THE PROPOSAL DESIGN OF LOVE
PART 4
A confession untold
CLASS 10, I.C.S.E exams
He stared at the English Question paper and then looked at her. Almost at the same moment she looked at him. Both turned their heads and looked back at their papers again. Prakarsh gave the question a thought
TWO THINGS POSE THE GREATEST THREAT TO A RELATIONSHIP, A LIE HALF HEARD & A TRUTH HALF TOLD. Discuss.
He looked at the marks given alongside. Then he looked at her. There was a common consensus among the gossipmongers that this exam was the final decider. All arguments on who was better Anushka or Prakarsh were to be decided by the outcome of this exam. All this while each had triumphed over the other on every alternate occasion .Thus it had come down to this. Prakarsh stared at the question once again. It carried 20 marks. He looked at Anushka. Then he sighed.
When the results came out, not many were surprised that Anushka had outscored Prakarsh only by 2 marks. But even that margin was enough for the people around to coronate the victor.
“And we actually thought Prakarsh was better?” Revathi , a class mate remarked when the class gathered for their farewell.
“Boys can never beat girls. When it comes to the final moment girls always do better.”
Some of the more ego conscious boys found courage and fought for Prakarsh . But the 2 marks seemed to make them trudge on a very slippery ground.
The discussion turned ugly when both the groups kept reminding the other about every small victory their leader had had over their counter part.
Prakarsh was having his farewell lunch in a corner. But after a moment he lost his cool and turned to Revathi.
“Listen girl, had I wanted I could have beaten her in this exam way easily. But I didn’t. “
“O yeah … you purposely performed badly didn’t you Mr. Kind.”, Revathi guffawed.
Prakarsh could take it no more. He burst out. “Listen Miss Talk All Shit, I didn’t attempt the essay in the English language paper. I purposely left it. I don’t want to give you a reason, but I did. And so if you think she came first because she has more talent … umm let me tell you she only has that 20 marks essay to thank for.”
Revathi didn’t talk. For a while Prakarsh thought it was due to the impact of his words. But then he turned back.
Anushka Mittal looked at him with an expression he had never seen before. She left the room with tears in her eyes.
That moment, he realized he had lost her forever.
…..
THE PRESENT.
She read the Word doc. the seventeenth time, just to reassure what she had read was right.
THE PROPOSAL DESIGN OF LOVE
Prepared by : Prakarsh Tiwari
For : Anushka Mittal
Background:
In 1993 , Anushka Mittal and Prakarsh Tiwari , became class mates but kept on fighting , The war kept taking a turn for the worse . Both their careers took a different turn. But destiny had different plans and finally both met in the present company. The maker of this proposal has developed feelings for Ansuhka and wants to tell her that .
This is the proposal for the same.
Research Methodology
The author of this proposal suggests we first sort out our problems and then light up the fire of romance that’s burning in our hearts.
………….
She almost laughed at the last sentence.
…….. We should then try and formulate a plan as to how we can marry each other. That dear client is going to be another pain in the neck since you are a Marwari and I am a Brahmin.
Sample Size :
Weight 67 Kgs , Height 5’ 10” , Waist : 36 cm.
Centres
Most of our meetings will take place in the office but I suggest that we also go out as often as we can so that we can talk more . The client will not have to pay any bills for these rendezvous.
Information Areas:
The author will like to know the following aspects about the client
What the client likes?
Why the client freaks out whenever she sees the author?
Why does the client interact with the author only through mails?
Why does the client not wear those chandelier earrings (worn on 17.8.2011) again?
What the client likes in food?
What does the client do during leisure time?
Reporting date
The project will start immediately after the client gives the go ahead ( and the author is hoping that the latter is sooner rather than later). Reporting will be done daily, every week 24 7.
Cost :
This might sound cheesy but it will cost the client her heart. This cost includes the service tax for the services the clients wants the author to provide.
CONCLUSION : If Anushka any of this looks frivolous to you , I am sorry . But it will be impossible for me to work in the same organization as you do. Because I am deeply , madly and irrevocably head over heels in love with you . And since I have learnt all the proposal makings for you , I believe this is the best way I can let you know my feelings .
……..
She shut her laptop and tried to sleep. She could not. She realized that 4O kilometers away a boy too must be wide awake.
Next day Anushka didn’t discuss anything about the mail with Prakarsh . Prakarsh , willfully bumped into her with trivial excuses hoping that she would ask him about the mail but she didn’t. Did that mean the client had said no? He shuddered thinking about it . After 6.00 pm , he decided to enter her cabin and discuss about it. He was walking, lost in thought when he almost crashed into Shabnam Ketriwal. Shabnam was rumored to be Seth Ramniklal’s only daughter . However this fact had been secretly preserved by everyone in the top management. But the grape vine started gaining momentum when Shabnam became the media head in just 5 years.
“Prakarsh , you need to watch where you are going.” Shabnam shouted.
“Sorry.” Prakarsh replied.
Anushka quickly locked her screen when Prakarsh knocked, because she didn’t want him to see what she was reading.
“ Anushka can we talk ?”
She didn’t reply.
“What’s your answer to the mail?” he asked.
“I don’t want to answer that.”
“Hmm. You engaged or something?” he questioned her but he prayed she wouldn’t freak out.
“Why the hell should I answer you that?” Anushka snarled, “ I am not engaged .”
“Great … I mean ...ok…” he remarked, “Don’t you like me ?”
“No I don’t.”
“I would have believed you had you looked into my eyes and said so. Anyways, you are supposed to go to a client meeting aren’t you?”
She didn’t even know why she had to reply, but she did, “Yes”
“Message me when you reach home.” He said in a matter of fact way.
“What?” she exclaimed.
“Message karna jab ghar pahunchon. English nai aati kya ?”
“As if yours is any better. Light up the fire of romance ….. Will cost you your heart.”
“He he ... Original than na ? Please message. And I need a reply for this proposal soon. Take your time.”
“ I won’t give any reply . And please don’t expect any message. I don’t even have your number.”
He pointed his hand to the white board around her desk, where she had written the name of the projects she was working on. There was just a single number with no name alongside. It was Prakarsh’s.
Prakarsh fiddled with his phone. He looked at the wall clock as it struck 9. Something in his heart wanted to believe that she would reply. Suddenly his cell phone beeped. The message was terse.
“Not that I have any obligation, but I messaged to let you know that I have reached.”
Prakarsh punched another message.
“What is your answer to my proposal?”
This time the reply came a little quicker.
“Go to sleep. You don’t want your boss to be angry because you reached the office late.”
………
Love doesn’t need mammoth things to make itself felt. The little things work better. The night replies from Anushka changed through the weeks for the same question that he messaged her every night.
The first week it was :X , the second week :P , the third JJ .. and the fourth week it was , I need time .
Anushka and Prakarsh never talked about these things during office hours . At night she messaged him when she reached home and then they would talk for a while. Some days she even managed to have lunch with him. One of these days, he knew she would say yes.
…….
The year end for ANM was important not because of the dividends the company announced at the annual function, but because it was attended by Seth Ramniklal. Prakarsh sat in the auditorium of the swanky Park Hotel along with others. Ramniklal was to attend the function. Finally Prakarsh would get to meet his hero.
Prakarsh looked around and saw Anushka talking to Shabnam Ketriwal. He wondered how Shabnam felt being the daughter of Seth Ramniklal. He typed a message for Anushka “You are looking hot.”
Anushka saw the message and turned to Prakarsh . She gave him a smile.
Almost instantaneously a hush swooned over the crowd, as an old man entered the auditorium, accompanied by several men. He sat in the front row. Seth Ramniklal . The man appeared almost normal, Prakarsh thought. After the annual profits were announced, Seth Ramniklal stepped on the stage. He didn’t need a microphone. His voice reverberated in the auditorium even without it. For the first 15 minutes he continues talking about the company exploits and the expansion plans. Suddenly he changed course.
“Its true that the annual function of ANM is very important for me . But this year its more so , because … his voice suddenly choked …Because …I am pleased to announce something that I have not told you all . My daughter … I have always wanted her to head the company and play a bigger role in its management, but what makes me more proud that she wants to start from scratch. I would like to call her on stage.”
As he paused, all eyes turned towards Shabnam , who was sipping a cold drink very non chalantly. Prakarsh marveled at the composure of the lady.
“ Anushka , dear please come on stage.” Ramniklal repeated.
For a moment there was numb silence amongst the crowd. Then a roar of applause followed. Prakarsh looked at Anushka. All this while she had hidden from him the biggest secret of her life . He felt as if the entire foundation of their budding relationship was fake. He wondered what more had she hidden from him. How could he fall in love with the daughter of his super boss? He hated himself. He hated her.
Anushka coyly trudged her way on to the stage. She had thought that she would tell Prakarsh the secret she had been trying to hide from the entire world all this while. But she knew, she had to tell that to Prakarsh . Because she too was madly deeply and irrevocably in love with him.
“Dear people … my daughter and the most important person in my life … Anushka..” Ramniklal remarked and he pointed to her daughter.
The applause was deafening. Amidst the crowd Anushka’s eyes searched for him. But he was not there. She knew she had lost him forever.
………………….
THE PAST , Farewell lunch of Class 10.
She would have cried more had not she realized that Mrs. Monterio , the school headmistress had summoned her. She entered the headmistress’s room . A while ago she had heard Prakarsh proclaim to the class that she had come first because of his charity. She almost felt out of breath. How could he? ..
“Anushka ,” the headmistress smiled , “I am so happy for you. We all are.”
Anushka didn’t say anything.
“You know, personally I thought you would not manage to come first. Especially after you had failed to submit your practical assignments for Chemistry and Physics. By the way did you find the practical notebooks.”
“No mam , I think I have lost them.”
Mrs Monterio sighed, “Hmm, not that it matters now eh? But please be more careful the next time.”
That night Anushka stealthily tiptoed into the kitchen taking care that she didn’t wake her mother. She found what she was looking for. She opened the door of the house and marched towards the backyard. There from behind one of the shrubs she took out two stained notebooks, one had Chemistry written on it., and the other Physics. She quickly tore the pages and lighted the matchstick. Then she returned back. She was sure that the wind would blow away the charred remains of her notebook as well as her secret.
THE PRESENT.
That night she messaged him as soon as she returned.
“The clent’s answer to the Proposal was “Yes” … and it was from the day I saw you in this office.”
She waited for a reply. But it never came.
TWO THINGS POSE THE GREATEST THREAT TO A RELATIONSHIP, A LIE HALF HEARD & A TRUTH HALF TOLD
What Prakarsh thought was half a lie….. Anushka knew was only half the truth.
