CHAPTER ONE : CRASHED

ESHA'S POINT OF VIEW 

In the light of the moon, he was visible. He came near me, held me so tight in his arms, and our lips were almost going to collide...

"Esha.....Esha...Wake up. Its eight fifteen" screamed my sister Ruhi. 

Ouch!! That was just a dream? I thought I found the one for me. 

"It's Monday today Esha. Don't you remember it's your last chance? Run for it," said Ruhi with a small smirk. 

That smirk pissed me off for real.

"Call me with respect. I am almost seven years elder to you!" I said, raising my eyebrows. 

"Sisters are meant to be insulted," she winked at me. That was really lame if you would ask me. 

Yes, obviously, siblings are meant to be annoying in life. But Ruhi wasn't always irritating. Maybe at times!! But she has been the best secret keeper and a supportive one indeed. 

"Oh damn, It is already time. I have to be there at ten in the morning" I exclaimed out of fear.

This is going to be my last interview, and if I don't get this job, then my mom is going to get me married, and I would never want that to happen. 

I never figured out why Indian parents feel twenty four years is old enough for a girl to get married?

They have zero logic. 

The main reason why my mom wants to get me married is that most of my cousins are either married or working in a high-paying job. 

Whereas me, I don't have either of them. 

Goshh what am I even thinking now? Nothing could change them and their stupid thinking. 

"Run... Run... I would love to see you getting married." Chuckled Ruhi kissing me on my cheeks. 

Now it is already 8:45 AM. I should be early this time. I ran inside the washroom to get ready. It almost took me ten minutes to a bath. That was quick, in my opinion, because I usually spend an hour bathing. Now I changed my dress and came out of the room. 

My mom had made my favorite Idlis and Sambar. Well, that's what most south Indian parents make for breakfast. Not surprising. 

I somehow managed to stuff three idlis's in my mouth at one go. I was wondering, did my mouth become bigger? Well, that wasn't the discussion here. I have to be on time. 

I called out my dad for dropping me, and then to my surprise, my mom comes and tells that he had left for his office already. 

God! I have to get the job this time. Without thinking a minute, I said goodbye to my mom, took my scooter key, and left.

I somehow drove faster in the morning rush, and now there is this one more obstacle on my way. Yes... You guessed it right. The Indian Signals are the worst. I had to wait sadly. 

But it was already 9:15 AM. I had no other choice rather than disobeying the traffic rules. I looked to my left and to my right. Thank goodness there wasn't any jobless traffic police to block my way. So I thought of driving off from there. 

I was standing in the fifth row of the signal, and now I had to go to the front row to drive off from there. 

So I started pushing my scooter slowly to reach ahead and when I was about to cross the second row and reach the front one. I hit a black jaguar, and my scooter was so old and worn out that it fell, and it's mirror glass broke.

Shitttt!!! My breath stopped for a minute because the car had too many scratches made by my scooter, and the car looked new. Jaguar car is something owned by wealthy people in India. 

Wait... Wealthy people? Wealthy people? Wow! I have got some new plans. I took my scooter up, and by that time, a forty-year-old man came out of the black jaguar. He was short, fat and had grey hair and a big mustache. I was sure that I shouldn't let him talk first.

So I started up before he could!

"Excuse me, sir! You have hit my scooter with your car.... And look at its condition now" I said with an angry look in my face. 

"I didn't hit you with my car, madam,It was you." he replied softly. 

"Oh, sir! That wasn't me. Stop lying! You better pay for this," I said in a rude tone. 

The 40-year man looked all around, and there were many people staring at us. And now his eyes turned towards me. 

"How much do you want, madam" he whispered. 

"I want 5000 rupees sir" I said loud enough. 

He turned towards his car, opened the door, and asked the person sitting inside the car for money. 

Owning this expensive car, he didn't even have money of his own. Weird. 

He finally came out of the car, handed me the money, and drove off immediately. 

I was happy. Lying didn't make me regret this time. I was smiling seeing 5000 rupees in my hand and looked at my hand watch. 

It was 9:28...WHAT? I only have 30 minutes? God NO! I tried starting my scooter. It didn't work. Damn! How am I supposed to reach now? 

Before I could think of the other way, I found the company to be in some meter distance. So I thought of walking and going. Before that, I parked my scooter near a barbershop, called the mechanic, and said he would take my scooter for repair. 

Now I had to run because it was 9:35 already. I wasn't too bad at running, so I managed to reach the office by 9:43 AM. 

The office was tall enough. I guess it would have like 10-15 floors. The way it has been designed, Wow!!! I showed my final interview mail copy to the security guard. He was verifying it for a long time. Finally, he let me in and told me to go to the second floor. 

The atmosphere inside the office was pure bliss. Even though the temperature out was hot enough to melt you away, here, inside the office was a mini Himalaya. The floor was too smooth, and the whole office was quiet. Quiet! Pin drop silence was there. 

I always hated the silence. But this silence was something good. Something peaceful. Now I spotted the lift for going up because I was too tired and lazy to climb up the stairs. 

Finally, by 9:48 AM I reached the second floor and got myself seated. It was a pleasant atmosphere. 

Working here seemed to be cool. 

But getting this job wasn't easy because around one thousand people were applying for this job. Only ninety eight people got selected for this final round, and I was one of them. All the ninety seven other people looked intelligent and more capable for this job than me. 

But with some hope, I was sitting, making myself calm. Because if not this job. My mom would start searching for a groom and get me married. 

It was sharp 10:00 AM the entrance opened. Everyone stood up to greet him except me.

I was turned red out of panick! Was it him? 

Whatever I saw was real? Or am I hallucinating? NO... This can't be true. God, help me, please!

~ 🥀🖤 ~

"The devil is stepping in and my death is nearly approaching !!"

~ Esha Varnav ~