Nice to Meet You Again

Kucch Kam Geeli hai Baarishein

Present Day

"I'm not sure I want to do this. I feel like I'm a fraud, like I'm betraying his memories, like I'm selling the sanctity of what was between us just for my own weakness. I can't do this...."

I stopped at the threshold of the mammoth-like complex of Picosys Ltd. I didn't know what I was doing there. No...I wanted him back at any cost and this was my last chance. I screamed- STOP!

Everyone was looking at me as if I had lost it. Well, to be honest, they were not wrong. My blue kurti was splattered with mud and I was drenched in the unexpected, unforgiving rains of Pune.

I looked around and saw some people giggling, some scoffing. But someone had stopped the escalator for me blocking the escalator door with one foot. Not willing to refuse the polite gesture of that man, I entered the lift.

The inside of the escalator had cushion-like burgundy walls. It was larger than all escalator insides I had seen and...then I saw the red sticker 'Only for Top Management' at the right wall.

I looked down. The escalator floor was full of my muddy footprints and dirty rainwater was dripping from my clothes. I cringed hard.

I looked at the fluorescent light over my head. It was too bright and hot and I was beginning to feel nauseous. The brightness was growing at first slowly then it started becoming larger and larger then BOOM!

I held the lapels of that man's suit and closed my eyes. After some seconds, I realised there was no sound, no monstrous ball of light and I had thrown all my documents on the lift floor in fear.

I kneeled down and began picking up the papers one by one. The man didn't even look at me. I heard the ting! of lift. We were at the floor I had to go to. The door opened. The man stepped out and the papers were still on the floor.

The door was almost closed when a hand blocked it and the hand was there till I picked up all the papers. As I was going to thank him, he went away with brisk steps not even bothering to look at me.

********

In 2007

It was my first day at school. The ground was muddy after rains and kids were playing. There was a large makeshift gate erected at the centre of ground which obviously had no practical use and a tall guy was trying to attach a poster- "Welcome to Academic Year 2007-08" at the top of the door. A strongly built guy was holding the rickety chair on which the boy was standing. Many students were surrounding them.

"Here?" The guy asked.

"A little left," a girl shouted.

The tall guy inched left, balancing himself on the wobbly chair.

"Here?" He said again.

"A little right."

And this process was continuing since at least ten minutes. Even I was getting irritated, but the tall guy had no such feelings. He was looking so happy to oblige his friends.

"Here?" He asked again and as I was going to pass them, I sneezed.

The burly guy holding the chair stepped back leaving the chair and the tall guy fell down, straightaway taking me on the ground with him.

He had bright, puppy-like eyes with long eyelashes and he was quite handsome. Everyone started jeering.

The guy got up, taking perfect care not to make me feel awkward any more than I was already feeling, and then he gave me his hand to get up. I took it. Another round of jeering.

"It's OK," he whispered, "Go to sports room. There's always a spare uniform there."

After changing into fresh clothes, I went to classroom. I looked at the faces of students. No one made any move to make the seat beside them empty by shifting their bags.

Finally I heard a voice warm as honey, "Hey Parmita! You can sit here."

It was the same guy. He made space for me beside him. Another round of jeering, calling out, "Khel gaya Mahi!"

I sat down beside him.

"Hi! I'm Mahaswin," he extended his hands towards him.

I said, "Good morning!" with his hand towards me left in air, "I'm Parmita Tomar. I already have a boyfriend."

The guy chuckled, "What? I mean, ye kahaan se aaya?"

"Everyone outside and here too was jeering..."I said unsure how to explain to him.

"Arrey! Don't worry about them," he said, then bringing his face close to my ears, he said, "By the way, I too have a girlfriend whom I love so much but she had asked me to keep our relationship secret. I've told you this only to ease your mind."

"Oh!" I said simply.

-------

Present Day

I was looking for the room I had to report in when I was pushed aside. Despite not being any fault of mine, I muttered, "I'm sorry."

I heard a sweet, female voice- "Whatever."

There was a tall, very slim girl in a seemingly expensive dress who was storming through the corridor. Judging from her voice and physique, she could be not older than nineteen and she stormed into...what? The CEO room.

The hair on my body raised in alarm. If it was what I was thinking, it was so disgusting and evil. These people in top positions...Chhii...

I finally reached the room where a seriously-looking sophisticated woman was sitting with her legs crossed.

"Your name?" She asked without looking up from the tablet where she was writing something with stylus.

"What?"

"Your name?" She asked again, visibly irritated. I had already registered on their website providing all my information. Are they trying to confirm it from me in person?

"Pa... Parmita Tomar."

"The deceased's name?"

"Dev Mishra."

"Your relationship with him?"

"We loved...I mean he planned to marry me," I said unsure how to express my relationship in a single sentence.

"OK, let me get this signed by our CEO. You must sign here before it," she said, giving me tablet and stylus.

"CEO Sir?" I said, "Why? I'm just a test case."

"You are going to be an active player here, Parmita," the woman said, "That's why we have vetted only those candidates with diverse backgrounds. Plus your knowledge of software and coding will come in handy."

"But..."

"Best of luck, Parmita!" The woman smiled at last.