Absent-mindedly, (or
was it deliberately?), she had pressed the button for the sixth floor. When she
emerged out of the elevator, she had an irresistible urge to knock on Mahesh’s
door, but listening to her warning instincts, she let it pass and reluctantly
returned to her room.
As she felt slightly cold, she ordered for a pot of tea and changed into
a slinky, lilac gown and lounged on the couch, watching some nonsensical (in
her words) soap series. The door-bell buzzed and she opened the door. She
nearly swooned as she saw Mahesh, smartly dressed in a tan jacket, black jeans
and polo-necked black T-shirt, looking at her appreciatively. Self-consciously,
she brushed back her hair and asked, “Well, well, what brings you here Mahesh,
has your date been just cancelled?”
His
eyes flashed as he angrily retorted, “So you have been sneaking on my calls
again, haven’t you? You….” She bit her lip even as hot color flushed her
cheeks. She had been caught! Still she brazenly offered her explanation, “Chill
dear, you weren’t exactly discreet! Everyone at the pool heard about your
rendezvous! So I can be hardly blamed. Anyway, may I know why you have deigned
to pay a lowly mortal like me a visit?”
Just as he was about to retort sharply,
a bell-boy cleared his throat tactfully and announced that he had bought her
tea. He gleefully observed the tense under-currents between the two and walked
away, whistling under his breath.
“Hmm,
if you don’t want to speak, you can have a cup of piping hot tea with me,
unless you’d prefer something else!” she murmured tantalizingly. I would
definitely prefer the other option, but right now, I’m in a tearing hurry.
Please could you inform the Director, Samarth Babu that I won’t be available
for the evening shift today? I have tried his number several times, but it has
been switched off, hence thought that you could pass on my message to him if
you wouldn’t mind the trouble.”
“Any
thing for you sweetie!” she purred, as he beat a hasty retreat. Samaira sipped on
the ginger-flavored tea as she mulled over Mahesh’s behavior and her own wanton
behavior. Surely, she could be more dignified! What would he think of her? She
loved him so much that she could lay down her life for him, but she realized
that her behavior must have put him off. He’d now think that she just lusted
after him!
He
hadn’t ever praised her looks. Even just then, he had looked at her
appreciatively, but dismissively. As if she was a beautiful piece of furniture!
Wasn’t she worth talking to? She fumed inwardly. True to her petty nature, she
conveniently ‘forgot’ to inform the Director about Mahesh’s absence.
The
shoot was cancelled for the day, after lots of commotion on the sets. That
scene belonged to Mahesh. In his sudden absence, the shooting had to be
abandoned. Everyone blamed him for his unprofessional behavior and said that he
was becoming too big for his boots. She wallowed in the distasteful
mud-slinging as it gave her a high. Served that snob right! Ignoring a beauty
for a plain Jane did have its side-effects!
But
the next day, Samaira had to swallow her own bitter medicine. Everyone on the
sets ignored her. Mahesh was preening like a Cheshire cat and the Director was
fawning over him, as usual. It was as if the previous day’s brouhaha had just
vanished from everyone’s minds. Except hers! She seethed as Mahesh jauntily
told her, “Good weather, isn’t it? Are you unwell?” She knew that he was
taunting her. She just smiled half-heartedly and said, “I am always fine, thank
you!” He smiled knowingly and sent daggers into her heart.
She
had again succeeded in rubbing him up the wrong way! She always offended those
who she loved, hence they despised her. She was in a conundrum. How could she
rectify her obnoxious behavior? she wondered. Till she did that, she’d have to
wallow in misery and self-pity.
**********************************************************************************
To be continued.....
The copyright of this story is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
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