Home Forever

Chapter 49

"Wait! What?"

Rohit exclaims in shock. I have just informed my colleagues that I have sent my resignation to our HOD and HR.

"Why are you doing this? Is there a problem? You cannot quit such good firm. You are extremely lucky to be working here." Everyone talks at the same time. I lift my hands to silence them. "I am starting my own business and so I have to quit."

I explain Purvi and my plan to them. They all nod in understanding. "Maybe we will join your firm someday," Rohit teases.

As the day nears to an end and all are getting ready to leave, my heart starts thudding faster. I guess my fear of being stalked and attacked is still entrenched deep in my memory even if I cannot remember it. I ponder if I will ever stop looking over my shoulder or if I will have to live with this added anxiety all my life.

"You coming with us?" Kavita asks, peering over her cubicle.

"Where?"

"Didn't you read the mail from HR this morning?"

"No! What email?"

"The one about starting a bus service on a trial basis to pick and drop staff at Kurla and Bandra stations. Don't you stay somewhere in Bandra? You should check if the bus goes by your place."

I quickly scan my inbox, finding that I had filed the HR email in a wrong e-folder. Sure enough, the email states what Kavita just explained. The mail also mentions the routes, stops and time. I am thrilled to see that one of the stops is very close to my house. I gleefully fill the attached form and send to HR. It feels like a rock has been lifted off my shoulder, now that I have one less thing to worry about.

Reaching home was a breeze. My travel time was cut by half and I feel really sad that I get to use this service only for a month. I wished they had started it earlier. I have a niggling suspicion that Jeet may have something to do with this, after my incident.

Lost in my own thought, I walk toward my house without looking ahead. I nearly bump into a tall, petite figure who was similarly lost in thought.

"Oops, sorry!" both of us exclaim at the same time. My eyes fall on a statuesque girl, someone you can expect to see on the cover of a magazine. Flawless golden bronze skin, sparkling grey green eyes, luscious shoulder length reddish brown hair with gold highlights. She is impeccably dressed in elegant cream shirt and dark tan coloured pants, no doubt designer, just like the sunglasses perched on her head, the bowling bag dangling from her hand or the nude stiletto shoes, she is balanced on.

"I am so sorry," the young girl apologises, giving an embarrassed giggle, "I was so lost admiring the building, I didn't see where I was going."

I would say she was in her late twenties.

"It's my fault too, I wasn't looking either," I smile back.

Although she looks rich and sophisticated, the girl has none of the arrogance carried by the rich. I immediately take a liking to her. I guess she came to visit the landlady's grandson. He has been having many visitors since he arrived yesterday.

"Zenia," she thrusts her hand out. "Tarana," I reply, shaking her extended hand.

"Are you the tenant who lives on the ground floor?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I have heard about you," she says in a soft, singsong kind of voice, "but no one told me you were so pretty!!" she says, looking at me appreciatively, without any trace of malice or sarcasm. I am tongue-tied at the compliment, blushing in response.

"Well Tarana, I guess I will be seeing you around." She flashes a dazzling smile, before heading out to her car.

I stare at the girl as she leaves the building. She seems really familiar. I am sure I have seen her before. Upon reaching home, I google 'Zenia'. A dozen pictures of the girl I just met, pops up on my screen.