One Evening

‘It is going to be one of those evenings again!’, Sheila murmured under her breadth as she kept typing the MOM into her laptop.

It was hardly 5pm, but the storm was overhead and the meeting was overdrawn.

‘Just how many times are they going to repeat the same point again and again’, Sheila was getting frustrated now. It had hardly been a month since she had joined this big media company as a PA to the VP, Marketing, but she was already regretting it. Her last job in a small advertising company was much more relaxed and stress-free. But money was so much better, so she dragged her heavy eyes from the dark windows and highlighted a point she had underlined 20 minutes ago. She looked over and caught Viram hiding his yawn behind his file. Their eyes met and he smiled at her.

Viram, another new joinee, was a marketing executive and one of the youngest people in the meeting. Sheila smiled back and continued typing. Viram was a hardworking, quiet and serious person, from what she’d seen. ‘He’s also very good looking’, a naughty voiced said inside her head. She shook her head at the thought and looked up again. Viram was still staring at her, but looked away as soon as she caught his eye.

The meeting was finally over after another 40 tedious minutes. The storm was at its peak and it was pouring cats and dogs by then.

‘How on earth will I catch an auto now!’ Sheila was starting to get a little rattled. Just then she heard her name being called. Viram was standing next to her desk. ‘Sheila… Hi, can you please share the MOM with me? I need to make a presentation and send it by EOD.’

‘EOD?’, Sheila laughed. ‘How long does your day last?’

Viram smiled his cute smile. ‘I am in for a long evening yar. Anyhow, it makes no sense to leave now. The traffic is going to be horrible. And I live in sector 14! One of the busiest sectors in town. Nope, I’d rather leave by 8 and reach home by 9pm than leave now and reach at 9pm anyways!’

‘Sector 14!’ Sheila exclaimed. ‘I live in sector 14 too. Right next to the park’.

‘Ya, me too!  House number 256.’

‘I am in 280. Me and a few friends of mine have taken a place on rent there. What a coincidence!’. A small bubble of excitement rose within Sheila’s heart, as Viram gave her a shy smile.

‘Actually, I know where you live. I have seen you and your friends many times at evening.’

Sheila looked up startled.

‘No, no! I wasn’t spying, promise. It’s just that I have to pass your house every time I go out, I can’t help noticing you guys.’ Viram explained anxiously. ‘Uhmmm, I can drop you home if it’s okay. I’ll try and finish up as soon as possible. The storm will have passed by then. I mean only if it’s okay. I mean, of course you don’t have to. Uh, hm.. I am going there only, and it’s raining and you won’t be able to find an auto. I mean…’

‘Haha’ Sheila smiled at this flustered blabbering. ‘Yes please. I’d like it if you can drop me home.’

They both smiled.

The storm passed, but left a new friendship in its wake…