With you Forever

CHAPTER:- 8

Ishita's Pov

"Walk by my side." Aahan said and walked beside me. I felt protected. This little care from him made me feel happy for a while.

From my childhood, I had only seen my near ones faking love. Even I realized i was a pawn to be used for my father to get second marriage. And in my adulthood when maturity hit me, I realised that fakeness was an integral part of humans. They hid their real faces under these fake masks. Fakeness is the weapon in this world to win trust, to get things done, and the core of betrayal.

And I learned to trust no one.

I fought with all my problems alone. I smiled alone, I cried alone. I never got any person as of me to share my thoughts, to smile together, or a shoulder to rest on in my sorrows.

But with all these, the inner me had always craved to be loved. Though i understand everything with maturity the difference between love and hate, the difference between real and fake, but i find myself in need of love. The love that someone who will give me for the real me without any Fakeness. Yet, I ignored the need. Because for me love means forever, which is far from this selfish world. And I don't need anything or anyone as mine, if its not forever.

I looked at Aahan again. He was silently walking along the street. He was not uttering any words or even look at me. What happened to this chatterbox?

I gazed him carefully. And his hands were tightened in a fist. I saw the sweatbeads on his forehead. Was he nervous!

Nevertheless, I didn't inquire more. As we reached near the office, we parted ways. He went to the auditorium, where the results were supposed to be announced.

I moved towards my cube and got busy with the new project. I had to complete the file, before Aditi would again come to taunt me with her not-so-sweet words.

"Walk by my side."

The sentence and the way Aahan said it was imprinted in my mind. I couldn't ignore the butterflies in my stomach. It was continuously dancing on my head, it was singing the sweetest song in my mind. It was my first time to experience such weird feelings. But it was not only his words, but his presence meant assurance.

"No. No, Ishita. Forget these stupid things. They will pass with this day." I reminded myself only. "But how shall the feelings pass if I will see Aahan here everyday!" My heart objected. "But, what's the guarantee that he will get the job today!" What if he gets rejected?

I thought it's better to suppress the feelings as of now only.

And the last thought only increased my restlessness.

Did Aahan get the job?

The question was not complicated. I could easily figure out its answer by just paying a sudden visit to the auditorium.

But what was troubling me at that moment was that why should I know the answer? Aahan is no one special, just like another new employee. Then why I am feeling like this?

I was confused and I had no answers. There was neither clarity nor a closure. I wanted to figure out what is actually going on in my head, I seemed to lose the battle. Frustration arose inside my head and I tightened my hold around the paper weight.

"Aahhhhh..." I shouted, and my hold tightened around that non-living object. Poor paperweight.

Thanks to the sound proof cubicle I had, nobody could hear my screams. I was free to scream, free to be afraid of and free to cry in the room, among these grey walls.

And I screamed as a maniac for the next four and half minutes. And then again I was back to by original form - calm and composed.

I opened the file and this time totally indulged myself among the words written over its pages.

Around an hour later, I stopped. My stomach growled. And I stood up and came out to go to canteen.

I was on my way, when I heard chaos.

The sound was coming from canteen. Everyone was laughing, maybe some sort of celebration going on.

I entered inside and my eyes fell on a lot of happy faces. So they all are celebrating, but what and for whom?

I neither asked nor anybody tried to tell me.

Well, I was not a party animal and probably every single employee here is aware of this fact. I prefer loneliness though and I enjoy that with my own company.

I made my words towards the counter and bought an sandwich. The laughters was 'increasing and I felt left out. Ahh... I always hate such chaos.

"Aunt! Please, pack it quickly. I need to leave." I requested the lady in her late forties. She managed the canteen here. With a smile she hurried up.

"That boy is so happy, you know. His eyes are literally shinning. Such a happy spirit he is!" Aunt said smilling all the while.

I couldn't help but only imagine Aahan when she said the words like 'shinning eyes' and 'happy spirit'.

"Focus, Ishita. There are thousands of people. All are happy. Not everyone is like you, thinking for thousand times before smiling once." My mind mocked.

Then I only thought again, "Aahan's eyes had shine how pretty his smile might be."

And the next moment I heard a loud laughter. For some reason, I was not irritated with the sound. The laughter suddenly sounded soothing to me.

"No, it can't be him." I told myself.

"Here is your order." Aunt handed me the sandwich.

I turned around and my eyes fell on the source of laughter. I gasped. It was Aahan only.

So he got the job. And on the first day itself he was partying. Rich spoiled brat!

Ahh... Ishita! Concentrate. These files need your concentration, not that stupid jerk, who judged your attires!

I focused myself completely into the files of the new project. Not that I was completely successfully. In between I got reminded with those familiar brown eyes and handsome feature. But before I could fall for him more deeply, I prepared a negative image about him. By the way I don't have the copyright of his negative image, as it was him, who by himself make the negative impression of himself.

I hate when people judge other people, that too on the base of their attire.

Alright. Let's forget about Aahan. Let him party here.

I thought and holding my sandwich, I moved out. Before i stepped out this canteen door, I made sure I have removed all this and i am fully focused on my project.

But As I entered inside my cubicle, I felt my breathing back again. Those parties and I never went on a wheel.

I sat on my chair and opened the wrapper of the sandwich. And started to take bit by bit. After all this, I had completely forgotten that i was hungry and it was my stomach that was suffering in this busy day. Just after finishing the sandwich I heard someone knocked on the door. I leaned my back on the chair for some seconds and then again sat straight.

"Come in." I said in a forced tone.

The door was opened at a sudden. I was baffled, when an overexcited Aahan ran inside with a bright smile in his face.

"Oh, Ishita. I was finding you everywhere. Thank God, I got you." I saw the glint in his eyes.

He was indeed searching for me, his sweating on forehead says it all.

"You are finding me. Why?" I asked.

"What do you mean by why? I got the job here and you are the only person with whom I had an interaction. In short you are my first office friend. So i must share this happy news with you. " He said, shrugging his shoulder.

I looked at him in shock. Friendship was so new to me. I never get along with anyone, not even as a friend. Everytime I found out the hidden agendas of my friends. No body befriended without any reason. Maybe Aahan had some other reasons. Being a new employee, he must planning to use me to gain success here. My mind had it's own assumptions.

"In the morning, you are insulting me. You said that you would never glance at me, who has no fashion sense at all. Now I am your friends. Wow! Such a sudden change of events." I sarcastically said and he gaped.

"Come on, Ishita. You can't just hold on to that incident." He said in irritation. I glared him. First of all, he said so many things to me and now when I am saying them back, he is again blaming me. As if feeling my glare, he again said, "I mean, look, I would be honest. It was you who talked rudely first."

And my anger calmed down, as I recalled the morning incident again. It was indeed me. "But that won't give you the right to comment on my fashion sense." I argued.

"Yeah, and I am sorry for that. Actually I was almost lost and when you caught me starring at you, I could not help but blabber whatever came to my mind." He confessed looking here and there.

My lips curved in a smile. He is such a child!

"Alright. Still after this justification, we are not friends. Now go out. I have works to do." I ordered. I could see him rolling his eyes.

"Well, you do work everyday. But today is not everyday, but a special day. Ask why?" He acted as a magician.

"Why?" I asked in a trance.

"Because Aahan Choudhry is here." He replied with a pound smirk.

"Oh really. As per my knowledge the Aahan Choudhry is going to work here from today. So why today only, why not you keep some speciality in reserve for tomorrow too?" I asked sarcastically.

"Because I don't believe in tomorrow. I enjoy the moment. And this moment is special. Take this as a start of an adventurous journey of yours with your friend - Aahan Choudhry." He said, while keeping the pizza box on my table and made himself comfortable on my chair.

I felt my stomach twisting, hearing his words. It was for the first time someone made me feel important. Someone who finds me to be a person in the smiles. Someone was asking me for an adventurous friendship.

All my life, I had witnessed people breaking their promises and abandoning their loved ones. But for some reason, Aahan was breaking the barriers around me. He was entering into my life and creating his own special corner. But I was not sure for how long he will stay by me. And thus I tried to grip myself. I tried to remain unaffected. I tried to deny all his offers. I tried to maintain distance from him. I wanted to make my mind strong enough to ignore all these.

And I failed. The moment he smiled at me, it was so pure and honest. The innocence he held in his smiles was making me weaker. And Who won't fall for such an innocent smile!

"Wow! What a philosophy! By the way, why are you partying? May I know the answer?" I changed the topic successfully.

"Because I got the job." He said in a dub tone.

"Oh! Great." Spoiled brat. I muttered.

"I am not a spoiled brat." He immediately corrected.

"Oh, but you are acting like one." I replied with a tight lipped smile.

"You know I had tried for so many jobs. And I got into nothing. I have been completely disappointed since a long And now when I was loosing hope, I got the job. And now that i got the job that too in a reputed company, I am just happy. And I celebrate my happiness with all." He said.

"But I prefer to celebrate with myself only." I replied.

Contrasting characters we have!

"Great then consider me as yourself only. Come on." He cheered holding the coke bottle in air. I smiled, when he snatched the sandwich and ate it in one go. "Now that I have your food, you have to eat mine too. Come on."

I broke into laughter. He too laughed with me. As we started savouring the pizza, I realised one thing - the journey with him was really going to be adventurous. Indeed.

To be continued...