacteristically pulled her closer, "What do you want to talk about Isha?"
There was something in Rohan's look that sent a chill down her back. He stared intensely at her, not taking his eyes away from her face for even a second. "Rohan... fine, I will tell you everything. I like Ashish."
That simple sentence broke Rohan from his trance and he let go of Isha right away and didn't say anything.
Isha continue to talk though utterly confused at Rohan's behavior "He is nice and sweet but nothing has happened between us yet. I haven't met anyone I like in a while and so what is wrong with that?"
Rohan turned around and smiled, "Nothing, I am happy for you. I just… wished you had told me. I want to be honest and say, I don't like him but if you do, I am sure he is worth a try."
Isha nodded, "Well… was this the only reason for you to leave?"
Just then Rohan's phone rang and Vivek's name flashed on the screen. Rohan took the phone call as an excuse to stop this conversation. "Hey Vivek. Yah, I will be there in 10 minutes. Okay, see you then."
Rohan turned around after attending the call and Isha had already left. He sat down and thought about everything that had happened, it was probably for the best that he had left Rishta.
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Hope you guys liked it. Thanks a bunch for all your comments, they really help in motivating me to update despite a crazy schedule.
-Pari 😛
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
