11. A PAST TALK
THE NEXT DAY
When Deepika had arrived she had seen a new table in the officee but she had not uttered a remark about it. But what had really boiled her blood was the smug face of Parth Mathur sporting that constant smirk.
"Why is it his face that I saw in the moring today?" She enquired to herself, grumpily.
Then she thought about the days in the past.
Her mornings used to start with telling off Aaryan or asking him to go home as he had been sleeping in the office.
But after his demise her mornings began with Rituparna's face.
She sat at her desk and looked to the desk opposite her.
Rituparna had not arrived yet. She wondered why. He was punctual. Actually he used to arrive before all and leave the last.
Didn't he have anyone waiting for him at home? Then it struck her that she did not know anything about the family of a colleague she had been working with for the past month.
"Kin khayalon me doobi ho Deepika?" asked Parth.
Deepika looked at him flatly. Without answering, she zipped open her laptop and started working.
Parth sighed. He dragged himself over to her desk and plopped on the chair facing her.
"Deepika, maine tumse kuch poocha."
Deepika looked at him, right in the eyes. "It does not concern you."
Parth looked at her, returning her stare.
Then he said politely, "Mujhse civilly toh baat kar sakti ho na tum?"
"Nahi. Not after what you did."
"What did I do?"
Deepika looked into his black eyes and saw genuinity there.
"Don't you know what did you do?"
"I really don't know what you are talking about, Deepika. Dekho us hadse ke-"
"Sushmita. Do you even remember her face?"
Shock registered itself in his eyes.
"Su... woh maine...kuch... nahi kiya tha..."
"YOU JERK!!!!"
Deepika shouted and raised her hand.
Then she saw Rituparna standing outside the glass door staring at her unbelievingly...
She put her hand down. Rituparna entered silently, and looked at the pair opposite him.
Deepika's face clearly reflected her anger while Parth's face was convulsed with chagrin. His eyes were bright.
He turned slowly and faced Deepika.
"You are miles away from the truth Deepika. You are far far away. Jo tumne samjha woh sach nahi hai.... "
He left the room without another word.
Deepika had kicked him right in his Achilees's heel.
Parth sat alone in the pantry, turning a cup of coffee in his hands...
He quoted lines from Shakespear
'Mark how the blood of Caesar follow'd it
As rushing out of doors to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knock'd or no'
Deepika had stabbed him right in his heart when she had uttered those words....
It hurt now, after all these years...
His best friend thought he was responsible for a thing he had not done...
That was why she had distanced herself from him...
After all these years, it hurt and it hurt badly...
Funnily, Deepika too thought the same way........
She sat; contemplating over what had just passed, ignoring Rituparna...
The look in his eyes...
Was she wrong?
What if he was not responsible?
The only thought seized her mind was...
what if....
what if she had mistaken him all these years?