The Rose & Her Thorn

Part 4

Shikha and the other interns, who were selected the day before, reached VSTech Head Office much before the reporting time.

It was known to everyone that the man was punctual and liked others to follow his suit, and they had no intentions of letting him down on the first day.

"Are you nervous, Shi?" asked Rohan, who had seen Shikha fiddle with her dupatta and he was aware it was one of her methods to ease away her nervousness.

"No then, Rohan." Shikha rolled her eyes with a sardonic shake of her head.

"I had given up on finding an internship, but this somehow worked out. I want to give my best to this. This is such a renowned company. If we receive good feedback from here, it will do wonders to our resumes. Do you think we will get to work together?" asked Shikha, hoping that their boss assigned them to the same supervisor so that she would have some known face around her to help her around.

"I really hope so, Shi. Even if I am not, I am just one text or call away. Always. Remember that," assured Rohan, hugging her from her side as she beamed at him.

Vikram Singhal marked his entry at that opportune moment. He walked in and his stature demanded attention from everyone present, and while everyone willingly gave him the attention he sought, Rohan and Shikha appeared lost in each other.

His jaw clenched, and he balled his palms into fists, glaring at the couple in front of him - declaring their affection for one another without a worry for the world.

Shikha's eyes traveled towards Vikram's fuming form after listening to the whispers around her and she jumped to her feet, pulling Rohan with her, startling Rohan with her knee-jerk reaction. She stepped away from Rohan, and Vikram's lips stretched to form a smirk.

He signed to Shekhar and moved towards his own office. "Interns, follow me into the cabin," ordered Shekhar, following Vikram's stride.

Vikram took his seat and Shekhar stood next to him, ready to offer any kind of help his boss might need.

"Ankita and Pamela, you will work under Shashank Sharma. Rohan and Simran, you will be working under Roopa Sen. And Shikha, you are with me!" announced Vikram, enunciating the last few words pertaining to the lady occupying his thoughts with a predatory smirk dancing on his lips.

"Do we have questions?" asked Vikram, for the sake of formality, for he already knew no one dared to question him, but much to his surprise, there was someone who had questioned him.

"Sir, a small request. Um, er, is it possible for me to work with Rohan? I will be more comfortable working around him."

Shikha's request as a mere hoarse whisper resulted from her startle when she realized Vikram had chosen her to work with him, and the floodgates of terror opened to reveal the consuming fear which accompanied her as Rajeev's words of precaution rang in her ears.

Shekhar looked at the girl with an arched eyebrow. He had not understood the reason behind choosing Rohan when Vikram had every intention of separating him from the woman of his interest. He hoped Vikram's obsession with the timid girl does not end catastrophically for everyone involved.

Anger was about to take the better of Vikram, but he had reined it, convincing himself as an investment. He had to take it slow if he wanted her for himself, and he knew it. He would only alienate himself from her if he allowed his dissatisfaction to show.

It had also become evident to him why no other company had stepped forward to hire her. Her unprofessional behavior would have rung danger bells in the minds of the recruiting panel, and rightly so.

"Ms. Agarwal, we never change these rosters, and if we start now, it will be unfair to those who requested before you. You can always meet him during the breaks."

"Sorry, sir. I shouldn't have asked that," replied Shikha, after Rohan kicked her for her reckless and unprofessional demand. She wondered, with her heart sinking, if it was the beginning of what Sunaina and Rajeev had warned her against.

Little did she know, Vikram was the obsessed and devoted thorn, much like her beloved sister- and brother-in-law had suspected, and she was the naïve and docile rose.

Little did he know, in the quest of claiming her, he would turn her into a bleeding rose.