Kalpita was dropped home at nearly five in the morning, by Ganesh.

Their driver, had been with them since when she wasn't even on this earth. So was Govind, their Butler who stayed with them 24*7 and slept in one of the guest rooms.

Kalpita didn't get to her room, rather lay on the sofa in the living room, after entering the flat with a spare key.

She was fresh this morning, though the college friends' gang of hers had got just two hours of sleep in the night. However, the fun they had despite a good amount of study, had satisfied her quite well.

A sound happened.

Shivaji opened the door to his room, as quietly as he could, and ducked out his head. The living room was not exactly visible, the stairs guarded most of it from his sight.

Shivaji tiptoed upto the living room...

And... Bang!!! 

He turned 180 degrees and began a speedy journey back to his room.

" Hey! Shivaji! "
Kalpita sat up.

Shivaji halted, shutting his eyes tight, but didn't turn.

Kalpita got up and walked towards him, standing right before him.
Shivaji blinked his eyes several times.
And rubbed his nose with the back of his palm.

" Good morning.

Listen. I don't wanna really talk about it, because surely I don't intend to trouble you again. But, let me clear this. I hardly apologize ever, reason being I hardly ever am wrong. Though, yesterday I was. I shouldn't have been so abrupt. You forgive or not, that's a different thing, neither do I care. Honestly. Rather, I wish, you don't keep yourself buckled up within sad stuffs, begin working and living your life meaningfully. "

Shivaji scratched his stubble.

" Err.... Mmm.... No.... I.... I.... You...
I don't have.... Any.... You don't have.... To be... I don't...no.. Grudges..  "

He gave up. Syntax wasn't happening. Not with this straight faced woman before him.

" It's alright.
Why did you come out? Need something? Water again? " , Kalpita was unusually calm.

" Nn.....mmm... Sun....  " , Shivaji gulped gallons of saliva.

" Listen. I cannot fill in the blanks for you man! I don't know the syllabus. ", Kalpita crossed arms.

Shivaji ducked his little tongue out..

" Actually.... I....do...suryanamaskar in the morning.... But..
My room shows no sun... The time has passed sunrise....but...  " , he rubbed his nose vigorously.

" Ohh... This.

Yeah, your room faces the west.
Go to the balcony. You'll see the sun.
You can do anything you wish, standing there itself. " , Kalpita suggested.

" Thanks! " , a huge smile appeared on Shivaji's face. Kalpita gestured him to move to the balcony. He immediately speeded.

Kalpita went and stood at the door behind him.

Shivaji closed his eyes and began the prayer followed by the yoga.

Kalpita kept standing, crossing arms.

He took five minutes to finish, got up and turned.

" Eeeek!! " , he shivered and let out a semi shriek staring at Kalpita.

Completely taken aback, Kalpita exclaimed, " Arey!! What happened? "

Shivaji, extremely embarrassed, began blinking again.
" Nothing.... I thought... You were gone.. "

Kalpita rolled her eyes.
" No no! Just say it, I've been asking since yesterday, say that I look like a ghost to you. Come on, say it! "

Without waiting a moment more, Shivaji, who had turned almost red, escaped, running back to his room.

Kalpita stood nodding her head hopelessly, soon after which, she broke into a laughter. A hearty laughter.

____

" Shivaji, wear a coat over this. That much is needed. " , Devendra Chatterjee instructed, staring at his lose white shirt.

" Coat? But... I don't have... " , he grew anxious.

" I'll provide.
Govind!! " , Devendra raised his voice.

Both of them were now seated at the breakfast table.

Shivaji's insides were churning..

Devendra Chatterjee looked like a very good human, also, last evening, he had briefed everything about Shivaji's job. Still, the very first day as his PA, in his office....thinking about which itself, made Shivaji giddy.

" We'll leave together in my car post breakfast, and return together in the evening. This will happen everyday. " , Devendra said, spreading butter on his bread.
" Eat. And stop panicking. I'm there to guide you always. "

True, Shivaji was in no position to eat. Still, for Devendra's sake, he slowly took up a slice of bread.

A maid, probably named Surbhi, appeared and was about to pour something on his plate, the smell of which itself brought Shivaji on the verge of puking.

" Stop!!! "

From nowhere, Kalpita appeared and pushed Surbhi's hands away at the last moment.

" Why are you serving him omelette? He doesn't eat eggs. Didn't you tell them, Dad? " , she glared at Surbhi, who escaped with the omelette at the speed of light.

Shivaji had recovered from the near puke stage.

" Of course I did. Who even cares about my words in this house. " , Devendra shrugged.

Kalpita frowned big time, staring at Shivaji.
" Are you alright? "

" Wouldn't be....if she... had actually put it on my plate...

Thanks......again... " , Shivaji suddenly wondered, wasn't he having to thank her quite often? 

" Dad, my friends will come over in the evening.
Mom said she'll have to stay late at the university. You too have work. I don't wanna be bored so I've called them over. " , Kalpita climbed stairs and disappeared.

" As if someone requires my permission. " , Devendra stared at his phone. And Shivaji kept staring at the single bread which he saw no possibility to finish in this life.

_____

" Welcome, welcome!!! "

Kalpita hugged Rimjhim, Shamita, Rohan, and Sameer.

The last hug wasn't prompt enough, Sameer always stiffened when Kalpita hugged him, his breath fastened, when hers touched his body...

A feat of laughter hit the living room as the four of them walked in, guided by Kalpita.

" Long time! " , Rohan exclaimed.

" Literally!!!! Long time since we met at someone's place. Otherwise it's always just the pub. " , Shamita added.

Rimjhim pushed Sameer.
" Do you even know Kalpi, how excited Sameer was to be here, since his father banned his visit to the pub? "

Sameer blushed a bit, but glared at them all, while another feat of laughter hit the room.

However, Kalpita remained unperturbed.

" Let's sit in the library. I've placed the drums and the guitars there. " , she declared.

They were friends since school, and they were a band that performed in most school functions.

All of them were aware of Sameer's unrequited love for Kalpita, which she neither ever reciprocated, nor ever showed an interest to even listen to a confession.

Sameer was a stud in himself, handsome, intelligent, smart, cool.
Had quite a lot of similarities with Kalpita. However, no one knew as to why he wasn't accepted by her ever.

He would always have his heart broken, when he would see Kalpita walk over with random strangers in the pub. Probably, due to which he had stopped joining them, excusing regarding his father. He would however always ask Rimjhim, regarding her night outs.

" So guys, coffee, tea or vodka? " , Kalpita clapped, as they all took seat before various instruments in the library.

" Obviously Vodka!!! " , they screamed unanimously.

" Fine!!! " , she left the room.

_____

" What's....going on??? " , an hour to this, Shivaji sat at the office with Devendra before him.

He was asked to prepare a schedule for tomorrow's meetings.

The first day went better than he had expected. He had stuck to Devendra throughout, had to do absolutely nothing but preside over various affairs that happened in the office. The man made him understand everything like a very good teacher.

They had reached home at around eight, got in without ringing the bell because Devendra had his keys. Once they got in, however, they knew there were more people inside the house..

But Shivaji had followed Devendra like a disciple.

Now, suddenly there was huge noise of constantly beating drums, so much so that Shivaji's eyes widened.

" Some idiots have come over, who neither match Kalpita's intelligence, nor her standards. However, they are hugely ill mannered and my daughter has acquired some of their traits. " , the man sounded highly displeased.

However, he suddenly squeezed his brows.
" Shivaji, there's this book in the library. Probably in the second shelf. Third row. 'A guide on communication skills. '
Read it, in your free time. But bring it now. "

Shivaji's eyes widened.
" Library!!!!! But...... "

" Yes. I know they are there.
And you cannot avoid ill mannered people throughout your life. Though, one thing I can assure, they won't eat you up. Go, silently get the book, and return.
Take these as little life lessons. That's it. "

Devendra knew that, he had quite a long way to go in matters of communication. And he couldn't let go of it ever, as Shivaji was a PA who had to take care of a lot of the contacts. Hence he had to train him, bit by bit.

And here, Shivaji slowly got up, almost on the verge of crying.

_____

Shivaji knew, all the five pairs of eyes in the library were fixed on him now, as they stopped everything they were doing.

He felt as if he was in a furnace, hot air escaping his ears, his face red, his eyes burning.

Kalpita got up from before the drums, and walked over to him.
" Yes? "

" A...bbb...bbook....
Communication skills, third shelf... Second row.... " , he forgot everything.

" Sure. Find it and take it.

Guys, he's Shivaji, Dad's new PA. " , she returned to her seat, introducing him to her friends.

An awkward silence happened behind him, Shivaji understood. He knew he was being observed.
Probably his shabby dress, which he had changed to after returning, or his unkempt looks, or everything that completely proved he was an outcast.

Shivaji suddenly realised, he was so stressed that things were blacking out around him.

He however, chanted, and tried concentrating on finding the book.

In vain.

He could see almost nothing, all he felt was silent whispers behind his back.

And suddenly, owing to every awkwardness, he tripped over the book ladder next to him, landing straight on the ground.

Kalpita jumped up..

However, it was too late.

She knew what was going to happen next.

Sameer began, and soon after, the entire room burst out into stretches of deafening laughter.

Kalpita would have done exactly the same. Because this was what they all did, whenever together, laugh on random people, things, situations.

But today, she just couldn't.

Neither did she reach upto Shivaji to pull him up, or give a hand.

All she did was stare.....as a completely broken human, stood up himself, and without looking anywhere, escaped the room... as if he was the clown, and the entire circus laughed at him.

The laughter however, continued.

" Damn!!! My goodness!!!
He just tripped!!!!
How even????? " , Rohan clapped and fell on Sameer next to him.

" Awwwww!!! He is cute though, but fell like a puppet! Just, suddenly!!! Thupppp!!! " , Rimjhim exclaimed.

" Is he your Dad's PA? Like literally?
But I somewhere felt, he resembles our driver Ramu.. " , Shamita commented, and the room was hit by another feat of laughter.

However, Sameer silently observed Kalpita, who had grown completely mum.

She suddenly raised her voice, stopping them altogether.

" Guys, I'm having a bad headache.
Would you mind leaving? "

This was too abrupt.

Like.. so much so that, they kept staring at her, taken aback, for a long time.

______

" Shivaji!! Open the door!! " , Kalpita banged on his door.

After a huge lot of time, Shivaji peeped out. His eyes red and swollen.

Kalpita felt too bad about herself.
She had failed the old man.

That was the only thought that ate her away.

" Kalpita... Ji...

I'm.... Not well.... I told Devendra sir...
I.... Will not eat tonight.... Please... Don't... "

Kalpita pushed the door and got in, in the process pushing him back by quite some steps.

She had a big frown on her face. She crossed arms.

" Are you a kid?
A five year old? "

Shivaji stood, staring at the ground.
His eyes watered.

" That you tripped, and when everyone laughed, you ran away as fast as you could, crying and screaming, because you couldn't fight back, or take a stand for yourself?

This is how you'll be a good PA to my father?

Listen, he has hired you because of me! Don't fail me this way!!! 

Fight for yourself, you don't even know how important a role you have got to play in every deal my father cracks.

There will be competition everywhere!!! Everyone will pull you back like crabs!!! If you don't stand for yourself, will I, always????

Also, if you don't stand for even yourself, will you stand for my father ever? "

Shivaji slowly looked up at her, his eyes drying up.

He kept staring at her, with wide eyes and jaws dropped.

" Anyways, I have shooed them away immediately. So, you please come out.
I hate people who hide just because they faced an awkward situation, in which they had no fault. "

" You..... Shooed them... Away?
For.... Me? " , he exclaimed.

" Yes!! For you!!

Because I hated it when they laughed,  but they are that way. And I'm one of them in most of the occasions.

More than that I hated myself because I couldn't be your saviour!!

But, I promise, this won't repeat.
I will protect my family till the last breath.
And you're....my Dad's family now. That's how he treats his PA.

Now, stop crying, idiot!!! "

Kalpita Chatterjee didn't look back.

But Shivaji, felt good.

Probably, for the first time in three months.

A smile....slowly appeared on his lips.

He murmured,
" Thank you Kalpita ji! "