Oxford

The next day when Karan is called for his presentation he just aced it. Preetha is slightly impressed and more surprised seeing his skills she understood his knowledge came from his experience.

Finishing his, he came back to his seat and is talking with his acquaintances. Preetha is looking at him with a small smile and happy eyes but he is busy.

Her presentation is postponed to Monday as it's weekend and the day rolls by with wandering around the campus.

BOTIQUE

It's Saturday and Karan is in a botique sitting on the white sofa leaving heavy breathes for every 2 minutes making sure the other person listens it.

Jahnavi: Don't need to make sounds.I know you are waiting for me.

She chuckles drawing a new bridal wear,

Karan: Thank God! You understood! Chalo then!

He stands up, takes her hand and about to take a step but she refuses,

Jahnavi: I have work Karan.

Karan: I have hunger Jaanu!

She chuckles,

Jahnavi: Just 15 minutes. I will be back.

Karan: You are telling me this from a long time!

Jahnavi: You just came 10 mins back!

Karan: 10 mins 600 seconds that's a long time.

Jahnavi: Let me do my work.You are making it late.

She resumes adding colors to the dress in paper while Karan stands back looking at it,

Karan: Jaanu I have a doubt!

Jahnavi: Kya?

Karan: Ab dekho arts karnewalon ko artist kehthe hein paints karnewalon ko painter kehthe hein fir draw karnewalon ko drawer kyun nai kehthe?

Jahnavi snaps her head in irritation,

Jahnavi: Karan I understood you are hungry but don't eat my brain.

Karan: It's a reasonable question.

She calls her assistant,

Jahnavi: Mark take him out and show him our new collection of blazers.

Mark nods,

Karan: You are kicking me out of your office just for asking you a simple question.Not fair!

Jahnavi: Shut up and Get out! I will be downstairs in 15 minutes.

Karan(huffs): Come Mark. Let's go.She doesn't need her sweet little cute brother.

Stomping his feet once, he goes out followed by Mark while Jahnavi giggles seeing him.

Mark leaves him in the blazers section and he walks around to pass the time.

While wandering he gotta see a red blazer standing out in the black ones.He goes to pick it out when he feels someone else is also picking it. He slightly slides the hanger  to see and gets shocked having Preetha on the other side.

Karan: Dragon?

Frowning,she looks at him,

Preetha: Dragon? Really?

Karan: What are you doing here?

Preetha: It's a botique. People come here for shopping obviously!

Karan nods his head but she sees him dubiously from the opposite side,

Preetha: You are not following me right?

He shakes his head,

Karan: I have much more important tasks to do than that.

Preetha: I don't think so? How come we are at the same place at the same time?

He sighs at her inquisitiveness,

Karan: Lady Holmes this is my sister's place.I am sure I have every right to be here than you! If anything I have to ask you that question Are you following me?

Preetha gives him a sarcastic look at his end words,

Preetha: Yeah! You are Chris Hemsworth and I can't wait to be near you.

Karan: Seeing you everywhere I am going I think that's true.

She is about to retort when she remembers something,

Preetha: Wait.You said this botique is your sister's?

Karan: Yeah?

She gets elated and walks around the rack to stand infront of Karan, he sees her curiously as whats she gonna talk,

Preetha: Wow.I never expected it. Can you ask her discount for me?

Karan(surprised): Why would I do that?

Preetha(sweetly): Can't you just do a small favor to your friend?

Karan: Friend? Who?

Preetha: Me! Who else?

He sees her with raised eyebrows while she continues,

Preetha: See the collection here is so good but the prices are so high.Just convince her to give me 30%.I am sure that would still be a profit!

Karan sees her from top to toe, she is wearing a white dot shirt and red pallazzo,black glasses placed on her head,she looked simple but sophisticated,

Karan: Why do you even want discount? Tell me.Looks like you are from an elite family.Spend all the dollars they earn for you yaar.Why do you bother saving? Just enjoy the free currency!

He says so coolly but his words have quite an opposite effect on her,

Preetha: Excuse me, I am not a spoilt snobby girl if you think like that. All I spend is my money.I earn for myself and there's nothing wrong in saving my money. Because it's my sweat and blood.I asked you as a friend if you don't wanna help that's ok but never judge a book by it's cover.

She strides past him leaving him stunned.

Her words held pride and passion which he could understand as he himself is a determinate man.He just thought her as a college girl who is having her time of life but never thought her as a working woman.He realized his mistake and when he sees her, she pacing towards the exit door.

Jogging to her, he stops her holding her hand.She hastily turns because of the sudden pull which causes her hair flip and fall on her shoulder.

Karan liked that sight.Maybe she earned his respect.

Preetha(snaps): What?

He comes out of his world,

Karan: Ow! Ow! Cool dragon cool!

Preetha glares at him for calling her that again,

Karan: No need to shoot bullets.It's my fault this time I shouldn't have talked like that.I am sorry.

She looks at him,he is sincere and also she knew he is not a careless guy by the way he presented himself,

Preetha: You better be.

She still is stern,

Karan: As an apology I will talk with my sister for you.

She frowns he corrects immediately,

Karan: For your shopping.

A small smile is about to steal her lips but she doesn't show it on face,

Preetha: No need of your mercy!

Karan: It's not mercy not even a help. Consider it as my token of sorry for all the things I just rambled to.....

Preetha waits for him to continue,

Karan: To my friend.

He says with a slight smile but it falters when she takes her hand from his hold and with her next words,

Preetha: Make it 50!

Karan(confused): Huh?

Preetha: I want 50% discount.

Karan: But you said 30?

Preetha: You want my apology and friendship.It will cost you more but I am just asking 50%.

He is surprised,

Karan: Isn't it too much?

She narrows her eyes at him,

Preetha: Your suggestions are also too much earlier and I felt really bad. How can you decide about a girl whom you don't even know?What if there is another sensitive girl in my place? What if she got hurt badly? What if....

Karan: Stop! Stop! I will give you 50%.Pakka! Just stop!

He couldn't bear her words while she smirks inside. She is a business women after all she knew how and when to use opportunities perfectly,

Preetha: Give me your number.

Karan: Why?

Preetha: How will I know where you would be when I completed my shopping?

Karan: Yes!

He gives her his number and she rings him. She walks inside stifling her smile,

Karan: Wo ladki hein ya pataka.Jab dekho firecrackers ki tarah chitpat chitpat karthi rehthi hein.

Shaking his head vigorously, he walks towards Jannu's office.

Convincing Jaanu,Karan walks outside the her cabin in the first floor,

Karan: Where are you?

Preetha: Coming. 10 mins!

Karan: Meet me at the stairs.

Humming she cuts off and he huffs,

Karan: What's with the girls and telling me to wait?

He annoyedly walks towards the wooden railing through which he could see the ground floor. As he roams his eyes,they stop at Preetha who is speaking in her phone.He widen his eyes when he sees her smiling as it's the first time he is seeing her smile. And then she giggles which completely amazes Karan. She speaks walking through the racks of clothes and unknowingly he too moves from his place to have a closer look at her. She is happily talking while he is seeing her with a small glint in his eyes.

Didn't know how many minutes have gone by but he gets startled when someone puts a hand on him.He turns to see it's Jaanu seeing him with teasing eyes,

Karan: What?

Jahnavi: I have to ask that.Whats going on?

She asks raising her eyebrows and glancing at Preetha,

Karan: Nothing.

Jahnavi: Sure?

Karan: 100%.

He walks downstairs while she chuckles looking at him. She again glances across the glass wall to see Preetha who is now choosing her dresses.She immediately takes a pic of her and sends it to someone. When the other person recieved it,she smirkingly smiles,

Jahnavi: It's revenge time brother!

Karan sees Preetha walking towards him with empty hands.

Karan: You are not buying anything?

She sways her eyes, he looks on the same side to see 5 girls carrying hand full of brown paper bags.

Karan(widened eyes): You brought Everything.

Preetha: All the dresses pleaded me to buy and I couldn't reject their sweet colors.

Karan is admonished at that scene,,

Preetha(shrugs): Why are you so shocked? It's a common thing. Didn't you ever go for shopping with your girlfriend?

He shakes his head relieved at that thought,

Karan: Fortunately I don't have one.

Preetha:Surprising! Are you sure everything is ok with you?

She smirks at him and he understands she is completely taking revenge for his statements during their first encounter,

Karan: Absolutely!I wonder why is your boyfriend not here with you.

Preetha(sighing): Unfortunately I don't have a boyfriend.

Karan(casually): I guessed it right.Who wants a dragon?

She widen her eyes at his remark but her reply gets interrupted by his phone,he sees that it's from his father,

Karan: Mark see to her. I will be right back.

Mark who is behind him chuckling,nods. And he goes aside to attend the call. Preetha goes with Mark to the billing counter,the biller scans all the codes and asks her the name to prepare the bill.Mark answers before Preetha,

Mark: Karan Luthra.

Preetha(confused): Huh?

Mark sees her looking at him,

Mark: Sir told me to make it in his name.

Preetha: Sir?

Mark is confused but looks at Karans direction who is busy in his phone and when Preetha sees in the same way she realizes Mark is talking about him.Wait....... he is......

Preetha: He is Karan Luthra?

Mark sees her surprised state,

Mark: Yes!

And she gasps widening her eyes,

Mark: You don't know him? I thought you both are friends.

Preetha then remembers what she said earlier to him and it embarasses her,

Preetha(mind): Oh God! What have I done?

Closing her eyes tightly,she is scolding herself at the same time Karan reaches them.

Karan: Over?

Mark: Yes sir almost.

Karan then looks at Preetha who is not looking at all him,

Karan: What happened? 50% is not enough you want 100%?

He chuckles but she forcibly smiles.He sensed unusual and before he asks Mark hands over the bill to her.

She quickly pays it scanning the QR while he sees her doing everything tensed.Mark gives her the brown bags but she is not able to handle them as they are many,

Karan: Mark help her till the car.

Preetha murmurs thank you without looking at him,she turns but he holds her hand again,he asks Mark to wait outside,

Karan: Everything ok? You look tense.

Preetha: I am fine.

Karan: If you are worried about the amount I can reduce it. You don't have to waste your money as we would be still in profits.

He tries to ease her but she feels guilty as he is being so good and she just lashed out on him.He has been always good from the beginning but not her and this made her regret.

Preetha: No I am fine.Thank you!

She says it in low voice though Karan finds it different but he has no option but to let her go.

Karan: If you say so.Bye see you again in the Uni.

Giving a slight smile he turns to go but gets stopped feeling a hand stopping him.He turns back to see Preetha holding his hand this time,

Preetha: I....I am Sorry. I didn't know who you are. I just thought of you as a normal guy and spoke rubbish.I didn't actually recognised you as you hadn't attended any of the business gatherings and we haven't really interacted otherwise nothing of this sort would have happened.I apologize for my behavior Mr.Luthra!

And this time Karan is surprised for many things like her apology,her little speech,the way she addressed etc but he understood that she is somewhat related to his stream.

Karan(curiously): I am thinking you are from business circle?

Preetha: Not really business but health care.'Spandana' is our's.

It's a shock for him.Who wouldn't knew Spandana? It's a renowed hospital in the country and their charities are appreciated largely,

Karan: Didn't knew it. Mr.Raghuveer Arora is your......

He drags and she completes,

Preetha: He is my father.I am Preetha Arora.

He is surprised at the new information,

Karan: I know him have met him few times.My family even attended his daughters wedding which I am probably guessing that's your sister's.

Preetha: Yeah! She is with me on the bike the other day.

Karan smiles,

Karan: That's nice to know. So what do you do? Earlier you said you are working.

She knew she had to say him as his achievements are more than hers,

Preetha: I work as the Chief Operational Officer in 'Spandana'.

It shocks him to the core,

Karan: I never expected it.I thought all of you are doctors.

Preetha: I am interested in business than in medicine like my family.

It's unbelievable for him,

Karan: You have achieved a lot in a young age.That's inspiring!

Preetha: Thank you.Though I hadn't met you but have heard a lot.Your incredibly and patience is a thing to learn Mr.Luthra.

Karan: Thank you and Call me Karan.I don't like formalities.

She hesitates but nods,

Preetha: Ok bye. I have to leave now.

Karan: Bye.Nice day!

Preetha: To you too!

Smiling at him one last time,she leaves the botique while he stands there with different feelings but the slight smile on his face engulfs all of them.

It's a day full of shocks and surprises for both of them but at the end they felt light as new hopes started blooming.