How little we know

Of what there is to know

There's so much hidden underneath

But we still go just for the show.

Life isn't lived by rules

But some don't know how to follow,

Happiness is in your own hands,

So make it worthwhile or let it be hollow.

Sweet is amazing,

 But bitter hard to undo

Some words can cut like steeling knives

When it becomes too late to come through

So enjoy while it lasts.

Because futility comes without forewarnings

Enjoy the sunshine till it exists

Because one day, there may not be another morning.

.

For the express of joy, Miss. Khushi Gupta, who knew nothing but smiling for no apparent reason and ensuring that everyone else around her smiled too, it was another beautiful, vibrant day in never ending cauldron of lovely days.

While she had been slightly emotional on her day of leaving Pennsylvania to begin her new life at Texas, all her emotional surges and slight inhibitions vanished into thin air when she was welcomed to Houston, Texas, two days back.

The warmth and positive spirit of the city had engulfed an already elated Khushi in its embrace, and her unbridled joy only quadrupled when she met her childhood friend Alisha at the airport, who had a similar wide smile plastered on her face.

Living with Alisha in her brand new apartment was even more fun than what she had imagined, and to add on to it, Alisha's cousin NK was equally amazing, full of positive spirit and a sense of humour, which in Khushi's language was 'awesomazing!'' Which meant a perfect blend of awesome and amazing.

As she grinned at the recollection of her happy hours from the last two days in the city, she now wandered in the ground floor corridors of AR Designs, Texas, completely in awe of the brilliant architecture and design that the building was carved with.

Red and white.

''Such a perfect colour combination."

She mumbled as her smile grew wide, assessing the lovely designs, especially at the grand staircase that connected the lower floor to the upper ones.

There was so much of antique touch in the walls that spoke volumes about the choice of the owner of the place, it seemed. And in all senses, Khushi simply adored the place.

She was beyond happy that this was going to be her workplace, her first workplace ever, as a designer. With glee, she turned around and saw some people busy on their computers, while a few guys looked at her with a smile.

The office had opened one week back, however, her date of joining was from today.

Stifling a chuckle, she took out her iPhone and quickly clicked a selfie to put it on her Snapchat, with the caption ''Day one at office."

While she did that, the guys became all the more interested in her antics, and she was not alienated to the fact that they were totally ogling at her.

Keeping her cell phone inside her bag, she adjusted her knee-length Gucci dress and continued her walk to take a tour of the place.

.

.

''Did you look at Miss. Branded?''

Lara asked her fellow colleague, Courtney, while looking at Khushi from afar.

"Miss. Branded?"

Courtney asked, slightly confused by who Lara was referring to.

"Yeah, that one!"

She pointed her eyes towards Khushi, making Courtney too eye her from top to bottom, and now she too understood why the men in the office were too busy ogling at her.

No doubt the new girl was pretty and her dressing style totally conveyed she was all about riches, but it was only too weird as to what she was doing her as a junior designer.

Paying no heed to that range of thoughts, she reverted her attention to her computer screen, at the same time uttering, "Chuck it, Lara. Let her be. Please don't start with your political stance here. We don't need any drama.''

Lara only nodded her head in approval, while from inside, she only felt a conspicuous trail of jealousy seeing the overly happy Khushi.

'Lucky chick. I wish I had a life like that.''

She sighed and got back to work.

.

.

Khushi couldn't wait to start working here. She had reached before time today only to make herself well-versed with the area and her workplace, and she sure as hell didn't regret it. If she knew this was going to be so amazing, she would have come here an hour earlier.

Giggling at her own hilarity, she was about to retreat when she heard a female voice, coming out of a nearby room.

Curious and concerned, she stepped forward and saw a girl in her mid-20s struggle with the remote control in the board room.

Without a second thought, Khushi stepped inside the room and the other girl became alert as she looked at her.

"Umm, what happened? Do you need any help?''

Khushi asked politely, seeing the girl was struggling with the device.

'Uh, thanks for asking Miss. But it's okay. This projector, something's wrong with it. An important meeting is to be held here in some time, but damn, god knows what's wrong.''

The girl said, still trying to fix the issue by long pressing one button on the remote.

Khushi instantly had all her attention on the main projector device followed by the screen and then the remote control. Without wasting another second, she took the remote from the girl's hand, pressed three random buttons sequentially, and voila! The projector screen was back to normal.

"WOW!''

The girl couldn't help exclaiming that while Khushi only giggled, loving the little token of appreciation and also elated with the fact that she could solve someone's problem.

"How did you do that girl?"

The lady asked her with a wide smile.

"Oh, nothing much. Just changed the mode. I watch a lot of movies with my sister back at home in the projector in our theatre room, so I know sometimes the modes just get switched. So here it is, problem solved!''

Khushi said with glee.

"Awesome! You are a savior, miss-"

"Khushi! Khushi Gupta!"

"Khushi. Great to meet you! My name is Kartika. Kartika Verma."

The lady introduced herself and they both instantly shook hands with each other.

"Kartika! Great! You remind me of my sister, her name is Kia. And see? The initials too, K and K. Haha!''

Khushi joyously clapped her hands together, and Kartika too felt the warmth from her new friend, who seemed like this epitome of positivity and happiness.

"Khushi. I must tell you, your parents named you aptly. You indeed are an endless bundle of joy.''

She complimented her while Khushi displayed her 32 teeth.

'Wow! Day one in office and I am already flustered with so many compliments! Oh em gee!''

She spoke animatedly making Kartika giggle.

However, in another minute, she recalled that she had to prepare the board room for the meeting, which was to take place in no time and so she quickly got back to check the speakers and everything else.

While Kartika was only too busy with her work in the room, she suddenly stopped in her tracks when she heard Khushi's words.

"See? It's such a lovely place. I love it. Do you love it too? LOL.''

She couldn't help staring at her, trying to figure out who Khushi was talking to, but she was only too surprised when she saw Khushi was looking at something inside her bag and talking to whatever was in there.

''Holy Christ!''

Kartika exclaimed, hoping against hope that Khushi didn't bring any pet in the office since it was a strict rule of AR to not entertain any pets, and so with a thudding heart, she got up from her previous position and walked up to Khushi.

''Khushi?''

She took her name nervously while Khushi only looked back at her, flashing her evergreen smile.

"Khushi, darling. Please don't tell me you brought a pet to the office?''

Kartika asked with fear, while Khushi only looked at her in confusion and shook her head.

Kartika got closer to her and she couldn't control her nervousness anymore and quickly grabbed hold of Khushi's bag, perplexing the latter further, only to have her eyes go humorously wide as saucers as she saw who, rather, what Khushi was talking to.

Unable to control her chuckle anymore, she burst into fits of giggles as she took out the white, fluffy toy from Khushi's Chanel handbag, and Khushi kept staring at Kartika.

''Oh my god, Khushi! Seriously? You were talking to this?''

She asked her, unable to control her laughter, while Khushi took the fluff ball from Kartika's hands, and said, "Come on! This has a name! Meet Mr. Snuggles.''

Kartika was still giggling but she couldn't really deny the fact that the girl next to her looked adorable, especially pouting like a kid, declaring her fluff boy had a name, personifying it effortlessly.

In her profession in the field of the fashion world, she had seen many girls, both young and older, and she could totally make out who were the fake ones from the lot, but by studying this 21-year-old girl, she immediately knew that she was no pretend-play person. This was how she really was.

Just that Kartika didn't know if she was really fit to be a part of AR.

She was only too lost in her thoughts when out of the blue, she heard Khushi scream on top of her voice,

''NO!!!!''

Kartika was stunned as she watched Khushi look out of the tall glass windows that showcased the exteriors of the place and before she could even react, she saw Khushi run out of the place in a hurry.

Uncertain of what was wrong, Kartika too didn't waste another moment and ran after Khushi, hoping that nothing bad had happened.

.

.

She felt her uneven breathing come to an abrupt halt seeing what was happening right in front of her eyes.

She hadn't seen a sight like that, anything remotely close to what she was seeing right now, and all she could do was step ahead and take in the pleasure of the invaluable moment.

A faint smile tugged at her lips as she watched Khushi bend down and pick up the tiny creature in her arms, away from the wheels of the Range Rover that was standing in the parking lot, while the driver too watched Khushi with wide eyes.

''I am so sorry Miss. I didn't know the puppy was near the wheels.''

The man apologized sincerely while Khushi got up with the puppy in her hands.

'It's okay. But please from next time before you start your car, do make it a point to check if there's any animal near or under your vehicle. Just imagine if I hadn't come here, this little darling would have been crushed to death.''

She shuddered as she said the last words and caressed the little being in her arms all the more, making Kartika smile at the wonderful and generous sight.

The driver apologized once again before getting inside his car and driving away.

While Khushi kept coo-ing lovingly to the little puppy in her arms, Kartika admired the young girl, taking in her full view, and in no time she knew she was actually going to be her older sister in this office.

She saw her branded clothes, her Cartier watch, everything about her was all uptight and high-end, yet this part of her, something so generous, so warm, Kartika knew that Khushi was all about naivety and needed to be protected from the world, which was not at all for people like her.

''Am I looking ugly today?''

Khushi's innocent query broke Kartika's trance and she immediately looked at her with a surprised expression.

''Ugly? What? No, why?''

''Because you were staring at me weirdly,'' Khushi answered, making Kartika burst into giggles once again.

''You are amazing, do you know what?''

She asked Khushi rhetorically, while the latter only nodded her head in affirmative, handing over the puppy to the security guard, telling him to put him in a safer place.

''Of course, I know it! I am the princess of joy. Haha!''

Khushi virtually lifted her collar while Kartika only said,

"You really are amazing Khushi. Really. Never change for anyone. Never let anything change you, okay?''

Khushi looked at Kartika, confused at her serious gesture but when was she ever going to take life seriously?

And so she hugged Kartika, shocking her, and averred enthusiastically,

''Okay, pakka promise! Pinky promise. Now, let's go! It's my FIRST day as a designer, wooo hoo!!''

..

.

.

He didn't know how to fix this. Sure, he had been a part of this journey ever since it culminated, but professional life and personal life were two different things and when it came to this one person, he shared with him both professional and personal commitment.

As a manager and as a friend.

And so Aman Mathur was clueless about how to fix this problem when it came to his boss as well as friend Arnav Singh Raizada.

He was not alienated to the truth, the fact of the huge familial breakdown that the 25-year-old business tycoon was going to, as a result of which he had even shifted his base by leaving his home country and shifting to Texas. But what followed after that was what bothered him more.

Arnav hadn't spoken to his family members even for once ever since that day one month back and it was only through Aman that Maya Raizada, Arnav's mother would get little information about her son's health and day to day life.

What puzzled Aman was the question: For how long were things going to be this way?

He had seen the reckless version of ASR before too, when he would be manipulative, destructive and really mean when someone wouldn't do their work properly, but what he was seeing since the past one month was something that made his friend, his boss, barely recognizable to him.

He was exponentially cruel with people. His crudeness knew no bounds, and anger was something that remained etched to him perennially.

His one night stands were a different affair altogether, something Aman didn't even want to dig into, but Arnav's everyday demeanor was proof enough that his suffer-in-silence attitude actually had the power of taking the world by storm, consuming it with his deathly aura, because no matter how hurt he was from the inside, from outside, he was as deadly as Satan himself.

.

''You are paid to do your job Aman. Not to daydream. Are the papers ready?''

Arnav's husky and crude voice instantly brought Aman out of his reverie as the two of them walked towards the board-room, where they were soon to be joined by some other members for the important meeting that was about to start.

"Sorry. Yeah, umm, the papers are ready."

Aman said while Arnav only bluntly nodded before entering the board room, checking his emails on his cell phone.

Aman too was busy assessing the papers for one last time and in the next two minutes, they were joined by the delegates in the room, who shook hands with Arnav before taking their respective seats.

Arnav was all set to take center stage position to commence the meeting when suddenly he saw all eyes of the delegates, darted at one particular corner.

Confused, he looked at Aman, and found even he was staring in the same direction as the other gentlemen in the room.

Frustrated and curious, he too looked at the same spot, only to have a vehement side of him take over, as he couldn't control his anger anymore and shouted mercilessly.

"WHAT THE!"

.

And everyone knew that hell was going to break loose as ASR lost his cool and whoever was at fault, wasn't going to be spared from the wrath of the mighty Arnav Singh Raizada.

Everyone gulped as they saw the unblinking gaze of Arnav, set on his object of agitation- the fluffy toy, with two buttons for eyes sitting on the corner of the giant table of the board-room and they didn't know what was to follow soon after.

Arnav held the object in hand, his grip almost choking the life out of the fluffy thing, since its owner very well believed it had life after all, and before anyone could even afford to build a reaction, Arnav threw the fluff ball with full force, making it land at the entrance door of the board room, where it touched its rightful owner's feet, our princess of joy, Khushi.

Her eyes went wide as saucers as she quickly bent down to pick up Mr. Snuggles, while Kartika, who was standing right next to her began palpitating.

Seeing the familiar face of Kartika, Arnav paid no heed to the sighs in the room as he barked vehemently,

"What the F was that thing doing here, Miss. Verma?! Is this what you are paid for?!''

Even Aman was shocked seeing this side of ASR.

He was certainly extremely particular when it came to working, but chiding the poor lady for a thing as petty as this? It was completely blowing things out of proportion, he thought.

''ASR, relax.''

Aman tried calming Arnav, but when was he ever going to calm down really?

He paid no attention to Aman's pleading eyes and his focus remained on Kartika, just before shifting to the petite girl standing right next to her, dressed in a peach knee-length dress, as her hands were caressing the fluffy toy.

Arnav's anger rose in multitudes at the sight in front of him and he was going to bark another round of insults at Kartika when suddenly he heard the petite girl speak,

"It's not her fault you know. Mr. Snuggles is mine.''

.

.

Shocked would be an understatement when it came to everyone in the room.

Was this girl out of her mind?

While that was the first question that knocked every person's mind, the next thing that fervently played in their heads was a pleading to the almighty: 'O Lord, please spare the pretty, poor girl.'

Arnav's jaw clenched at the audacity of the girl, while Kartika only held Khushi's hand, requesting her through her eyes to not utter anything further.

But Khushi being Khushi, mumbled to herself, ''Gosh! The dare of this man! He threw Mr. Snuggles away! He is like a new, re-incarnated version of Lord Voldemort, hurting innocents. Just that this time, he has a nose!''

Kartika's eyes looked like they would pop out of their sockets, as she heard Khushi mumble that. She prayed fervently in her mind, wishing intently that their boss didn't hear her, but little did she know he did.

Aman too heard her mumbles, and while he truly felt like laughing out loud at her inferences and self-talk, which wasn't limited to her self, he truly felt bad for the beautiful girl, because he knew that the volcano that was his boss cum friend ASR as on today, would erupt in no time.

And boy, he was so right.

Before he could even think of anything else, he heard Arnav bark in a voice that could exorcise demons back to hell.

''GET OUT!''

Khushi was stupefied at the magnitude of that voice and the impact of that insult.

She didn't know why and how, but a lone tear escaped her eye, something she hadn't experienced in a long, long time, and before she could think of anything else, she felt Kartika pull her away with herself, and all she could think of was just one thing.

''Mean monster! How can someone be so cruel?''

.

The vein on his temple was still throbbing as his mind recalled the dare of that chit of a girl, who behaved as if she owned the place, comparing him with a fictional character, that too an antagonist.

He felt his nerves flooding with raw anger.

He would have done something vicious then and there reeling under the impact of whatever just happened, had Aman not intervened that very moment, keeping his hand on Arnav's shoulder, bringing him out of his dark, raging thoughts.

''Umm, ASR. The meeting.''

Aman said softly, while Arnav nodded faintly and tried to regain his composure.

He would deal with that chit of a girl later, he thought.

''Now that the drama is over, let's get started with the presentation, shall we?''

He said in his ice-cold voice while all the men in the room only nodded earnestly, not willing to see another round of ASR's wrath by any chance.

**