Ananya's POV
I'm sitting on the river bank watching the beautiful scenery. The water in the river reflects the orange color of the sky. The flowers bloom amazingly, the grass surface is smooth in my legs. The view is simply breathtaking when the sun rises.
Someone is moving towards me from along the side of the river bank. But due to the glaring of the sun I wasn't able to see him clearly. Slowly he is coming towards me now I am able to see his face. He is a boy who is 11 years old and looks handsome. He is smiling brightly. But he is passing over me and goes to the person behind me. Now I only saw that there are two other people than me.
I see the glimpse of people in the river. There stood an eleven years old girl looking directly at me then she saw that boy and the boy looking at the girl lovingly.
He is calling the girl with his sweet voice, " Ananya". She is smiling shyly.
"Ananya"
"Ananya" he shouted.
Suddenly I woke up from my dreamland. There stood my mom glaring at me.
" How many times I called your name but you're sleeping like a kumbakarna". I got up it's 8 o'clock. "You should get ready for the office. Now get up and go to the washroom" my mom shouted at me.
"She is twenty six years old, now also I'm the one waking her up and doing the chores. I don't know what she will do in her in-laws house." my mom mumbled and folded my bed sheet.
I ran to the washroom. I used to have the same dream nowadays. The 11 years old boy is Arjun. My huge crush from childhood days and the little girl is obviously me. We used to study in the same classes.
'Now is not the time to think about him, you have to get ready Annu. You have Office' I said to myself and got showered and dressed in red tops and black jeans.
When I went to the kitchen, the aroma of vegetable curry and puri made me impatient. I took my plate hastily and filled it with four puri with curry.
" Already 79 kg and now eating a heavy breakfast" my brother Varun commented with bending each elbows to imitate the fatty shape. He got a smack on his head suddenly. The credit belongs to my dad who loves me more.
Varun whined "Amma". My mom became a Mumma bear and lashed at my dad. " Varun said correctly if her weight goes on increasing then who will marry her" my mom shouted. Dad didn't say anything. He is always submitting towards my mom. They love each other.
I pouted at them. But I ate silently with extra two puris. Who cares, breakfast is too delicious to think about dieting.
My dad is working as a manager in the textile industry. My sweet mom is a housewife and my little bro who is three years younger than me is such a fitness freak. He is doing MBA in a reputed college. He has a huge friends gang which has mostly girls.
After I finished my breakfast, I said bye to them and went to the office in scooty.
I met my best friend, Shalini. She is two years younger than me. I met her on my interview day when I collided with her. After saying sorry we greet each other. We clicked on the first day itself. She is too foodie like me but she has a beautiful face and curves unlike me. We both are working in the same department.
"Hey Anu darling, as usual you are late. Come soon we have a meeting with that khadoos boss." she said.
"Ok baby come, if we are late by a second then he will lecture about time management for an hour" I told her. We are working as interior designers in a reputed firm. The firm started a few years back but became one of the best interiors.
We entered the lift and pressed the 13th floor. Due to the morning hour the lift is full with employees and Shalu and I are forced back to the corner of the lift. After 3 minutes, which seems like an hour, we reached our floor.
"I hate it there are thirteen floors and 500 employees working but they have only 2 lifts". Shalu said.
I also think the same whenever I use the lift. We reached the door of our department head. You heard it correctly, the department head only. But that monster asked us to call him Boss.
We reached his cabin and greeted him " hello boss...".
He looked at the time and said " on time". I want to smack him. He asked us to sit down. He gave the details of a building which we should design and said that me and Shalu should visit Ramanathan industries regarding this project and that idiot says that the appointment is 11o'clock today. It was already 10:30 AM, he wasted a lot of time.
Ramanathan Industries is 30 minutes from here but due to traffic it will take 40 minutes for us to go there. Shalu and I go there by my scooty, because her scooty is in service because of some 'psycho' her words, not mine. She is cursing that idiotic boss for his irresponsibility and that monster's lecture about time management.
We reached sharply at 11:10 and asked the receptionist about Mr. Ramanathan's floor. She said he is on the 15th floor. We reached the lift breathing heavily. After exiting it we went to the receptionist there and asked for him.
"He is waiting for your team, follow me". Then we moved in with her and knocked on the door.
We heard a voice " come in."
Shalu entered first before me. His chair is facing away from us. I introduced us to him.
"You guys are 15 minutes late." his voice was cold.
Then he faced us. My brows furrowed, do I know him?. I have seen him before, but nothing strikes my mind. I see the name plate below. It denotes 'Mr. Shakti Ramanathan, CEO'. My face brightened for a second. He is Shakti. Shakti Ramanathan, ohh how I missed this. Shakti was his best friend back in school days. His face changed from boyish charm to handsome.
But he is looking at Shalu no glaring at her and she is murdering him with her eyes. Do these two people know each other?
"So, Ms. Stupid is here to meet me. Am I dreaming?" he said with a smirk.
My question is answered.
They both glare at each other like they are enemies. Shalu's face looks like she wants to smack him with the laptop, which is lying on the table.
" Mr. Fli..." Shalu is about to say something as a comeback. But I interrupted her. I don't want any drama now. Shalu is always exaggerating and speaking without minding the consequence, it will affect her career.
"Hello Mr. Ramanathan sorry for the delay." I said humbly but louder enough for both of them to come from their own world. Both saw my face simultaneously. "We are from Sharadha interiors. Our Department Head, Mr.Subramaniam assigned us for the interior designs for your new construction building. My name is Ananya and she is Shalini." I introduced us to him. I didn't mention that I know him before, because the first point is we knew each other back in school days only, it's not possible for him to remember me. Second point is we are just classmates. We were acquaintances back then.
"Sit down ladies, don't be late again. I hate unprofessionalism." he said to us but eyes only on Shalu.
"We apologise for that Sir, Can we discuss the interior design project?". I asked.
"I'm going to start a new resort in ECR. The construction work is going on and it will be finished in 1 month. I want you people to design its interior in a modern way with some traditional touches in it." he said.
"Shall we get the architectural drawings of the resort and when should we show our designs?" I asked.
"15 days from now the architectural designs will be sent through mail," he said. Then for a half an hour we discussed the details of the project. Shalu is silently listening to us.
Then only Shakti moved his face to me, his face held a confusion in it.
"Did we know each other? Your face looks somewhat familiar." he asked me. He remembered me.
"Yes, I'm Ananya, your classmate in high school. It's nice meeting you Shakti after a long time" I said to him and smiled. I'm glad I revealed it to him.
He blinked and thinked for a minute. "I can't believe it. The world is so small. How are you?" he asked me.
"I'm fine. Do you kn..." before I finished that idiot Shalu interrupted me.
"Shall we go, Annu?" she asked. What Annu now only you saw him after years. You want to know about HIM. You are bad Annu. I thank Shalu in my mind. Or if I was not interrupted I'll ask him if he knows any other friends from our school. Then he may say about Him. Uh..... What Annu.
After glaring at her Shakti agreed and we were ready to go. But I want to know about Him. Shall I get Shakti number and ask about Him later. There is a small dilemma in my mind.
" Ananya, can you give your number? I want to catch up with you" he asked.
"Sure" then we exchanged numbers. Shalu and I left the cabin and used the restroom on that floor and moved to the parking area.
" I can't believe it. That psycho owned this company. And we are working under that moron." She is cursing him.
"How do you know him?" She asked.
" I was his classmate in high school" I replied simply.
"Are you both friends back then?"
"No, Just classmates." I replied to her.
I'm searching for my bike key. Then only I remembered I left it in the restroom. I asked Shalu to wait for me in the parking lot and move to the lift again.
When the lift is about to close it opens suddenly and someone enters. He stands opposite to me. There is no one other than us in the lift. When I lifted my head to see his face I was totally stunned by the handsome face. I froze in my place because I'm seeing this face after 11 years. He is just like I imagined, but looks more manly. Oh my God, I can't believe my own eyes. Maybe I'm imagining things. I pinched my inner hand. It's painful, which means it's not a dream.
It's Him. He is none other than Arjun.
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