Girl Friday

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6

Anjali

Stupid, i***t, absurd, fool and every synonyms of all these word suits. Seriously! What was I even thinking? First I defend my boss’ looks to himself as if I am talking about someone else and then he asks me reason for my old slip of tongue for which even I don’t know the reason. Why did I say that?

When he called himself an average and spoke less self assured, I felt the need to tell him that he is not giving himself enough credits. But, damn he is not a school child who needs pep talks. This is my worst foot in the mouth moment. Where is my presence of mind cell when I need it the most?

I looked at my boss as if I have seen a ghost above my head with spoon with food inside my mouth and my hand holding it. I know I should withdraw the spoon to stop looking like an i***t, but my mind is occupied elsewhere.

“Anjali...” he called, probably panicked by my wired behaviour. “Are you okay?”

I nodded a no, then yes and again a no with spoon still stuck in my mouth.

He narrowed his eyes at me trying to analyze what was going in my mind and I imitated the look of his eyes trying to wave off questioning arrows that he kept throwing my ways.

I noticed a waiter passing by giving me a strange look with wide eyes and gestured another waiter to look at me. Yeah, now I am the joker here, ain’t I? I guess that I am minutes away from being clicked and become a template for memes next morning. That thought immediately made me withdraw the spoon from my mouth and I gulped food without even swallowing it. Arav sat back with a sigh relief looking at me getting back to normalcy.

“Mad woman!” he mumbled. “What is wrong with you?” he asked in low whisper.

“How am I supposed to react after you ask me such an awkward question?” I asked leaning forward

“Awkward question? Really? And what you calling me, is that not awkward for me?” he asked

Good point.

“But, that is a compliment.” Yes, Anjali just blurt out things like that without thinking. Not at all contributing at making things more surreal. Note the sarcasm.

Boss looked at me as if I am a hopeless adult refusing to believe tooth fairy doesn’t exist.

“Care to explain how that is a compliment?” he asked

“Well...” I said trying to sound casually. “It means women would kill to spend time with you even if it is just for a single night.” I completed the sentence. I was not sure what I meant, frankly.

I looked at my boss throwing back his head and laughing like I have cracked the biggest joke of the decade. Never have I ever seen him laugh carelessly like this in all these months I have worked with him. Am I that funny?

“Anjali...” he muttered between laughter. “You are one unique piece, okay? You should be kept in a museum and people should be charged to look at you.”

Compliment, Yes!! I am too good. For a minute even I was apprehensive about how awesome I am. But. then how can I forget God has given all good looks and good brain to me, one and only, Anjali Sharma. Now, I made even the king of grumpiness laugh like that and earned a compliment. Apart from a budding artist, I think I can also qualify to be a budding stand up comedian. Ain’t, I witty? Totally going to create a youtube channel for myself now.

Few minutes left before we call it a day was uneventful, thankfully. My boss did laugh at me in a ‘You are too funny’ way occasionally but I decided to ignore considering that Grumpy Malhotra has started to learn laughing only now.

“Left and then a right.” I instructed. My boss decided to drop me at home and I was only glad that he didn’t leave me at the restaurant to find Uber for myself.

“I know, this is not the first time I am dropping you.” He said shaking his head

Back to being rude now, are we? Ungrateful man. I made him laugh and he is showing attitude to me.

“Thank you, boss.” I said with a smile as we both stood in front of his car.

He shrugged as if it is not a big deal and I decided to go home before I end up commenting anything on his attitude. As soon as I turned to leave, I heard a loud cuss word from my boss making me spin immediately.

“s**t!!” I swore followed by laughter as I saw Mrs.Shinde from third floor has again emptied the garbage on the road and, unfortunately for my boss, some not so decent crap fell on his shoulder soiling his shirt.

“What the hell, Anjali?” he shouted

“Boss, now I am not responsible for this.” I said trying hard to control my laughter.

He cursed again looking at his dirty shirt. “Do something!” he swore again

I, being the kind hearted soul that I am, took him to my small flat and let him use my washroom.

“I will get a T-shirt for you.” I said handing him a towel before he went inside washroom

“I will not wear your girly clothes, Anjali. Call my driver and ask him to bring my shirt.” He shouted from inside the washroom

“Boss, they are not girly. I have unisex T-shirt, okay?” I said as I picked the double my size black T-shirt I bought to use as a sleepwear.

“Here, I have this bl...” my words were caught in my throat as I saw my boss standing out of my washroom shirtless with a white towel tossed over his shoulder.

Damn! He is hotter than I imagined and his body is definitely not as lanky as I thought it would be. This man had abs, well very hot one at that. Why hide all this in ridiculously outdated full arm shirts?

“Anjali, T-Shirt.” He asked casually but the smirk in his lips told me that he was aware that I was gawking at him.

“Huh!” I asked still in trance making him chuckle and my boss moved towards me in deliberately slow strides.

No, don’t take a step backward for the every step he takes forward, I warned my mind. That is very cliché. But, it was as if my legs had mind of their own as they did exactly what I asked them not to do. Within a couple of strides, I was trapped between him and my cupboard.

“Anjali...” he called huskily making the blood vessels in my body quicken. I could feel heat radiate from my body as he placed his one hand over my head and leaned forward.

“Arav..” I whispered inadvertently as his face was dangerously close to my face. “What are you doing?”

“One night stand material, aint I?” he asked with a slow sexy drawl. “Women would kill even for one single night, right?” he whispered huskily as he moved closer. “Isn’t, Anjali?”

Closer than I have ever had any man or for that matter even a woman to me. Just a hairline distance and his lips would be touching mine. And by the looks of him I am sure he had no trouble crossing that distance.

“Boss, please...” I said in a plain tone moving my face away and turning to look the other side.

My intention was straight and he made no mistake in understanding it. He moved very far away from me in record time and effortlessly tossed that black T-Shirt over him. Wordlessly he dashed out of my home.