Chapter-16 Not your Excuse for meeting

Aarohi enters the office, looking around for her bag.

Aarohi (muttering to herself, searching):

"Where's my bag? Yaar, where did it go?"

Dhruv (holding her bag dramatically):

"Here it is, your precious bag, Miss Aarohi. I guarded it like it was more precious than my own life."

Aarohi (smiling):

"Thank you, Dhruv."

Shruti (teasingly):

"By the way, where did you disappear from the CEO's cabin yesterday? You didn't tell us anything."

Dhruv (playfully serious):

"Yes, madam! We demand an answer! Where did you vanish? And what was that important work?"

Aarohi (making an excuse quickly):

"Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom."

Dhruv (teasing as she walks away):

"Ah, avoiding eye contact now? Looks like someone has started looking at someone else with those dreamy eyes."

Pooja (rolling her eyes, laughing):

"Stop it, Dhruv. Aarohi, you go. He's completely crazy."

Restroom

While Aarohi is in the restroom, her phone buzzes. It's a message from Nirvay:

"Hi Aarohi, please come to my cabin."

Aarohi (thinking nervously):

"Seriously? Should I go? What will I tell everyone? Dhruv is already making fun of me like crazy."

She quickly types a reply:

Aarohi:

"You're the CEO of this company, not me. I'm just a fresher. You hired me because I was your friend.

By the way… where did you even get my number?"

Nirvay replies:

"Number? You silly, you're working in my company — obviously, I have your number. In fact, I had it long before you joined.

If you're not coming to my cabin, I'll just come down to the marketing department myself. I told you before — you got this job because you deserved it, not because of me."

Aarohi (reading, panicking, quickly types):

"Nirvay, please! I don't want anyone to know we're friends. Please understand. I'm repeating this again — I'm serious."

Nirvay:

"But why?"

Aarohi:

"Please, just trust me and listen."

Just then, Dhruv calls her.

Dhruv (playfully concerned):

"Aarohi, you didn't faint in the restroom, right? Should I come and save you? Oh wait, that's the female restroom… sorry!"

(laughs loudly at his own joke)

Aarohi (trying not to laugh):

"Very funny. I'm coming."

Back at Desk

Aarohi returns to her desk and quietly starts her work for the day.

Just then, Neha ma'am calls her to discuss some tasks.

Neha Ma'am's Cabin

Neha Ma'am (calling out):

"Aarohi, come here."

Aarohi:

"Yes, ma'am?"

Neha Ma'am (sternly):

"We just got a call from the CEO's office. The file you submitted yesterday is missing some pages. His personal assistant informed us. This isn't how things should be done, Aarohi. You need to focus more on your work. Also, were you on a half-day leave yesterday? You'll need to redo the file completely and personally deliver it to the CEO's office. Since it was your mistake, it's fair that you go yourself."

Aarohi (nodding):

"Yes, ma'am."

(Aarohi leaves the room, visibly irritated.)

Aarohi (muttering to herself):

"This is really getting on my nerves. One day, I'm going to break his head."

Just then, a message pops up from Nirvay:

Nirvay:

"Come quickly with the file, Aarohi. 😆😆😆😆😆"

Aarohi (fuming, types back):

"😡😡😡😡😡😡 It will take time, sir. I have to prepare the file again."

Nirvay:

"Just come as you are. I'll tell Neha that the file was complete this time. 😊😊😊"

Aarohi (firmly):

"No, sir. I'll come only after the file is properly completed. I'm a professional.

Also… bye, sir. I have a lot of work to do. Please stop disturbing me with messages."

Just then, Dhruv walks by.

Dhruv (teasingly):

"Messaging your boyfriend, huh? By the way, why did Neha ma'am call you?"

Aarohi (avoiding eye contact, focusing on her desk):

"Dhruv, I need to complete this file quickly, please let me work."

Meanwhile, another message pops up.

Nirvay:

"Seriously, you don't need to work this hard. Just come now."

Aarohi ignores his message this time and focuses on her work.

Few Hours Later

Aarohi was finally done preparing the file. She was a mix of irritation and quiet confidence as she walked towards Nirvay's cabin. But with every step, her mind wouldn't stop racing.

Aarohi (thinking):

"What exactly does this guy want? Even after becoming a CEO… he's still the same annoying Nirvay."

She reached the door and knocked firmly.

Nirvay (from inside, teasing tone):

"Come in, Miss Singh. For a moment, I thought you might have changed offices."

Aarohi (forcing a polite smile):

"Sir, the file is complete. Kindly verify it. And please, don't disturb my peace for the next 48 hours."

Nirvay (leaning back in his chair, smirking):

"Next time, submit an incomplete file again, at least that would give me a reason to see you."

Aarohi (rolling her eyes):

"I'm a professional, not your excuse for meetings."

She turned to leave. But just as she reached for the door handle—

Nirvay (softly):

"Aarohi… are you still angry with me?"

Aarohi paused, frozen for a brief moment. Without turning back, she replied in a calm, distant voice—

Aarohi:

"No, Nirvay… I'm just protecting myself… from something that's named 'you'."

And she walked out, leaving Nirvay quietly staring at the door she had just closed.

Aarohi's Desk

Aarohi, still a little angry, sat at her desk, trying to focus on her work. About an hour later, Champak arrived at her desk with a mischievous grin.

Champak:

"Madam ji, there's a parcel for you. Please come and sign to receive it."

Aarohi, a little surprised, followed him. The parcel was a pink-colored box. Curious, she opened it carefully.

Just then, Dhruv entered. Without wasting a second, he snatched the box from Aarohi's hands.

Dhruv:

"Wow, chocolates! Let's taste one—oh, wait, there's also a note inside!"

Aarohi (annoyed):

"Stop it, Dhruv! It's mine. Give it back!"

Pooja:

"Dhruv, give her stuff back right now! And don't even think about reading that note, or I'll complain to Neha ma'am."

Dhruv (grinning, offering chocolate to Pooja):

"Here, Pooja, have some chocolate. Chill! And here, Aarohi, you can have one too."

Aarohi tried to snatch the box and the note, but Dhruv was 6 feet tall, and Aarohi, being 5'5", simply couldn't reach.

Dhruv (reading the note aloud):

"'I am sorry, Aarohi. Your bestie 🩷' Wow, bestie? With a pink heart? Aarohi, who's this mysterious bestie, huh?"

Aarohi (angrily):

"Shut up, Dhruv! And give me my box! Haven't you ever heard of the word 'privacy'? Go Google it if you don't know the meaning."

Dhruv (laughing):

"Hey, I was just having some fun!"

Aarohi (firmly):

"Yeah, you always do that. But learn to respect people's space."

Aarohi took her things and went back to her desk, only to find just two chocolates left in the box.

Just then, her phone buzzed.

Message from Nirvay:

"Looks like no one's working in the marketing department. Should I talk to Neha about this?"

Aarohi (confused):

"What??"

Nirvay:

"What's the name of that guy who took your box?"

Aarohi:

"So you're keeping an eye on me now?"

Nirvay:

"Sometimes, you have to. After all, you've forgiven me now. If you just came when I called you, I wouldn't have to keep doing all this."

Aarohi:

"I'll think about it."

Nirvay:

"Great. Let's meet this Sunday. You, me, Sukhi, and Ayush—it's been so many years. I'll come pick you up."

Aarohi:

"Sukhi and I will come together. Don't worry."

Nirvay:

"Okay…🙁"