Our Story

Chapter 5

I continued the same thing, that was just to look and admire her pretty face from afar. And all I knew about her was that she is shy and beautiful. That's it.

Talking to her was very far for me, I hadn’t ever heard her, had never been close to her. I didn't even know her name, where she lives, where she goes everyday… nothing at all. I didn't know but I wanted to know everything about her.

And then almost after fifteen days, Lord gave me the chance to get to know her. That day I heard a bit about her.

The day when they all were celebrating that laut's birthday. I saw nothing else but 'May you live more' written on the cake that those two men bought for him. He was the attraction of that day, it seemed everyone was talking about him.

I was as usual, sitting on my seat, wearing headphones and behaving like I didn't care what was happening around me. But, I was jealous of him.

I was the only one for me, so I started talking to myself. "That laut has even good friends too. Huh ! And I had 'Max’.. who hardly knows my birthday."

Then I questioned myself, "This laut has everything and I am.. I am alone. Even the girl I liked the most is sitting beside him. What the hell did I done wrong ?"

I was totally busy cursing myself until one of Laut's friends came and sat next to the man sitting beside me and he gained all my attention. The man's face looked familiar, but I can't remember where I saw him.

I slouched myself, quietly shifted close to the man beside me and kept my sharp ear on their conversation.

I heard Laut's friend mumbing, "We are celebrating his last few days, who knows when his time will be over."

Me and that man beside me got confused and he asked, "What? What happened to him ?"

Laut's friend replied, "He had cancer. The doctor said he only has two years left but today it's been three years since that announcement. And today we are celebrating it to thank God. He is depressed and we just want him to be happy in his last time, that's all we can do for him."

That man again said, "My condolences. So, where are you all going ?"

"Me and my friend are going to our workplace but he is going for a support group meeting and she is for training. His treatment is ongoing in the same hospital where she is training." Laut's friend replied.

That man again said , "Ahh ! It must be a hard time for both."

"Hm ! In his last days he wants to be always with his daughter, she is a strong kid ." Laut's friend replied.

He asked, "She wants to be an Oncologist ?"

"Yeah! Al's little kid is doing every possible thing that could be done." Laut's friend replied again.

It was true that I didn't like that laut, but I had no idea that he was in this kind of problem. Not only him but she too, her father would leave her. And she was always trying for him. I could understand her pain, as Uncle Paul was just like my father whom I lost. But I took myself away from him in his last moments instead of being there with him.

I have always seen her smiling. She never let anyone know that she was in any kind of misery. And I was used to getting upset in every little trouble, how courageous she was. Indeed! I was so different or opposite from her. Even though they were praising her and I was hearing about her, I felt a strange kind of happiness as if they were praising me. I started to like her more at that very moment and thought, "How different is she from me, I wish I was like her. I wish to act like her." And glanced at her again.

She was resting her head on her dad's shoulder and her arms were around his. They both were looking adorable together, I eventually smiled looking at them. He didn't seem like a lout at that time but a king with his little princess.

I was lost in them but then her sixth sense worked, telling her that someone was staring at her and she glanced at me with a slight smile.

She made me confused, "Is she smiling at me ?" And I turned to my left and then to my right, to check if she was looking at someone else beside me and again looked back at her.

But then her eyes weren't on me. I thought maybe it was my misconception and that was also usual for me. That used to happen to me often, after my mom left.

So, nevermind.

Laut's friend addressed her as Al's kid. I thought, "this is the right time to ask his friend for her name."

I leaned forward slightly to interact with his friend as he was sitting beside the man next to me. I was about to ask but before that I darted at laut to make sure he wasn't looking at me and Holy s**t!! He was staring at me as usual.

I couldn't even see his daughter that much, as much as he used to stare at me. I started to have a bit of sympathy for him, which was then dead in a matter of seconds. For me he was hostile and would always be. No matter what happens.

Decently, I restrained myself to ask him anything as he was calling him Al and he sounded like he was his close friend.

It was clear by laut's expression that if I want myself safe, I should not ask his friend anything. And I easily lost that chance given by the Lord. I couldn't know more about her, not that day either.

My Boss was right. I really was a sluggish employee.

On the same day, back to my busy life, there was another meeting in my office.

Some days before that day, there was a group discussion about the design of our website.

I was always devoted to my work but because of lack of confidence, I never dared to share my point directly. Therefore, in the last meeting, I had given my suggestion indirectly.

That day Boss disagreed with my suggestion, saying "It's all bullshit, you go to your cubicle and sleep. Do the things you are good at. You're just disturbing us."

Such a churlish he was.

If he had a problem with my concept then he could just refuse my concept and suggestion but no. He disrespected my soul, my mind, my experience, my ego, the whole me.

I know I am overreacting... but.. why did he used to do that? Sighs.. Anyway, I couldn't help that.

So, That day when he was displaying the final design, all the bullshit was my suggestion.

My mouth was wide open and I could only stare at him and appreciate him, so I did the same.

All my co-employees started staring at me, they all knew it was my concept and idea.

But my boss winked at me saying, "You must be thinking this was your idea, but using your idea is my idea after all."

Great! Another cow slave joke cracked by him and my co-employees laughed at me as I was the dumbest to share my concept with him.

I wanted nothing, just needed at least a little praise for my work. But I could not. He was THE BOSS after all!!

He never forgets to remind us that he is THE BOSS. Even if we drink coffee in the side cafe, there is a mug printed 'THE BOSS' on it ,with a mustache, which reminds us again, ‘HE IS THE BOSS.'

Often whenever THE BOSS does that to me, I would always take the help of social media to get out of my frustration but it didn't happen that day.

The girl overtook my mind. I was thinking over again about her and her dad and the cancer. How can she hide all her sorrows from everyone behind a beautiful smile? And how could I get upset over just a little taunt by my boss. I am not satisfied with my life at all, but she always enjoys every moment. She became my little inspiration that day.