WE MEET AGAIN

WE MEET AGAIN
Avani froze, her laptop perilously close to slipping from her trembling fingers, her knees like jelly. His eyes locked onto her, their gaze piercing her to her core. He began to move towards her, likely with the intention of helping, but before he could reach her, Smriti came to her rescue.

As all eyes in the auditorium shifted toward the spectacle, Avani's embarrassment overwhelmed. She quickly murmured an apology, casting her gaze downward as she retreated to a backseat alongside Smriti. Despite avoiding his direct gaze, she could feel his intense stare, and her heart thundered within her chest, threatening to shatter her ribcage at any moment.

It was him, Rishabh! Standing tall at the podium, dressed immaculately in a black suit that hugged his muscular frame. His hair was meticulously styled, his face clean-shaven, his jawline sharp as a blade. A healthy tan graced his skin, adding to his overall appeal. He looked nothing short of a Greek God, commanding attention from everyone in the room, especially the women. His deep, coffee-brown eyes were fixed on Avani, while hers remained glued to her laptop screen.

In that moment, the mask of indifference she had worn so carefully began to crack. Emotions she had buried deep inside started to surface, etching their presence on her face. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she fought hard to contain them. She refused to succumb to the overwhelming rush of feelings, desperately avoiding his gaze and keeping her eyes fixed on her laptop screen blankly.

Internally, she pleaded with a higher power for strength. This couldn't be happening.

She silently whispered to herself, "God, give me the strength to endure this," and closed her eyes, seeking refuge in darkness from the tumultuous storm within her.

Feeling the weight of her emotions, Smriti gently squeezed Avani's hand, offering silent comfort and support. Avani's eyes were brimming with unshed tears, her lashes heavy with the weight of her unexpressed pain. She willed herself not to break down, fiercely fighting the urge to let her tears fall.

In that moment, the irony of the situation hit her hard. The person who had shattered her world, who had broken her heart into a million pieces, was now the VIP guest in the very company where she worked. It seemed like a cruel twist of fate, a bitter joke played by life.

As Rishabh continued his lecture, his eyes occasionally found their way back to Avani. His voice, as seductive as it had ever been, resonated in her ears, sending shivers down her spine. It had been a year, but the pain was still fresh, the wounds still raw. Avani realized she was standing in the same emotional spot she had been in for months – a place of sorrow, tears, and shattered dreams. She has not moved on...

The lecture concluded, and Rishabh descended from the podium, his eyes still scanning the room in search of the one he loved. There she was, seated at the back, resolutely avoiding his gaze while engrossed in her work, her laptop resting on her lap. She looked absolutely adorable in her glasses, a sudden and intense desire to kiss her overwhelmed him. Yet, he knew he had to master his unruly thoughts and keep his perverted impulses in check.

Vikram discreetly pulled out his phone and hastily texted Smriti, his worry palpable in his message: “Baby, Is Avani, okay?”

A minute later, a sharp response illuminated on Vikram’s phone screen: “Don’t you dare baby me? When were you planning to tell me that you and Rishabh, Kabir, and Rehaan are the Guest Speakers here, Viki? You are gone for good this time. I wish I should have done the breakup with you a year ago when I really had the chance. And about Avani, meet me outside, I will tell you how fine she is?”

Vikram read the message and then, with an embarrassed grin, he raised his hand, showing us the text. Kabir, Rehaan struggled to suppress their laughter, mindful of their roles as guest speakers. While Rishabh was desperately waiting for this event to end.

Meanwhile his glance went on Avani who silently slipping out of the auditorium. His heart yearned to follow her, but he was bound by the event, and could not leave until it concluded.