Opposite Poles..Part 99

Part 99

Khushi’s phone rang and she looked up in fright.  He had already started gliding down with the first ring.  She switched off  immediately and hid her cell in the bag.  He walked past her without looking at her.  She had no courage to take out her phone again.  She started working putting her head down.  He didn’t return for a long time and when he did, Aakash was with him.  She glanced at both for a fleeting second and saw his muscled flexing. 

“Kuch  toh  Gadbad  Hain, Khushi! Something is wrong! Beware Khushi!” she warned herself.  Aakash came down clutching a file and smiled awkwardly at her.  She returned the smile and stole a glance up at his cabin.  She could sense his figure at the entrance.  She turned to her screen.

“Khushi, Chalo..! Let’s have lunch!” Rekha pulled her.  Khushi got up.  She looked up for approval but he was busy with his laptop.  She took her Tiffin box and went with Rekha!  Their usual gang less R and R sirs were having fun.  Khushi had finished her Tiffin and was listening her gang’s gossip.

“Do you know, Khushi, Regi had called up!” Rekha was all excited about Regi’s call.  Khushi looked at her.

“Is it? What did he say? He didn’t call me!” She said sulking.  Rekha winked. 

“Hey, that’s what, I wanted to tell you! I told him..a..b..o..u..” her voice trailed… as she saw ASR in the canteen.  Khushi turned and got up struggling.  He came in.. “will you come to my cabin, after your lunch?” he asked Khushi gentlemanly, Khushi nodded with gaping mouth.  Everyone else was surprised too.  “What the..!” Khushi thought to herself wondering..!  She hurriedly came back to her cubical, picked up the notepad and went to his room.  He was busy on his laptop frantically typing with full concentration.  She stood before him wearing a question mark on her face.  He gestured at the pile of design and drawings file and said in a very calm voice..

“I want every drawing to be scanned and arranged in the folders..!” he gestured at the wide body big scanner and the computer system near the server room..!  She nodded and got up.  She didn’t know how to scan the drawings but had no courage to ask him.  She came down and went to the scanner room. 

“Ghabaraa  Mat  Khushi..  Xerox  Jaisa  Hi  hoga!  Just like photo copying machine..!  You can do it.. perhaps!” she didn’t sound confident.  There was no one.  She looked around nervously.  He was gazing at her.  She went in with the files.  The glass door opened again.  He was at the door.  She fidgeted.  “I want them now!” he said in a low tone.

“Ye..Yes Sir!” she frantically searched for the power switch and there it was! She finally found it on the wall.  She stretched herself raising her hand to switch it on and so did he.  Their fingers pressed on each other and she withdrew immediately.  He switched on the power.  She didn’t know which one to start first.  The scanner or the system. 

“Hey Devi Mayya, Raksha Karana! Please protect me!” she prayed hard. 

“Come! I’ll help you!” he said in a husky voice looking at her nervous face.  She flushed.  He booted the system first and logged in by her login id asking her the password.  She remembered the incidence in the warehouse and said

“I will key in my password…!” he curled up his lip in appreciation.  He started the scanner.  Took out the file and the design paper.  He opened the hatch and placed the paper aligning it to the top line..! She bent down to see how it is done.  His other hand rested on her shoulder to show her.  Her cheeks grew pink.  He closed the hatch and started the scan, pressing the few buttons. 

“See, here!” he gestured at the monitor.. the scanning progressed and finally the complete design flashed on the screen.  “Now save it!” he said and she sat on the small chair to create a folder and save the file.  He bent down showing her how to organize the files.  She could feel him breathing on her neck.  His stubble brushing on her shoulder.. she shivered.  He looked at her with a smile and she held her  breath. 

“Ok! Now do the next drawing..!” he said stepping aside holding the back of her chair to help her get up and go to the scanner.  She opened the hatch.  Took out the scanned drawing and placed it aside and placed the new drawing from the file neatly on the light source.  She looked up at him and he nodded in approval.  She smiled happily and closed the hatch.

“Haa!” her fingers trapped in the lid and she withdrew her hand with a jerk.  He leapt forward and held her hand.  He rubbed her fingers and blew on her hand gently.  She closed her eyes.  “Are you ok?”he asked placing his hand on her shoulder.  She could only nod.

“Sit here, I will do it!” he said making her sit on the chair.  She got up struggling.

“No, sir! I will do it!” she said hurriedly and he looked at her.  “Are you sure, you are ok?” he asked holding her hand stroking her fingers.  “Ye  Yes!” she looked down blushing and withdrawing her hand. 

“Call me, if you need anything..!” he said opening the door and going out.  She took a sigh of relief.  She sat on the chair pressing her hand on her heart.  “What was that?” She didn’t know.  But the feeling was heavenly.  She closed her eyes to take a deep breath.  He was watching his effect on her unblinkingly.  She turned to her work and picked up the speed.  She needed to scan sixty drawings and save them in folders.  She had learnt it. 

It was tea time and she was not even half way through.  She decided to skip the tea and continued with the work.  The door opened and he was there with a cup.

“Have it! Strong and sweet!” he was husky enough to snatch her breath.  She looked up.  Her face changed color.  “Th…Than..k  Y..ou!” she said stammering.  He nodded and went back.  The tea was indeed very sweet, per Khushi’s liking.  She sipped looking up at his cabin.  He was holding the mug of his black coffee.  She turned her face blushing furiously. 

“Kuch  Soch  Mat   Khushi..!  Yeh  Sub  Such  Nahi  Ho Sakataa! Don’t think about it Khushi..! this is not true! The Monster cannot turn into Gentleman!!” She reprimanded herself and got up to resume work.  He still was looking at her. 

The door opened and she looked back in apprehension.  Aman was at the door.

“Ms Gupta! Come to my cabin before going home!” he said smiling and she nodded.   She calculated.  It would take another couple of hours to complete the work.  It would be around seven…! She started working faster. 

Her intercom buzzed and she hurriedly opened the door to rush to pick up.  “Hello!” she picked up but it got disconnected.  She waited for a couple of minutes to buzz it again but it didn’t.  she turned to go hurriedly and bumped.  His hands wrapped around her and her head banged on his chest. 

“Sambhalkay…! Careful!” he whispered and her ear lit up like a match stick with his lips brushing her earlobe.  She hurriedly broke apart and he stepped aside to allow her to go.  She ran towards the scanner room and shut the door close behind her.

His eyes twinkled.  He turned to scanner room.  “Khushi..!” he opened the door.

“Haan?” she turned breathing heavily.  “You left this…!” he held out her notepad.  She took it embarrassed.

“Do you want me to help you?” he asked her huskily and she blushed… “N..No Sir.. I..I  will manage…Th… thank you!” her tongue turned into her enemy stammering like never before. 

“Ok!” he came in though and sat on the stool there, watching her work.  She was nervous..

“I…I will do it..!” she said weakly, struggling to keep her dupatta in place, very conscious of his presence in that tiny room. 

“Yeah! Go ahead!” he stared at her.  She turned her back to lift the hatch..

“Wai..Wait!” he said and she froze.  He got up, caught edges of her dupatta with his hands and tied them in a knot and said, “Now its ok..!”  She looked back at him shyly and he tucked her strand of hair behind her ear and said…

“Hurry up Khushi… you need to finish this …!” he looked at the pending files and she nodded turning back to her work.  He got up and went out .. back to his cabin and Khushi’s speed increased. 

It was seven thirty when she finished her work and looked up.  She smiled shyly and he glided down.

“Finished?” he asked gently and she nodded.  “Good! Keep them back in the studio and go home!” he said nicely.  She nodded and turned to pick the files up. 

“Good night, Khushi!” he held out his hand and she shuddered.  “ASR was shaking hands with her!”  She gave her hand shyly.  He turned and went back.  She picked up the files and went to the studio.  She came back, picked up her bag, shut down her system and looked up again.  He was nowhere to be seen.  His cabin was in darkness. 

“Now, who is he? What name should I give him now?” She didn’t know.  The more she dived in,  deeper was the bottom.  She would never reach the bottom!!  She sighed and went to Aman’s cabin..!

He still watched her from darkness of his cabin and went into his den seeing her going to Aman.

“S..Sorry Sir.. couldn’t make it in time..!” she said.  Aman smiled and gestured her to sit.  He took out a file and a sealed envelope and placed it on the table.  “Minutes of Meeting.!” He said and opened the file.  She took the envelope and looked at Aman questioningly.  He shrugged.  She smiled.

She came back to her cubical unable to comprehend what was going on…She kept reading the document taking it out from the envelope …!  She was alone in the office and nothing was sinking in.  She sat there like a statue for a while and coming back to her senses, got up from her chair.

“How do I thank officially? I don’t know!” she blurted and took out a white paper.

“Thank you!” she could only write.  She folded the paper and went  up to his cabin.  She searched in her bag and kept the paper on his table without switching on the lights.  She kept a guava as a paper weight and left his cabin and the office without looking back.

His figure came out from darkness, watching her going out of the office, hurriedly!!