A New Year
I was back in Gurgaon on
the 3rd of January. It was a new year, and I had never been
lonelier.
Thankfully, I was put on a
new project and I had plenty of work. I was team lead for the second time. (The
last time had been on the project where Vikram had worked with me.) But this
was a bigger team and a more complex project. Nilanjana, my manager, hinted
that my performance on this project might decide whether I would get a
promotion at my review due in March. The project was in two phases: the first
phase was to be completed in six weeks, and if the client was satisfied we
would embark on phase two, to be completed in nine weeks.
The project was in
consumer goods, which was the industry I was most interested in, and I threw
myself into it with pleasure. I had a great team: Kim again, Shahnaz who I’d
never worked with but was friendly with because we had joined at the same time
and gone through orientation together, Paras who was quiet and very sincere, Meenal
and Chandrasekhar whom I had never spoken to before, and Amol and Vaibhav, who
had just joined a couple of weeks ago and who stuck together like Siamese twins.
Divya and I took to having
lunch together for the few days she had left.
“I miss you,” she said.
“It feels so weird being alone at home.”
“Well, you don’t have much
longer.”
“That’s right. Tuesday is
my last day in office and I’m planning to go home on Wednesday.”
“I’ll come over next
weekend and help you pack, shall I?”
“I don’t need help, but do
come anyway,” said Divya. “Mom and my youngest brother Veer are coming to help
me out. They’ll come on Saturday.”
“I’d like to meet your
mom,” I said.
“Yeah, you never did come
home with me, all the times I asked,” she said. “Never mind. You have to come over a few days before the
wedding, though. I’ll need help.”
“I’d love to.”
“Will
you?” said Miki.
“Oh, come on,” said
Mandakini. “A wedding won’t kill you. After all, she’s been so nice to you.”
We finished our lunch and
got up from the table. I almost bumped into Vikram.
“Hey,” he said, holding
out his hand to steady me.
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
“Happy new year,” he
answered. “I haven’t seen you in ages. Where have you been?”
“I was off home. Only got
back a couple of days ago.” I looked around to see Divya wave at me and walk
away.
“Ah. I was wondering what
you were doing on New Year’s Eve. I thought I’d call you.”
“Why didn’t you?” I asked
bluntly. All I’d received from him was an SMS wishing me a “happy and
prosperous new year”.
“I thought you might be
busy, you know.”
I looked straight at him.
“Well, actually, I was. I was with my mom. I hope you had a good time?”
“Oh, a bunch of us got
together, had some beers. Nothing special.”
“Okay. See you around,
then.” I smiled and walked away.
“Hey, how would you like
to go for a movie on Saturday?”
I turned around. “Sorry,
I’m busy. I have plans with a friend.”
“Oh, okay.” He looked
disappointed.
“I’m free Sunday, though.”
“Great. I’ll call you.”
When I went back to my
seat, I saw a chat message from Divya. “How was your date?”
“It wasn’t a date. We were
just talking.”
“Hmmmmmmm…..”
“But we are going to a movie on Sunday.”
“Wow! That’s so exciting!”
“Isn’t it? I’ll tell you
all about it when it’s over. Now I have to get back to work else I’ll never go
home today.”
7 comments:
I know, I know, short chapter. Regular-sized chapter will be up on Sunday, as usual.
Back to work now.
Its too short!!! sunday come fast :)
I was missing Vikram and I was just about to complain about the length of the chapter. You already had answered both!
Waiting for Sunday. :)
short chapter. n how come the midweek update?
R's Mom: Patience is a virtue, they say.
Asha: Vikram will be pleased - he likes being missed.
Obelix: Well, it's a bonus, no? I'd promised here: http://www.unmana.com/2010/11/voices-in-my-head-20.html. Better late than never, and all that.
Bonuses are always welcome!
nice twist and turns!! love the story so far!! eager to see whats coming next...
Specially the Raghav Wedding ;) and the Miki's boy :P
Eagerly awaiting 'developments'!
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