Dated: 13th August, 2023
Word Count: 2320
Target: 60+ votes and comments?

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1| Time And Autumn |

Urvi:

My eyes flicker opened and I allowed the dark room with the peek of light stinging in the room to shine in front of me. My everyday alarm rang out loud that caused me to swipe out of my oblivion. I exhaled deeply as the noise struck my eardrums and lips quickly sent a prayer to my boss, wanting him to call for me.

To make an escape.

"Everyday drama." I chuckled and jumped out of my bed. Quickly making my way towards the bathroom. I let droplets of shower run down my body as my eyes shut in order to avoid every other sound around me. I realized that the tingling of these droplets were slowly getting louder passing minutes and I found myself indulged in another world.

A world where there are people to accept me.

A world where there are people to appreciate me.

And as I opened my eyes, the blurry image of reality smacked me hard. Reality where there was no such world as the world I wanted.

Turning off the shower, I dressed myself into the official wears, white shirt, black blazer and black jeans. Quickly marching down the stairs, I found myself in front of my morning alarm.

"Morning maa." I wished, pushing my wallet into my clutch.

Even before she could reply me, I heard a voice behind me that grabbed everybody's attention, "Morning mom dad." There she was. The one with whom I shared my blood. Ridha Khatri.

My mom replied to both of us at ones, "Morning beauty." Don't miss the singular form of verb used. "Breakfast is all set. Come." My father was already there on the table and then we took our respective places. Breakfast was served and what was observed further was silence...until my mom chose to kill it.

"So what are you doing today?" She asked. "I'm.."

I tried replying before which, Ridha spoke, "A deal mom. A director wants to see me. So will be busy there."

"What's the deal about?" My mom further enquired and they continued their conversation. I realized that the question was actually for her. Maa placed a bowl of fruits in her plate and another one on dad's, forgetting me. Again. I chose to continue with my feeling of gulping down biscuit and a want for the message.

I was way too much into my oblivion to realize a nudge by Ridha. I suddenly jerked towards her at the call. "Mom's callin' you." She said and I looked at my mom, who looked pissed. Again.

"Yeah Maa?" I said, trying not to fumble.

"What about you? When are you planning to get a job?" She asked and I looked down, smiling to myself. She has no idea about what's happening in my life. What is my job. What are my interests.

"Soon." I answered shortly before my phone placed at the table adjacent to my hand pinged.

From Mr. Khadoos,
Meeting at 9.

And my happiness had no boundaries.

I quickly munched in the biscuit and looked at my wrist watch that showed eight seventeen AM. "I'll take a leave." And I rushed out, before sending a quick message to my driver. My car was present as I exited the building.

There was a sudden feeling of un-suffocation. My gaze shifted towards the busy life of Bombay city. Hustle bustle till twelve three or four. This was my daily routine, until I came to the place which gave me the most happiness.

My work

Formonix

It's been two years since I'm working here. Yes, two years and parents are still unknown to this fact. And how will they even know? They are just super proud of their daughter being the top actress in bollywood. I kept avoiding the conflicts to keep the peace and started a war inside myself. It was two years back when I decided that, if it's the reality, then I don't want it. I never thought of working in Formonix but it was God's direction and I've never been so grateful about anything else.

It's like my soul resides in that place. My escape.

Weird to listen right?

As the car skid against the friction and halted at the front of the office, I muttered a quick thanks and went it. I took a quick look at my watch. Yeah, I was on time. Within a few minutes I was knocking at the door of my boss's cabin before I heard the permission.

I entered in, and there he was, near the window, leaning against the file shelf.

"Good morning Ridhit." He turned towards me and passed me a quick nod. Yeah, we address each other with our respective names, irrespective of how it's stored in our mobile phones.

"Presentation?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yes its ready. Mr. Harper must be here within an hour."

"Get the meet room ready." He instructed taking his seat.

"It's done sir." He looked up at me, which did skip my heartbeat for a second. "Even the presentation is fixed. Only your presence is required." He gave me a nod, and continued his typing while I chose to make my way out.

"Urvi." He called out for me, halting my route.

"Yes?"

"Have your breakfast. You have fifteen minutes." He said and I frowned real deep.

"But I did have my breakfast." I said, remembering the biscuits I had.

He raised his eyebrows at my statement which suddenly made me nervous. "May I know when was the last time you actually had your breakfast and made an entry into the office?" He asked and I scratched my head for the same. "Fifteen minutes. GO!" And I ran out like a mice from the cage.

Yes, this man is my boss from last two years. It's been an year since he has come to know that I come office without having breakfast. How do I tell him that it's not be who do not eat, it's my mom who forgets me. I shook my head to shoo away the thoughts of my building here.

The habit of having my emotions under my control it well developed in me. My mind is stronger than my feelings.

A child was going to remember what was there, and not what was spent...

End:

Ridhit:

"But sir, Urvi ma'am said that everything is ready." I heard the girl in front of me stuttering. Yeah that's what people do, blame someone else for something they've done.

"If she did, then why the hell it isn't?" I glared at her for the extremely irresponsible behavior. She lowered her gaze and I shut my eyes in irritation.

"But sir.." I showed my palm and quickly opened the message I just received from her.

From Miss. Blunder,
Pen drive is with me. Gimme a sec.

And I stuffed the phone back into my pocket. Less than a second, and there she entered with the pen drive in her hand.

"I'm so sorry." She quickly rushed pass me and attached the same to the system. Ones done with it, she stood parallel to me with that nervous smile.

Great!

"Urvi.."

"Sir Mr. Harper is here." The other girl, unknowningly saved Urvi. I saw Urvi taking a sigh of relief.

Not so soon Miss. Blunder.

Mr. Harper entered and we shook our hands formally before we proceeded towards the today's agenda.

"So what are your plans with Elite?"

Elite.

My dream project.

Urvi immediately opened the presentation and a big screen with the expanded plan behind the project. She started explaining each slide with utmost detail.

"The land we are looking into, is looked upon with every facility a customer looks upon before checking in into any resort. As in salon, restaurants, buffet, medical facilities and approachable security forces. Plus, the capital income of the resort will be high enough throughout the year, specially may." I looked at Mr. Harper who seemed a little convinced.

"So when can I expect the elaborated plan?" He asked as the Urvi concluded the presentation. I looked at Urvi for the same and she immediately seemed to understand my gaze.

"Give us a week Mr. Harper. The plan along with budget will be in your hands." She said.

"Okay then, ones you send the plan, we'll look into the plot and then I'll think about investing." Mr. Harper said while I took a sigh of relief.

"But Mr. Harper, I'd like to know if we have to keep our search for another investor on?" I asked, still unsure.

"I don't think that'll be needed." He said and I nodded. Before our conversation could proceed, his phone interrupted it. "I'll have to take this one." He excused himself and left to a corner.

"I'll leave?" Urvi asked me.

"Wait in my cabin. I need to talk to you." My voice was stern while she almost pouted. I chose to ignore that look and felt her leaving the room. By that time, Mr. Harper returned with a small smile.

"We'll call it a meeting Mr. Merhotra ?" He said and I stood up.

"Sure. Wife?" I asked.

"Yeah." He chuckled. God, another lovey dovey couple.

Gimme a damn break!

"Great." I muttered, trying not to sound annoyed.

"Don't seem a party to believe in love or marriage." I concluded rather than questioning and I couldn't agree less.

"Love is tedious, boring and utterly unnecessary. People in love are the most insufferable on the planet." I said, my usual boring dialog.

At least that's what my bestfriend says.

"I can listen old myself in you." He chuckled. "We shall see that in the future buddy."

"Sure." There was no way that Ridhit Merhotra could be so whipped on a girl, forgetting what he's doing and what he is.

We bid adios and I made my way towards the cabin for some undone work. I entered my cabin and searched for that one insufferable soul, uh- there she was...

Oh-

Sleeping?

On my couch?

A part of me was ready to let go, but then the consequences of that one mistake could've been worse. I quickly picked up the glass of water from my table and splashed it right across her face. She jerked up immediately, badly drenched with the liquid I just threw on her.

"Don't you have a damn word called gentleness in your effing dictionary?" She yelled and I glared her for her tone.

"Remember to whom you're talking Urvi." I pinned her with another glare while she looked at me with her 'not so scary' looks.

"You too! I wish you dint remind me. Or else I would've surely..." She trailed off her cussing and stood up with an angry face. I marched into the bathroom and came back to pass the towel on her hands.

"Your heights of irresponsibility Urvi." My voice went sterner and she snapped her gaze at me.

"Yeah right. You don't remember thousand right things I do, and you pin me with one wrong thing I do. In fact, I dint even. Nothing went wrong, but nah, how can Urvi be right? Correct?" She burst out and threw the towel on the couch on which she was sleeping before. "You all are the same. Every-effing-one." She picked up her stuffs in anger and glared me.

"And yeah, congratulations for YOUR dream project." And she dashed out.

It was our everyday scenario. She did something disastrous, I shout on her, she utters the same nonsense and leaves the cabin.

Yeah!

This girl is on my nerves at a time. But on the other side, she was an asset I had in my company. Her ideas and the way of intercepting the vision of others did turn out to be a boon for my company. Her assistance did turn out to be a benefit for my dream project.

Am I grateful?

Probably a little.

Will I admit it?

Absolutely-fucking-not.

I ran my hands through my hairs and picked up the office bag along with laptop and left for the hell, building in which I lived.

A quick message was sent to my driver, and next moment I was in my car, moving towards the building. Not less than five minutes, and I was in it.

"Welcome home son." The most unpleasant voice rang in my ears. I ignored it and continued walking towards my room. "Who's the investor?" And my steps halted.

"Shouldn't bother you." I retorted while my so called father stared at me.

"You're fulfilling my wife's dream without even me knowing anything about it?"

I sighed and turned towards the man behind all my miseries. "I've stopped telling people more than what they need to know."

"I'm happy for you son." He tried approaching me, but I was quick enough to dodge him off.

"Mom believed you and your stories. But neither I'm mom, nor I have alzheimer."

"Inheritance my son." And his card gave made my heart twitch. The inheritance.

Game of this one word.

"Thank you for your time Mr. Merhotra . Have a night." And dashed into my room. Rule one, never give a second chance. It's like giving bullet to the shooter because they missed the first shot.

My mom's project. Only my mom's project. Not his wife's!

Not his wife's!

Not his, not him who never believed in me, on my capabilities. Success hits different when nobody believed in you. Hiding this world of mine feels like intoxicating myself. Twisted in the chains on pain, suffocating with the emotions and hearts shut. This darkness behind the shut doors gave me comfort. I've learnt how to make hell feel like home.

It's like, autumn is so beautiful, yet everything it dieing...

End: