Chapter 2

*Amrin Pov* 

“No!” I shouted, covering my face with the pillow getting it as a small whisper outside. 

“Don’t you think it is too late for that answer?” I heard a question making me turn to see my roommate with her raised eyebrows or shall I say my soon to be an ex-roommate. 

“I know!” I replied, frowning at her. 

“Apologize to the pillow otherwise it will feel sad to hear your negative reply.” Janani said mockingly. 

“I am not that horrible.” I whispered frowning more at her. 

“Really? You know that I will be leaving the state within two days and at the end of the month, which is just a few days you will just have to leave this room. Now, who goes and gives resignation for the work which would have helped you in searching for a new place before that?” she asked sitting before me. 

“She… she requested me to do this work. Her family gave me so much for my education and everything, then I should do some help for them right?” I asked her hoping she would support my decision. 

“Nonsense! They just wanted some good name for their selfish needs, so they took in an orphan as a foster kid to get it. All they did was joined you in a government college which you could have done by yourself staying at the orphanage. They even got a free maid from you.” She replied rolling her eyes. 

“You don’t know about that.” I pointed out.  

“Just because I got adopted when we were kids doesn’t mean that I forgot how to read you. I understood everything when I came here to visit you along with the internship.” she said sighing. 

“She said I will get good money for this one month itself if I help her.” I said, remembering the girl who is a few years older than me and whose books I actually managed to learn with free time at their house. 

“Do you really think she will give you your money?” Janani asked suspiciously. 

“Yeah! If she will not, then I will be begger outside with no savings and no real job.” I replied covering my face. 

“You can always come with me.” She pointed out. 

“You are getting married! Not joining in any new job that I come and stay with you. I don’t want to be a disturbance and will be fine.” I assured her smiling. 

After a few minutes, she accepted my assurance and asked, “What should you be doing in this short time job?” 

“I should be a secretary, but she said I will not have that much work.” I replied smiling at her. 

“What I don’t understand is what difference will one month be? I mean you have a right to get your overtime paid when it means it will give you good shelter.” she said frowning. 

“It is a simple paint company, Janani. Now I need to think how to work in a secretarial job which is totally new.” I replied frowning. 

“Do you know what work you should do?” she asked again. 

“Of course! She gave me instructions for the whole week what I should do for what day, and I should just follow them.” I replied and she finally left to meet a few friends she made while doing her internship. 

“These are very tight.” I whispered after stepping out of the washroom. 

“She is slim!” Janai stated before taking our few suits from her cupboard and placed them on the bed. 

“These will be short but are better than tight right?” she asked and shoved one suit into my hands. 

“Thanks for this help, Janani.” I said smiling at her. 

“It is nothing! It’s not like I am going to wear these in In-law’s house. Along with a dowry, they are even asking my freedom. I think we all should have a person with whom we can get to experience new things coming outside the well and not to stay there for whole life.” she said with sadness in her words. 

“I do not get your words properly, but I wish you will be happy.” I said holding her hand. 

“Just remember one thing, Amrin. Suppose if you get a chance to be living a life which you can never even dream about, then take it. We all have only one life.” she said in a completely serious tone. 

“If suppose I get one, then I will take it.” I said nodding at her. 

“Excuse me?” I asked the receptionist the next day, reaching the company which seems to be in a very tall building. 

“Yes?” she asked, looking at me. 

“I am the temp for Shilpa, who is the secretary of this company.” I replied, and she nodded before calling someone and gave instructions to reach the fifth floor. 

When I reached there I saw a middle-aged man waiting for me who is the managing director of the company as he introduced himself. He showed me the place I need to sit down and walked away. 

I can feel my hands getting a little cold, but I controlled myself and started typing the work which I need to do for today as per Shilpa’s instruction. When I was halfway, I felt a silence surrounding me suddenly. 

“Who are you?” I heard a barking voice and glanced up to see a man whose face is showing some kind of arrogance and anger. 

“I… am temp for a month, Sir.” I replied standing up, adding the respect, understanding a little that he must be the boss. 

“What? Where is the manager?” he still barked and the man who showed me the place rushed near to us. 

“Sir! Shilpa told us that she would send a temp, and this is her.” The manager replied before the boss asked him. 

“Why didn’t you tell me then?” he asked this time not barking, however, with an anger tone. 

“You shouted and walked away when I started the news regarding her leave, Sir.” The manager dared to point out making me smile a little, but it didn’t go unnoticed by the boss. 

“You need to come into my cabin.” he ordered before walking away, and I scrambled to step outside the table and reached the cabin. 

I knocked on the door and entered after he gave permission to see him removing his coat and putting it on his chair. He gestured for me to move from the door and walk inside before settling down in his chair. 

“Who are you?” He asked again. 

“The temp, Sir.” I replied frowning. 

“Is your name temp?” he asked and I shook my head. 

“No! My name is Amrin, Sir.” I replied. 

“Amrin! You can leave the office as I am already planning to remove the secretary and searching for a new one.” He explained. 

I slowly nodded and was in the process of take a step back, but then realized Shilpa would kill me if she lost her job saying it is my fault, and it must be. 

“Sir! I can know that I am not experienced, but I can do the work if I saw it once. Please do not remove her and please let me work.” I pleaded him, remembering that I need this money too. 

“I don’t repeat my words. Now leave the office right now.” He ordered glaring at me. 

“I really need to do this job, sir. If I don’t then, shilpa will scold me, and also I need this money without which I will lose my shelter and come on to roads. Do you really want to let me suffer all this without giving me a chance?” I questioned him with tears burning in my eyes. 

“Yes! But tell me what are you to Shilpa?” He asked frowning. 

“Sister! I mean foster sister.” I replied, trying to stop the tears. 

“Her family is a political one with whose recommendation she got this job, so I am sure you will not come on to roads.” He said waving his hand like he doesn’t believe my before pleading. 

“No! I do not live with them and have to take care of myself.” I said frowning. 

“I agree with the getting your own money, but what about shelter? I am sure they will not let you fall on the streets.” He said sighing like he doesn’t want this discussion at all. 

“I am going to be twenty-two and, I was told I could take care of myself when I was eighteen, so it will be bad to go back near them for shelter.” I pointed out and placed my hand near my mouth before biting the nails slowly one after the other. 

I don’t even understand why he is saying or asking all these things when he could simply let me do my work. 

“Do not bite your nails.” He scolded with a disdain in his voice. 

“These are my nails.” I whispered, but removed my hand. 

“It is due to nervousness.” I explained, because I know that it is bad manners. 

“Where were you working before this?” he asked, leaning back, staring completely at my face. 

“At a paint company to check the stock and see that everything is in its place.” I replied. 

“Why were you removed?” He asked raising his eyebrow. 

“I was not removed. I resigned to come here and work.” I replied, making him lean forward with a frown. 

“You could have taken a leave.” He pointed out and stood up. 

“The work needs to be done properly, sir. If I put it on hold, then it may get losses with no real worker, so I left it.” I said, and he nodded before leaning on the table before me. 

“What were you doing when I entered?” he asked folding his arms. 

“I was typing the letter which needs to be done today as per Shilpa’s instruction.” I replied and left the cabin when he asked me to bring him the print of which I typed. 

He looked at the paper and frowned before crumbling it. I gazed at his action with mouth wide open while he just threw it in the dustbin. 

“That has many mistakes, which are silly too, and I already typed the work and actually finished the whole month’s work she must have given you to do.” He said and I just stared at him. 

“Thanks for giving me this valuable time of yours, sir. I will take my leave.” I said and forwarded my hands as I do not know what else to do. 

He forwards his hand before clutching it and pulled me to him making my eyes widen with shock and my breath hitch with the closeness to him. 

“Sir?” I questioned him after getting back my tone. 

“What will you do if you get a chance to live a good life or more than a good life with just being a person’s lover?” he asked staring into my eyes. 

“I will never go for prostitution.” I replied in a hard tone making him roll his eyes. 

“Not that! How about an affair with a single person for a particular amount of time and live a good life and even after that?” he asked making me wary of his closeness and his breath on my face. 

“I… I will never get those types of offers.” I replied with my mind entering into darkness with no right words entering my mind. 

“Too bad! You just got an offer, and you need to choose an answer.” He said shrugging before placing his other hand over my hand, which he is already holding, and I hid my sigh for the warmth ness in his hold spreading in my hand as they were cold with all the nervous talk. 

Then I remembered what he is saying, and that I need to choose an answer. How can I trust him in any way? Ok! I can trust him about his identity, but what about his character? Why should I even do this? 

I can go and search for new jobs, but he already told me that I am bad at typing. I got the last job with some recommendation from Shilpa’s family, and now they will not even do that after she lost her job. 

Janani’s words started ringing in my ears regarding some chance to get something new in life and take it if I get one. Will I get a new experience? I thought and stared at his face to see him in no hurry regarding my answer, but is also not leaving my hand. 

“Why me?” I asked him frowning. 

“Why not?” he questioned back, making me stun in my place, and also I felt self-conscious with his gaze, which is new for me to feel. 

Is this what Janani is talking about? I thought and even felt a small blush with his gaze. I bit my lip with confusion not knowing what to even do. 

I should be removing my hand and walking away to search for a new job, but here I am thinking about how would it be to be someone’s lover. 

“I will not be harmed?” I asked him making him give a small smile. 

“No! You will not be and you can say no to this, and I will not be behind you to accept it.” He replied but tugged me more to him. 

“Ok!” I said the one word with which he gave a smirk making me question what have I just done.