I JUST KNEW ! Part 8

Part - 8

After reaching office it was all same, the standup call, status meetings, Issue report we had to fix 85 % of bugs we were 7% behind the target to release. Being a senior resource I reached out to all of my mentees and explained them the situations and helped them to fix their issues such that we could complete the fixes as soon as possible to deliver the release tomorrow. While in the process Sashwath approached me with a situation he surfaced, I felt very nice that he thought I am worthy enough and could actually help him. He had received a mail from the client site group that there is change in certain percentages of discounts provided and it was sent to us 3 days ago and we missed it.

We took a call to our project manager and decided to fix it right away it took us around 3 hours to make the whole changes in code, while I and Saswath both needed a break we called up Sunitha and Sherlee both were my mentees to test the changes and update us and left for a coffee break.

As soon as I sipped my coffee, Sashwath asked “Shreya ammmm I know I am not close enough to ask you about this but are you in any relationship?”

I thought if you think you are not that friendly you shouldn’t have asked then I bluntly answered “NO ” with a weird expression as if I never knew what its to be in relationship. He continued “I actually have a friend, who always asks and talks about you in other business unit, you know he is kinda interested in you, you guys can hang out if you like”

“And who is this ? your friend do I know him ?” I enquired.  “No I don’t think you know him he joined like 2 months back to the corporation earlier he worked Aditya birla group as in IT service  group there.  His name is Sanjay Hegde”

Something clicked in my head as soon as I heard about Aditya birla, this is reappearing now is there some link, What do you want god I thought

“If you want I would talk to him, But trust me I am in no mood to hangout with any stranger” I said.

Sashwath was trying to convince me saying “You need to add some fun to your life Shreya It’s fine to work hard and carry on with so much things but at the end you require someone to share yourself , someone to hold your hand and you know what I mean”

I wasn’t understanding what all he meant, or why was he trying to promote his new friend. To break our conversation Sunitha appeared. And started all in girlish manner, using her so called foreign slang.

“Haaaiii Sashwath sir” with a too big smile on her face, I felt pathetic when females like her changed their mode of talking. Maybe they think its cute and very attractive for boys I never felt the same way.

“We have like  completaid the testingsszz   which you both have advized you know it is so late now, even already 11 PM can we leave now. Shreya Maam Sudheer sir (Manager) was also asking if you can join he is about to leave home,

as the work is completed we have received mail for confirm delivery tomorrow ”

She elongated

I felt better hearing that the release will be be done tomorrow and things would be smooth however, I really didn't realise that it was so late.

I said “yes of course let's go home” I went upstairs while both of these followed me keeping some distance, I did see that these two were holding hands behind me. I avoided thinking further as I reached my desk I checked my bag and reached out to my phone, I found my phone flashing 12 missed calls out of which one was some idea call centre number, 3 from my mom and rest from dad. I felt pang in my heart damn they were so worried this morning and I am here this late. I called up my dad as the phone was rang I heard Sashwath conveying “I  and Sunitha will be at parking waiting for you, Please find Boss and just come” I noded.

Meanwhile Dad picked up the call and said “Hey where are you, we were so worried it’s so late did you eat anything?”

I replied “Dad I am so sorry My phone was on silent mode I couldn’t check I was pretty busy, I am really sorry I am just starting from office now ….”

I saw Sudheer walking towards me “Pick up your bag lets leave, where are these two love buds” Asked my manager

“I said they are waiting at parking ” moving my phone at a distance from my face and soon picked my backpack and followed my boss parallelly answering my dad “I will be reaching home in another 40 to 45 mins dad I ll eat at home, Please don’t be awake you’ll again have early morning schedules ” .Dad wasn’t angry his voice seemed relaxed by now he said “Doll we are waiting for you, we shall have dinner together OKay just come home soon”. And he hanged up, I felt really bad, I was the reason they were so worried and now I kept them hungry and waiting.

As we were about to reach staircase, Sudheer realised he missed something and exclaimed “Shreya you just go down, I missed my lunch box at my desk I’ll soon come down I ll take the elevator OKay ?” I said “Okay !!”

I went down to the parking crossing 4 floors, when I reached the parking I started moving towards Sudheer's car  it was however the only car there in the parking and as I approached a little near I found Sashwath and Sunitha Kissing, I was frozen for an instant they were completely immersed in whatever they were doing just standing beside the car. I felt a little nasty now and tapped my feet strongly on the ground. Sunitha was panicked and moved aside and  both of these behaved as if nothing has happened, within a minute or two we heard “beep beep ”the car was unlocked by Sudheer, coming from a distance and as always I took the front seat while they slipped in the back seat.

On the way to home that day I tried really hard not to think about whatever just happened and focus on other stuff, but it wasn’t seeming easy as both these were completely calm, unlike other days and both were staring out of their window, My manager was driving quite fast that night as there wasn’t any traffic at all. And my mind was driving me to various romantic scenes which I saw in movies all those lip locking sequences, I never did kissed any boy in that passionate way. Infact I never kissed Sumit in that way, I kissed him like 3 or 4 times that too on his cheeks we never smooched I thought and may be that was missing in our relationship. Men!!! may be they tend to look on getting physical and I was only emotionally attached to sumit, It was all my fault, I remember how many times did he tried to call me at his place or for outing at outskirts spots of  hyderabad and I always denied him. No wonder he left me.

Maybe he deserved someone better and may be…

The saga of my thoughts were broken by my manager he said “Shreya are you asleep ?” I replied “No sir, I was just ..” and I realised we had reached my place already. I got down saying “Thank you sir, Good night.”I didn't wait for any reply and rushed to my home.