Crave

Revealing his name

“You would like to apply for other jobs? Beta,” Anushka’s father said as she helped him sit on the bed, the pain in his back had him closing his eyes for a split second, trying too hard to hide the pain but failing miserably.

“They did say, they would contact but yes I will apply for a few more today,” She said handing him the medicines.

She bit her lip as she looked at the call log, she had to look after the bank people asking for EMIs and here, she did not have a job yet.

Even taking out 10 rupees was hard. Taking a deep breath she started searching for a few more suitable jobs as the face of the brown-eyed man came in front of her again.

‘f**k, I should have at least asked his name,’ she thought closing her eyes as her phone vibrated in her pocket, she pulled it hoping it was a call from STRAIGHTLINE but it was just another threatening message for making a payment to the credit card.

Gulping down the saliva, she wore her kurta and looked at her bicycle which she barely used after she learned to ride bikes.

“Pui,” she always called her father as pui, it was just a habit she developed over the years.

“Hmm? “

“Can I take my bicycle for going to college today, I will be fine attending college, this will not cost me money for travel,” She tried to explain her point of view.

“No, the road traffic is too risky, I already have your father bedridden, what if something happened to you as well, na baba, Emni jete dobo na, “ (I will not allow you to go like this,) Her mother said coming from the kitchen, her one hand rested on her aching belly.

She was not well for the last few years.

“Pui, at least think we will be able to save money for milk, you need it for recovery, please pursue your wife pretty please,” She whispered, the helplessness in her voice so clear that he was forced to think about it.

“Okay but you will be very careful and rash cycling,” He asked for the promise.

“Promise,” she said hugging her father slowly taking care not to hurt his back fracture.

“Nonu, go bath now,” her mother said before she picked up her clothes and went to the washroom.

..

Touching her mother’s feet as she always did, Anushka started peddling, her mother was still standing at the door of their house, her eyes worried but with trust in them, she let her go to college like that.

Cycling halfway to the way of college, she received her father’s call.

“Yes, pui,” she said taking deep breaths to calm her raging heart down.

“STRAIGHTLINE people called for you and asked you to arrive by 11,” He said, his voice had hope, perhaps this time his daughter would be selected for the job.

“Thank you, Jesus, I will reach on time, pui,” she said with enthusiasm.

“You know the way right?” he asked remembering how bad her sense of direction was.

“I will figure it out with maps,” She said happily. With that, she hung up the call before cycling her way to the rest of the 3 Km to her college.

When she reached the gate of the building the guard who knew her by face looked at her cycle. “Trying to stay fit with a bicycle?” now I don’t know if that was sarcastic or not, seriously.

“Umm... Yes, want to lose weight now uncle,” she said before moving to her class, she was dressed nicely with a red thread sweater under the black Anarkali with a matching pair of sandals she wore. Putting up with 2 classes, she left the place after having maps guiding her for directions.

As expected she arrived on time, she was 20 minutes early to the time, and they needed her to be there.

Calling her parents once again, she informed them she reached before walking inside the place.

“Hello, I was called to arrive at 12 for the second round,” She said to the lady whose name she listened to the last time as Preeti.

“Okay, please wait for a few minutes,” again she was directed to sit on the sofa, which more felt like a test of her patience.

Still she had to sit.

Biting her lip once again she glanced around as she was called a few minutes later, this time when she walked into the same cabin, there was yet another person sitting. She could not pinpoint his age because of his heavy body but with the hair, she could say he was somewhere around 29 perhaps.

And then her eyes met his again, the same brown stealing her breath again.

‘Nope, don’t go down that line, Maya,’ yes she had named her inner self as Maya.

“Good morning sir,” she greeted as they gestured her to sit.

“So you were at your college?” The brown-eyed asked as she nodded.

“yes, there was an important test so I had to be there, when I got to know about being called here for the second round, I left the remaining classes for today,” she answered, perhaps even too honestly.

The look in both of their eyes screamed judgment, she understood they were having a silent conversation about her but she kept quiet.

At least she had tried her best truthfully.

“Okay so, we have shortlisted you for the job, Anushka but there is something I would like to clarify, “She tried her best not to be so relaxed and calm as his words, but now she had a job.

“You would have to take care of the roles for editing and recording as well,” He tried to sound confident but no he was not confident enough.

In any other situation, she would not have said yes but she was desperate, “No problem, “she accepted that with a smile.

“From when should I join in?” She questioned him as his eyes went to the other person in the room.

“Well… it’s the 2nd of this month, why not make a few recordings and stay for half a day then you can go home?” That was a question.

“Sure,” she was more than happy to work.

“Ok, Dinesh sir, I shall be leaving,” The other guy said to him before I could process anything.

‘Dinesh…’ she whispered the name in her mind as her eyes bore into his. Her gaze held something that scared both of them, the starting it was… just the name was revealed.

“Ask them to give you papers and you can use the cabin adjacent to this one,” Dinesh said pointing at the glass door other side, thank f**k he won’t be able to see me.

“Okay,” Now that she was given a task, she was going to try her best to provide him with results.

After what seemed like an hour or so, she came out with 7 scripts, “Umm is it lunchtime?” She asked the two ladies, one of them was Preeti, “Umm… yeah, we wanted to take our lunch, you need anything?” Preeti asked her. As she nodded.

“I was done with the scripts so… I needed to show these to Dinesh sir,” Damn his name on her lips felt so good yet so foreign.

“7 scripts, wow…” Preeti commented as she took another bite of her food, Anushka did felt hungry but did not say anything.

“He is outside… wait for a few minutes,” She said and went back to eating her food. Given the awkward position, she walked back to the cabin and waited for another 5 minutes before she heard him coming back to his cabin and settling down.

Anushka Presented him with a few scripts, his heavy gaze was on her entire time as she tried to mimic the character she had portrayed on the paper.

“Why don’t we present it this way?” He said and gave a few suggestions.

“Wow that sounds better, “She said impressed.

After a few more minutes of discussion he asked her to give it a record, Obliging with the request she presented it according, when it came to work she was the most serious one.

“Perfect, now go ahead with the editing on this one and after that, you may conclude your day,” Dinesh commented as she nodded and went ahead with the editing on the audio clip. And sent it to him.

“Send it to Abbhin’s number as well…” Dinesh said once he reviewed the information.

“Sorry, who?” Anushka asked.

“The guy who was in office with me, he is kind of the owner of this place, “he mentioned.

“Oh okay,” Without any other thought, she finished her work as he sat in front of her on one of the chairs for clients.

His gaze made her slightly nervous as she picked up her bag which she got along with her.

“Good Afternoon,” she said and looked at the clock which read quarter to 3. “Sir,” she added teasingly. If he could guess the slightest hint, then it was a one percent flirt maybe.

Her heart ached to turn around to take a look at him but she did not, no it was too soon to turn around and look at something perhaps that could never be hers.