MISUNDERSTOOD - an Arylie Story

•8

It had been 3 days now. Aryan only approached Imlie when work was at hand or if she had been requiring a ride. That's it.

He earlier used to talk to her about college, but even that was lesser. She could feel his walls coming back up and she knew the reason.

Aryan, on the other hand, thought that by doing this, it would cushion the further repercussions of either of their actions.

Little did she know, he was still very eager about her every move, always keeping a close watch.

He had made a promise to her in his heart, that he will never let her fall...and he fully intended on keeping up to it.

He knew he had taken the tough path of maintaining a distance, but that was only so that she wouldn't be affected when he wanted to achieve his goal—so she wouldn't have to bear the brunt of it.

Little did he know, that anything that affected him was bound to affect her. They were a unit, no doubt.

Again, Aryan and Imlie proving to be 50-50 idiots.

——————-

Imlie was lost in her thoughts during a short break at her lecture.

She was jolted into reality by a waving hand in the air—"Hello? Where are you dreaming? I'm sorry...uhm ...WHOM are you dreaming about?" Kiara quickly changed her tone in a teasing voice.

Imlie was taken aback.

"What...no...no one. Nothing like that!"

"Oh c'mon Imlie, there's no shame in admitting you must be thinking about your husband! By the way, what is it like...being married? I mean, forgive me, but isn't it scary?"

Imlie laughed at that. She was already on the way to 22, divorced and remarried, there was just no place for fear anymore—but a lot of self-doubt!

"The way I see it, I...I give it my all. Every relationship I fulfill is done with a lot of self sacrifice. And I...well, tend to go overboard sometimes. In fact this was something my husband made me realise about myself. So in that way, you see, we really complement each other. He tells me about myself and I tell him...well he's my partner, you see...he..." a slight blush was now creeping on her face while talking about her ABP.

She could go on and on about describing him but she knew she would probably have said too much by then.

Kiara didn't miss this hint of pink on her friend's face and immediately gave her a big smile.

"My, my Imlie! I must say I'm so happy for you! Like look at you! The glow is real. It must've been love at first sight, right? That's why you got married so early—I mean?"
Kiara looked at her inquiringly.

Imlie understood that she was bound to have questions and so she told her calmly.

"Well, you see, he was my boss. But there was nothing like that. We were friends. Atleast —yes, I called him my friend. So eventually, I think marriage was ...."

She paused to find the proper words. Kiara helped her then,

"...Inevitable? Really Imlie! Such romance and so exciting and you have not told me ANYTHING yet—damn you gurl!" She laughed loudly.

"Anyway we better catch up another day on this love saga of yours...I'll be leaving now! Bye!"

Saying this, she waved goodbye to Imlie, who was still deep in her thoughts.

"Love?" She shuddered at the thought as she felt a sudden warmth in her chest.

————————-

At the office, Imlie was ready to be greeted with a very cross pair of eyes. The Editor's.

"Sir?" She raised her eyebrows questioning.

"Imlie, I checked the report which you submitted yesterday and I have to say, it's really sloppy work. Like some words have been so vaguely put through and it's just...so unlike you. Didn't you check it before handing it in?" He was waiting for her response.

She just stared at the paper in hand incredulously and wondered how had she committed so many blunders in a single sheet.

"Sir...I...I checked it, I don't know how this...."

"Imlie please! You and I both know very well what's at stake—you are the CEO's wife, do you want anyone to think you are being given undue advantage without consequences?"

"Sir, why would you even think that? I can vouch for a fact that even Aryan sir won't stand for any such thing. I'll correct my mistake sir, it will not happen again!" She turned to her desk when he stopped her.

"Uh let it be, I've already handed over the task to Pia. She can cover it since she has already given us two reports since yesterday. Even if your topic was good, I feel Pia's piece has content which very well deserves to be in the paper. And I suggested this to Aryan, who agreed with me. He's disappointed as well, Imlie."

Her heart sank. She never liked to disappoint him, every time he had said that to her, she felt so shallow from within.

Broken promises...failure...it was all coming back.

She turned to look at his office...the blinds were on and he had not called her today about college yet again. She felt like crying loudly about how this distance between them was eating her up.