2. Send Her in My Room

RYAN

I was sitting in my hotel room staring at the dirty piece of paper in my hand, more accurately a dirty résumé. I had already read it sixteen times and I was about to read it again when my best friend, Arjun said, "Stop staring at it, Ryan. It's not like she'll gonna come out of it."

But oddly I wanted her to, that is to come, in both senses. I closed my eyes briefly seeing again those big green eyes with a hint of blue in the middle, the time she got all angry when I suggested to give her money, and that cream like slope of her neck flushed with anger a little lighter than her cheeks. I wanted to see how far that flush could go and I can bet it goes to very delicious places and her name it goddamn suits her, Rose. Her lips were exact same as rose petals and when she got them wet with her tongue before mouthing to me. ‘Fûck you.’

My thoughts were interrupted by a tiny voice, "Sir.." She didn't even get the chance to speak her next words before I bellowed on her, "Don't you know how to knock?" She started to stammer but I didn't care, I hated it when people invade my privacy, after all, can't a man get to think in private given the enormous amount of money he earns. Ignoring her stammering, I said through gritted teeth, "Get the hell out of here, before I fire you."

But as always Arjun acted responsible when I was behaving like a five year old. "It's ok, Priya. Tell us what you wanted to," he said, sending me a glare.

Arjun was the only one who could get away after doing the exact opposite of what I said and treating me like this because he had been my best friend since I was ten and knew the darkest secrets of my life. He was more than a best friend to me, for the last eighteen years he has been my family, my comrade, my brother and everything. And I knew that I can trust him with my life and I do.

"Sir, cameras has been installed." I turned to her and she visibly got nervous and a perverse part of me liked it. "Now.. y-you can-n w-watch the whole f-floor," with that she hurriedly scampered away from the room.

Arjun turned to me with raised brows, "You really had to do that."

It wasn't a question, as he knew me well, that how much I love it when people feared me, but I answered nonetheless, "Yeah. They should be scared, I pay them." He just shook his head in my direction and got up to head outside.

I was about to log into my laptop when he turned toward me, I looked up in eyes that has those mischievousness in them, telling me there was something he knew and I didn't. But instead of asking him I waited for him to fess up first and he did. "Check that file on the side table, may be you'll find something of your interest." With that he was gone after giving me a smirk.

I looked at the file he mentioned. It was the file of applications we got online for the advertising manager. I have been running my father's business since twenty two, it was already invested in so many areas that I didn't had to do much to make it go any higher but now just six months ago I started my own business with my own funds and experience. I always liked glamour of television screen, although products and services of my father's business- (yes, I own it now and I make decisions but still for me it will always be his), got advertised on small screen but I wanted to do it myself. So, here I was recruiting for the Indian branch of my new advertising company, Ryan Arts&Commerce Co.Pvt.Ltd.

I liked everything in my control. I love to dictate. So, this was my way of taking interview in one of the city’s biggest hotel. I booked the whole nineteenth floor of this hotel as it was the top floor, I loved to drive people away from their comfort zone. And here in this exotic and most expensive venue, they sure will be out of their comfort zone as they will prepare for an interview in a cosy small office with a desk and with a few questions about their qualifications, but here they'll come with nervous anticipation wondering what will happen next.

Breaking out of my musings I clicked on the app which took me to the view outside my room. It worked fine, showing the whole floor. I clicked on the camera one which showed me room no. 1901, Arjun was there talking to the receptionist who was nodding frantically with a star struck smile on her face. My best friend had that effect on women as he looked like a movie star, although I was not that bad enough myself but still with the charming smile and all of those practiced dialogues he was more preferable than me.

Once again, I glanced over to the file that Arjun told me to see, and curiosity got better of me as I placed the laptop on the table and picked up the file.

I opened it reluctantly because I was sure there was something that I shouldn't know or really needed to know. The first application was of some guy named Rohan. B.tech. Delhi. I turned to second page and this time I read the name Rahul, it didn't catch my interest. Third was the mistake I shouldn't have made, I was definitely going to have nightmares. This girl looked like she got attacked by aliens. Seriously I don't know what’s wrong with some girls, her hair were short on one side and long on the other but what got me bad, was the color of her hair, which were in direct contrast with her lipstick and color of her skin. Her hair were purple, skin almond brown and the color of lips really freaked me out, orange. I am never going to be able to eat that fruit again without thinking of her.

I thought to myself that it was exactly why he wanted me to open this file, I was about to throw that file aside when dark brown hair peeked out from under that page, I turned the page, willing myself to be under control and not to rip off the file to get to it. And, there she was.

Believe me when I say her picture didn't do any justice to her real beauty but still I was captivated by those gorgeous green eyes and brown hair that I've seen this morning, long and shiny. I imagine what they'll feel wrapped around my fist. I sat up straight, focused my attention on the lift, several candidates came and were gone, almost an hour passed then I remember that she may be late because of me as I was the one who ruined her outfit that, clearly, she was going to wear for the interview.

I cursed out loudly but as I watched the elevator doors separating apart to reveal the woman standing behind them, I was sure that the people in other room heard my groan of satisfaction. And really I was satisfied that I ruined that dress because it got me this.

I quickly remembered what she had said to me, and I called Arjun. "I get it that you saw that file," he said as soon as he entered the room.

I just made a sound to his question and said, "I want your tie."

I knew it was wrong idea asking him for a tie as he'd throw it back in my face later but right then I didn't care. Arjun looked amused as he simply pulled out his tie and handed it to me. "You know how to make it." He very well knew it that I didn’t because I haven’t ever wore them before.

"I'll manage." I said taking the red tie from him and it reminded me of Rose. Shit. He turned to left but I stopped him saying, "Send her here, in my room."

Arjun faced me with barely controlled amusement. "Why, Ryan. I imagine, why you yourself want to take the interview personally?" I could tell from the look on his face that he was enjoying this very much because, really, it didn't happen often that I think about a woman after just one meeting and definitely not after hearing profanities from her but that woman got to me, with barely contained anger, with flushed cheeks and the way she said those awful words to me. She called me a conceited, arrogant arsehôle. Well, I was all of those things and I knew people think of me like that too but none of them has ever dared to throw those words in my face like she did. And she had dared to threaten with bodily harm, that slip of a girl had hissed at me to rub my face in the muck she was covered in. Call me an egoistical jerk but I wanted to make her learn that no matter what I’ll always be the one on the winning end.

In a very long time, no one has dared to talk to me like that but she did. And I really wanted to test her, how far was she willing to go with me. How far will she take arguments with me, will she slap me or may be finally would just drop down with defeat.

That was it.

I wanted to see her defeated, she made me feel like shit on the side of the road. Now, it was my turn. I thought drily as I fingered the soft material of the Rose colored tie. How ironic!!

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A. Gupta

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