Back To Square One

Do you realize how much this costed our company? He Shouted at her as if there was no tomorrow.
Do you realize what a blunder you have done by messing up with the production data. What am I going to answer our customers. He shouted again at the top of his voice.


With 4 years of expertise in her work, this was the first time she had to face a situation like this. She did not know why she had to bear all the shunting when it was not her mistake at all. She knew that convincing him was impossible at that moment. So taking the responsibility on herself she said in a calm and composed voice: ''I was given the wrong information, there was a miscommunication”. You can ask Aneesh about this. It was his task. He delegated it to me. He is the one who should be answerable to you.

She knew all this was in vain , Aneesh being her manager's favorite resource, nothing could save her. It was one of those bad days for her. No matter how hard or smart she worked, it was Aneesh who ended up taking the credit. But she did not blame her manager for this. That night after going home , she thought about it and blamed herself for not knowing how to lick managers whatever,for not knowing how to project herself , and for not knowing how to outdo the sweet talking/back stabbing morons.

The next day, by the time she had reached office, she had already decided that no matter whose mistake it was, no matter whose responsibility it was, she is going to fix all the mess. As soon as she reached the office, she put a mail to her onsite guy stating the same and he was quite convinced.

When she was in the middle of her work, her phone buzzed. It was her manager.
Can you come to my desk, we are going to have a call with the customer now, he informed her in a stern voice. She went to his desk and the call was already on.

He nodded his head signaling her to come and sit.
No sir! This is the first time it happened and I will make sure that its the last time too. You know that we have always delivered quality products to you. We are going to fix the mess. We just need sometime. We have experts here and the best of resources...he was trying hard to convince them.
The phone was on speaker. He muted it for a second, and bare teeth he said , have you not fixed the mess yet?
She said, I was working on it when you called me here.
Well then make it fast, 'you are too slow', he said irritatingly.
You should be knowing by now that we are the best in giving 100percent customer satisfaction.

Ya right,hiring the college pass outs who have no idea on what the job is and what their future would be in the company and cheating them on offering a huge salary and making them work like a dog always pays off. If customer is still not satisfied then may be you should rip off their skin and sell it in the market, she thought to herself.

By evening she was relieved of everything. The issue was finally fixed and She asked herself; What did she do to be with people like her manager and Aneesh? What did she do to be at a place that she doesn't deserve? Doesn't she deserve good things in life?

Cursing her fate and life, she was on her way home. She saw a mall and decided that she'll buy herself something to cheer up herself. She entered the mall full of colorful accessories. Just when she was getting bored of the regular stuff which she usually sees in mall, a black top caught her eyes. She immediately grabbed it before any other girl could buy it.

She went to pay the bill accompanied by a minor girl who could hardly read English.She passed the top to the Cashier who very confidently was impressing another customer. He grinned at the other customer who came along with his healthy daughter. He was saying , would you like to buy something else for your daughter sir? You know that we have number of quality products here.
No ,said the man firmly.

On the other side he shouted at that minor girl and said -now don't stand like that. Cant you see madam is waiting.Just tell me the price written on that tag.Make it fast, 'you are too slow', . Paying the bill, she smiled looking at the little girl and she thought to herself 'What did the little girl do to be at a place that she doesn't deserve? Doesn't she deserve good things in life?' Leaving the mall ,she was all prepared for another day at office.

The Proposal

The cool breeze blew her hair so much that it reminded her of those bike rides she had with Abhi. She just hated to remember any of the memories she had of him. Now that she was into a new place, new organization it was getting a little easier for her to get over him.

She knew she was not alone in this getting over process, as long as she had Varun with her. Varun - this was the first name she knew in her new Oraganisation.
1 year of pick ups and drops and Varun has become her best friend now.
It was late in the evening when Varun was dropping her. As usual, Sitting behind like a little girl experiences a bike ride for the first time , she closed her eyes tight. Being the shy gal she was, she always wondered even now if it was Ok to hold him while he was driving.


Her eyes started watering due to strong wind. She literally screamed : Varun can you pls go slow...
He turned his face back towards her and shouted back What? I can't hear you.

I said, Can you pls go slow, you are driving too fast, she repeated.

Ok ok Sanaa, stop shouting I can hear you, he said changing the gear.

She closed her eyes again , this time not because of the wind. Those memories with Abhi haunted her again. The blowing wind was as if Abhi was whispering to her all those words again – that he would go to any extent to convince his parents, he would get married to her and that she was the best for him. Not that he was the first guy who wanted to marry her , but he was definitely the first guy whom she had said Yes once. And that was the day when she had decided never to say Yes again to anybody.

She kept her eyes closed for sometime and then she heard in her mind, the last words they had spoken to each other on the day they parted forever- Sanaa , you cannot blame me if my parents don't want you with me. They are very important for me and I cannot leave them.
And what about me? You did not think of me before you made this decision? She remembered asking him in low shocking voice.

Oh c'mon, you know how much I tried convincing them..and ok I confront that I was foolish,, that my proposal was a mistake...It was all so fast, I should have taken some time to think about it. It was a mistake I pursued you for 2 years , I should have known that it was just an infatuation. Lets cut it out here. It was just that I trusted my parents too much...
With tears rolling her eyes she said, and I trusted you.

Suddenly she heard somebody screaming ,”You jerk, wanna die or something”? Her thoughts of Abhi freezed there, she woke up to realize that she was leaning on Varun's shoulders holding him tight and was asleep for quite sometime. Varun was shouting at the auto wallah who almost dashed them. It was getting darker.
She asked him “ Varun , how long have we been driving and why did not you wake me up? Where are we now?
Whoa! So many qtns you ask princess. Its been 1hr and we haven't reached yet. He said turning back at her. He loved calling her that way.
He looked into her eyes , the wind blowing her hair, the dupatta falling off her shoulders, he loved every bit of her. He loved talking to her while driving and looked at her glowing face now and then.

Worriedly she said, Can you pls keep you r head on the road and not on my face. And 1hr? Why haven't we reached yet? It takes only half an hour to reach my place from office. Varun don't tel me you missed the destination again as usual.

We are not going to your place princess, we are going somewhere else , he said.

What? Its already too late now. Take me home, I am not coming with you anywhere else. Take me home, she shouted.

Relax! Don't be such a spoil sport. Remember tomorrow is new year and my last day at this office. Allow me to give you party at least.

Ok fine. But at least tell me where are we going? Where are you taking me? She asked again

He said , Thats a surprise. Just be quiet and trust me.
She did not say a word.

After driving for another half an hour, they got down infront of a building that looked like a luxurious villa.

He asked her to wait inside till he parks the vehicle.
Hesitatingly she went inside the house. All the lights were switched off. She switched on the lights. It was the most beautiful house she had ever seen. She saw Varun's photo kept at a corner. She lifted the photo and saw Varun closely for the first time. She knew that the feelings she had for him were something beyond just friendship.
Just when she was enjoying being at that place , she heard somebody calling her name. It was Varun in the next room.
She went towards the room, it was all dark. Somebody grabbed her by her waist and pulled inside the room.
She struggled to free herself ,her heart beats were fast now and just when she was about to scream, somebody closed her mouth.
Varun ? She asked in a surprise.
He took off his hand away from her mouth in the darkness and whispered to her, “Shh...Dont be afraid of the Dark.. Princess..I am here with you..Don't be afraid.

He knew very well how much she was afraid of the dark. It was when he was playing a prank on her in the darkness at their common friend's place, she revealed it herself. He still remembered that was the first fight she had with him and how hard she had slapped him that day. Things have changed a lot with her, now that he was with her when ever she needed him.

He pulled her towards him this time with all the command. She let herself go. They felt each others breath on the lips. He raised her chin with his finger and kissed her lips. She did not resist. He switched on the lights, took a diamond ring from his pocket, bent on his knees and taking her hand in his hands, he asked ' Will you be my princess for the rest of my life' ? Will you marry me?

She looked into his eyes. It was time for her to move on. It was time for her to forget the past. It was time for her to trust again.

It was time for her to say 'Yes' . She smiled at him and lovingly said 'Yes' .