Her

The next morning, I was up early, lacing my sneakers for a jog along the scenic banks of the Hooghly River. It was my sanctuary, my way to escape and clear my head. Unfortunately, today it looked like my escape was going to be tainted by Dante's presence.

As I headed out the door, there he was, looking far too composed for someone who had just woken up. Great. Just what I needed.

"Morning, Petardo," he said, his tone annoyingly chipper.

"Why are you up so early?" I asked, trying to hide my irritation.

"Thought I'd join you for a run," he replied with a smirk. "Figured it's about time I experienced your whirlwind pace firsthand."

"Fine," I said, my voice clipped. "But try to keep up."

We started jogging, and I immediately set a brisk pace, hoping to leave him behind. But, to my annoyance, Dante kept up effortlessly. The man was infuriatingly fit.

"So, what's on today's agenda, Tour Guide Tara?" he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Surviving this run with you is challenge enough," I replied, my voice laced with mock sweetness.

"Oh, come on," he said. "Don't tell me you're already tired."

"I'm not the one struggling to keep up," I shot back.

He chuckled. "Fair point. But I have to say, Kolkata in the morning is quite something."

I rolled my eyes. "Glad you can appreciate it through your grumpiness."

"Who's grumpy?" he retorted. "I'm just trying to survive your 'energy'."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," I quipped.

We continued our run in silence for a bit, the only sounds being our footfalls and the distant hum of the city waking up. But of course, Dante couldn't keep quiet for long.

"So, tell me, what's the plan after this?" he asked, barely winded.

"Breakfast, home, shower, and then you can kill yourself for all I care," I replied, not even bothering to hide my annoyance.

He laughed, an infuriatingly pleasant sound. "You really don't like me, do you?"

"What gave it away?" I said, my tone icy.

"I don't know, maybe the constant eye-rolling," he replied with a smirk.

"Maybe if you weren't so insufferable, I wouldn't have to," I shot back.

"Touché, Petardo," he said, still annoyingly calm.

We reached the end of our run at a picturesque spot along the riverbank, and I stopped to catch my breath, pretending I wasn't as exhausted as I felt. Dante, on the other hand, looked frustratingly composed.

"Not bad, Petardo," he said, stretching his arms above his head. "You managed to keep up."

I shot him a teasing grin.

"Well, you did pretty good for your age, Mr. Grump."

Dante's smirk faltered, and a flash of annoyance crossed his face.

"For my age? Really?" I shrugged, enjoying his reaction.

"Just saying, you might want to pace yourself. Don't want you pulling a muscle or anything."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "I think I'll manage just fine, thanks."

We walked to a nearby café for breakfast, a cozy place with a view of the river. I ordered my usual mishti doi and kachori, while Dante, predictably, went for something bland and safe.

"Bread and Jam, really?" I asked.

"Trying to avoid any culinary disasters," he replied, that smirk still in place.

"Indian food is a whole experience," I said, shaking my head. "You're missing out, not that I care."

"I'll take your word for it," he said, though his tone was as dismissive as ever.

As we ate, every comment from Dante seemed designed to irritate me. His dry humor grated on my nerves, and I made sure he knew just how much.

"Enjoying yourself?" I asked, not really caring about his answer.

"Immensely," he replied, sarcastically. "Your enthusiasm is contagious."

"Don't get used to it," I muttered.

After breakfast, we walked back to the house. The whole time, I couldn't shake the feeling of irritation. Dante was a puzzle, and not the fun kind. More like the kind that made you want to throw the pieces across the room.

As we approached the house, Dante turned to me. "Thanks for the run, Petardo. It was... enlightening."

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes. "Just try not to slow me down next time."

"Deal," he said, his smirk still in place.

As I headed inside, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of relief and annoyance. Dante was more of a challenge than I had anticipated, and I still didn't quite know how to handle him.

And as much as I hated to admit it, our interactions were anything but dull. But that didn't mean I had to like him. Not one bit.

Him

After the jog, I headed straight to my room, eager to shower off the morning's exertion. As I turned on the water, a sudden flashback hit me like a freight train.

"Useless! Do you think you can get away with that mistake?" The harsh voice echoed in my mind.

I was in a dimly lit room, the air heavy with a sense of foreboding. The harsh light of a single bulb flickered above me as I stood rigid, my hands bound. I could feel the weight of expectation and disapproval pressing down on me.

The water from the shower seemed to mix with the sweat of my past, the cold droplets a stark reminder of the punishment I once endured. The sting of the belt on my chest, the cold glare that followed each error-it was a relentless cycle of fear and discipline. The pain and humiliation were suffocating, each moment blurring into the next.

I snapped back to the present, the water hitting my face, trying to ground myself in the here and now. I was alone in my room, the oppressive memories fading as I took a deep breath and turned off the shower.

Once freshened up, I felt a bit more human.

As I made my way to the living room, I found Arjun already there, papers spread out on the coffee table. It was clear he was deep into preparations for our client meeting tomorrow. I joined him, grabbing a chair and looking over the notes and presentations we'd need to finalize.

"Morning," I greeted, keeping my tone professional. "Ready for the big day?"

Arjun glanced up and smiled. "Always. We just need to fine-tune a few details, and we should be good to go."

We dove into the work, discussing the client's expectations, the key points we needed to hit, and how best to present our ideas. Arjun was always meticulous, and I appreciated his attention to detail. It made our job easier and more efficient.

As we discussed the presentation slides, Tara wandered into the room, munching on an apple. She paused behind us, peering over our shoulders at the laptop screen.

"Trying to figure out how to bore the clients to death?" she quipped, her voice screaming annoyance.

I glanced at her, unamused. "Actually, we're aiming for a mild coma," I retorted. "Less paperwork that way."

She smirked, clearly enjoying herself. "Well, if you need a professional at talking people into a coma, you've got the right guy." She said, turning towards Arjun.

Arjun chuckled, shaking his head. "You two, always at it."

"Hey, it's not my fault Petardo here can't resist poking fun," I said, leaning back in my chair.

Tara rolled her eyes. "Well, if you didn't act like a walking sleep aid, maybe I'd find something else to do."

Arjun interjected, trying to steer the conversation back to business. "Let's focus, people. We have a presentation to nail."

Tara didn't seem inclined to leave us alone, though. She settled on the couch, flipping through one of the files we'd left there. "So, what's this all about, anyway? More corporate jargon and big promises?"

"Pretty much," I replied dryly. "But with a little more finesse and a lot less sarcasm than you're used to."

"That'll be a first," she shot back.

I sighed, turning back to Arjun. "Can we get her a muzzle or something?"

He laughed, clearly entertained by our banter. "She's just curious. And a little mischievous."

Tara grinned. "Guilty as charged. But seriously, what's the pitch?"

I hesitated, debating whether to explain or dismiss her. But Arjun seemed willing, so I went along. "It's a tech solution for streamlining supply chains. Boring to you, I'm sure."

She nodded thoughtfully. "So, you're the guy who makes boring sound interesting?"

"Exactly," I said, deadpan. "And you're the one who makes interesting sound annoying."

She tossed a cushion at me, which I dodged with a smirk.

"Nice try, Petardo."

Arjun shook his head, still smiling. "You two should stop fighting."

I raised an eyebrow. "She is the frustrating one here."

Tara snorted. "As if. You're just jealous because I'm more interesting."

"Keep telling yourself that," I said, turning back to the laptop. "Maybe one day you'll believe it."

As we continued working, Tara eventually lost interest and wandered off, leaving Arjun and me to focus. Despite the constant interruptions and her persistent teasing, I had to admit that our exchanges with Tara kept things lively. She was a handful, but there was something oddly refreshing about her straightforwardness, even if it did drive me up the wall.

By the time we wrapped up our preparations, I felt confident about the meeting. Arjun and I had covered all the bases, and despite the occasional distraction, we were ready to impress the client.

"Well, that's that," he said, closing his laptop. "Let's hope tomorrow goes as smoothly as planned."

"Agreed," I said, stretching. "And hopefully, without any surprise guest appearances from a certain someone."

Arjun chuckled. "I wouldn't count on it. Tara has a way of showing up when you least expect it."

I sighed, knowing he was probably right. "Great. Just what I need-a shadow with an irritating streak."

As I headed back to my room, I couldn't help but feel a mix of exasperation and something else-something I wasn't quite ready to acknowledge. Tara was like a thorn in my side, but there was a strange energy she brought into the room, one that I couldn't easily ignore. As much as she got under my skin, there was a part of me that found our interactions... intriguing. Not that I'd ever admit it. At least, not yet.

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