The Contrivance-3

3

Khushi entered the office crossing her fingers as many of her colleagues greeted her looking at her oddly. It was expected anyways. If she was not stared at after being splashed across all the major news papers and gossip zones, that too in the arms of the ASR and in what appeared to be a ‘compromising position’ which was actually a tricky angle, then she needed to be definitely worried.

She walked directly into Nitin’s cabin and got a warm welcome…

“ Aah look! Who have we got here! ASR’s latest! Congratulations! But may I tell you, the way you chose to become the editor-in-chief for this concern is going to cost you a lot Ms. K” Nitin said snidely.
Khushi flinched and said,” Nitin! Sir why don’t you just listen to me once?”

“Oh! You are going to give me an exclusive on your rendezvous? I am honoured Ma’am!” He said giving her a mock bow!
“Nitin!” Khushi said exasperatedly!

“Yeah! Now I know why you could not get any breakthrough!” He said snidely.
“Will you stop that? Khushi hissed.

“No! Tell me! What do you have on your mind?

“A short fling or a long-drawn affair?

This way you will get very bright and immediate results but I suggest a long drawn out affair… that way I get exclusives and also tip-offs on new stories and we will make up a big one pager for the eventual break-up! Complete with a mind-blowing pic as well as a headline. Something like… Splitz Venue or ‘Breaking’ News!

Khushi’s jaw dropped… in shock!

He was actually trying to cash on her embarrassment? And he thought she was….aaarrrrrggghhhh! She called very softly, “Nitin”

He was still going on… “ …and…we…will also put up an awards function and increase the quotient of controversy by calling La Kashyap and him on to stage while you receive the best journalist award from them and …”

“NITIN!!!!!” She screamed and stepped back behind the Xerox machine in his room for cover.

There was silence and he looked at her…

“How do you…how can you think…that I I will ever….”she choked and sobbed looking at him…

“Why can’t you? This is your only way now?”Nitin menon mentally crossed his fingers. A phone call the night before from his school buddy made all the difference. He was simply told that if he handed over Khushi Sanjyotiya to Ranbeera, he would continue to be the headman even after the take over was completed.

Simple-Arnav wanted Khushi and he wanted his job.

“But…?” Khushi just gaped at him.

What was he saying. He wanted her to…she felt as if something crawled over her even at the thought.

“What’s wrong in that? Our profession is such my dear. You need to be very..er… very…uh…haan!”… Nitin struggled to fit the right word,“professionally smart as a journalist. What’s there in feigning, if you can get access to certain facts through this way? Did you think about it?”He asked.

“Huh!” Khushi stepped back in a daze.

“Here! Take this…” he said throwing a wad at her..

“What’s this? Khushi held them only to look up at him yet again in shock asking,”These are the invites for the Neon Awards Function!”

Neon…The most prestigious awards for excellence in all fields. The Prime Minister was supposed to be the Guest of honour!

“Yeah! I spoke to Arnav in the morning… and he was mad too… so he will be…er…coming back in two days and this is for both of you to sort it out ok? And the rest…you know let the press do a story on you both being an item… For him its not anything new Khushi…its only you who will be in soup so you must…” he went on as Khushi gaped at him.

He had everything figured out without even asking her.

“Just who do you think you are?” She asked him.

“Listen…” Nitin started again.

“No! I had had enough! I hate that man! I hate the species period. And I don’t want you to plan my personal life. Professionally I know I am useless to you. So let me say goodbye and make a decent exit.” She whirred round and stomped out even as Nitin tried to call her back.

The Contrivance

“So you just resigned…?Just like that?” Varsha handed over the plate full of instant noodles to Khushi and settled with hers in the opposite chair.

“Not yet.. But I shall. Tomorrow1” Khushi said.

“C’mmon! It can’t be that bad!” Varsha said hopefully.

“No Varsha. I can’t stand that man and this is not journalism. I hate to do anything that is unethical.” Khushi said.

“Arey…but how will you get out of this? And why not just use this to get to that arrogant Ranbeera?” Varsha asked.

“I will find a way Varsha and that Ranbeera chap is welcome to his arrogance. I don’t have anything to do with him. Neither will I ever have anything to do with him in future!” Khushi rolled her eyes.

“So then?” Varsha asked.

“Then what?” Khushi’s hackles rose.

“What will you do now? “ Varsha demanded.

“Find a new job. What else!”Khushi said matter-of-factly.

“Whaaat?” Varsha was stumped.

“Yes Babe! Already applied for a few online just now while you were busy cooking…”Khushi said.

“Just like that?” Varsha enqured again.

“Yeah! Nothing is permanent Varsha” Khushi said dazedly.

“O…O!!! Sorry” Varsha said patting her on her shoulder and said,”Chal! We wont speak about that”

“Nothing like that! I will just go and resign tomorrow and that’s it! I will find a new job Yuuuunnnn!” Khushi snapped her fingers and smiled.

“I admire your courage and integrity.” Varsha said.

“Awe! You are a sweetheart!” Khushi hugged her and said,” Just don’t worry!”

*****

Two days later…

“Goddaammmmnnnnitttt! NITIN! You couldn’t handle one slip of  a girl?” Arnav yelled at Nitin.

“Well…er… she…didn’t… I mean she resigned the very next day.” Nitin mumbled apolegitically.

“Very good! Your employees are just like you-dimwits!” Arnav barked.

“Arnav….” Nitin drawled.

“I am telling you Nitin…I want that woman at any cost. Do anything but today the awards function I should be escorting her. That’s it.” Arnav barked and as he asked, “Did you get it! Right…And your time starts now….” The line went dead.

*****

“You sure ?” Varsha’s voice reverberated through the mobile as Khushi checked her appearance in the mirror for the umpteenth time.

“Yeah! See what will happen! I am going to teach him the lesson of his life.” Khushi said as she recollected how Nitin had come to her apartment and haggled over with her and convinced her to go to the Awards Nite as he said his job depended on her meeting with Arnav and sorting the mess out. Bull crap. She was hogged by the press, for three whole days while he ran away to Armsterdam! And each day of ragging by the press made her more determined to teach him a lesson.

*****

Arnav looked around and when he was sure no one was watching, rapped on the door twice and then thrice… and a voice from inside asked, “ You must know that whatever you are doing is only making her averse to you.”

“Then what do I do? She is not my type and I am supposed to marry her! For what I dunno! But I know this much that whoever has hatched this black mail plan, is an idiot and…”

“Just shut up. You are supposed to do what you are told…And tell that smart assistant of yours to lay off…my people have chucked off the detectives he employed after you to track…me.”

After a second the man said,” I am sorry! This is what I am supposed to read out as they hear us live and send me a text message…and after this I wont ever be in touch with you. I can only say this much! Who ever you are please…don’t under estimate these people.Just a minute. They just pinged me that you need to get married by this weekend…today is Saturday…ooops! That means just one more day…Sorry! They are very dangerous. Now please leave.”

Arnav thanked him and left cursing his fate. Even that man was trapped. No use tracking him. He did it already, and found that it led to dead ends. And he also realized men once used were not repeated nor the locations nor modes of communication. The last time he tried to nab the man who gave him a letter, he was given a strict warning and his nephew went missing from the school for an hour…making Di go paranoid. But when he complied everything was normal as his nephew said the driver had a false call of the route being diverted and of the driver loosing his mobile…making everyone think he was in trouble. He scratched his head and looked out into the bright sunlight.

Khushi Sanjyothiya! You better be mine in the next twenty four hours, coz… he squinted and put on his aviators and muttered,” Cos for you and me…there is no choice now!”