Chapter 17: 16. Him, Again?


    Anika''s PoV


    Our home is devastated is a very small word to describe our state now. My dad lost his job and as he


    was not working in a government office, he got very little benefits from his industry. It really never was


    supple to even cover his hospital expenses. Every time I saw my dad, the feeling of guilt that surged


    through my veins knew no bounds. It literally kills me. Though mom consoled me saying that it is not


    my fault and dad already had this condition, I know deep in my heart that this happened because of


    me.


    I called up Arun to let him know of my condition. But he already knew of it from Nithya but he decided


    not to call me. I was in a way, relieved that it won''t be that hard for me to ask him to stay away from me.


    "Hi Anu, how are you doing?" he asked me like it''s usual when I called him three dayster, after we


    came back from hospital.


    "I am not good, Arun. My dad..." I couldn''t finish it as I couldn''t control my cries.


    "Shhh, rx Anu. I know. Nithya told me on Monday."


    "What? Then why didn''t you call me?" I asked him inplete dismay.


    "I wanted to give you your space, Anu. I didn''t know your situation. So I restrained myself from calling


    you. I waited for you to call me when situations are better."


    "Oh, you could have at least messaged me. Nevermind, I want to tell you something."


    "I know, your mom and dad know about us! Nithya told me that too." he said. Apparently, when I spoke


    to her in the hospital, I told her everything out of my guilty conscience. She had told him everything.


    Everything including that I am feeling guilty that it is because of me and yet he didn''t try to console me


    or make me feel better.


    "Oh, all I wanted to ask you is some time, Arun. You concentrate on your job hunt. I will do mine. Let''s


    get things better at both of our ends. We will convince my dad when it is the right time." I told him.


    "Come on, Anu. Your dad''s consent is not important anymore. If your mom is fine with us, why do we


    want to take a break?"


    "Shut up, Arun. How dare you talk like this? He is my father and he is important to me no matter what."


    "Rx, Anu. I am sorry. Long distance rtionships don''t work properly. And you are asking me to wait


    even without talking to you. It is so hard, Anu. You know I can''t stay away from you." he said which


    actually soothed my hurt heart.


    "Please understand, Arun. At Least we have to wait until you find a decent job."


    "Huh, ok. I don''t want to force you anymore. If you are sure that this is what you want with us, I am fine.


    I wille back to you when I get a job. But remember, I love you!" he said before disconnecting my


    call. I felt a lot better than before calling him.


    I finished my exams more than good given my current state of mind. I am sure I will pass it with the


    distinction. Advay was very broken when he saw dad in this state. But my mom and I supported him


    well and made him write his final exams. He knew our present condition and made up a part-time job in


    the nearby supermarket. We took the bank savings that dad saved for my wedding. It is that money


    that keeps us going for the past month.


    I was eagerly waiting for the call letter or mail for the final round of interview from the twopanies


    that I was selected in. Butter we realized that it was vain to wait for them because my seniors told us


    that they were still waiting to hear from them. Apparently, thepanies juste to the campus to


    conduct interviews just because they have tied up with our college. Our college just pays them toe


    to campus interviews to add it to their prospectus and thepanies never really offer jobs to our


    college students. I was more than broken then.


    I asked my H.O.D to offer me a job as his assistant to help him finish his Phd. As everyone in my


    college knows my dad''s condition, he readily gave me that work and paid me. I had to just type and edit


    his work in the document and I thought I could do it at home. So I also asked my OS lecturer to provide


    me with theb assistant work. She talked to the management very quickly and made it happen. So


    now I work in theb as theb assistant and gather the works from my HOD and do it in the evenings


    at home. I also take up bouquets making orders from my mom''s clients.


    It is graduation day at my college today and I have loads of work to do. All the certificates and medals


    are in my custody and I have it ordered as per the ranks and alphabets. I saw the invitation for


    graduation day. It said chairman Shravan and chairman Arjun!


    ARJUN! I don''t know what has happened to me but I felt like I have seen him before. Ever since I saw


    him back in my granny''s home, he always disturbs me in my sleep. Those pitiful eyes, I hate them. His


    car, his looks, his eyes, his clothes all scream of money and his pitied eyes are filled with sarcasm.


    Though I hate him, I could not deny that attraction I had for him. And I hate him more for that. I know it


    is not fair that I hate him for the attraction I felt for him but that helps me keep his thoughts at bay.


    I banged my head for my irrelevant thoughts and started to get ready to go to college. I reached my


    college in time and ran to the auditorium to set things up for the function. The inte in the


    auditorium rang and I was the one near it.


    "Hello!"


    "This is Shravan here, I need a ss of cold water in my room."


    "Right away, sir!" I hung it up and turned to the otherb assistant to tell her the message.


    "Akka, the chairman is asking for cold water."


    "Huh, it is what money does to you. The fridge is in the principal room which is right next to his room.


    But he calls us up for it. I will take care of the rest. You go and give it to him." she said.


    "Ok, akka!" I walked out of the auditorium thinking of what she said. She is right. Rich people are


    arrogant andzy. But when I walked towards his room, I saw him walking towards the auditorium. I


    decided to ask him if he still needs water.


    "Sir!" I ran to him.


    "Yes?"


    "I wasing to get you water. Do you still want it?" I asked him.


    "Who are you?"


    "I am the newb assistant." I told him.


    "I asked to bring a ss of cold water to my room. Wasn''t I clear?" he asked me, anger evident in his


    eyes.


    "Yes, sir!" I retreated.


    "I have a guest there in my room. Just do as you are told. Don''t try to be smart. I am letting you go just


    because you are new. Don''t ever try being an interloper again." he went away with a warning. I felt


    ashamed and I know I am just ab assistant here and I should do as I am told to. I should have not


    stopped him and talked to him. But what is so wrong in rifying the doubt? Huh, rich men are just


    ARROGANT!


    I went up to his room with a ss of water and knocked on the door. I went in after I heard a response.


    It is a shock that I met him there! ARJUN! So that chairman in the invitation is him? So this is where I


    saw him before? I have brought this water for him? I felt like my ego got a big hit.


    "How are you, Anika? How is your dad?" he asked me as if we were long lost friends.


    "We are good. My dad is doing fine." I said putting all my concentration on the water ss rather than


    on his question.


    "What happened to your interviews?" he asked me. Did I see him smirk or am I just imagining?? How


    dare he? He wants tough at me for my rude answer back then? I am not going to give him that


    satisfaction.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    "That is none of your business. How can you be so mean?" I spat out right at him.


    "What did I do? No one has ever talked to me like you do. I don''t stand disrespect." he stood up from


    the chair, his face hardened as rock and his fist balled up.


    "Do you need anything else?" I asked him to divert my fear. I don''t know why I always end up in a bad


    situation. Just now, that stupid of a chairman ridiculed me and now he is trying to threaten me! I am


    done responding to his reactions. He is no one to make me feel frightened.


    "Nothing from you." he showed me the door. How rude?


    I felt deeply disgraced by his rude behavior. The chairman''s anger did not bother me much. But his


    anger frightened me, his rude behavior hurt my heart and I was on the verge of crying. I ran out of the


    room to stop that extreme embarrassment of crying in front of him. I avoided looking at him for the rest


    of the function. He is toxic!