Arylie FF: I'm Happy Here With You

two ~ manmarziyan

hosh khoye, par sambhali, manmarziyan
zid ki maari, bhole bhali, manmarziyan

... ... ...

The mood in the office was like those sudden, surprise recess periods you used to get when your drill teacher was absent. Imlie bit the end of her nails and tried hard to concentrate on the article she was writing. It was hard. Some of her colleagues were playing a rather loud game of Uno. 

She glanced at the empty cabin and sighed. Usually, she'd be the first one to join in the merrymaking in the absence of their strict boss. In fact, she'd be the one arranging the mischiefs. But today, her mind was preoccupied. First, she was unable to find apt words to finish her article with a high note; second, she was still mad at ABP for simply disappearing without telling her and third, she grimaced a little when she saw Aditya approaching her. She'd have preferred this third point remained an udhaar!

"Hi Imlie, having trouble with your work, want me to help out?"

"No, thank you."

"Come on, I'm done with my day's work. I can help you easily," he leaned to read her screen and smiled, "Okay, what about you telling me your alternate ideas and I'll tell you which ending sounds better."

"You are done with your work?" Imlie blinked, a little impressed. She knew Aditya was given a tough feature to write which required hours and hours of research. ABP can be very, very petty. "Did you double check all the stats?"

"What Imlie, that Rathore left you on guard dog duties? Relax, I do all my work properly. And if not, Editor Sir is here. He'll tell me. You don't have to stress about it."

That Rathore didn't even leave me a text message, Imlie thought angrily and snapped at Aditya, "Well, there you go, if there's some issue with my article, then Editor Sir is here. Why are you stressing about it?"

"Relax Imlie, the amount of offense you take for our boss is scandalous, you know that right? Forget the article, let's go out, let me buy you lunch. You can do a late submission, I'll talk to Editor Sir."

Before Imlie could reply, the Editor was on the main floor. "Sorry to break up the mood people, but the submission deadline is still sharp at 4pm, just because Aryan is not here doesn't mean he doesn't want the layout emailed to him right on time. Please finish your work, then go back to whatever you are doing to have fun."

Aditya frowned at that and huffed back to his own cubicle. Imlie grinned a little. As if Ringmaster Singh Rathore would let go of the control. Her heart skipped a beat when her phone pinged. She hastily unlocked it, only to find a text from Nishant Bhaiya.

Nishant: Rupi Didi's birthday, surprise party tonight, you coming?

Imlie: Of course, Nishant Bhaiya, I'll be there.

***

Aditya saw Nishant's message on his phone and smiled. Imlie will be at his home tonight. Now that Aryan Singh Rathore was not here to keep Imlie away from him, he'll finally have a proper chance to woo his girl back.

***

"Here, next in agenda, the informal you asked with me and Abhay, this location," Shweta pushed a note across the desk towards Aryan. He glanced at the paper and raised a single eyebrow, "A bar, really? You know I don't drink."