Kalyani's POV
It was the first semi-formal office party Kalyani was attending and it was the first time she had ever been to a posh club. The pub was Murakami-themed. So the walls had drawings of wells, cats, ears on it. Everyone around was so stylish and rich...Kalyani had never seen Dia before. Yeah, she knew she could Google her, but she felt as if she pretended Dia didn't exist, she would vanish. A beautiful, tall girl was standing wearing a black dress that reached upto her knees and had luscious, thick hair having blue highlights. Hell! She looked just like Simran. Is it possible Simran changed her name to Dia? After all, these things are so commonplace in Ekta Kapoor TV shows. She frowned exactly like Simran. Kalyani was going to murder Malhar.
"Hi," Kalyani walked over to the girl.
"Hi," she said, her eyes glued to her cellphone.
All Kalyani wanted to tell her was, "Don't to you dare go near to Malhar, you Chudail," but all she could say was, "Do you know about Sun Baby being evil?"
She looked at me from up to down, and looked at me as if she couldn't believe my eyes and ears. Well done, Kalyani! What a great impression you made on your rival!
"Do you both know each other?" Kalyani heard Malhar's voice. He was looking so dapper in white shirt with navy blue trousers and a deep blue jacket. Kalyani never realised he could look so good.
Kalyani realised she was standing there open-mouthed when Malhar called her again, "Kalyani!"
"Yeah, I mean, no. What were you asking?" Kalyani said.
"I was asking do both of you know each other?" He repeated, pointing to a corner, "If you need anything, I'm there waiting for Diya."
"Wait, she's not Dia?" Kalyani said, looking at the girl.
"No, I'm Simran," the girl said, "Were you talking about the Sun Baby in Teletubbies?"
"Yeah," Kalyani said, distractedly looking at Malhar who was talking with someone at the corner.
"Have you seen that Lion episode of Teletubbies? That was so creepy!" The girl named Simran said, "Do you know about the ConspiracyTheories.net forum dedicated to Teletubbies conspiracy?"
"Wait! You know about that forum?" Kalyani never thought she'd ever meet a Teletubbies conspiracy theories aficionado in real world, let alone in this posh club.
"Yes, my username is MarryMeTinkyWinky. What's your name?" Simran said.
"My username is SaveTheWorldFromSunBaby," Kalyani said.
"Cool, I'll send you a friend request," she said, "My boyfriend is waiting for me outside. Bye. Keep in touch." And so Kalyani exchanged phone nos. with another girl named Simran.
Malhar's POV
Kalyani was looking so different today. She was always the most beautiful girl for me, but today in her ethno-western maroon dress and with her dangling ear hoops, she looked so elegant. She had applied lipstick and kaajal too. But she never used them before. Even in our school farewell, everyone told me she was without any makeup. She used to say that her hands shook while applying lipstick or kaajal. Maybe she too had changed like me. I was brought back by Diya's "Hi!" and I could feel Kalyani's burning gaze upon us.
Someone entered the club and Kalyani went running towards him. Malhar looked him closely. Of course, Atharv.
"Oh Atharv!" Kalyani batted her eyes, "You've come. I was feeling so alone." Now who actually bats their eyes in real life except 90s cartoon characters? Malhar wondered how long did Kalyani plan to repeat the same drama of making him jealous?
Atharv pulled her close to him. Kalyani! He's just using you. He'll just harm you! Why don't you understand this simple thing?
DJ began playing music and Kallu pulled Atharv to the dance floor. She put his hands on her waist and started moving her body. Malhar knew Kalyani had always been uncomfortable in dancing in front of people and her moves were awkward and it felt like she was doing hip-hop/robotics with her partner mistaking it for couple dance on this song:
https://youtu.be/0AqZzax9_Og
It was such a lame plan even by a teenager's standard and the worse thing for Malhar was it was having exactly the same effect on him as Kalyani had planned. Kalyani could still mess up with his mind even after these ten years.
Atharv was growing embarassed of Kalyani's awkward dancing and his irritation was visible on his face. He jerked away from her and came near Dia, asking her for a dance. Dia accepted and went with him on the dance floor. Kalyani was standing alone on the dance floor, looking helplessly. Her plan had backfired on her and well, though she kind of deserved it, but Malhar couldn't see her like that. Malhar went on the dance floor, and despite her half-hearted protest, pulled her close to him and put her left hand on his shoulder and his left hand on her waist. She wanted to say something but he put his finger on her lips and shushed her and brought his lips close to hers. She closed her eyes but he just smiled, instead of kissing her. She so wanted to kiss him and though it was so satisfying for him to see her want him so much, making her wait and long for him was much more fun. Malhar had waited and longed for her these twelve long years, now it was his time to call the shots. The song changed and they began swaying:
https://youtu.be/Sb2CP0IHQno
Malhar's POV
Malhar knew he was hundred times more enamored with Kalyani as she was with him. It was not as if she was some perfect princess, and there was no other girl better than her, but she was perfect for him like a key fits a lock.
"I never knew you could dance so well," her voice was breathy.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me," Malhar whispered in her ears.
They danced through the entire song.
After our meeting was over, Diya traced my face with her forefinger, whispering, "I know you like that girl very much, but if you are not dating, can we be friends with benefits?"
Normally flirting for business gains was not uncommon, but Malhar liked Diya's honesty. She didn't claimed she loved him. She was cool.
Malhar was just thinking of a way to say no politely, when I saw Kalyani craning her neck to impossible length to hear their discussion.
Malhar pulled Diya closer, and said, "How can I say no to such an amazing girl like you? And you're also tall, you'll look perfect with me."
Diya leaned forward to kiss his lips, but Malhar shifted his face just so that her lips landed on his cheek.
Malhar looked over Diya's shoulder. Kalyani was fuming. Well, well, Kallu...
Malhar kissed Diya exactly on the same place on her chin where Kallu had kissed Atharv ten years ago.
Kalyani's POV
It was becoming too much. Kalyani took a glass of soft drink and went towards Diya, and spilled the soft drink on her dress.
"Oh," Kalyani said, "I'm so sorry. Tell me the price of your dress. I'll pay for it."
"Then pay for it," there was a dark expression on Malhar's face.
"What?" Kalyani said.
"I only repeated what you said you'd do," Malhar crossed his arms.
"I...I am paying," Kalyani said.
Kalyani fished her cellphone from my wallet, and tried logging in to the UPI. But she had forgotten the password. She tried three times and it was locked.
"What exactly does your dress cost?" Kalyani asked Diya.
"Forty thousand," she replied. Kalyani could Diya her being embarrassed on her behalf.
Kalyani emptied her wallet on the nearby table, and began counting currency notes, she had just two thousand rupees with her. Kalyani began taking the coins out of her purse too.
Malhar said looking up from his mobile screen, "I have transferred Rs. 40000 to your account. And Kalyani, we'll settle our balance later."
Malhar's POV
Kalyani threw her cellphone at Malhar's face but her aim missed.
"You think you can humiliate me with your money and status, Mr. Rane," she was shouting, "Take this cellphone. It costed Rs. 18000, and take my purse, it has Rs. 2000. And rest I'll pay you tomorrow." She threw her wallet at him.
Malhar went towards Kalyani and said, "Stop creating a scene, Kallu. Calm down."
"You and Diya were acting so clingy. How could you do this to me?" She tried hitting me at the face. Malhar held her hand before it could hit him.
"I've warned you before, Ms. Kalyani Deshmukh," Malhar said in a low but scary voice, "I am not responsible for tolerating your stupid tantrums. And what do you think? That only you could hurt me? Now you know na, what I felt like, when I saw you kissing that Atharv. It hurt, na? Didn't it?"
"You...you were doing all this to hurt me? Revenge...this was all you wanted?" Kalyani said.
"I never wanted to hurt you, Kallu," I said, "But it doesn't mean I could let you hurt me."
"OK, OK," Micky said, walking backwards, "I hate you Mr. Malhar Rane.
Malhar was so tired when he exited the club towards his car. He tilted my neck first to left and then to right...when someone attacked him from behind. Fortunately, Malhar turned backwards in time and blocked Atharv's fist. Atharv tried to overpower him by grabbing his throat. But Malhar kicked him between his ribs and punched on his chin. Malhar kicked him again in the stomach and he was on the ground, coughing blood. A pack of cigarettes rolled down his shirt pocket.
"You and your love of cigarettes. Smoking is bad for health, don't you know," Malhar leaned over Atharv lying facedown on the ground. He inverted Atharv's body and fished a lighter from his trousers pocket.
Malhar lit up the cigarette and exhaled, sitting on the ground, "How does it feel now, Atharv? Lying all alone in between road, bloodied..." His hand was trying to lift a stone lying nearby. Malhar stood up lazily and stood with his shoes over Atharv's hand.
"Ahhh!" He screamed in pain.
"Afraid so early, Atharv?" Malhar smirked, "It's just the beginning." He said this in a singsong manner.
"P...please M...Malhar," Malhar arched my eyebrows when Atharv pleaded, "S...sorry S...Sir. P...please leave m...me this time."
"I'll not burn you with this cigarette," Malhar stretched my legs, "But only on one condition."
"W...which condition?"
"Plead before me, but without stammering."
Atharv failed everytime to speak without stammering due to fear.
"Bad luck, Atharv," Malhar said and brought the burning end of cigarette close to his face. Atharv closed his eyes in fear.
Then Malhar crushed the cigarette under his shoe and after fishing Atharv's bike keys from his pocket, Malhar patted Atharv on his cheek, "Now you've the whole night lying on the road to think about what you did with me ten years ago."
And Malhar threw the bike keys far away.
Kalyani's POV
Kalyani was walking when a car stopped by her. Kalyani had thrown her cellphone and wallet in the club itself and had no money to get back to her house which was 39 kms away.
The car door opened and Malhar said, "Get inside."
Kalyani kept walking.
Malhar got out of the car and stood before her, "You've done enough drama. Come, let me drop you home."
Kalyani kept walking but Malhar held her by arm and said strictly, "Your cellphone is broken and I couldn't find your wallet in the club. How will you get to your hostel?"
"I'll sleep on the road itself."
Malhar pulled me towards the car.
"I'll shout that you're kidnapping me," Kalyani said.
Malhar laughed bitterly, "And do you think I would have any trouble convincing the police that I had no business with kidnapping you with all those people at the club witnessing your crazy antics? Get into the car, you've done enough drama for today."
Micky's POV
When Kalyani got out of Malhar's car, she heard his voice, "Kallu?"
Kalyani turned back.
"I'm sorry," he said, "For what I said ten years ago. I was too insensitive and I didn't mean it. I just want to say sorry for leaving you alone when you needed me. And for that Simran thing and Diya also. I could never think about any girl other than you."
Kalyani said, "It's too late for any of us to say sorry. Thanks for the lift, Sir." And she entered her hostel leaving Malhar standing alone on the road
Next morning when Diya summoned Kalyani in Malhar's cabin, she didn't know what to expect. She knew her misbehavior with Diya crossed the line, but still Diya seemed to be a gracious person yesterday.
When Kalyani reached the cabin, Malhar, Diya, Nishigandha and Khushboo were already there. Maybe she should just say sorry and end the matter.
"I'm sorry for what happened..." Kalyani said.
"Shut up," Diya shouted, "You think you'll be spared from going to jail just by saying a sorry?"
Jail? Kalyani knew yesterday's drama was too much and would've hurt Diya's ego, but jail? Really?
"Calm down, Diya," Malhar said sharply, "It's my office and you can't misbehave with my employee."
"But this girl bloody leaked the confidential codes of the project that our companies are collaborating on," Dia was breathless, "She's a bloody criminal. She should be in jail for insider trading."
"But she has the right to represent her case before any decision is taken by the company," Malhar said in a calm voice.
"You yourself saw the proof, Malhar. All the confidential documents were sent through the IP address of her Cell phone. It has been verified by the cyber security department of your own company. Nishigandha, you are her team leader. Please suggest what will be the best course of action as per company guidelines?"
"She must be immediately sacked from her job," Nishigandha said.
"Nishigandha ma'am, I've been working with you since six years and you know I never once resorted to unfair means,"Kalyani pleaded.
"I think there's a three year term in jail for insider trading," Khushboo chimed in.
"That's enough," Kalyani said and left.
After two hours inside Malhar's cabin
"May I come in Sir?" Kalyani asked permission.
Malhar looked up from his system and after some moments, cleared his throat, and motioning towards a chair, he said, "Yes, please take a seat."
"Actually, Sir..." Kalyani said, looking at her hands placed over my lap, "I need to request you something. I have submitted my resignation letter to the HR department and I'll repay the salary credited into my account with interest. But please don't hand me over to the police. I can't have a criminal record on my name. Please Malharji, sorry, please Sir."
Malhar crossed his legs and asked, "So you don't want to appeal against the charge?"
Kalyani laughed bitterly, "What difference would it make? After two years in this company, the company suffered a huge loss. Almost everyone I knew, left the company. But I sticked with it because this company gave me my first job. Even after being overqualified for this job, and working on all the projects of my team when Nishigandha, Khushboo were having fun and in spite of this, being given lesser marks on my appraisal, I never left this company. Such a misplaced sense of loyalty I had!"
"What would you do now?" Malhar's voice was unaffected. It hurt so much.
"I know you'll make sure I'm blacklisted by every company in the software industry, so I'll go back to Aurangabad, and then I don't know..." It was so difficult for me to not break down.
"And Malharji?" Kalyani said, standing up, "Since this is the last time, I would ever see you, I just want you to know I'm sorry for everything. You didn't deserve it...what Atharv and Deepak did, what I did, what everyone did to you at school. But you've made something of yourself, Malharji. I'm so proud of you."
Malhar got up and hugged her. It felt so good. It was something Kalyani wanted so much since the first time she laid her eyes on him ten years ago, and now when they were finally so close, it was their last time seeing each other.
As Kalyani was going back to my cubicle, she collided with Atharv but I didn't have an energy left to talk to him.
Kalyani marched towards Nishigandha and flung a copy of her resignation on her face, "You know what, Nishigandha, you are the worst boss I could ever have," and Kalyani picked up the imported vase on her desk her husband had gifted on their first anniversary and dropped it to the floor. It broke into pieces and Kalyani felt a little better.
Kalyani picked up her things but her bag was so overstuffed that its zip could not be closed. There was a commotion in the amphitheatre. Blinking away her tears, Kalyani was leaving when she heard her voice coming out of the projector, "Do you know the Sun baby was evil?"
It was the same club where she was yesterday talking to Simran. She was wearing the same dress as yesterday. She was talking with Simran, when Atharv stealthily took her phone from her wallet kept on the table and inserted an SD card.
"And this was the SD card, where all confidential documents were stored by Mr. Atharv Bapat," Malhar announced.
"This is lie," Atharv was furious and charged towards the projector, "I picked up Kalyani's phone when she flung it at Malhar and then I replaced her phone with a broken phone. And I didn't transfer the leaked documents to her phone using SD card, I used a USB cable for it."
Kalyani was open-mouthed at the drama unfolding before her.
"Atharv! Atharv! Atharv," Malhar put his hand across Atharv's shoulder, "Such a great project head you are, and yet you cannot differentiate between a morphed video and your real self. Ah! Such a sorry state your company is in, Dia," and looking at Dia, he said, "Now what you were saying? That jail is the apt punishment for insider trading. I believe you won't change your opinion just because the culprit belongs to your company."
Kalyani ran after Malhar and said, "Thank You, Malharji. Thank you so much!"
Malhar just nodded.
When Kalyani reached hostel, she sent a thank you message to Malhar with a question- You remembered everything I said yesterday?
His message came after 50safter fifty seconds: As if that creepy Sun baby would let me forget.
Kalyani wrote: I love you Malharji. I love you from the first time I saw you.
His reply: I love you too, Kallu. Though it was not love at first sight for me, but I didn't realise when I started loving you.
Kalyani wrote: So...
So???
Kalyani wrote: Your birthday surprise is still waiting for you.
Malhar: Arey! Kallu madam party de rahi hain! Unhe lootne ka mauka thodi chorunga main.Come outside.
Kalyani: What? You're standing outside?
Kalyani ran out of her hostel premises. Malhar was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans. He lifted her up.
"I love you," they both said together.
So this is the the end of the story. Tell me how you felt after reading this story? Tell me everything that's good, bad, anything. I am waiting for your feedback.