Girl Friday

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12

Arav

From the moment she walked into the studio in the morning, I know something was wrong. By now, I am quite aware of the mood swings of my assistant. When she is extremely silent, then she is upset, if she is over chatty then she is nervous (which is often though), if she is cribbing and talking to herself she is sad and if she is snappy, like now, then she is angry.

“Anjali.” I called. She didn’t reply anything but just looked at me waiting for me to talk.

“Did you read the proposal? “ I asked. I was a bit unsure if it was okay to talk to her about business now, but then what else was I to ask her?

“What proposal?”

“The one Maya...

“Maya?” she almost shouted the name before I could complete the sentence.

“Yes.”

“Now, I am sure all you care about would be Maya.” She said turning her attention to Laptop. “I am not free for your stupid proposals. I have lots of work. I cannot keep reading everything send to me.”

Isn’t her job to read everything sent to her and make sure business aspect of my art is stable? But, no way am I going to point that out to her now. Madam is extremely crazy today. By the way, what is it about calling Maya ‘your’ Maya? Is Anjali angry with me for leaving her behind in Goa?

“Is it about Goa?” I asked

“What? Why?” she asked looking at me with a strange expression. “Why do you think that I will be angry on you for leaving me in Goa alone? You are not my babysitter.”

“I didn’t say anything, Anjali. You are only saying this.”

She looked straight into my eyes and glared at me. God! What made her so angry now?

“I know why you are eating my head now. You want me to read ‘your’ Maya’s business proposal right? Well, Okay. I will do it. “ she said lifting her laptop and walking towards the door mumbling. “As if he will not work with her if I say so.”

I kept looking at the crazy girl bemused when she stopped near the door and turned to look at me. “This is my cabin. Why should I go out? You go out.” She said

“When did I ask you to go out? “ I asked

“Now I think the day when you will ask me to go out is not far.” She said

What is wrong with this girl?

“Now, go out and doodle with colours and brushes. I have serious work here. Not all of us get paid for playing with colours.”

Who orders their boss to get out? Anyone who is not Anjali Sharma will not do that. And also anyone who is not Arav Malhotra will not let his personal assistant rule over them.

Next five hours, I spent painting exotic fruits themed painting for a Tea Lounge of a Five Star Hotel. Anjali more or less avoided me. She even refused to share her favourite risotto with me that my mom sent for our lunch, instead she kept munching on unhealthy vada pav glaring at me.

“Anjali, it is delicious.” I said plopping food in my mouth

“So?” she asked gruffly with a scowl.

“Do you want?” I asked

“Why would I want?”

“Because, it is your favourite.”

“So?”

Okay, don’t talk to her. Angry Anjali is dangerous. If I have to keep my respect intact, I should shut my mouth and mind my work.

It was already four in the evening and I was lounging in the small sit out in the back of the studio sipping my coffee, when Anjali marched towards me holding few papers.

“Is this what you want to do with her?” she asked visibly angry

“What?”

She placed the papers on the tea table and sat on the chair opposite mine.

“You want to open an art gallery in association with her, paint only what she demands, give royalty of all your works to her, give fifty percent of profit to her.”

“Anjali, what are you talking about?”

“This is what Maya’s so called business proposal says.” She said

“I have no clue about it, Anjali. I swear I didn’t read even a line of that. It is your work, remember?”

“Why would she even propose something like this unless she was sure you will blindly sign anything with her?”

“How would I even know what she was thinking?”

“Of course, you would know, after all you both have a history. She was even trying to rekindle something with you.”

“What?” I asked bemused. “What are you talking about?”

“This is exactly what she said to me. I am sure profit or loss doesn’t matter to you with her. Who is she? Your old love?”

“Who puts these ideas into your head, Anjali?”

“I know everything. She said you even painted with her as your muse. Is she your inspiration?”

This girl is insane. Why is she accusing me of things that even I am unaware of? Every piece of twisted truth she believes. I took a deep breath and looked at her.

“First of all she is or was not my love. Yes, we dated for a couple of months, but that was in high school. It is no big deal. I did paint or rather sketch her when I was in tenth standard for an Inter school drawing competition. It is not what you think.” I said

“Then why did you leave me alone in Goa to go with her?”

Ah! There the truth is out. I was right. It all started in Goa. Indirectly, now madam accepted that she is jealous. Oh!! Wait a minute, why would Anjali be jealous? There is nothing between us. Why should it bother her if I spend time with Maya or any other girl? Anyways, she was planning to stay back a day to be with her brother. So, it shouldn’t bother her, but why is it bothering her, now?

“See, you don’t have an answer.” She chided

“I told you we both were going to meet an old friend. He left to Australia last night, so Maya and I had lunch with him yesterday reminiscing old time. He is a school friend. I lost contact with him, so when Maya told that he was in town, I thought why not catch up with an old friend. It can be kind of reunion for the three of us.”

God! Why am I explaining so much to her?

“But still you abandoned...

“Don’t say that word. It is not like I left you in the middle of the forest. You were with your brother.”

“What if Rishu wasn’t there?”

“Then I wouldn’t have left you alone. I am not careless to ‘abandon’ my girl.” I said hooking my fingers

“What did you say?”

Damn! Did I just say my girl? What is wrong with me? I forget that mouth has filter like certain someone. Being with Anjali is influencing me in a bad way I guess.

“I meant I am a chivalrous man and I wouldn’t desert ANY girl like that.” I said

She was in deep thoughts. Good thing. Hope this angry Anjali is gone replacing her with sweet Anjali. Sweet Anjali??? Really Arav! Stop being so cheesy.

“I ..” Anjali was about to say something but was interrupted by the ringing of my phone. We both looked at my phone placed on the stand to see Maya’s name flashing. Great! I looked at Anjali, who pouted angrily at me before walking away. Not again. I picked the call deciding to deal with one girl at a time.