Shades of Life

Alok

4 Months Later:

Past few months have been so windy that they just flew by, it was great though. Work life was sorted, we worked on a daily basis and when I came home I would brush up my java skills. On consecutive days, I would spend time with Archie whenever Varun would bring him out for a walk. Though he has invited me so many times, I haven’t dared to enter his fortress of solitude.

It’s not that I hate him or anything, it’s just that he is my boss. Not to forget, a CEO and a billionaire. What Aarav said about me and Varun made me uneasy but then totally discarded that idea, I’m a common girl and he probably has models and actresses falling at his feet. I guess he has been friendly with me because I was hurt by his words.

To be frank, talking to him is pleasant. We don’t talk about our personal problems but just about our lives, work and the knowledge we have about various things. I got to know he reads so I suggested him some books of romance genre but he laughed and said the only books he reads are about business.

I called him a boring person and I’m still not fired.

So, I guess we are in good terms.

The another best thing about these few months is, I frequently visited Sarah to read books in the library or to each some snacks so that’s when Sarah introduced me to her brother, Alok. I was really intimidated to meet him cause oh my god, he is gorgeous but after talking to him for 10 minutes I was thoroughly convinced that he was a fun loving guy. He was very passionate about baking which is his profession. He actually worked in one of the best 7 star hotels in Bangalore but then when Rose started this café, he left his job and joined here to help his mom. When I heard this story from Sarah, I literally swooned. He was dreamy af.

He gives me a big blown smile whenever I visit the café which is mostly on weekends and sometimes if he is free, he comes and sit with me to talk to me.

Yeah, he is that sweet.

We actually became close friends in these past months, I have gone out with him and Sarah. So, it’s okay to say that I have few good friends in Bangalore just like in Mumbai.

It’s Saturday today and I came to café to read some nice light romance book. Past week was very hectic when compared to work, we had to make a lot of changes in the code and testing was done continuously. So, I want to spend the whole weekend immersed in some virtual world and find some peace. It was my kind of escape.

“Hey” Sarah greeted me with a small hug.

“Hey” I replied hugging her back. I saw Rose and Alok at the cash counter.

“Oh, Rose is here today” I said nodding towards the counter. In the past few weeks I have met Rose here few times. She loves this café but also she loves taking care of Varun and now Archie. That little puppy is a grown up dog now.

“Yeah, she visits in the afternoon more since Varun won’t be at home” Sarah said walking towards the counter, I walked beside her.

“That’s right, the only times I have seen her is during the afternoon” I exclaimed remembering the times I have met her and it was in the afternoon every single time. Usually, I come to café in the afternoon on Saturdays.

“Hey Akshara” Rose greeted when she saw me with a huge smile on her face. Now I get from where Alok gets his smile.

“Hey Rose” I greeted her back a quick smile.

“Look whose here, Ms. Not-a-sweet-kind-of-person” Alok said greeting me sarcastically. I rolled my eyes at him. He loves to tease me and I don’t mind it. They are all harmless like for now he called me ‘Ms. Not-a-sweet-kind-of-person’ because I don’t sweet much, I like spicy food more. Since he is a baker now, he takes offence when I tell him that I’m not interest in sweet food, not really but he just acts like he takes offence to tease me while he couldn’t care about it.

“Hello, Mr. who-calls-himself-a-chef-but-doesn’t-appreciate-my-great-dish” I said prolonging the words just to irritate him.

“Oh god, both of you are such dorks” Sarah exclaimed and walked away shaking her head.

He actually said that my kurkure dish was not an actual dish and it was boring, like how dare he?

We actually had a big argument but I think he likes to rile me up and that day resulted in all three of us in my apartment where I made my dish and I’m sure he loved it but didn’t show it not wanting to bruise his ego. Huh.

Poor Sarah got in between our banter but I can tell she liked our childishness. Later that day, all three of us spent time in my apartment watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S series which both of them love, I too enjoy it so why not.

“How is Archie Rose?” I asked turning towards her who was looking at us with a cute smile. She is so nummy-nummy just like Sheldon Cooper says.

“He is great, he has grown up so fast” She said pouting. She actually loved when Archie was still a puppy, even now she loves him just as much but she wants him still be young like parents want their kids to never grow up.

“Yeah, I haven’t seen him since past three days” I said in confusion. Usually Varun would bring him down for a walk, I would join them and we all three would go for a nice walk.

“Varun went to Dubai three days back and he will be back today, so you didn’t see Archie much. I want to take him for a walk but he is so hyper that he will drag me more than I him” She said laughing lightly to which I joined.

That’s true, he is so big and so hyper active that he literally drags me, only people with more strength can handle him.

“You can take him though” I told Alok who was placing the cupcakes in the glass boxes.

“Oh I hate animals, I can’t touch their furs and then make food” He said making an ugly face.

“Wow, you are a maniac” I said with a horror look.

“Stop being dramatic” He said rolling his eyes. Rose went to check on library and I too was about to go to the sitting area as I have brought my book today.

“Hey” He called me, I turned around and raised my eyebrows.

“Um, so there is this new 5 star hotel that opened few weeks back. My friend is the chef there he was asking me to go there to check his food so I was thinking about going tomorrow, do want to come with me?” He asked with a small smile.

I stood there biting my inner skin of my mouth contemplating.