Hello dearies,

Here's your next chapter as promised...

I'm sceptical about this one so please please do comment ur views...

Happy reading!

Part 11 - The Storm



“Avni… beta where’s the breakfast? I’m getting late…”  Ashok whined from the dining table.

“Ready papa, I’m getting it” Avni hurriedly bought a small vessel full of piping hot Pongal and kept on the table. She served two scoops of Pongal to her dad’s plate and sat on the chair next to him while serving herself some.

“What’s with this south Indian food madness that has gotten into you?” Ashok asked eating a spoon of pongal. He always tried to pick on wrong things to taunt his own daughter.

“Nothing much papa, I was just learning new cuisine…” Avni said not so interested to talk further.

“Oh! Really? Is it some influence of a south Indian in your life? May be some boy?” Ashok questioned irking Avni to the core but she had to maintain her calm with him.

“Oh no papa, I wouldn’t dare to date anyone, forget a south Indian” Avni huffed as she stopped eating.

“You are talking more these days Avni!” Ashok groaned.

Avni did not care to reply him, she took her plate and went away to the kitchen. She didn’t feel like eating anymore with her dad’s irrational questions and scrutiny of everything she did.

“You’re wasting food Avni… It doesn’t come for free!” Ashok almost screamed so that Avni heard him in the kitchen.

“I very well know that Papa but perhaps you are forgetting that it’s me who pays & earns that food! I have the right to do whatever I want to…” Avni back answered this time, she was tired, frustrated, hurt by her own dad’s constant bickering with her. She packed the same pongal into her lunch box, took her bag, her keys and left the house in hurt.

Avni rode her bike mechanically towards her office, as she recalled her past few years of life, she reached her office pretty soon as the traffic was bare minimum. She had reached office earlier than her usual log in time, it was still 8 30 in the morning. Thanks to skipping breakfast, she had arrived very early.
Still in her grumpy mood she parked her bike and sped to her cabin. She slouched on her chair and shut her eyes.

“Till when or why am I facing all this?!” She questioned herself.

Her eyes welled up but the tears chose not to drop down her cheeks. She was used to hiding her tears, she was a strong woman, she knew tears were not going to solve anything.

Avni leaned her head on the high rise chair’s headboard and shut her eyes, trying to calm down, divert her mind to do something productive.

She stayed so for almost 15 minutes, trying to find the non-accessible peace in her life when her desk phone rang. She wondered who was calling so early morning as not many employees had reached by then, Avni opened her eyes to see CEO on the caller display.

“Hello” Avni said meekly.

“Good morning Avni, would you drop by my cabin for some time please?” Neil asked in his usual charming style.

“Good morning Neil, is there anything important to be discussed?” Avni asked earnestly.

“Yes, very important, please drop by…” and he cut the call without waiting for her response.

Avni huffed as she kept down the receiver and thought what could be so important that Neil had called her and first of all what was he doing so early in the office. While engrossed in these thoughts Avni got up, wiped her eyes with some tissues on the table to look presentable and left to Neil’s cabin.

“Good morning Neil” Avni said as she entered the cabin.

“Good morning sweetheart” Neil replied as he got up from his seat and walked ahead.

Avni’s disturbed mood began to fade as she heard him call “sweetheart”.  Neil always made her feel better if she was in a bad mood.

Neil noticed her eyes that were low, her usual chirpy smile missing from her face.

“What happened? You seem low?” Neil enquired.

Avni suddenly got conscious and touched her face, eyes gently as if wiping off her sullen expression.

“ah eh… nothing Neil. Nothing at all, I’m fine. Tell me what the important matter that was to be discussed is?” Avni asked trying to change the topic.

Neil noticed that she felt uncomfortable so he decided to let it be and talk something else.

“Hmm… so yeah the important matter is that as I told you that day, I’d like to take you home to meet my mom today after work.  Would you like to join Miss Avni?” Neil asked, his face full of anticipation for a yes from her.

“Neil…Thanks for the invite but I need to… I have some work after office” Avni lied, not wanting to agree to him, if her dad found out about her visiting some man’s house she would be ruined. She had seen the trailer of it that day morning. So, she hoped to maintain just friends/boss-employee bond with Neil henceforth. She couldn’t afford to even think of anything more, but here he was sweetly inviting her to meet his mom just because she was missing her mom.

Neil’s face fell low to listen a No from Avni. He felt she was not okay again, something was bothering her. He walked forward and held her shoulders which she suddenly jerked off from her.

Neil moved back a step shocked by her behavior, because she was the girl he had hugged before, kissed her forehead, cheeks and neck but here she was jerking his hands off him just because he held her shoulder.

“I’m… I’m sorry Neil, I didn’t mean to…” her eyes started pooling as she took two steps back.

“Avni… what happened? Did I do something wrong? Did I make you uncomfortable? I’m sorry if I have intruded your space… I just… I mean you’ re someone special to me so I just held your shoulders” Neil said softly, staring into her eyes as her tears broke and cascaded down her cheeks.

“No Neil… no… you did not do anything. I’m very much comfortable with you” Avni sobbed, Neil heaved a sigh that at least he knew he was not the reason for her sadness.

“Avni… Baby please stop crying. What’s wrong then? Please tell me… “ Neil almost pleaded as he took a step forward to her but paused not sure whether he could be close to her or not.

His hands were itching to hold her tight in his arms and comfort her, to protect her from whatever was bothering her but he could not do anything at that moment.

Avni silently sobbed as she walked back and sat on a seat as her feet no longer could stay on the floor.

Neil slowly walked towards her and poured her a glass of water.

“Here, take this. Drink some water and please say something…” Neil urged with concern.

Avni took two sips of water and kept the glass back on the table. She looked at him, he seemed visibly worried, concerned, his care was seen clearly in his eyes. She wiped her tears and prepared to speak.

“Neil, it is nothing that I can’t handle. I’m a strong woman. This is nothing, I have faced worse. Thank you for your concern Neil” Avni said confidently all of a sudden.

Her eyes were still red, cheeks heated up, nose flaring a bit but goodness gracious she was fierce. She was crying her heart out a moment before and now here she was confidently stating that she can handle everything.

Neil did not know if he should feel happy that she was such a strong woman or to feel sad that she was going through something terrible in life.

“Avni, I know that you’re a strong girl. But, sweetheart sometimes it’s ok to let your loved ones know what’s bothering you, sharing always helps” Neil said softly as he pulled a chair to sit in front of her.

Avni stayed silent and smiled sadly “loved ones? Who? You? Neil you don’t know shit about me and you’re claiming to be my loved one?” Her demeanor turned 360 degree as she taunted Neil.

“I agree I don’t know much about you but Avni the time we spent, our bond, our rapport, our friendship… is all this nothing?” Neil questioned evidently sad.

“Neil, you are my boss and I’m your employee… I wish nothing more than that between us. Not even friendship… I want to be a cordial employee to you as we need to work together. Once, this project is done I request you to please change my team or I shall resign my job”

Avni said looking straight into his eyes, she was hurt, she knew her words would hurt him too, but she had to do this before things went out of hand. She had to stop herself from falling more for this man and stop him from getting close to her.

“What? This is ridiculous! Do you even hear yourself? What are you talking Avni? You don’t want to be friends with me? I understand this, I respect this as its your opinion but You will leave just because you don’t want to work with me? You will resign your top position with the best corporate in the industry and go away? Your career will get a big blow if you do this! Why? What have I done Avni?” Neil raised his voice a bit higher as his anger rose.

He was still concerned about her career, even after she was rude to him.

“My career Neil… I will sort it out. It is nothing for you to worry about. And you have not done anything wrong… Thank you for your concern and the invite. I’m sorry that I can’t accept it. Will see you when there’s something important in real sense with regard to work.” Avni said platonically without any expression on the face and stood up to leave.

“Avni… you’re serious about this?” Neil asked clearing his throat as he also stood up.

“Yes Mr Khanna” Avni replied, she didn’t even address him with his first name now. Neil’s heart wrenched when she did that, his eyes welled up unknown to him but Avni had seen him and his tears both.

She headed forward in a blink to Neil with force and slammed her lips on his… Neil was astounded with what just happened. Before he could realize or respond Avni had kissed his lips and backed off with tears in her eyes she ran away without waiting for another second.

Neil was shocked, confused to the core, annoyed, frustrated but worried too. Avni was never an easy person to understand for him… and now she had brought him to a cliff and hanged him in a serious situation.

Neil slouched on the chair not knowing what was happening…  He shut his eyes, Avni’s tear filled eyes, her vulnerable self, her hurt face, her impulsive kiss played in his mind and he sprang opened his eyes…

“What have you done to me Avni…?! Damn!” He groaned.

On the other side, Avni ran to her cabin crying. The other employees were still not in the office so that helped her to skip scrutinising faces of those people.

She entered her cabin and shut the door.
She walked towards her chair and sat on it... she held her temples with her fingers, her head hurt, she felt a bit dizzy so she closed her eyes.

All she could see was whatever just happened with her since the morning, her banter with her dad, her bad start for the day, her altercation with Neil, her tears, her sorrow, her guilt, her pain and her kiss with the only man she loved the most in her life.

And just like Neil she sprang her eyes open at the sight her mind showed...

"What have you done to me Neil..?" She mumbled.

She heard a knock on the door, she stood up to open it though she wasn't in a state to... but she went ahead thinking it must be the peon who would have brought her files.

She opened the door and in a second she collapsed on the floor....

************

Thank you for reading guys!

I know this chapter was high on emotions and must have been a difficult read but it's necessary for the story to unfold so please bear guys... I promise this is for better chapters to come ahead...

But, I'd like to say one more thing that this story is meant for mature readers.
By mature I don't really mean only on adult content wise but I mean you should have a mature thinking to understand this story... if you're not broad minded please do not continue reading this...

This is a story close to reality so it demands mature & broad thinking... it's a sensitive plot... hope u guys understand and read further if you have it in you... of course the sensitive topic arises in later chapters but I wanted to keep u all informed.

So that being said, I love u guys so much for waiting a year and still giving ur love, I promise to update and complete the story for u all... thank u so much again ❤️

And please please do comment otherwise I wouldn't know if the story is worth writing or not... and hit the star if you have liked even a sentence in this story...

Until next chapter,

Love,
Avni