Chapter 2 #2
A girl flew into his arms knocking him off his feet. Rithwik staggered a few steps behind as the girl grabbed his shoulders and wrapped herself around him. And then he heard her tortured breaths. Incoherent words tumbled out of her mouth as she held on to him tightly.
“Can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. Help! Help! Going to die. Pain! So much pain!”
He patted her back, whispering soothing words to her, hoping to calm her down. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe. Breathe now. Breathe deep. Come on!”
She was going to die. There was no oxygen to inhale. She needed air! And then she heard a strong voice asking her to breathe. She listened to it. Blessed air filled her lungs as she took a deep breath.
“Once again,” the strong voice commanded her and she obeyed.
The smell of spice and musk hit her senses, immediately clearing her mind, bringing her back to the present, making her realize that she was holding on to a perfect stranger in the lobby of her office building.
Her mind latched onto reality, sharply and swiftly.
She let go of him instantly and moved behind shaking her head. “Sorry, I’m so...so sorry,” she stammered. “The elevator just...I’m sorry.” She pressed her temples, before looking up at the face of her rescuer.
Rithwik smiled the moment he noticed the flicker of recognition in the girl’s face.
Her eyes widened behind her glasses, her lips parted in shock and she took two steps back with her hands raised.
Quite obviously she worked for him. She was using his private elevator and only a handful of employees had that kind of access to it.
He stepped towards her. “Hey, are you okay? Do you need some water?”
“No, thank you, Sir. That was just...I’m sorry I shouldn’t have...!”
Rithwik raised a palm up to stop her. “It’s all fine. As long as you’re okay, that is.”
Her eyes dropped to the floor. “I have to go outside for a minute. Need to get some air.” And before he had a chance to say anything, she hurried away.
Rithwik watched her go, hesitating for a moment.
But when she stepped out of the building he took the elevator up to his office.
One of his new assistants stood up, startled, her mouth agape, as he emerged out of the elevator.
He gave her a slight nod. Today he would meet his two new assistants for the first time.
Well, second time, but the first time had just been a brief Hello before he had left for London.
As per his instructions the HR team had explained everything to them and got them settled in.
He had worked and coordinated with his PAs over the phone and via email and texts and he was glad they were efficiently managing everything.
But now he was back and there was plenty to be done.
He needed to get started right away. There was no time to waste.
“Is the other assistant here as well?” he asked.
“She’ll be back here in a few minutes, Sir,” the girl muttered, looking nervous.
“Fine then. I need to talk to you both right away,” he told her. “Come inside as soon as she returns. And grab a few bottles of water for me on your way in and I need a cup of coffee. Make it strong with a dash of milk and a teaspoon of sugar.”
Saying that he walked into his office.
Aisha leaned against her car, breathing hard.
She put her head in her hands and inhaled and exhaled several times until her breathing returned to normal.
Of all the times and all the places that she had to have her panic attack, it would have had to be today and in front of him.
Her boss! How was she going to face him after she had made a complete and utter fool of herself in front of him?
She was so angry with herself right now.
What would he think of her and her hysterics?
She had to be strong and see this through because she couldn’t afford to lose this job.
“He’s here,” Neha informed her as soon as she returned to her desk. “And he wants to meet us.”
“N-Now?” Aisha sputtered, her heart ready to burst. She took several deep breaths to steady herself again.
The three months she had been employed as Rithwik Bali’s PA, she had liked working here.
He was meticulously organized, he knew exactly what he wanted and she was learning something new daily.
He gave her ample opportunities to grow and take decisions on her own.
He was also quite demanding and threw several challenges her way and she enjoyed them all.
After the rough time she had been through, this new job was a welcome relief from her former life.
Everything was going to be fine, she convinced herself. What happened in the elevator did not define who she was. She worked hard and was good at her job and if her boss didn’t recognize that and judged her otherwise then more fool he. She was going to get through this, no matter what!
Almost immediately the phone between their desks rang. Neha pressed the speaker button but before she could speak a word Aisha heard the rich baritone of his voice come through.
“What’s taking so long?”
“We’ll be inside shortly, Sir,” Neha replied.
“Don’t forget the water and my coffee.” He disconnected before either of them could respond.
“Come on, Aisha! You heard him. Get the water bottles while I make his coffee.”
All of Aisha’s muscles tensed in fear. The water bottles were stored in a small supply closet on their floor where all the extra office items and stationery such as pens, printing paper and notebooks were also stocked.
But after her panic attack earlier, Aisha refused to be in another confined space.
She leapt out of her chair. “Neha wait, I’ll get him the coffee. Can you please get the water?”
Neha narrowed her eyes. “Why? You want to impress him with your coffee skills?”
Aisha bit her bottom lip. “I...uh...I’m claustrophobic and I just got stuck in the elevator when the power went out. So, please Neha, I just can’t enter that small closet right now. It’ll freak me out.”
Neha squinted at her, suspicion written on her face. “Is it? Are you okay though?”
“Getting there.”
Neha relayed their boss’s instructions to Aisha and left to fetch the water.
Aisha took a deep fortifying breath as she and Neha stood in front of their boss’s door.
Neha knocked and they entered his office.
Rithwik waved them inside, barely giving them a fleeting look, his eyes fixed on the laptop screen in front of him.
They placed the tray with the water bottles and coffee by his side.
He glanced at the coffee mug and lifted it to his mouth, taking a sip.
When he didn’t comment, Aisha exhaled, happy she’d managed to get that right.
They stood awkwardly in front of him while he continued to ignore them and concentrated on whatever he was working on. After several minutes of strained silence, Aisha exchanged a glance with Neha. As if sensing their discomfort, Rithwik chose that very moment to look up at them.
“Why are you still standing?” he frowned, giving them a quick look before returning to the screen in front of him. “Please sit, I’ll be with you in a moment.”
Both of them took a seat in the two chairs opposite him.
Aisha stole a glance at her attire and was satisfied with her chosen work-wear of black trousers and a white shirt.
She took a moment to observe her boss while he typed on his laptop.
She remembered from her earlier encounter in the lobby with him that he was wearing a blue suit.
He had taken off his jacket and loosened his red tie, now though.
The top button of his white shirt was undone and his sleeves were carelessly folded up his arms.
Damn! He looked way better in reality than on the pages of the magazine.
There was no doubt about that. Oh! Bloody hell!
It was all Neha’s fault for putting all these errant thoughts about their boss in her head.
While she hadn’t noticed much of him when she had met him down in the lobby, she couldn’t keep her eyes off him at the moment.
His face was all sharp angles with sharp cheekbones, a straight nose and a slightly pointed chin.
His skin was the color of warm caramel. She had always thought his eyes were black, but now she wasn’t so sure.
From this distance they looked dark grey, like the color of the sea in a storm.
His jaw was mostly clean-shaven, although she could make out the hint of a slight stubble.
His rather longish hair was pulled back from his head in a messy look.
His forefinger kept rubbing against his full wide lips as if lost in deep thought when suddenly he lifted his eyes and caught her staring at him. His eyebrows shot up and a slow smile curved his lips. He lowered his chin giving her a slight nod.
Instead of looking away embarrassed, she boldly locked her eyes with his. He was her boss and even though he had caught her at her most vulnerable, she was not a shrinking violet. She would face him bravely.
She was right, she thought as she continued to assess him; his eyes were a dark, dark grey, not black.
He studied her for a second until he averted his face as if bored and returned his focus to his laptop. Neha shifted beside her in agitation or unease, she wasn’t sure which.
After what seemed like an eternity, Rithwik turned to face both of them. “Okay, I’m done,” he declared.
Rithwik studied both his assistants for a moment, while Aisha and Neha remained silent waiting for him to begin.