"What's the status of acquisition documents? Are they ready?"
"Yes sir. They are ready and kept in your office. Just your signatures are left."
" Cool! Thanks, Teddy! What's on my schedule next?" A young man in a yellow suit was leaving the elevator and heading toward his cabin. On the way, company employees got up to greet him. He answered them with a slight nod and a very sweet smile. Following him was the secretary of the man in the black suit, running with a tablet in his hand.
"For the last time, sir, it's Ted, not Teddy. You are free now, but you have a family dinner at Roy's mansion tonight, followed by a meeting with Shree."
After listening to the mention of family dinner, the man stopped there. The secretary got scared that he might have said something wrong. Then the young man turned back and told him, keeping his smile intact.
"Cancel it! Cancel all my evening plans. Especially the dinner. And call the Shree's now. I want no disturbance in the evening." Saying this he continued walking.
"But sir, the meeting presentation with Shree's is not ready yet. How will you do it?" Secretary Ted raised a question.
" With this." The man pointed towards his head. " Who proposed the idea? Me. Who's going to present it? Me. Then what's the issue? I have what is needed to convince anyone. What are they?"
"Facts and smiles." The secretary replied with boredom in his voice as if this was his everyday thing.
" Correct! Let's go!" Looking at him, anyone would say that he is a cheerful person. No one would ever doubt that such a personality would have any pain or sorrow in his life.
I am Jay Roy. Deputy CEO of the Roy family and business. Today I am a very successful businessman. I am the son of people who together laid the foundation of this business at a very young age. My parents strictly believed in winning. Because of their belief, I was named so. With a belief that I will always be victorious. (A/N- 'Jay' means 'victory'.)
People feel that achieving this level of success at such a young age is in my blood, all thanks to my overachiever parents. But that’s wrong. The confidence which made me eligible for this position, I got from her. All the credit for me being like this today goes to my first love, Muskan. (A/N- 'Muskan' means 'smile'.)
Muskan’s first memory is also very special to me. Even then, she was spreading a smile on someone else's face, regardless of what people thought about her. Such is my Muskan—a Smiling, playing, jumping, falling, happiest girl. Such was the girl whom I fell in love with for the first and last time in this life.
Today after 10 years I am going to meet her, at our school reunion. I am very excited, I’ll see my Muskan today. I don’t know how it’ll go. But I won’t leave her this time. Not at all. Now I will never repeat that mistake again. I will show my love to her confidently without any fear. I will always be with her and protect her. I will never leave her side. Never Ever.
Or something similar were my thoughts while getting ready in my room for the reunion. But fate wanted something else. That's why everyone is visible in this party today, except her.
Why?
"Your smile is very irritating… It's like someone is teasing me... Can't stay with you… I’m leaving."
“Muskan! Muskan!” Muskan’s colleague woke her up. “It’s time to leave. Aren’t you going home?”
While working, Muskan dozed off. She fell asleep at her desk. It was 8 pm. Slowly the whole office was getting empty, but Muskan had plans to work till late.
“Some documents need to be approved last minute. So, I’ll stay longer.”
“You are working on this now? Isn't this Mr. Dobi's report? Did he submit again at the last minute?” Her colleague checked the screen and asked.
She nodded positively. “He couldn't submit it before because of his XYZ reasons. Can’t leave the job because the team leader is a slouch.” To keep herself awake, Muskan stood to get a cup of coffee.
“Relax! I’ve heard the new boss is very chilled. By the way, don't you have a school reunion today? Aren't you going to attend it?”
Muskan, on her way to the canteen, froze at her place. Hiding her discontent she replied.
"No. There's a lot of work. Well, how did you get to know about the reunion?" She dodged the question, without giving a proper explanation.
“I saw it on your screen today. There was an invitation.” Satisfied with the answer they bid farewell for the day. Muskan also went to make her coffee. While making coffee, she got a notification on her phone.
It was a message from her best friend Karina.
"You won't come today either? No problem. Like always I’ll be your news reporter. I'll keep you updated with the news. That’s my job, isn’t it?
You know what?! Everyone’s over-excited today. God knows why. Anyways, I know you’re still in your office. I'm busy, but that doesn't mean you'll spend your night in the office with your computer instead of a pillow. Leave for home right now. I might stay for long tonight. Good night." Karina had sent her a message with some cute emojis from the reunion party location. It brought a smile to Muskan’s face.
Karina and Muskan have been friends for over a decade. They got to know each other when Kareena transferred to her school, St. Julian’s High, during their last year of middle school. They were always together and had lived in the same apartment ever since graduation. They have lived all the happy and sorrowful days together and know everything about each other.
Muskan was tapping continuously on her keyboard with a cup of half-full coffee when another message arrived from her friend and attached to it was a picture.
"It's good that you didn't come here today, otherwise your mood would get spoiled. I'll tell you the whole thing later. But for the gist, this was the reason why everyone was excited."
The picture that came with this message seized her sleep even before drinking coffee. That picture was of Jay. Jay after 10 years. In a blue casual suit, and white t-shirt with expensive watches and shoes, he was shining among his peers. He still had that radiant face which made her go crazy for him. But his gaze had changed a lot. He seemed different just by looking at the picture, how much must he have changed in reality?
Like the thick clouds of rain, old days, and old memories were covering the skies of Muskan's mind.
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