Destiny or Coincidence?

Athira Patel

After our conversation in the cafeteria with Sahana, we all went to our respective cabins to start our day. When I have reached our floor only Divya was present in her cabin, looks like the rest of them are still late to the office today.

I greeted her on my way to the cabin and went inside taking a seat in front of my system. While turning on the system I recalled the conversation between us in the cafeteria about how we are going to help Sahana in making Karthik fall for her.

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"Guys you don't know how happy I am listening to this" Sahana said unable to contain her excitement. She is not sitting in her place steadily making the table move with her. Her legs are tapping on the floor continuously and her hands are clapping repeatedly with each word she said. This girl is impossible. But the way her face is glowing just knowing that we are ready to help with Karthik says a lot.

"But I have one doubt here lady James," said Charitha interrupting her train of happy thoughts. Listening to her nickname, Sahana gave a glare towards Charitha warning her not to call her that again.

She got that name on the first day when she was ready to pounce on Omisha for the sake of Abhilash. From that day onwards most of them in our gang call her with the same name. But she literally hates it and it makes us more fun seeing her reaction. Specially Karthik.

Woah.. hold on. Karthik likes to tease Sahana a lot. And he practically stays with her all the time whenever it's possible. God.. what an idiot I am. Why haven't I seen this before? It was before our eyes and no one was able to catch on to that.

That's because you are an idiot. Mocked my brain butting in the middle of my thoughts.

Just shut up ok. I know that I am an idiot. No need to mock me repeatedly in every given situation. Urghhhh…

It's clear that even Karthik likes Sahana from the start but since he saw the reaction of her towards Abhilash, he might have not made any move on her.

"Shoot you dumb," said Sahana still glaring at her.

"You said that you have feelings for Abhilash right? Then what about him if you like Karthik now? That means anyone can flirt and try with him now?" Charitha asked looking eager and at the same time teasing Sahana to get a reaction out of her. But still, we can see that she is really curious about the question she asked. Hell, even I was curious to know her answer.

It's not like I want to try him, it's just for knowledge. That's it.

"I know that you like to pull my leg every time. But yes I don't have feelings for Abhilash. Maybe it was just infatuation from the start. The way I am feeling right now for Karthik, I never used to feel that way about him. It's like I will forget the whole world around me when I am with him and unknowingly I will always look forward to meeting him and spend time with him. And I never felt this weird tingling sensation when he is near me." She said looking in between us. But she is not here. She is in her own dreamy world where she is imagining all these things. We can clearly see it in her eyes.

When she observed that we are observing her with a secret and teasing smile of ours she blushed looking away.

"Are you guys even getting what I am trying to say? It's like you know our heartbeat increases when they see us. God… I cannot explain it but it's a different feeling which I have never felt before with anyone." She said keeping both of her hands below her chin on the table with the support looking all lovey-dovey.

"Ok ok. We got the clear idea that you don't have any feelings for Abhilash now. Right?" Asked Charitha getting clarity on the topic by dragging her chair near to the table.

"Yup. Exactly. He can go to hell with that 'I am number one bitch and attention seeker' girl. I don't care at all." She said nodding her head and air quoting with her hands to show us.

"What was that 'i am a bit…' god… about whom you are talking?" I asked confused looking at her.

"Its Omisha though," said Charitha dismissing me and laughing at the name Sahana gave to her. We were all laughing for that name when our token number was called. Sahana stood up and went to get our food while we are still trying to control our laughter.

When Sahana went to bring our food, I have informed Charitha about my thoughts on Karthik. She was feeling so high almighty that she is correct all the time from the start when she said that Karthik has feelings towards Sahana. Now, this girl is so full of herself. God, what have I got in the form of friends… still, I wouldn't trade them with anything. However, they are awesome in a different way.

Now we have to plan on how to make Karthik confess about his feelings towards Sahana or at least make the first move. Because it looks like Sahana is feeling insecure to make the first move.

After Sahana returned with our food we all discussed about the plan. And she is already having a plan to which we need to execute.

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The sound of tapping on my cabin door brought me back from my thoughts about the plan. I said to come inside to whomever it is on the other side of the door while checking my mails if anything is new.

When I raised my head, I was surprised to see her in my cabin. I too stood from my chair to greet her.

Ok…. Now, what's wrong. I am totally getting negative vibrations from the look of her. I thought to myself.

Then let's hear business. Informed my brain.

"I didn't come here to be greeted by you. I came here to give you a warning" she said straightforwardly glaring in my direction. I can feel the hatred she has for me in her eyes. She is even scanning me from top to bottom with a look of disgust on her face.

Woah… what have I done to deserve this kind of reaction from her? I thought l myself. I won't lie. Her look is making me feel uncomfortable.

"Warning? I didn't get you. What have I done?" I asked confusion lacing through me.

"Don't act so innocent Athira. I know that you are not that innocent." She raised her voice with each word. I can feel her dominance towards me. I'm really not getting what have I done now. Is it about the work? But I don't think I have done anything wrong.

"Abhilash is mine. Don't you dare flirt with him again." She seethed coming closer to me and catching my shoulder with rather a force which is making me painful. I tried to get away from her but she was not letting me go. I can feel tears pooling at the corner of my eyes due to her nails digging on my shoulder rather deep.

"I know girls like you very well. You won't leave any chance to flirt with boys by acting all decent just to get their attention towards you. You are no different from them. I am observing you from the start. The way you look at him, the way you smile at him when he speaks with you and recently how you have behaved in his cabin when I caught you red-handed. You were literally forcing yourself upon him." She spat disgustedly shooting daggers at me.

I was so shocked listening to her accusations that I was unable to reply to her. I stayed rooted in my spot with a disbelieving look on my face.

"Girls like you never leave a chance. And I am warning you Athira that he is mine. So keep your disgusting face and yourself away from him. This time I am just warning you, but next time if I see you with him then I don't know what I will be doing to make your life hell" she warned looking into my eyes and pushed my shoulder releasing me from her iron grip.

She gave one last warning glare towards my direction and went out spinning on her heel.

I collapsed onto my chair once she is out of my cabin. I didn't know when tears started flowing down my eyes, I started crying due to her harsh words. What the hell she was talking about. When did I force myself on him? To say frankly it was totally opposite to what she said. How could one blame the character of someone that easily without even knowing them properly? Who is she to decide about my character?

She is not my friend or anything that I will feel bad and get hurt because of her words. Ya, that's it. I'm not bothered and didn't take her words to heart. I'm not that weak to believe everything she said.

Then why the hell am I crying like an idiot sitting here without working?

Because goddammit you got hurt because of her words. Even if you say that you didn't take to heart, we both know that you have already taken it to heart. Informed my brain feeling sad.

Oh god. It literally hurt so much listening to her words that I'm unable to stop my tears even if I tried to. It's like someone punched me in the gut and said that I'm behaving like a slut.

Ya, I think I am. I never stopped myself from feeling all these weird emotions and feelings towards him. I always say no to him but still, I find myself getting attracted to him. Hell, I even know that Omisha is his girlfriend from day one but still I stole many glances towards him whenever I get the chance. It's wrong to feel something for the one who is already having a girlfriend. Maybe I did deserve her hatred words on me.

Now Athira! You are going to shut that train of thoughts immediately. Did you get it? It's not your fault that you got attracted to him. It will never be in our hands whom we get attracted to. Even you know that. Where the hell is your common sense gone? Scolded my brain giving me some common sense.

I didn't disagree with it nor agree with it. I know whatever my brain is trying to say is correct. But I can't help but feel hurt because of her words. It really hurt a lot.

I know that you are hurt. Now all you need to do is maintaining some distance between yourself and Abhilash. Don't make his charm get to you this time. Just be strong. Explained my brain as if she is explaining to a small child.

Ya, that's right. I need to avoid him at any cost for the sake of my heart and even for the sake of my job. He is just a project manager to me and I need to remember it every time.

Then why my heart is saying it otherwise? I shook my head to clear that thought.

With my new found confidence I have decided that I will concentrate only on my job. I have come here to reach my goal and I don't want Dev or Abhilash to make me get out of the track because of these unknown feelings. I have dealt with it in the past and I am not ready to face it again and get hurt.

Even if it comes to avoid them both then I am ready to do it at any cost than to face all these insults.

With the same determination in my brain, I took the file which Abhilash gave me to find the clause in it and went out of my cabin to show him that I have found it within the time period.

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