...
Prerna entered his cabin well post lunch time. Anurag was busy reading the distributor document when she knocked on his door.
"Erm, the design's done", she placed the file on the table. He was nearly signing the document and asked for a few seconds.
She looked at his desk. It was tidy, so unlike hers. That reminded her of his disorganised remark. The name plate read Anurag Basu, CEO, BHP.
It was her dream to be seated in such a cabin, and signing cheques and documents without hassle. A comfortable life while placed at a top notch position was all she wanted. Her ambitions weren't baseless, she had every bit worked for it. She might be impulsive, fast or disorganised (as he believed) but she knew she was good at work. And could deliver well whenever expected and required.
"Better", he said. She had expected a more detailed reaction than a monotonic word.
"So?", she persisted.
"I'll check the details once again and let you know"
She shrugged her shoulders in a yes and turned to leave when he called out to her.
"I wanted you to lock a list of team members you'll need for this project."
Her eyes shone. It was the first time someone had asked her to choose her team. Ohh, 'Her team' ! It was sheer music to her.
She smiled and raced out, her heart thumping in joy. As for Anurag, he was unaware of the requirement at the base level, so he very conveniently chose to satisfy her ego by asking her to choose and get his work done. He might be new in business but his instincts were quite sharp and skilled.
...
Prerna excitedly pressed the sent button.
The list wasn't long, not either. Just the perfect choice of people she would need to pull it off nicely.
3 writers, 1 photographer, 2 sketch artists and an editor.
She wanted to give her own name for the editorial job but she found it to be too demanding - right on the second day of work.
The day concluded in peace. She got down the building and was waiting to catch an autorickshaw.
Anurag's car stopped by her side. The window panes came down to reveal his face at the other end.
"Want a lift?", he asked. He might dislike her or have neutral feelings towards her, but being the gentleman he was, he couldn't leave her stranded like that.
Prerna rolled her eyes.
"Why not!", her inner self pulsed her to move forward and grab the door handle.
Before she knew, she was in and they - on a drive.
"Much arrogant - Aren't you?", he asked out of nowhere.
"Wouldn't say a no. But there's a reason. I thoroughly feel I'm capable and hence this arrogance, which I call pride", she responded.
"Yeah of course, the young independent women sorts. You know, how it is, these days"
"You talk like a 70 year old man looking back in his past", she chuckled. But immediately regretted having said so.
She looked away and outside. Tall lampposts flew past them, casting a strange orange flow on the dark road.
"How is it different here than your previous offices?", he tried to be nice and also take a quick feedback and break the eerie silence.
"Better", she said, without looking at him and giving him back the same monosyllabic reply. His eyebrows frowned as he decided to quit his attempts of forming a cordial relationship.
He puffed and looked straight, onto the lonely street ahead.
...
It was during lunchtime that Anurag got a call from Moloy to see him in his cabin.
"Awwnu, see, I know you're doing well, Infact the design got awesome-er and there are no major changes but boy, you need a keep a check on your employees", he said gravely.
"Wait, what?", asked Anurag, puzzled.
"Prerna had come today morning, to submit the final design report. It didn't have your signature so I figured that she bypassed you and reported me. Take care in future..."
"But Dad...?", Anurag was nearly fuming.
Moloy's phone buzzed and he signalled him a two minute gesture.
Anurag was mad at her.
He barged into her cabin, only to find it empty.
The door banged behind him, making him realise the force with which it had been pushed.
Ah, the lunchtime!
He found the cabin surprisingly arranged and a long note kept on the spotlessly clean table.
Dear BOSS,
I know you're mad at me by now.
Dad always tells me to remain grounded at all times. And yesterday night, only after much thought, did I realise that why a newly appointed employee was asked to choose the committee for the journal project. It took me two informal talks and of course, a tea at canteen - with your Secretary to figure out why the CEO was appointed on this project alongside me. Now before you use me further and take credits for my work and brains, I don't find it necessary to report to you anymore.
Regards,
Prerna Sharma
PS : I'm taking today's half day off, after Moloy Sir's Approval.
The audacity and liberty was driving him crazy. Yes, he had not bloomed fully yet in the corporate sector but that didn't mean he didn't deserve a chance. One independent opportunity was perhaps too much to ask for.
He jerked at the handle to pull open the door. It was jammed. He put together all his strength in those two hands but it wouldn't budge.
He was locked!
He called the Pune, Shastri, at once, through the intercom. Within minutes, he came running, and opened it from outside.
"Fix this", he glared at him and left.
Anurag walked into his cabin restlessly. This girl had to be tamed and brought in control.
Prerna's phone buzzed. BOSS flashed over the screen and she lazily picked it up.
"Yes?"
"Be here in another 35 minutes or you're fired. And I mean it"
She felt a bit scared. This could be serious.
...
She got off at the building's compound, it was nearly sunset. Children were playing cricket in the lane at the back of the office compound.
"2nd floor", she told the lift attendant.
Anurag was waiting for her, right outside the main door.
"I know I was rude but you should understand...", she began.
"Go to your cabin and get the report", he said.
"What?"
"You've heard it, go now"
She shrugged her shoulders and left to get the file.
He smiled wickedly and got in the lift.
As he reached the ground floor, a loud crackling sound was heard.
He saw the group of boys rushing upstairs and assumed that they might have crashed another window.
But before he could get in the car, they came running down, shouting "FIRE".
His eyes widened. FIRE in the building!
He ran to the 2nd floor where the guard stopped him from going inside. The fire was spreading and it was unsafe. The ball had directly hit the meter box and it had exploded.
And then it hit him, after a few minutes. Prerna!
Good Lord, she was inside. Moreover she was locked into a small room.
He barged into the office and rushed towards her cabin. Smoke was lessening his visibility every second and his breath became louder and heavier.
He broke open the door to find her coughing. Eyes red and face grey with smoke.
He held her hand but she fell on her knees.
He lifted her up in his arms and somehow ran out. Thankfully, the fire hadn't spread much to other floors, but the 2nd floor was burnt down to charcoal.
A casual look at her palms revealed blood.
Anurag's eyes widened in anxiety, she's been spitting blood.
He cursed himself for this stupid revenge trick of his and rushed to the Ambulance waiting in the parking lot.
They masked her nose for a supported supply of oxygen. There wasn't any need to hospitalise her and the doc told she'll be fine soon.
Within minutes, she gained consciousness.
Doctor told Anurag to get some tablets from the chemist -- simple energy pills.
She opened her eyes to a blur vision of Anurag restlessly clutching her arm.
Involuntarily, she jerked out her hand from his grip and looked away.
She removed her mask.
...
He helped her get down from the car silently. She walked away slowly to her house, without looking back at him.
...
The next day, Prerna was fully braced for all circumstances. She had her ultimate defence - the resignation letter ready if things went out of control.
The things on 2nd floor were quite disturbing. Burnt manuscripts, charcoaled reports and half blackened wallpapers.
The entire journal work was reduced to ashes and had to be reworked on. She took the flight of stairs up, to the 4th floor.
She knocked on his cabin's door, no response. She went in, there was no one. Shastri told her that Moloy had a heart attack last night so no one had come today.
Heartattack?!!
She panicked and hurriedly called her father. He didn't pick up the phone.
Without a second thought, she left for Basu mansion.
Just as she's thought, her father was already there.
"OH sorry, I forgot to inform you", he apologised.
She told it's okay and went upstairs.
Anurag was standing at the door, tired and distraught. She recalled that the fire event must've been disturbing for him and now this.
She placed her hand on his shoulder. The doctor emerged from the room and told them that although it seemed like a heart attack, it was a gastric seizure. Moloy was fine but there was a blockage and hence, an Angioplasty surgery was needed.
Anurag smiled at her and walked off to the terrace. She couldn't understand what to do, hence followed him to his favourite spot.
He noticed she stood on his left, silently.
"Are you okay?", he asked her.
She nodded and repeated the question.
He looked away.
A pause.
Getting assured to talk,
"The office work is completely haywired disturbed. So technically you got 4 options :
A) Fight with me and we fickle out the company.
B) You fire me
C) You start reworking on the project
D) WE start reworking ASAP
Anurag shook his head.
"Has anyone told you that your amateurish humour isn't worthy at all?", he remarked.
"Well", she responded nonchalantaly, shrugging her shoulders.
"So where do we begin with?"
"Fixing your jokes", he said.
"Alright, freshen up and see you in the office in..", she checked her watch. "45 minutes?"
He rolled her eyes. She always gave it back.
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