Sanjana,

''I am fine dad!'' My voice came dull. He expressed his doubts, ''Dad, I am tired. Its Friday and I have been working 9 hrs per day for 5 days a week.'' I tried to calm his nerves. But he is my father, he knew my mood was off. I had a rough week and realized the dreams of making good after college isn't an easy road. People are really rough on interns and new joiners. Since I have joined, all I have done is run around , pass messages, do some xerox and take notes. I thought I would get few marketing or PR assignment but here I was working as a peon.

''I am home.'' Pooja called out shutting the door behind her. I smiled at her but she was quick in reading my expressions. ''Le's go out for a movie , then dinner and we can loiter around. Anyways tomorrow is Saturday and we can sleep the whole day.'' I smiled

''Hey Sanjana, its like this for all of us. They will test you till you break, you know how cut throat Marketing and PR can be, you need to have patience. The day they realize you are tough cookie, you will take a flight.'' I finally smiled

''So what movie should we go for?'' I asked

''There is a new horror movie. Game for it.'' We hified and decided to book 9 PM show post the dinner. 

***

After enjoying the breeze at the beach, we stuffed ourselves with all kinds of street food and when we could no longer move, we decided to crash in the theater. The movie was more like a disaster . It didn't scare us, but to kill our boredom we did make few people jump around us. Once I screamed pretending to be scared and the popcorn for he man next to me tub went flying in air. Pooja, warned me against anymore pranks and I sunk low in my seat bored to the core. 

Once the movie ended, I stretched my body to get rid of tired knots. We were picking our things when I caught a familiar figure . He had his back to me but I felt I knew him, a smile stretched over my lips and some relief settled in my heart. I wanted to go and touch his shoulder but then a female figure joined him, her arms around him. He had his arm wrapped around her thin waist. No, this can't be him and I didn't wanted it to be him.  Quickly moving my eyes off him, I took a deep breath. A small fear still lingered in the corner of my heart that it could be him , and he has moved on. Shaking my head I tried getting rid of the thought, I don't know what I will do if he ever moved on from me. May be , I will go back giving up all my dreams and live the common life. My doubts wanted me to look again but I decided against it. I wanted to hope and keep it alive till I meet Rishi again

*** 

We crashed as soon as we reached home, weekends were all about cleaning and laundry. And we usually took a mini bath while doing our laundry. ''Hey, how is your training going?'' I asked Pooja.

''Its damn tough, If Roma mam gets to know about my friday street party she will kill me. I have to go for a run.''

''You barely eat. What will one day do?''

''I don't want to lose this opportunity Sanjana. I have to return all that those people spend on me in name of being my parents. They never failed to remind  me how thankless I have been.'' Her voice had so much pain that I  felt the need to hug her and I did. ''Can I join you for run?''

Pooja gave me a mischievous glint, ''Someone is preparing for reconciliation , a romantic and a sexy one.''

I just lowered my head. ''I am scared Pooja, what if he has moved one. He couldn't trust me then.''

Pooja hugged me tight. ''If that had been a case, Roma mam would have told me for sure. Pls don't lose hope.'' I smiled. She got ready and I decided to join her for her run. Suddenly the feeling of meeting him as new and sexy Sanjana was exciting.

***

Monday blues are real, I literally dragged myself out of the bed . While freshen up, my eyes remained shut and I came to my senses only when cold water ran down from my head to toe. 

''Sanjana, Jay called. he wanted to meet for a dinner this week.''

''I was suddenly filled with a new hope. May be Jay was getting me good news about Rishi. Excited I replied, ''Okay, I am in.''

Pooja had a bike and she drove off after dropping me off to work. I lost my enthusiasm the moment my eyes fell on the office building. It was again the bringing of week filled with  reprimanding and running around. I smile at few senior and then greeted the other interns with smile. Neha, who I had grown close with came to me. ''Hey, did you goof up last week or something?''

I tried recalling all I did last week but nothing like a goof up came to my head. ''no! why?''

''The boss has asked about you twice. You better see him.'' I gulped and nodded . Crossing my fingers I took slow steps to his cabin. I informed his EA and she asked me to go in after giving me 'you are so dead' kind of look. I was actually dead that time, I knocked and he ordered me to step in.

''Take a seat.''

I followed but was hanging on my chair. Way to scared to get comfortable. ''Sanjana Khanna!''

''I nodded.''

''We have a big project in our hand and Meera, has selected you to assist her among all interns.'' I gulped the dryness. Meera was one of the most sorted PR  manager in the entertainment industry.  She was a bad ass and a perfectionist, as scared I am about the thought of working with her. I am also excited about the same.

''Go see her from here.'' I nodded , thanked him and stepped out. Finally, I was getting to taste of my first project.

***

''read this and prepare notes.''  Meera banged a bunch of paper on her desk. I stared at them a little worried and then I opened my big mouth. ''WHat's the deadline?''

Her scribbling stopped, she lifted her eyes at me with a smirk, leaned and then grinned. ''End of the day today.'' I cursed my self inwardly for awaking the dragon.

Picking the files I move to my desk and realized there were more she had shared over the mail. 'The witch.'

For first time I felt I needed more hours, It was half past seven when I finally mailed her my notes and decided to leave. There was no one on the floor other than Meera and the security guard.  We got into the elevator and in order to get familiar I asked, ''You work late.''

She gave me a smile. ''Do you expect me to leave my intern alone on the floor.'' I smiled. Meera offered to drop me home, I thanked  her and informed that a friend was picking me up. Meera left and I walked out to meet Pooja. But it was time to get surprised, it wasn't Pooja, it was Jay. He smiled and ran to hug him.

''After 3 long months. Where have you been?''

''Dad kept me busy. How are you Sanju!'' 

''FIne, and going busy.'' He held the car door for me and I got in. Jay dropped me home , I thanked him but before leaving I asked, ''You are aware where Rishi is!''

''yes, I am.''

''Does he know where I am.''

Jay stayed quite. ''He will when he is ready. trust Sanjana.'' I nodded, a little broken hearted. He greeted me before driving off

 ''Where are you Rishi? I am losing hope.''  I whispered feeling dejected. It seems he didn't wanted to hear about me.

***

Rishi

I took in the humid warm air of Mumbai as we deplaned. Picking my luggage, I moved out where our old driver waved at me elated. I hugged him and loaded the luggage as he explained how my parents and others missed me. It felt strange to be back home. Honestly, I didn't wanted to. But dad reprimanded me calling me irresponsible and coward. I didn't wanted to be back because every fiber in my body wanted to find Sanjana and snatch her from the world. But the logical side of me wanted o forget her, she didn't fight for us. I am sure of it. Had she done that, I would have known. Jay would have definitely told me about it.

I was greeted by lot of barking from our family dogs but once they recognized me, they were all over me. I cuddled, patted them and my parents watched from the distance.

''Finally, you realized there are two more who love you just the way you love Sanjana.'' Mom taunted. I accepted it, I was being a jerk for years. Moving forward I hugged her tight and then dad.

''Its late, lets have dinner.'' I nodded and  joined my parents for food. We chatted till midnight before fatigue took over me and I decided to retire for night. By morning, many of my old friends knew of my return and I started getting invitations to catch up.  finally we decided to go for a movie. We were a group who came from same circle, our parents have been acquainted for long and that made us close.

***

Half way through the movie I wanted to kill the one who made the choice of the horror flick. The ghosts were so bloody unreal that even a baby would laugh at it. What irritated me more that our dear friend booked us the second last row. 

Someone screamed at the back row and few popcorns landed on my head . well in that boring scenario, that was a little fun me and my friends had. We took a breather when movie ended and our the grate planner kept defending his choice stating the movie wasn't that bad, it was a good one time watch. We kept reprimanding him when one of my childhood buddy, Simi wrapped an arm around my shoulder and I returned the gesture wrapping one around hers. She is 6 feet tall and a total to boy. We are more like siblings then friends. ''Should we torture him making him watch the same movie fro 7 days a row?'' She asked

''Sounds like a plan, if he repeats, I am going to ship him to Bermuda triangle.'' I was damn serious. We walked out and I got in my car after calling the night. As I drove off the under ground parking , I saw a familiar figure trying to flag down a taxi. I tried to get a peek at her face but she got in and drove off. I sighed, my mind wasn't ready to let Sanjana go. She was there every minute of my thoughts. 

Did she ever think of me? Or she made a happy home with that moron Kunal. She might have had kids by now. The mere thought made me gag and burn the world down. But its high time I start living with the fact Sanjana is gone for ever.

***

''Rishi, I need you to walk the ramp for me.'' My mon declared as I froze with my food an inch away from my mouth. ''Mom!''

''You have done projects abroad. WHat's the problem doing it for me? I will pay you!''

''Fine, when do we start!''

''Today! Get ready you are leaving with me.'' Nodding, I finished my meal and walked away to get ready. 'Sanajna!' My mind called again and I just shook my head off to get rid of all thoughts about her. It was time to move on.

________________________________________________________________________