FF :Time and Again Book 1 completed - Page 89

Thanks, Nidha

thanks!

ROFL thanks😆 There will be loads of mysteries so stay tunes😉

Thanks Beenish

Thanks, Peehu

WIll do

Thanks Shria

Sid isn't  using Pia right now. He will later. Nope Metz was...Remember she brought back Sid?

LOL mere exams usi din khatam hue the day you commented😆

Is Reina working for Sid😕😉

Dehradun, 2011:

 

The exam was three hours long, yet Alina took a surprisingly short time in scribbling down all the answers, handing it to her bemused examiner with a small smile dancing on her lips.

She then moved towards the library, ignoring the many glances that came her way. Already, the news that she had taken early exams had spread, and from the words she caught, some seemed to be impressed, while most were contemptuous.

The librarian looked up as she entered. "Alina Khurana," she said, smiling in recognition. "I heard about your …exam. How did it go?" Alina smiled. The librarian had been nice to her from the beginning. Perhaps because she spent most of her time in the library. "Well enough, Miss Gupta," she answered. "The paper was easy." Miss Gupta smiled. "Have you read some of the new books that have come out?" "No, actually," said Alina, "I really wanted to read some old ones. You have the Vampire Diaries , don't you?"  The librarian looked slightly bemused. "Really? " she said. "You don't want, say, Twilight? Or the new one that's come out Fifty Shades-" She broke off at the revolted look on Alina's face. "God, Miss Gupta, you honestly-" she began, but then noticed the twitching of her lips. Miss Gupta smiled widely. "I couldn't resist, not when only a few people agree with me on those...books." She said the last word in a flat tone that concealed nothing of her real opinion on the said pieces of literature. Miss Gupta got up, moving to the shelves. "Which Vampire Diaries book did you say you wanted?" "The third," said Alina. "Nightfall, I think."

 

Alina was reading it when she heard soft footsteps that would have gone unnoticed by any human. She stole a glance through lowered eyelashes. It was Abhay Raichand. She smirked slightly , her face in her book. "I didn't know that was a comic book you were reading," drawled the voice. She looked up. "Hello, Raichand." He nodded, not answering. "Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked. Too casual, thought Alina. She smiled disarmingly. "Oh, it's not the book," she said. "Damon Salvatore has some very interesting things to say." "I'm sure he does…to a girl," retorted back Raichand. She grinned. "I didn't know you read the books. What would you think of them? Being-" she lowered her voice, "a vampire yourself." Abhay looked startled: she was sure he had not expected her to allude to his being a vampire so casually. He didn't take long to reply, however. "I think," he said deliberately, "that the books are fictional. And that the author is confused." Alina raised her eyebrows. "The author?" "Oh yes," said Raichand. "The author seems unsure about Damon. Whether he ought to end up with Elena or Bonnie. And about the whole Stefan-Elena_damon triangle…..well, it's rather clich, isn't it?"  "Perhaps," conceded Alina. "except she's written it rather well. " He snorted. "It's strange that a –" he spoke in the same tone she had used earlier "werewolf spends her time analyzing vampire love stories."  "It's rather fascinating," she said sweetly.

 

Abhay looked at the werewolf he'd come to interrogate in the library. There was something suspicious about her overtly cool way of talking. Just then, he felt a strange presence, forcing himself into his head. He looked at Alina, who was looking at him expressionlessly. He fought it, trying to find out the sourse. Suddenly, he felt it enter his mind, rip out something, and……leave. He looked around. There was no one in sight, except for Alina who had suddenly gone back to her book. He spared her one last look of suspicion before exiting the library.

Alina looked up. She knew Abhay would not be able to see exactly what memories had been taken from him. Because many of Pia's memories overlapped with his….and they needed to be restored back to their original owner. She allowed herself a small smile.

Evening:

She took a cab, directing it to the new Malik Industries office . She needed to keep a very close eye on Siddharth….and for that, she needed the job of a secretary. Or a coordinator, whichever would place her more strategically.

"Miss….Alina….Khurana," said Siddharth quietly, studying her folder. " I see you have not got your degrees yet?"

"Due to an unfortunate change of plans," said Alina crisply, " I had to come back to India. My degree would have been available otherwise. As it is, I am completing my graduation sooner than is usual- my degrees will be in front of you in a day's time."

Siddharth raised his eyebrows. The girl was too confident. He needed to test it.

"I am not in the habit of employing people who are not yet fully qualified for this job," he said slowly.

"Never said you were," retorted Alina. "Besides, rules are made to be broken and habits are liable to change."

"Very confident of getting the job, aren't you?"

"Of course not….Sir," she responded at once. "If I don't get this one, I'll get another one. It's heads I win and tails I don't lose. You on the other hand, however….." She drew out another folder. "A thesis I wrote a few months ago," she said handing it to him. "Perhaps you would have an idea who you're dealing with?"

Siddharth regarded her in astonishment. This young lady was downright insolent, and yet….. something in her told him she was underplaying herself greatly. And she had the nerve to subtly threaten him, in his own office….He hastily suppressed a laugh.

"Thank you, Miss Khurana," he said formally. "You  may go. I will contact you…once my decision is made."

"You're welcome…..Sir," she said, smirking slightly. Alina left, closing the door.

Siddharth wondered again about the girl. Even as a human, females tended to listen to him without question. Possibly even hero-worship him a little. And yet….something told him this AK-47 would be fun to shoot. He grinned suddenly at the thought. Alina Khurana….AK-47. He bit back a laugh. Even her initials spelled AK. The name certainly suited her.

As Alina walked out, she felt like cursing herself. What on earth had possessed her to act like that? She was supposed to keep her head down and maintain a low profile! Now Siddharth would probably never give her a job. What on earth had come over her as she answered him back? She was supposed to be polite!

Well, what's done can't be undone, she thought grimly. There was nothing she could do now. She had blown her only chance!

"Where were you, Alina?" snapped a harsh female voice, jerking her back to reality. She had reached home, and her mother stood scowling at her. "That's my business," she mumbled, trying to edge past her. Dipannita stood her ground. "What did you say?" she asked dangerously. Alina felt her hackles rise. She raised her head to look at her mother directly in the eyes. "I said," she said in clear, ringing tones, "That's my business. Which roughly translated means, you have nothing to do with it. Now let me go. " She pushed past her mother and ran up to her room.

 

PS. Sorry guys…I had to develop Alina…because she has a pivotal role in this FF….otherwise it would drag too long.