Permanent Place

Regardless of how hard you try to keep your emotions under control, your actions always speak louder than your words.

"Riya's point of view"

After that day, I didn't talk to Rachit, and he didn't talk to me either.

I didn't tell Harsh about what happened that day, but Rachit had left a permanent imprint on my mind.

Of course, I stopped talking to Rachit, but I couldn't stop thinking about him.

When Harsh sensed I was upset, he asked what was bothering me, and I ended the conversation by mentioning the tension in the office.

Rachit spent most of his time in his office. He'd show up late for the combined meeting, or he'd show up early for the meeting and then leave under the excuse of work.

Rachit was trying everything he could to avoid me, and I was fully aware of this.

On the inside, I was sad, so I kept my distance from him, but I knew what was going on was right.

I'm glad I didn't tell Rachit about my sentiments because I don't know what would have occurred if I had.

As I sat in my cabin, I grumbled to myself.

It's time for lunch, Riya. As he knocked on the cabin's door, Ashish said, "Let's go for lunch."

"Yes," I said as I got out of my chair.

"Are you all right?" He inquired, his gaze falling on my face.

"No, it's not like that," I explained, "just a little fatigued," concealing the true cause.

Rachit was already seated in the cafeteria as I arrived at the doors.

I desperately wanted to leave the cafeteria, but Ashish persuaded me to have lunch.

"Sir, How are you doing today?"

A smile appeared on Ashish's face as he inquired about Rachit.

"I am good. How you're doing?" Rachit responded with a smile in response to Ashish's assertion.

He turned his head to look at me.

Once again, our gazes locked on one another.

I felt the identical tingling sensation in my body for the second consecutive time.

After that, I followed Ashish to another table and took a seat, saying nothing.

"Have you had any issue with Rachit, sir?" As he slid the lunch bag open, Ashish wondered aloud.

In response to the unexpected query, I responded tentatively, "No."

"If that's the case, why didn't you say anything?" Ashish inquired, his eyes rolling as he did so.

I told Ashish, "Shut up; after hearing the office gossip, you, too, are on the lookout for gossip anywhere you can find it."

Ashish snarled, his brows wrinkled in concentration. There's nothing like it anywhere else. All I wanted to do was find out more about what I was seeing in front of me.

There are no such things as "if only." I'm already irritated; do I need to meet with Rachit wherever he may be found?

I was outraged.

Okay, I'll give it a pass.

"Can you tell me what's wrong with you?"

When Ashish saw me, he inquired, concerned.

I said nothing because I was completely unaware of the situation.

"Have you gotten into a fight with Harsh?"

Ashish makes random guesses about the source of my dissatisfaction.

"Ashish, it's time to call it quits. No matter how much you irritate me when I say nothing happened, I mean it. I'm not hungry for lunch."

I became enraged and yelled at the top of my lungs.

He couldn't figure out why I was acting in such a strange manner.

"What did I say wrong?" he inquired, his eyes falling on me.

I'd like to have some alone time; I'll get in touch with you later." As I walked out of the cafeteria, I remarked.

I refused to comply with Ashish's repeated requests to stop.

Rachit looked a little taken aback when he saw my expression.

I sat in my cabin, my laptop screen displaying emails, and I kept clicking on them.

It baffled me why I was so upset.

The office boy stood at the cabin door, saying, "Ma'am Rachit, sir, is calling you to the office right away."

"How come there's work?" I inquired, my tone irritated.

Yes, there's a project to discuss, and the rest of the team is already here," the office boy replied.

This surprise invitation caught me off guard.

I was completely unaware of the unexpected meeting.

But I couldn't say no to the official position. I couldn't think of anything to say.

I leaped to my feet and dashed to Rachit's cabin.

After a small knock, I opened the door.

I was at Rachit's office, which was completely vacant save for him and me. He was sitting on the couch in the office's corner, casually peeling apples.

"What prompted you to call me here?" I gave him a hard stare and inquired.

He motioned for me to take a seat near him and said, "Come sit here. I'll tell you everything."

"Are you working with me on any official projects?" I inquired, my tone irritated.

He answered, his face hidden by an enigmatic smile, "Yes, entirely."

"But the office boy claimed everyone had already arrived," I muttered, rolling my eyes around the cabin.

As he rose from the couch and approached me, he added, "Yes, I told office boy to say that."

"However," I enquired vehemently.

"Calm down, fighter plane," he whispered as he drew my wrist closer to the couch.

As I followed him, I remarked, "You can't bring me to your cabin while lying about being off work; I'll complain about you."

"All right, you may complain; I will not stop you," he said, sliding the plate of apples towards me.

"Rachit, what exactly is your issue?

Why don't you simply stay out of my business?"

I gave him a hard stare and inquired.

"You eat apples quietly or I'll have to suppress your chattering," he threatened.

"How are you going to handle it?" Expressing no anxiety, I stared into his eyes and asked.

He asked, his stare fixated on my lips, "Is there any obligation to inform you?"

I finished the apple silently, stood up, and began walking away, having fully understood his gesture.

"Wait, Riya," he said, pointing to me holding his phone, "you've added my phone number to the blacklist again."

"Is there anything more you'd like to discuss?"

When I saw him, I asked him a direct question.

"I don't like you putting my phone number on the blacklist again and again," he said.

With a roll of my eyes, I said, "My wish."

Okay, as per your wish, keep my phone number on the blacklist; this time, I'll even beg you not to remove it. "As he approached me, he said,

"Don't you dare kiss me, Rachit," I said, my palm straining to stop him?

"Are you joking?"

I have no intention of kissing, but if you insist, I have no objections, he added, a sneaky smirk on his face.

"Then why are you approaching me?" I looked at him, bewildered, and inquired.

"I guess this is my office, and I can stroll wherever I want," he added, as he sped up his approach to me.

His proximity to me was becoming more and more apparent.

I was experiencing strange sensations all over my body.

I felt compelled to close my eyes to maintain control.

Immediately after closing my eyes, I noticed that there was no movement for the next two minutes.

The moment I cautiously opened my eyes, I discovered Rachit had vanished. I turned around and returned my gaze; he was sitting in his chair, a smile on his face as he realized what I was thinking.

I was feeling self-conscious about my actions as I stood there.

What happened?

Do you have something to say?

With a sly grin on his face, he inquired.

"It's nothing; may I leave now?"

I inquired, a little nervously.

Of course, you can, "but tell me one thing: do you like me as well?"

He asked a delicate question about me.

"No, not at all," I replied quickly and fearfully.

With a smile, he said, "Come on, Riya, action speaks louder than words."

"No, Rachit, I don't like you," I said to him as I walked out of his cabin and into my office.

How could you be so naïve?