Imperfectly Perfect

Chapter 13 - What did I just feel for you?

Strangely, the dinner with Niall provided me so much solace and calmness that I completely forgot about the Steven episode – his ignorance towards me and his humiliation as well. Office these days, is being fantastically relaxing and exciting too. All this while I was going nuts over Steven, which made me forget how great my job is, and how much I've worked my whole life to get to this position. I've acquired a rejuvenated version of myself now, and that delivers good performance not only at work, but pretty much in everything I do. At home also, I manage time so much better, and take time out to even read books that I love so much, but hardly got time before.

Steven and I have totally stopped talking to each other. I see him in the office, doing the exact same things I used to drool over even last week, but somehow they don't have any impact on me anymore. I'm not sure yet if this change is making me happier, but I'm certain that I'm enjoying getting back to my old bubbly and cheerful self, free of constant anxiety and restlessness.

As far as Niall is concerned, he pretty much behaves like a "normal" person these days, with us newly becoming friends. Of all people – Liam seems the happiest for it. Although we three remain extremely busy with our works we've had one dinner among us, attended by Sophia as well, and it turned out to be quite amazing.

Liam and I cooked, actually he did all the cooking and I did only the cutting part while Sophia cleaned the boys' apartment, which she often does whenever she stays back and Niall pretty much did what he always does – do nothing, and only watch television.

It's a lovely Thursday afternoon today, and I've already done three stories. Owing to having stomach upset, I eat only two apples for lunch. Deepak hasn't come to office due to suffering a bike accident on Monday, and even Steven has been missing from yesterday. I don't see Santosh as well and anticipate that both of them might have taken a trip together because I heard them conversing about train tickets on Tuesday.

It's 4.00 Pm now, and I'm almost done with my fourth story. My mind, somehow, goes back to home and I realize that I absolutely have no interest in cooking dinner today. With the pace I've adopted to work, I know I'll be done by sharp 6.00 Pm and going back home, I only wanna take a nice shower and watch television later.

I look back in this week, and realize that I've done loads of work against the standard requirement. This thought makes me want to take a nice break – maybe go out for drinks in a nice club with my friends. Thanks to lots of my school and IIJNM friends working in Bangalore itself, I know I'll not have a problem gathering people, provided a date gets fixed first.

After submitting the fourth story, I unlock my mobile's screen and type a text message to send to Harish – my school friend who is a software engineer and also nearly an alcoholic. Regardless of I getting addicted to drinking and smoking from his influence, I like hanging out with him because he has been my friend since we were in ninth standard. It's always easier to hang out with people you've known from your childhood years.

However, I know in my heart I'll never become an alcoholic or smoker like him.

"Hey, you free this Saturday? Wanna go out for drinks?" I type and send the message.

I turn off the internet in my phone and concentrate in doing my fifth story. When I turn around to get a glimpse of Venkatesh, I find him dozing with his mouth agape.

I laugh and shake my head, browsing Google News to find a story.

After sometime when I pull the internet on my phone to check whether Harish replied or not, I notice that instead of him I sent the message to Steven by mistake. I slap on my forehead and murmur "Shit" to myself.