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LOVE LIKE FIRE CH.3
NIKKI
It was a heavenly weekend for Nikki. Parth had come to visit her and see to her needs. She had cooked and while Parth had also bought some food, he savoured every bit of Nikki's scrappy cooking while listening to Nikki's experience at work. Nikki had smiled inwardly. Parth was soo caring. She knew her culinary skills never could match the restaurant chef's, and yet, seeing Parth's thoughtful face as he bit on the paratha and heard about Nikki's trouble with her boss- she could not help but feel blessed. She was lucky to have Parth in her life. She told him about everything that had happened in the few days she had been in the city. When he learned about Neha, Nikki's only friend, his brows furrowed and he said, " Umm.. I don't want to discourage you," he stopped to think how to best frame his words, " but.. as much as i have heard, corporate offices don't allow friendships. You must keep that in mind. Colleagues can not be considered friends."
Nikki's heart swelled with pride as she listened. Despite never working in an office Parth knew so much about it. He was such a wise guy. She nodded her head though she little doubted that Neha, who had stood by her side in her time of difficulty, was her true friend.
However, the pleasant time soon ended. Parth went back, both of them reluctant to part, with many promises to com3 visit as soon as he could. It was time for Nikki to face office again.
The week began uneventfully. She tried to learn the ways of work from Neha, while battling unreasonable competition from Chandni. She learned the font used, how the director Mr. Shekhar remembered all the employees names, and never forgot to reward them if they did good and never forgave them if they made a mistake. Thankfully he hadn't heard about the help Neha did to Nikki. She learned that Chandni was the main informant of the boss. She vied for his attention though she seldom got it. It was rumoured that she was the daughter of a share holder of the company, and that at one time she and the boss was supposed to have been engaged. But then the shares were bought off by the director and Chandni went from employer to a employee and that since then she had been trying to get her position back. Nikki thought the two looked good together-Both of them handsome, stuck up snobbish persons. But one incident told her the boss was not as bad as she supposed him to be.
It was a rainy summer afternoon. After an especially tiring work day the employees were yearning to get home. just then it started raining cats and dogs. Though the street where the office was, never got waterlogged, most of the narrow lanes were. The emoloyees started facing difficulty in getting a bus or cab to get them home. Most of them gave up and started to wait out the rain inside office. Shekhar heard about it. He assigned the office bus to drop all employees home. Nikki thought it was really considerate of him. She saw Chandni trying to dissuade him saying that he paid the employees and they can manage themselves. But ultimately it proved to be of no use. Nikki went up to the bus driver to enlist her address as well, but soon her heart fell as she learnet that all the streets of her neighbour hood was water logged and the bus wouldn't be able to drop her home.
The office security had locked up the building and headed home. She had no choice but to stand on the street and wait for a bus to come or the rain to stop. It was getting dark and she was drenched to the skin. She felt a little scared.
She was thus standing when suddenly a car came to stop in front of her. The window glass came down and she saw the director sitting behind the wheel. Chandni was there beside him.
"Get in." he ordered curtly.
Nikki hesitated. She could see Chandni disapproved her getting inside the car. She was all wet and she knew the seats would be drenched if she got in. She was about to say so, when the director, impatient, repeated his order. There was so much authority in his voice that she dared not to argue. Opening the door she got in. Once inside, he asked the direction to her home which she told him. The drive was a short and silent one, broken only by Chandni's futile attempts at conversation. Nikki was too afraid to speak and the boss replied with only monosyllables and short grunts.
Nikki could not help but sighed with relief as she stepped out of the car infront of her doorstep. She was already making her way through knee deep water when she remembered she should thank him. She turned but already she heard him rev the car and drive away.
However, it left a deep impression on her mind. She concluded that although the boss was a little bit hysterically maniacal regarding work, he was in general a good person. She remembered his strict face as he had asked her to get in, and smiled in the rain.
To be continued...
© jb
It was a heavenly weekend for Nikki. Parth had come to visit her and see to her needs. She had cooked and while Parth had also bought some food, he savoured every bit of Nikki's scrappy cooking while listening to Nikki's experience at work. Nikki had smiled inwardly. Parth was soo caring. She knew her culinary skills never could match the restaurant chef's, and yet, seeing Parth's thoughtful face as he bit on the paratha and heard about Nikki's trouble with her boss- she could not help but feel blessed. She was lucky to have Parth in her life. She told him about everything that had happened in the few days she had been in the city. When he learned about Neha, Nikki's only friend, his brows furrowed and he said, " Umm.. I don't want to discourage you," he stopped to think how to best frame his words, " but.. as much as i have heard, corporate offices don't allow friendships. You must keep that in mind. Colleagues can not be considered friends."
Nikki's heart swelled with pride as she listened. Despite never working in an office Parth knew so much about it. He was such a wise guy. She nodded her head though she little doubted that Neha, who had stood by her side in her time of difficulty, was her true friend.
However, the pleasant time soon ended. Parth went back, both of them reluctant to part, with many promises to com3 visit as soon as he could. It was time for Nikki to face office again.
The week began uneventfully. She tried to learn the ways of work from Neha, while battling unreasonable competition from Chandni. She learned the font used, how the director Mr. Shekhar remembered all the employees names, and never forgot to reward them if they did good and never forgave them if they made a mistake. Thankfully he hadn't heard about the help Neha did to Nikki. She learned that Chandni was the main informant of the boss. She vied for his attention though she seldom got it. It was rumoured that she was the daughter of a share holder of the company, and that at one time she and the boss was supposed to have been engaged. But then the shares were bought off by the director and Chandni went from employer to a employee and that since then she had been trying to get her position back. Nikki thought the two looked good together-Both of them handsome, stuck up snobbish persons. But one incident told her the boss was not as bad as she supposed him to be.
It was a rainy summer afternoon. After an especially tiring work day the employees were yearning to get home. just then it started raining cats and dogs. Though the street where the office was, never got waterlogged, most of the narrow lanes were. The emoloyees started facing difficulty in getting a bus or cab to get them home. Most of them gave up and started to wait out the rain inside office. Shekhar heard about it. He assigned the office bus to drop all employees home. Nikki thought it was really considerate of him. She saw Chandni trying to dissuade him saying that he paid the employees and they can manage themselves. But ultimately it proved to be of no use. Nikki went up to the bus driver to enlist her address as well, but soon her heart fell as she learnet that all the streets of her neighbour hood was water logged and the bus wouldn't be able to drop her home.
The office security had locked up the building and headed home. She had no choice but to stand on the street and wait for a bus to come or the rain to stop. It was getting dark and she was drenched to the skin. She felt a little scared.
She was thus standing when suddenly a car came to stop in front of her. The window glass came down and she saw the director sitting behind the wheel. Chandni was there beside him.
"Get in." he ordered curtly.
Nikki hesitated. She could see Chandni disapproved her getting inside the car. She was all wet and she knew the seats would be drenched if she got in. She was about to say so, when the director, impatient, repeated his order. There was so much authority in his voice that she dared not to argue. Opening the door she got in. Once inside, he asked the direction to her home which she told him. The drive was a short and silent one, broken only by Chandni's futile attempts at conversation. Nikki was too afraid to speak and the boss replied with only monosyllables and short grunts.
Nikki could not help but sighed with relief as she stepped out of the car infront of her doorstep. She was already making her way through knee deep water when she remembered she should thank him. She turned but already she heard him rev the car and drive away.
However, it left a deep impression on her mind. She concluded that although the boss was a little bit hysterically maniacal regarding work, he was in general a good person. She remembered his strict face as he had asked her to get in, and smiled in the rain.
To be continued...
© jb
