Love story

Chapter 1: The late night lift ride

Rukmini planned the evening to a tee. However, what she did not plan was how much time to clear up after the party. But, she was not the one to worry. As a first thing, Rukmini called her mother and notified her of the delay in reaching home. 

"I know you told me", said Rukmini on the call. After a few seconds of silence, "I have my car. I will share the live location with the police when starting for home", said Rukmini and disconnected the call.

She then checked everything was clear and walked out of the office. She got into the lift and pressed the button to the basement, where she parked her car. She was anxiously waiting for the lift to start. Instead of going down, the lift doors opened. It opened as someone pressed for the lift. Rukmini was wondering who could still be in office at that time. She checked a few minutes ago that everyone had left.

As she was eagerly looking, she saw Krishna carrying a heavily drunk Radha. She had a little OMG moment. All the girls kept a distance from Krishna. He was considered the office playboy of sorts. Krishna gave his usual half-smile and dragged Radha with him into the lift. Rukmini ignored the smile and busied herself with her mobile.

After he got in, he saw the lift had only B1 pressed. Holding Radha in one hand, Krishna tried pressing B2. But, he could not reach it. He turned towards Rukmini, hoping she would help.

Rukmini was on her mobile phone and had not seen all the gymnastics of Krishna. After trying and failing one more time, he voiced out "Rukmini". Rukmini took her eyes off the phone and turned to Krishna.

"Can you please press the B2?" requested Krishna.

She pressed B2 and quickly reverted to her mobile, not wanting to have any discussion with Krishna.

The lift started, and Rukmini felt a sense of relief. In another thirty seconds, she would be out of the lift, and the awkward encounter was going to be history. But fate had different plans for Rukmini and Krishna that night. The lift came to a complete halt after moving a little. The lift was stuck between floors, and the doors were not opening.

Krishna started shouting, "OMG, OMG. I am going to die here. I will die with Radha in my hands. If my mom sees me with Radha, she will fight with Yamaraj, bring me back to life, and kill me again. She took a promise, "Anyone Kanna but not Radha". Please, god, please, not now. Please, save me. "

Rukmini had a smile to herself hearing all this.

Krishna continued, "God if I don't die today, I will walk to your temple in Tirupati. You cannot kill me already. We had a deal. Until thirty, whatever I do, you don't care. No punishments."

Rukmini was having fun listening to crazy Krishna. But she also needed to go home. So, she pressed the emergency call button, and the security guard picked up the call.

"Hello", said Rukmini.

Krishna stopped panicking and started to listen to the conversation.

"Okay", said Rukmini.

Then, some silence as the man on the other side was speaking.

"How long will it take?" asked Rukmini.

Again silence.

"Try to speed that", said Rukmini and disconnected the call.

Krishna was watching Rukmini intensely, eagerly expecting Rukmini to say something.

"What?" asked Rukmini.

"What, what? What did the guard say?" asked Krishna.

"The power is changing from one line to the other for maintenance. It will take approximately thirty minutes to complete", said Rukmini.

"I will die without air. Please do me a favour, take Radha, and place her somewhere else. After I die, my mom cannot know I was with Radha", said Krishna.

"You are not going to die. There is provision for air here. The A/c will be running on a backup inverter. The lift needs more power as we are on the fortieth floor", said Rukmini comforting Krishna.

Krishna calmed down a little. He then noticed his hand was tired of holding Radha all this while. He just removed his hand, and Radha dropped to the floor, making a loud thud.

Rukmini got scared by the sound and let out a shriek.

Krishna laughed loudly.

"Don't tell anyone about my breakdown. Otherwise, I will tell everyone about you getting scared", warned Krishna.

Rukmini thought it was silly. But, nodded to mean "Yes".

Rukmini did not want to have any conversation with Krishna and started to browse her phone. Krishna, however, was singing to himself. Rukmini ignored it for a little. But after a few minutes, she could not bear Krishna's out-of-tune singing.

"Can you please stop that?" asked Rukmini.

"Why? What happened?" asked Krishna.

"It is so out of tune," replied Rukmini.

"Okay", replied Krishna.

Rukmini was trying to ignore the presence of Krishna in close quarters.

That was when Krishna started to speak.

"Browsing the phone for long is not good for your eyes", said Krishna.

"What?" asked Rukmini, in a tone which meant mind your job.

Krishna did not get the clue, he continued, "Yeah, they said if you spend all your time on the mobile screen. Nothing in the real world will interest you. "

"Did your mobile run out of battery?" asked Rukmini.

"Yes. But whatever I said is true. I read this morning on my mobile", said Krishna.

Rukmini smiled at his childish innocence. She asked him, "What do you want me to do then?"

"Let us talk", said Krishna.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything."

"You start", said Rukmini.

"The party was good. Whoever organized did a good job. What do you say?"

"I organized the party", said Rukmini.

"Wow, I never knew that. You have some organizing skills. You have a great taste", said Krishna.

"Yeah, I know what you liked the most", said Rukmini, glancing at drunk Radha from the open bar.

"No, genuinely, the party was good. By the way, I am a teetotaler", said Krishna.

Rukmini thought Krishna was lying to impress her.

"The food was top class. Even vegetarians had a good platter. That was one of my complaints at the last party."

Rukmini felt happy with her efforts.

"The alcoholic drinks are selected carefully. Even with an open bar, your selection meant getting too much bill with the selection."

Rukmini reassured her that she was right. Only drunkards know their alcohol.

"Even though I never sipped alcohol in my life. I know everything about alcohol, thanks to my friend, Radha", said Krishna.

That line just took Rukmini into a tizzy. She had too many questions. She did not know where to start.

"You never drank any alcohol?" asked Rukmini.

"No, never", replied Krishna.

"Then why don't you stop Radha from drinking", asked Rukmini.

"She likes to drink. As a friend, I cannot stop her from having fun", replied Krishna.

"Addiction is not fun", said Rukmini.

"Everyone has different kinds of addiction. You have your phone. Radha has her liquor", said Krishna.

"Stop with that. I am not addicted to my phone. I keep a tab on my usage and strictly stop after a limit. I was trying to ignore having a conversation with you. Otherwise, I don't see my phone that long", Rukmini revealed the truth.

"Ouch", said Krishna and stopped talking.

Chapter 2:Never judge a book by its cover.

Rukmini felt a little sorry for the harshness. After a few moments, she turned to Krishna, "I did not do anything wrong", Rukmini announced.

Krishna did not respond but kept to himself.

"Don't make me the villain here. From day one, you have never made any good impression on me. You cannot expect me to treat you any better", said Rukmini.

"What do you mean?" asked Krishna.

"Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"The first day in the company, you told everyone in the training room, I am your girl, and no one should dare get close to me in Arjun Reddy style.", said Rukmini.

Krishna started laughing hysterically.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Rukmini.

Krishna, controlling his laughter, said, "I had a challenge from one of my college mates to utter that dialogue on our first day".

"Did you find only me for that stupid challenge?"

"No, I told Radha to sit in that place. For some reason, she went out, and you sat down there. I did not see it was not Radha until it was very late", said Krishna and continued laughing.

"Stop laughing. No one took me seriously for many days after that day."

"Sorry. But, how can you be serious even after so many days?" asked Krishna, trying to control his laugh.

"It is not just that. The way you look at every girl is creepy."

"So, you are watching me everywhere I go?" asked Krishna.

"Nothing like that. Let us stop the conversation", replied Rukmini.

"No, tell me what is creepy?" asked Krishna.

"You have a girlfriend, and you go on looking at every girl in the office", replied Rukmini.

"I do not."

"No, don't lie. I saw you checking many girls with my eyes", said Rukmini.

"First thing, it is confirmed you are watching my every move. Second, I did not say I am not checking any girl. I said no, to mean I don't have a girlfriend", said Krishna.

Rukmini silently pointed to Radha and gestured who?

Krishna coyly replied, "Friend, BFF, buddy, bro, and everything else but not girlfriend".

"But?"

"Yeah. I can understand. We are everywhere together, and people assume things. That is why my mother does not want me to roam with her. My mother wants me to have a love marriage, and she feels Radha is the hurdle."

Rukmini felt like everything she knew was a lie. She started doubting everything she knew.

"I do not believe you. Maybe Radha pushed you into a friendzone and has not accepted you yet. So, you are fawning over her to accept you."

Krishna had a smile and kept quiet. Rukmini was expecting a defence from Krishna and was preparing herself for the next onslaught of arguments in her mind. The silence hurt her more.

"Come on, deny me. Tell me I am wrong", shouted Rukmini.

"See, I don't need to defend myself to you", replied Krishna.

"Because you cannot", said Rukmini, giving a comfortable winning smile.

"I thought you were more mature than that. For your information, I remember the first day. I remember you very well. I checked you more than a few times from that day."

"So, I am right. You are a pervert, nothing more", said Rukmini.

Krishna started to say something, but instead said, "Whatever makes you feel happy".

That did not feel like a win, a few lingering doubts remained in Rukmini's mind.

She doesn't want to pursue them. So, she switched to her phone. As she was browsing, she saw Krishna in the background in more than a few photos.

Her mind suddenly got a high and said, "See, I am right. You are going around behind the girls like a pervert you are."

Krishna could not take any more complaints. "Enough of these. Let me tell you what is going on there. Radha was drunk but wanted to be in the girls' group. So, I was behind her to let her be in a few pictures", said Krishna.

Rukmini was not convinced. "I cannot trust you. You are just using her for something", said Rukmini.

"Shut up. Shut up. Don't ever talk about Radha like that. I can take that from my male colleagues. But not from you."

Rukmini thought for a second what was so special about me for him to be concerned. But she moved on. She continued her onslaught of complaints, "No boy and girl can be just friends. Especially the way you two act", said Rukmini.

"What way? Like friends. A few years ago, I did the same to Vijay. Waited for him in complete drinking in a bar and took him to his room. When he vomited, I cleaned him up. I stayed with him to give him hangover medicine. Radha is not any different", said Krishna.

"You can keep telling that. But I don't believe you. You are just hoping for a time and chance for her to fall for you", said Rukmini.

"No, never. See, Radha had a bad break-up. I am following her everywhere to make sure she doesn't break down and do something."

"Really!! All the more reason to doubt you", said Rukmini sarcastically.

"See, this", said Krishna, showing scars on Radha's hand.

Rukmini exclaimed, seeing so many sars on the hand.

"Me and Radha are not allowed at least ten hospitals in the city", said Krishna, with a wry smile.

Rukmini suddenly felt too much guilt, and a tear started flowing.

"No, don't cry", said Krishna.

Rukmini wiped her tears and said, "No, I am not crying."

"It is okay to cry. I had my quota of bad nights", said Krishna, gently petting Radha's hair.

Rukmini felt as if she was getting comforted.

"She looks all fine when she is drunk. Once she is out, things get out of hand. Sometimes, I tell her I will marry so no one can stop me from taking care of her any time of the day. "

"No", said Rukmini and started thinking why did I say that?

Krishna was lost petting Radha's cheek and did not notice what Rukmini said.

"How did you two become friends?" asked Rukmini.

"In fifth class, I was in love with her close friend. That girl sent Radha to warn me. Radha was the same heavy built even then, you know. We fought like street rowdies and ended up next to each other in the hospital bed. A few days in the hospital, she became my friend mainly because of my mother's food. After that, she turned my wingman. Next time, Radha tried to set me up. Then the girl sent her brother to fight us. We broke his nose. For good measure, he sent us to the hospital again for a few more weeks. The stitches and the pains healed, and friendship stuck forever."

Rukmini had a comforting smile after listening to the story.

Krishna continued, "After that, she spent more time in our home than hers. Radha's family hated our friendship. Her family is rich, and they did not like their girl roaming with a poor "Boy". But she did not care. She ate at our home most days and slept in my mother's bed to her stories."

Rukmini started to realize their friendship and felt guilty for her earlier words.

"I had to sleep on the floor most of the days, thanks to this fatty", said Krishna and slapped Radha's back.

"You are fatty", said Radha, even in that inebriated state, and for a good measure kicked Krishna with her legs.

"Never tell her I called her fatty in front of you", requested Krishna.

Rukmini nodded in agreement.

"She does not like being called fatty. She will kill me."

"Okay, okay", replied Rukmini.

The lift started moving as the power was restored.

Krishna said, "Finally".

Rukmini was praying for the lift to stop once again. She wanted to know more about Krishna.

She acted like helping Krishna carry Radha to their floor. Trying to spend as much time as possible for that day. All the time her eyes were on Krishna.

As Srin's car started moving, she waved goodbye, and with a hint of a shy smile, she walked to her car. The days in office were going to be different from that night.

Chapter 3: The awkward canteen date.

The next day, Rukmini's eyes were searching for Krishna in the canteen. A hand fell on her shoulder startling her. That hand, however, felt familiar. It was Krishna's.

"Looking for me?" asked Krishna.

"No", lied Rukmini.

"Radha is not in the office. Sitting alone in the canteen makes me look like a loser. Can I sit with you?" asked Krishna.

Rukmini was elated but controlled her excitement and showed him the seat next to her.

Krishna instead took a seat opposite her. Rukmini felt a disappointed as he did not sit next to her.

Krishna had different ideas. "Conversations go well when you are face to face," said Krishna.

Rukmini felt a tinge of shyness. How can I look at him and hide my feelings, thought Rukmini.

That was when a colleague came to chat with Krishna and Rukmini was lost in her thoughts. I spent less than an hour with this guy and I am already feeling all kinds of feelings. How can that be? The mind's playing with me. But why? 

That was when she remembered the question Krishna asked her. "Did you watch me wherever I went?" 

Did I unknowingly follow his every move? Is that why I hated seeing him with Radha? Before Rukmini could get answers to her question, Krishna finished his conversation and was back chatting with her. 

The guy passed a few steps and shouted, "You go, Man".

Rukmini asked, "What's he talking about?".

"Nothing", replied Krishna.

Rukmini was confused by her thoughts. She had the rest of her lunch in silence and left from there quickly.

Chapter 4: Astrology brought them together.

After a few days, there was an ethnic day for Diwali. Most of the girls wore a saree or Gagra to the office. Rukmini wore a green saree with a pink border. 

Krishna was sitting alone on the recreational benches of the office. All the girls in the office had blocked a room for a fun get-together. Krishna was waiting outside for Radha to come back from that. Rukmini avoided Krishna after their conversation in the canteen and her doubts. As she stepped out of the room and saw Krishna there, she had no choice but to say hi to him. Krishna wished her back and signalled her to give him company. Rukmini walked and sat with him on the bench.

"Thank you. Every girl coming out of the door looking at me like I am a pervert", said Krishna.

"By the way why are you here?", Rukmini asked.

"Waiting for Radha", replied Krishna.

"Why don't you face the other way? When Radha is out she can find you?", wondered Rukmini.

"Turn the other way and miss all these? Na, na", pointing to the girls, spilt the beans Krishna.

"Then there is nothing wrong in calling you pervert", thought Rukmini to herself.

Rukmini had a quizzical face and was hiding her waist with her pallu.

"No, no, don't judge me quickly. Many years ago, my maternal uncle told me a girl with a mole on her navel would be an ideal wife. She will make once married life a bliss. So, we both were on the lookout for such a woman. Later point that became an addiction."

"You pervert", said Rukmini and hit Krishna on his head.

"You cannot show liquor to an alcoholic and ask him to stop drinking", Krishna replied, in a laughing tone. 

"Addicts should keep away from their alcohol", said Rukmini and closed his eyes as one girl passed them.

"Come on. No harm, no foul", said Krishna.

"Let us get out of here. Radha will call when she is out", said Rukmini and walked Krishna out of there.

"The thoughts of the other day started were back. Why am I jealous? Is it because I am also a girl? Did I react the same way if it was someone else?" She turned and saw Krishna chatting away, but never once, did his eyes wander on Rukmini. The eye contact was on point.

That was when the guy from the other day was back. He again said, "You go, man" and left laughing away.

"Why does he keep saying that?" asked Rukmini.

"He is assuming you are my girlfriend. He says we look made for each other", said Krishna.

Rukmini started blushing in her heart. The mind, however, gave out a "What?!!"

"That guy is a gossip. He never saw me with any girl. Seeing me with you he started making up silly stories. Ignore him", said Krishna boisterously.

"You are right, why are you always roaming alone when not with Radha", asked Rukmini.

"Simple because of the groups", replied Krishna.

"What do you mean?" 

"If you are in a group, you have to drop everything and go everywhere the group goes. I cannot do that cause Radha cannot follow everywhere men go. Girls don't want to have a group with a moody alcoholic like Radha", Krishna replied nonchalantly.

"Don't you feel you are missing out?"

"No, I have Radha and now you."

"What does he mean me? What am I to him?" Rukmini wondered.

Krishna did not worry about giving her an answer and moved on.

They stopped at the canteen and sat opposite each other once again. Rukmini adjusts her pallu once again.

"No guy wants to search for your moles. The moment he sees your eyes, he will die in them," said Krishna.

Rukmini blushed openly this time.

"He will cross seven oceans to be with you", continued Krishna.

Rukmini gathered herself, "Enough with this reel and flirting".

"Every guy here is jealous of me. Just because you are talking to me. They all want me to introduce you to them. I said no to everyone."

Why, do you want me for yourself? Rukmini's mind voice asked.

"I cannot let any of these despot near you. Most of them never treat women even with a little respect".

"As if you respect them? You were scanning every girl's navel a few minutes ago", asked Rukmini, with a tinge of jealousy in her words.

"Ouch. That is below the belt", said Krishna.

"You deserverd it, pervert."

"I am not like holding a telescope and watching them. I could have lied to you if I had bad thoughts. By the way, don't you girls like the attention? Isn't it why most of the sarees have backless today."

"That doesn't justify whatever you do. Or prove your respect for women", said Rukmini.

"Okay, I agree it might not come out respectful. But any relation is physical to start with. That doesn't mean I will ask for her measurements on the first day or how many times a week she visits a beauty parlour. But anyone we fall for should feel pleasant to us."

Rukmini started to fall for his argument. However, the feminist in her got angry, "So, if a girl is not beautiful by society's standards she has to die alone?" asked Rukmini.

"Isn't beauty in the eye of the beholder? In my eyes, Radha is not a beauty. She will be like my brother, I can never see her with any other eyes but a friend. I call her a fatty. But in reality, ten guys requested me to set her up in the last six months. "

"Whatever logic you give me, I cannot accept a case where a woman can be respected, and also ogled."

"I agree. The moment I came to know you, I never ogled you. Because I respect you utmost, as a friend. As the one who did not judge my and Radha's relationship."

"Your relation with Radha is divine", interrupted Rukmini.

"No. No one feels that other than my mother. Radha's father feels I will get her pregnant and demand money from him", replied Krishna wiping tears from his eyes.

Seeing Krishna's tears, the respect for Krishna doubled, and most importantly the love that she felt was not there came jumping out.

She quickly got up and ran away from there. She needed time to understand her feelings.

 

Rukmini was confused by her thoughts. "Why am I falling for this guy? He had a great relationship with Radha. He was almost an angel for her, but how did that affect me? I don't know anything about him. Wait, that is not true. I waited for him to talk to me after that first-day proposal. Every mail that I got from him, I thought it was a proposal letter. He is not a bad guy. Everything I learned about him was all good. Is that why I am falling for him? When I learnt about his relationship with Radha. Is this what Krishna meant when he said each gets attracted for a different reason?"

She did not know what to make of any of this. She went and googled the astrology site. It was written, "As per mole astrology for women, a mole in the navel areas means that you will have a blissful marriage". She looked to both sides and quickly pulled her pallu aside. She exclaimed.

Chapter 5: The lift comes to the rescue

Rukmini got into her car and was leaving the office. That was when she saw Krishna walking. She wanted to stop but decided against it. The Google search that evening changed things. After she drove for a few minutes, she realized she had left her laptop at the office. She wanted to WFH the next day, so she took a U-turn to the office. 

She picked up the laptop from the office and left the office. As she came out of the office parking and was waiting at the signal, she saw Krishna waiting at the bus stop. This time she could not go past him, she stopped the car and asked Krishna if he wanted a lift. 

Krishna thanked her and was chatting about some random things. Her heart was racing with him next to her. She did not like herself like this. She wanted to come out of this trance of Krishna.

"What happened to your car?", she asked Krishna.

"It is not my car. It is Radha's car", replied Krishna.

"Okay. But you both travel together?" asked Rukmini. 

"Yeah, today her father came for something and took her with him", replied Krishna.

"Okay, you don't have the keys, then?" 

"No, I have the keys."

"Then, why?"

"See, his father feels I am with her for the money."

"So?"

"I use the car to take her everywhere like a chauffeur. Never for my ownself", said Krishna.

Rukmini stopped the car and got out of it. She walked a little far from the car where Krishna could not see her. 

"No, you cannot do this. You cannot do this, now. Wait a little before doing anything stupid", she said to herself and walked back to the car."

But she did not go to the driver's seat. She went and opened Krishna's door.

"Okay, if you are..", Krishna tried telling something but was stopped by Rukmini.

"Don't talk. I gathered every bit of courage to tell you this", said Rukmini.

"Tell me what?", asked Krishna.

She kept a finger on his lips and slowly moved her pallu till her navel was visible. There it was, the mole Krishna was searching.

Before Krishna could say anything she kissed him silencing him forever.

The lie

"You cheated me", said Krishna to Rukmini.

Rukmini was all laughs on their first night bed.

"Don't laugh, tell me how was there a mole that day?"

"Well, I had my Kajal in hand. Rest, you can imagine."

"But, why?"

"I know I am the right one for you, and I do not want to waste time convincing you".

"But this is cheating", said Krishna.

"I have some present for you that will make you forget everything", said Rukmini.

"What is it?"

"Read this", said Rukmini pointing to an astrology site.

"Having a mole below the nose is a sign of sensuality. " read the line.

"So, what?" Krishna wanted to ask.

Rukmini had her finger on the nose where the mole was, and her legs on Krishna's lap.

P.S.: Both Krishna and Rukmini know astrology does not matter. The thing that mattered was their respect and love for each other. As outsiders, we want reasons for the love they have for each other they don't. The games and lies are their way to keeping the sparkle alive.