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Hey guys :)
Just to make this very clear, I am not going to start a series on Panchi and Sid until we all know who Sid really is. Cause that would make it much easier for me to depict his character in my story, you know? So until then, it's going to be only vague one-shots like these. This was written in quite a hurry. I'm sorry if it's crappy here and there!
Please read and review :D Ooh, and I've made a couple references to my previous OS in this. So please try to connect two and two !
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Why'd I do it? Give her that ring? I wish I knew what on earth had compelled me to. Maybe it was that star-struck look on her eyes. Or her perfectly knitted eyebrows, her eyes giving me that cynical glare. Maybe it was just her nature' fiery, passionate and pessimistic. What was it? If only I knew.
There were a few things I had done in my life which I regretted. So many screw up's. But proposing to Panchi? Holy crap.
I rubbed my eyes and tried to get rid of that gnawing feeling creeping over me. Why did you propose, Sid? My mind was full of thoughts when the inter-com beeped.
"Sid here. Yes?" I said, trying to get rid of those thoughts about her.
"Sir, Miss.Dobrial called." My receptionist said, sounding rather bored.
"So?!" I said, sounding rather agitated. Get a grip of yourself, Sid. You don't have to get an asthma attack at her name.
"She said she wouldn't be coming over today-"
"What?! Why not? Call her back right now." I said, with gritted teeth. Not coming? What nonsense! I needed her at work!
I reviewed my last thought. Did I, actually? I didn't think so. It's not like I was showering Panchi with all the work in the world left to do. I barely even gave her any. I just loved watching her cringe in embarrassment when I put her in a fix and her steely glare when she was angry. She was a fire-cracker, that one! Despite all that, she had stuck through with me. Why? Million dollar question.
I understood that Panchi was from a rich and influential family here. Still she came to work like an eager puppy, ready to lap up anything I gave her. Curious. She was fiery, yet she was meek. She never stood up for herself too much. She was pessimistic and brooding, yet she got excited at the mere sight of a wedding ring. She hated the very thought of me being in a relationship, yet she spoke of true love. What was she?
"Sir? Are you there?"
I cleared my throat deliberately and said, "Umm. Yes. Did you call her? What did she say? Is she coming?"
"She's not picking up, Sir.. I think she just wants to take a break."
"She's not picking up, Sir.. I think she just wants to take a break."
"What do you mean?!" I snapped.
"I mean..Sir. I know it's not my place to say this and all.. but.. you do know Panchi Ma'am hasn't taken even one day of leave since she joined. She's the first one to arrive and the last one to leave. She's so dedicated and nice.. So..maybe--"
"You're right. It is not your place to be saying this." I said, my tone cold and steel. "You are always entitled to your opinion. Take all my calls for today. I have some work to get done outside."
"Uhhh..Oo..Okay Sir." The receptionist sounded terrified as she hung up the phone.
"Uhhh..Oo..Okay Sir." The receptionist sounded terrified as she hung up the phone.
Panchi Dobrial taking a day off? Something has to be wrong.
I walked out of my office with a nod at the terrified receptionist and walked myself out. If she wasn't going to come, I better go get her myself then!
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Sprawling.
That's exactly what you could call the Dobrial house. It was huge! So Panchi was rich! No wonder she was such an egotistical brat!
I walked to the door and knocked. After around a couple minutes, an old butler came in.
I walked to the door and knocked. After around a couple minutes, an old butler came in.
"Yes Sir? I'm afraid to say Arnab Sa'ab isn't at home. He's already left for work. And Madhu Madam has gone for a charity event. So they can't meet you--"
"Actually, I'm here to meet Panchi."
"Panchi? Why?" The butler spoke in a rather curt tone.
"You're a what? Butler. I don't think you should be asking me that." I spat out, looking around their lavishly decorated hall. Photos of the family were lined up everywhere. Pretty picture, the four of them made. Much to my suprise, I found myself looking for Panchi's pretty smile in them.
"Excuse me, Sa'ab. I have worked here for fifteen years now. I know every knook and cranny of this house and every person here by the book."
"You do, do you? Then why don't you guide me to where Panchi is, then---Excuse me for a minute, Phone." I said, gesturing to my BlackBerry.
"Yes, Sid here... Of course I remember you darling! Why wouldn't I? Long legs, na? Today...? Maybe. Mera mood kharaab hai.. so.. depends. Sure.. I'll give you a ring. Can't wait."
I hung up and looked at the butler's cynical gaze.
The butler looked annoyed and rather curtly he said, "You must be one of his friends. All of you are the same, bloody swines. Panchi will not want to meet you, how much ever you try convincing her. Tell your friend that the damage is done! She is not going to come back!"
He tried pushing me out of the doorway when I said, "Him?! Who?!" Now, I was confused. What is it with these people!?
"Don't pretend, bas***d." The butler spat out. Excuse me!? What kind of a family was this? People were just randomly swearing up my existence here!
I firmly put my hand on his shoulder and saw him cringe. "I'm Sid, Panchi's boss." I said and I saw the look of suprise and tension pass over his tired eyes.
I firmly put my hand on his shoulder and saw him cringe. "I'm Sid, Panchi's boss." I said and I saw the look of suprise and tension pass over his tired eyes.
"Boss?!" He looked scared now.
"Haan! Now can I bloody meet Panchi!?" I said. Livid, that's the word to describe my anger. No one talks to me like that. Take that, oldy!
The butler quietly said, "I'm sooo sorry Saab! I thought you were that basta- Look at me, I'm swearing again." He composed himself and said, "Either way, Panchi ma'am's room is on top. Should I wake--"
"Who are you talking about!? You're swearing me up constantly because of some unknown guy! The least you can do is tell me why!?" I said, loudly, my voice echoing throughout the house.
The butler quietly said, "I'm sooo sorry Saab! I thought you were that basta- Look at me, I'm swearing again." He composed himself and said, "Either way, Panchi ma'am's room is on top. Should I wake--"
"Who are you talking about!? You're swearing me up constantly because of some unknown guy! The least you can do is tell me why!?" I said, loudly, my voice echoing throughout the house.
"Sa'ab, no. You..I..This is not meant for other people's ears. You will come to know about him, only if Panchi ma'am wills it."the butler enunciated and started walking away when I held his hand and said, "Arrey!! Fine. Don't go wake her! Just tell her I want her at work in another two hours." My curiosity was on a high now. Who was this mystery man whom Panchi hated?
The butler slowly nodded at me and showed me out. I was just going to get into my car when I had the sudden urge to see Panchi.. I don't know why! This feeling of longing, for God know's what, always seemed to be associated with her as far I was concerned. I waved at the frazzled Butler and pretended to drive away. The second I left their house, I parked my car a distance away and started running towards the back-door.
The butler slowly nodded at me and showed me out. I was just going to get into my car when I had the sudden urge to see Panchi.. I don't know why! This feeling of longing, for God know's what, always seemed to be associated with her as far I was concerned. I waved at the frazzled Butler and pretended to drive away. The second I left their house, I parked my car a distance away and started running towards the back-door.
I quietly sneaked in through the back-windows. These were huge! I creeped up the stairs, on a look out for that crazy butler.
There were so many rooms down the top floor, it was impossible! Finally, there goes. I saw a room which had Panchi written on it. I quietly creeped into the door, preparing myself to get yelled at by her and to scare her. Being with Panchi was thrilling. I constantly had to challenge myself to be one step ahead of her.
The room was serene, air blowing through it along with the morning sun. It was purple, a colour which looks amazing on Panchi, I thought to myself. The room was clean and yet again, I found pictures on the walls. Much to my suprise, so many of the frames were empty. I wondered why Panchi had removed so many of the pictures. Where was she?
I looked around the room and there she was.. she was sleeping.
That's it?
Aw, come on.
Is this what Panchi Dobrial does on her days off?
I quietly went towards the bed and found her there, laying down. Her hair was all over her face, she was wearing purple. I inwardly smiled. The sun gave her face a glowing look.
I quietly went towards the bed and found her there, laying down. Her hair was all over her face, she was wearing purple. I inwardly smiled. The sun gave her face a glowing look.
Stunning, that's exactly how she looked. How'd you think those other women were beautiful, Sid? I thought to myself. I sat beside her on the bed, quietly, so I wouldn't disturb her. It was splendid, seeing a calm and chilled-out Panchi. I looked closely at her face, she had a small beauty spot there. It suited her quite well, I should say. I scrunched up my face, I think Panchi looked better when her eyes were open. Because those eyes of hers? They were a passage to her thoughts. Panchi... I looked closely again at her face and found that her mascara was smudged and there were tracks of tears on that pretty face. If there was one thing I couldn't handle, It was Panchi crying. I'd seen in once, and I'm pretty sure I'm done with it!
And right while I was thinking, another tear slipped down her face. God, no! Why was she crying again? Something was radically wrong with Panchi Dobrial! I never had pictured her as a wimp, but yet, here she was crying. That too, in her sleep. What had happened to her that made her such a wreck? Such a hard person?
And right while I was thinking, another tear slipped down her face. God, no! Why was she crying again? Something was radically wrong with Panchi Dobrial! I never had pictured her as a wimp, but yet, here she was crying. That too, in her sleep. What had happened to her that made her such a wreck? Such a hard person?
I refrained from touching her face... The last time I'd done that everything had gone down hill. That was when we had had our little "moment"? But on seeing those tears, I couldn't hold it in. I gently touched her cheek and wiped a tear which came down. She still looked as beautiful as before, her mouth slighty parted. All of a sudden she began shaking, violently, the tears flowing more freely now and I could see her face scrunching up, the pain evident on her face. I got up, in the fear of getting caught and quickly strided towards the door. You have to leave, now! My mind screamed at me. I stopped by the door and looked at her.. still shaking. She was turning from side to side and mumbling something. It was a name..I could decipher only that it sounded a hell lot like.. wait.. Radish.. or was it Famish.. some-ish?! Wow! This girl was nuts! My smile turned to a frown when the tears started again. She sounded so wounded that I... I.. I wish I could just go over there, damn it!
Protecting Panchi..? When had this become a fancy? I growled in anger, my head was spinning. All I could see was her tear-streaked face and all I could hear was her soft mumbling. And all I wanted? To go to her.
I began walking but I stopped in my tracks when I realized what I was doing. I, Sid, was wanting to comfort a woman. No fricking way. It was against my moral code.
I stepped back, again, my head already spinning in confusion. I gave one last look at a mumbling Panchi when something caught my eye.
It sparkled. It was blinding, the sheer intensity of it's transparency. The ring. She was wearing the ring..the one I had given her. Why?
And before I could change my mind again, I quietly crept out of her room and went out through the back door again. Full of thoughts, I drove back to work.
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The clock chimed twelve and she entered.
I looked at her through the shutters of my window, the object of my thoughts since I'd known her.
We.. we didn't have "something" as people would put it. But there was.. some feeling which existed between us. I didn't even know if I wanted it to be there!
I looked at her and much to my suprise, I could predict her every move. She smiled at the receptionist who seemed happy to see her, I had obviously been putting the receptionist through hell and back in Panchi's absence! She looked at the paper, which lay on the coffee table and poured out a coffee for herself.
Her eyes, they lacked that usual shine. Something, was most definately wrong with that girl. And I wanted to know what, and why.
She sat down at her desk and started writing something when she noticed the ring on her finger. She looked both ways and ensuring that no one could see her, threw the ring into the dustbin. And it hurt, the way she did. I mentally slapped myself. Why did I even give a shit if she did? It's not like it means anything to me. Good, this establishes the fact that it means nothing to her either. Maybe she just forgot to remove it or something. Then why did it hurt when she threw it away?
I saw her again as she leaned down, opened the dustbin and took it out. She carefully examined it, pondered for a while and lay it on her table. A grin spread over my face. I slapped myself again, why did I even care!? She was mumbling to herself about something, her eyes roving over my cabin. Mumbling about me, perhaps!
We had a weird sort of a truce now, me and her. After we bumped into that freakshow at the jewelry store. He was such a creep. Seeing him all over Panchi made me sick.
I walked out the door of my cabin and cleared my throat and said, "Good afternoon."
She looked up and forced a smile on her face. I knew it was forced, it didn't reach those chocolate brown eyes of hers. "Morning Sir. What am I to do now? Sorry I came late.. umm.. I had a--"
"I don't want to know. I'm glad you came." And I immediately regretted my choice of words and said "I mean.. I'm not."
She looked up and forced a smile on her face. I knew it was forced, it didn't reach those chocolate brown eyes of hers. "Morning Sir. What am I to do now? Sorry I came late.. umm.. I had a--"
"I don't want to know. I'm glad you came." And I immediately regretted my choice of words and said "I mean.. I'm not."
Her look changed from confusion to hurt and I regretted it immediately. I sighed and said, "I mean..What I'm trying to say is.. office isn't the same without you Panchi. You're a marvel."
She looked stunned for a second and then she slowly smiled. "Thanks." she simply said and held my gaze.
I had just made Panchi smile..
And that was fantastic.
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So.. how was it? And in case you guys didn't get it, I was referring to Danish as the guy who the butler hates, the mental fellow!
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