Disguised Intentions

by Manasi Joshi

  “Your words are exactly my feelings Ishani. Yuba Katha is everything to me and I want it to succeed further till I can be in power and change some of the things in our nation. Thank you for being honest. You spoke what I hoped you will. I wasn’t wrong in judging you then. You put honestly above everything else. “he said.

  “Thank you for your kind words Kabir. I just said what I felt. I admire your views. Very refreshing.” said Ishani, turning a little red at the unexpected praise.

  “I just wish my father understood. I just hope that one day he will” replied Kabir. He was staring out of the window, lost in thought.

  Ishani wondered why he told her all of this and why he asked her that question. After all, he barely knew her. They had just met.

  “Mr Basu is a kind man Kabir. I am sure he just wants the best for you. I am sure he’ll understand sooner or later.” said Ishani.

  “Hmmm.” said Kabir nodding in a non-committal manner.

  His phone rang and he was shaken back to reality. After he was done speaking on the phone Kabir turned to face Ishani.

  “That was some good food there. I will personally make a note of this and thank the staff. Thank you for your wonderful company Ishani. I am really pleased to meet you. “He said, smiling.” By the way, how old are you?” he asked abruptly.

  Ishani went scarlet. Why was he asking such personal questions? Why was he acting so interested in her? Why was he being extra-sweet to her? ‘Perhaps he’s like this with everyone.’ She thought. “I am 27.” She replied. “It was great having you here Kabir. I hope you had a good time looking through everything” she added.

  “I see. Well I am 26. You don’t look more than 21 though Ishani. Take it as a compliment. I hope to see you soon.” said Kabir winking at her and swivelling the chair she was sitting on making her go dizzy. Then he got up from his chair abruptly looked at Ishani once and rushed out of the cabin like lightening.

  Ishani was startled. He winked at her and made her do a Mary-go-round on a chair! Seriously! She just couldn’t believe it. Then she began to laugh out loud and felt silly because she was laughing alone in the cabin. She liked Kabir much more than she had expected. He was a sure entertainer! She liked his sunny and warm personality. No wonder he had such a fan following and was a popular upcoming politician.

  It wasn’t a bad day after all and yes, it sure was interesting.

  CHAPTER 4: FAMILIAR VOICE.

  Ishani brushed her hair hurriedly. She was running late for her dance class. Ishani made it a point to attend a dance class thrice a week. She felt it helped her relieve the stress accumulated throughout the week.

  She entered the dance studio and saw Priya frowning at her.

  “You are always late for the class.” said Priya shaking her head as she was gyrating to the music.

  Ishani shrugged.

  The song which was playing was “Chicago and all that jazz”

  It was a jazz day that day. Ishani loved jazz. Danny D’souza was their instructor that day. He looked at Ishani and Priya disapprovingly. Ishani nudged Priya to continue dancing. Priya had joined the class just because Ishani did. There was hardly anything which they didn’t do together.

  “Move it ladies! I want to see the moves!!” yelled Danny as he danced to the music and they all followed him. “Come on ladies! The jazz pirouette, now!” he yelled as the song finished.

  By the end of one hour all the ladies were exhausted.

  “Bye Danny. It was a wonderful session” said Ishani, waving at Danny as she got read ready to leave. He waved back.

  Ishani’s phone rang. It was Mr Basu calling. She wondered why he was calling her at this hour. Surely she hadn’t messed up with something at work. She hoped not. “Hello Sir, good evening” said Ishani picking up the call. “Anything’s up?” she added still slightly breathless post her dance session.

  “Hello Ishani, my dear, you need to meet the head of Arora industries right now. He said he wants to have a meeting with all the HODs. It’s kind of a formal party actually. Nakul tried texting and calling you but you didn’t answer so I called personally.” Mr Basu said.

  Nakul was the HOD of the HR department. He was a very talented and intelligent employee; very cordial and a thorough professional. “Sir, Nakul must’ve called while I was err, dancing. I have joined a dance class. I enjoy it. ” said Ishani.

  “Well good for you, keep it going. Anyway leave from where ever you are. Reach at 9 pm sharp at the Arora Industries Ltd and meet Mr Arora there. There is some meeting plus party over there and he wants all of you there. Good night dear. “Mr Basu ended the call.

  Well who on earth keeps a meeting at such odd hours Ishani wondered.

  “Pri come with me!” said Ishani turning to Priya.

  Somehow Ishani convinced Priya to tag along with her. She was too bored to go to formal party alone at night and whenever Priya accompanied her she always felt at ease no matter where she was.

  They reached A.I.L just in time.

  “Wow” said Priya as they entered the building. “This place is quite something. Our company’s going to benefit big time with this collaboration. We’ll be famous Ishani” she said with glee.

  “Calm down Pri. All that glitters is not gold.” said Ishani rolling her eyes. She knew Priya could get excited with just about anything.

  “I’ve heard Mr Arora is very handsome and he’s just twenty-nine! Now that you’ve got me here, I can’t wait to see him. Although he isn’t a bachelor. He got married a year back, that’s what I read in a magazine. But ogling can’t hurt, can it? Ishani we both aren’t even dressed in good clothes, what should we do now?” continued Priya in her excitement.

  Ishani rolled her eyes and said nothing. She was used to Priya getting hyper excited. However, she didn’t know why but she herself felt something important was going to happen.

  They entered a hall. “Come in” said a voice, a voice too familiar to be true. Ishani knew who’s it was even before she entered. ‘Now I know why it feels as if something important is going to happen’ she thought.

  She entered the cabin with her heart pumping blood faster than it usually did.

  CHAPTER 5: HE’S BACK.

  Two dark, intense eyes stared at Ishani. Ayaan Arora stood before Ishani. Black suit, red tie, sleek black gelled hair, straight Grecian nose, tall, very fair and extremely good looking and attractive, he stared at her impassively, a bit too longer than required and turned away from her and faced the crowd and began to speak.

  “Hi everyone, I am Ayaan Arora the CEO of A.I.L I welcome you all in this meeting on behalf of myself and my staff. It’s a pleasure to be collaborating with your company and I look forward to productive working with all of you. As most of you know, my company is hugely successful overseas, in the United States and in New Zealand. I am expanding my business here in India and it’s already a gushing success. The first five months here have been immensely successful in India as well. I hope this collaboration benefits all of us and takes us to newer heights in business.” he smiled.

  Ishani’s heart sank. That smile… How well she knew that smile. How well she knew that face, Ishani very well recognized Ayaan Arora. After all, there was a time when Ayaan was her life.

  She went down the memory lane. Memories flashed in front of her as Ayaan continued to speak.

  Ishani was twenty one. She was dating Ayaan since over a year. He was her school mate, college friend, her boyfriend, her best friend, in short her everything. She was in love with him since she had seen him when she was thirteen. They were in the same school and then luckily in the same college. He was two years her senior, always one of the most sought after guys.

  Somehow she always knew it wasn’t a teenage infatuation. Ayaan never noticed her until they were in college. He was blissfully unaware of her until they interacted at a college camp. They bonded well there and then he asked her out and they began dating.

  All was fine until Ayaan said he had to move to the United States
.

  “Why do we need to break up Ayaan? We can have a long distance relationship, can’t we? We can surely figure something out. This thing will work. I love you. I want to spend my life with you. ” said Ishani.

  Ayaan looked at her with an unreadable expression and then spoke, measuring his words carefully.

  “I’m sorry Ishani. This can’t work. It’s not just the long distance; we both come from different family backgrounds. You are a Maharashtrian and I am a Punjabi. I am sure our families won’t understand. Besides, we are too young to even think of marriage. We must say goodbye. This is where we need to end it. Bye.” he said coldly

  “Love is beyond all this Ayaan. Please understand. At least, for me, it isn’t an infatuation. It’s more. ” said an exasperated Ishani.

  She could hear voices going on in her head; hers and Ayaan’s. There were just too many memories rushing in front of her.

  This had happened six years back. Six long years had changed Ishani a lot. She had dated another guy for a brief time. In two months, she had called it off. Somehow she never loved anyone as much as she had always loved Ayaan. When he left her she was broken. It took her ages to get over him and somehow as he stood in front of her, even today, her heartbeats raced. It was amazing what impact he had on her. Why was he back after all these years? Why God Why? What kind of joke is this? Ishani thought.

  “Ishani! Ishani??!!” said Priya shaking Ishani’s shoulder.

  Ishani came back to the present with a start. She looked around. He was done speaking and the room was full of chatter. Drinks were being offered all around.

  “Where have you drifted Ishani?” said Priya “Why are you so lost?”

  Ishani wished she could share all of this with Priya but she didn’t want to freshen her own wounds. She gulped; sipped water from a glass which lay on the table next to her took a deep breath and decided she was going to be strong about this. She wasn’t going to let her past affect her work no matter how hard it would be.

  “Nothing Pri, I am just tired I guess. I need some sleep that’s all” said Ishani trying to force a smile at Priya.

  “Okay. Don’t worry my baby Ishani. We’ll leave soon. I am tired too.” Said Priya “And thanks for dragging me here, this Ayaan Arora is a smoking hot CEO” she laughed.

  Ishani forced a smile again. She saw Ayaan coming towards her.

  “I need to use the washroom, I’ll just be back.” said Ishani quickly getting up out of her chair, intending to avoid Ayaan.

  It was too late. Ayaan was already standing in front of her.

  Before he could speak, Priya did. “Hello Mr Arora. I am Miss Shah and this is Miss Kirloskar. I am a software engineer and she is the HOD of the graphic designing department.” She said a bit too fast.

  “Hello Miss Shah, Miss Kirloskar” said Ayaan, not taking eyes off Ishani. He shook their hands. Even a handshake could give her butterflies, Ishani had never imagined.

  “Hello Mr Arora, nice to meet you. Looking forward to working with you. “ Ishani said, trying to be as formal as she could. “We were just leaving.” She added.

  “So soon? Why? “Asked Ayaan. “Stay for a while and enjoy the food and drinks” he said, still not taking his eyes off her.

  Ishani was starting to feel uncomfortable.

  “No it’s okay. We were leaving” she said.

  “I insist you stay.” He said, almost in a whisper.

  “Okay Mr Arora, we’ll stay for a while if you insist. “Priya said, smiling at him.

  “Good” he said and left them on their own.

  “Why did you agree to stay” hissed Ishani at Priya. “Don’t you understand I want to leave?” Ishani tried not to shout.

  “What’s wrong with you? The poor guy asked us to stay for a while. It will be good for us professionally if we are on good terms with him. Don’t over react. I know you can act like a kid at times Ishani but overcome your tiredness and stay for a while. ” said Priya sternly.

  Ishani scowled but said nothing.

  There was music going on. Someone asked Priya for a dance.

  “Since you are so boring this evening, I might as well go and dance” said Priya turning to Ishani for approval.

  “Go and have some fun Pri. I’m really not in a mood today. I’ll leave in a while. You stay. That guy is bound to drop you home. He looks into you. ” said Ishani.

  Priya winked and gave her a “thumbs up” gesture and went on the dance floor.

  Ishani decided to eat something. Maybe she would feel better after she had a few morsels of food inside her.

  After she was done eating, she decided it was time for her to leave. She saw Priya speaking merrily with a man and enjoying herself. She decided not to disturb her and leave quietly. She scanned the room and didn’t see Ayaan anywhere. She decided to leave before he could insist her to stay further.

  She left the room hurriedly. Just as she was leaving, she heard a voice.

  “Ishani” said a voice quietly.

  Ishani cringed inwardly. She turned around to face Ayaan.

  “Hi Ayaan” she said.

  “How have you been?” he asked

  “I’m fine.” She said. As if you care how I am Ayaan she thought. “How are you?”

  He ignored her question. “Did you enjoy the party? I noticed you didn’t eat much. “He said.

  “Yes, I enjoyed. Thank you. “She lied. She wondered when he had noticed her eating.

  “I’m sorry about you parents. I heard they are no more.” He said softly. “It must have been tough” he added stepping an inch closer to her.

  “Ummm ” she didn’t know what to say. Why her parents were dead was another wound she didn’t want to dig. At least not right now. “Yeah. Let’s not get into that. “

  “How are you going back home?” he asked.

  “I’ll take a taxi” said Ishani.

  “I’ll drop you.” He said.

  “No thanks. Don’t bother.” said Ishani. They were standing in a lobby alone. She just wished she could disappear. The pain of meeting the only man she had ever loved and knowing that he was now married, it was all too much to take in.

  “Are you sure? “ He asked his penetrating eyes boring into her.

  “No. Umm, I mean yes. I am sure. I must leave” she said a little flustered by his gaze. “Before I forget congratulations Mr Arora, on your marriage” she added not being able to hide the bitterness in her voice.

  Ayaan closed his eyes for a second. He said nothing.

  “Good night Ishani” he breathed, further taking a step closer to her as he opened his eyes.

  “Good night Mr Arora” she said rushing out of the lobby before he could see her tears.

  CHAPTER 6: DREAMS HAUNT.

  Ishani was running. She was screaming. There was fire around her. “Aai! Baba! Where are you both?” she yelled. She was looking for her parents. Crying out loud, there was soot, mud and dust all over. There were dead bodies lying all around her. She felt lost, helpless and afraid. So much fire… Ishani couldn’t breathe, she was feeling choked, suffocated and afraid.

  Ishani woke up with a start. She was sweating from head to toe. It was the same damned dream. The same damned memory. Whenever she was affected by something, the dreams tortured her.

  Ishani’s parents had died in a bomb blast four years ago in Mumbai. They were heading back in a train from a family function. With them were her uncle and aunt. The train which they boarded was planted with bombs.

  Ishani had gone to the site of the bomb blast to search for them. The it was such a terrible experience for her to go there, that she still couldn’t overcome it. The place was skewed with body parts, blood lay all around and people were crying and screaming. She tried to search for her parents through the rubble and bodies but she couldn’t. She and her cousin whose parents also died in the blast along with Ishani’s parents, searched several hospitals and morgues everywhere they could think of but all four of them could not be found. They were told by th
e police that the blast was so severe that many bodies were cut into pieces so they should give up the search.

  Ishani was totally perturbed after the incident. She kept hoping her parents would turn up. They didn’t. She got herself a job to overcome her grief. She visited a psychiatrist to help herself cope up with the ordeal she was going through. It took her two years to even start smiling fully like she used to. She had overcome her parents’ loss to quite an extent but of course there were times when she missed them. Ever since she joined C.T.I and met Priya and Raghav, she was better. They were her support system.

  Ishani developed severe Pyrophobia after that. She could not stand fire and whenever she was stressed, she got those dreams where she was surrounded by fire and was looking out for her parents. Almost everyone at work knew her phobia for fire, even Natasha and her group. It was embarrassing for Ishani, but she couldn’t help it. Many a times, she avoided even lighting a matchstick. Seeing fire triggered her fears and she was mentally and physically affected by it.

  She drank an entire bottle of water which lay next to her bed, got up and headed to the fridge. She ate some chocolate to soothe her frayed nerves.

  Why had she met Ayaan? Why did he still affect her so much that it triggered her dream again? She questioned herself and her destiny.

  Soon, sleep overcame her thoughts and she went back to a deep slumber.

  It was 6 am in the morning. Ishani’s doorbell rang; Thrice.

  She wondered who was at the door so early. It was probably the neighbour asking for a cup of milk or something.

  She opened the door and saw Kabir Basu standing in front of her. She rubbed her eyes. Perhaps she was dreaming. Why would he show up at her door anyway?

  “Hi Ishani, can I come in?” said Kabir, leaning on the door.

  She smelled his perfume. Oh my! It’s really him she thought. She rubbed her eyes again. She tried to smoothen her messed up hair and pulled up her slippery pyjamas a bit.

  “Err Kabir? What are you doing at my door at such an hour?” she blurted. “Do come in” she added trying not to sound rude.