Niharika's POV

Closing my eyes and relaxing a bit on my office chair, I went back to my college days.

It was 3rd August, fifteen years ago when I had first met Arpit. He was my classmate during graduation. Sitting alone on my college desk and waiting for the professor to come, I had been checking my emails, when he entered the class and sat down beside me. I observed his movements as he kept his almost empty bag near my bulky bag which had many books.

"Hi. Actually this is my first day and it has been a week since college has begun, I am a bit late to join the course. Please could you share your notes with me? I want to know what all topics have begun. Please guide me", he spoke timidly to me with a stuttering speech as I looked at him wide-eyed. How a guy could be so under-confident, I wondered. I found him funny and wanted to laugh across his face but it was against my mannerisms to do such a thing so I just smiled and decided to help him out.

I helped him with the notes and we even had our lunch together in the college cafeteria. We had bonded quite well in the three hours and we were casually chatting about the college as well as professors in our cafeteria wherein, he asked, "By the way, what's your name?"

Smiling at his innocence, I said "Niharika Sehgal" and embarrassed at my foolishness, I enquired his name. It was indeed, a funny moment and we both had been fools, we realized.

We both laughed at our deed that we exchanged our names after sitting together for four hours.

I was happy that I got a friend in college. Being an introvert and depressed at my current state, I never made friends in college and no one came to talk to me. In a week, people had judged me to be an arrogant fellow but little did they know that I was nothing close to arrogance.

*****

Mr. Bose knocked at the door of my cabin compelling me to come out of my thoughts. He enquired if I had shortlisted some candidates to which I asked, “Are there only six applications?”

"Madam, we got others too but they didn't clear the interview with the team. Out of these six, you can see since you will be heading this project. Otherwise we will publish the advertisement again", said Mr. Bose.

"Okay then, call Dr. Arpit Khandelwal for the interview at 11a.m on Monday." I said controlling my smirk. Moreover, only he seemed to be deserving fellow in that set of applications. Having known him personally, I was aware of his diligence, perseverance and determination with respect to his work. If I were the topper of my college, he was the second place holder in all the three years of our bachelor degree programme.

"He is the best choice, madam. Having graduated from your college, he got his doctorate degree from the University of Cambridge. He had been working over plants since fifteen years in the industry. He was previously working with Jurlique in Australia. I am amazed to see his wonderful profile. Our team of scientists shall learn a lot from his worldwide experience. We will be lucky to have him in our team, madam." Mr. Bose began to blabber.

"Call him. Let's see if he would work with us or not", said as I picked up my bag for leaving the office. I could not deny that he was indeed, a brilliant fellow but an arrogant one too and moreover, when Mr. Bose said that we would be lucky to have him, it surely bruised my ego. However, I was glad that he had achieved lot much in his life. It was me who persuaded him to fill the applications for universities abroad and I am glad, he followed my advice.

*****

During the ride back home, I remembered the days of our college when Arpit and I used to spend time together taking classes, studying in the library and sharing our thoughts, our fears and our plans of life. People thought we were into a relationship but he was inclined towards his career and I had a responsibility for my parents' business after them. Though I had planned to propose to him on the last day of college but it never happened. I was a teenager back then, and he was truly an attractive fellow but I guess, life had other plans.

I could not understand if I should laugh or cry remembering those days but I could feel butterflies fluttering inside my stomach at the idea of meeting Arpit again after so many years. I wondered if I still felt the same for him. I decided to shut my thoughts and strictly maintain an employer-employee relationship with him because I was sure he did not feel anything about me.

Thinking of the altercation between us, I stiffened with anger. I don't know the reason why he reacted that way even till today but his sudden change in behavior had surely humiliated me beyond measure and crashed my feelings just like a wine bottle.

"How could he speak to me like that?" I thought remembering that unfateful event.

I will definitely teach him a lesson now, I mentally planned. After all, I had a chance to show that I am his employer.