Manmarziyan : A Passion Project
Chapter 6
Radhika knocks on samaira’s cabin door. She hears a disinterested, “come in.”
Radhika enters her cabin. It’s a well furnished cabin. A fashionably yet decently dressed woman is sitting behind the table. Radhika could see that is woman obviously has a good taste.
Radhika, “mam, I m radhika mishra….teji from the HR department told me that you were looking for a room mate.”
Radhika could feel samaira scanning her from head to toe.
Samaira seemed satisfied, “okay…I have a few questions for you….please sit down.”
Samaira spoke normally but she voice wasn’t cordial exactly. Radhika sat. she continued, “where you from?”
“rishikesh, I m new to this city and have joined this office yesterday as a copywriter.” Said radhika.
Samaira seemed impressed, “you have answered all my questions before my asking them. You may have heard that I have certain conditions, including no socializing at home…or no loud noises. Can you adjust to that?”
Radhika thought for a couple of seconds…the only friend she had in the entire city was teji, “I most certainly can.”
Samaira bent forward joining her hands, “its settled then, you can start living from tomorrow. You’ll get your key when you arrived.”
Radhika nodded wished her and came out. She heaved a sigh of relief, “I don’t understand….her eyes seem do warm but her mannerism is so cold. Looks, as if she is trying to hide her pain. I don’t know….all I hope is that she doesn’t make my life hell.”
Radhika went to teji to inform, “okay…so I have officially have entered the lioness’s den.”
This made teji giggle, “just hope she doesn’t eat you alive.”
The next day radhika moved in…teji dropped her to samaira’s apartment…but he made sure that samaira didn’t see him, he didn’t want trouble on the very first day for radhika.
Teji, “take care and call me now if you want anything.”
Radhika nodded and thanked him through her eyes.
She went up in the apartment.
Radhika, “mam I am making dinner….what would you like to have?”
Samaira, “anything you like. I am not really fussy about food.”
Radhika turned to head to the kitchen but sam stopped her, “and by the way since we are living together, call me samaira…”
Radhika smiled, she wasn’t that bad after all. Radhika made an elaborate Italian dinner in lieu of her homecoming. She arranged it on the table and called, “sam dinner’s ready.”
Samaira who was in her room, unknowingly smiled at radhika calling her sam.
She came out and they both sat opposite to each other quietly munching dinner….this silence was eating radhika…finally she couldn’t take anymore, “so what do you think?”
Sam replied looking at food, “about?”
Radhika looked at her in disbelief, “the food..?”
Sam replied bluntly, “you are a good cook.”
Radhika felt weird….this girl could be perfectly normal but no she pretends to be some mean fake person. Radhika wondered why….she brushed her thoughts aside and asked, “ice cream?”
Sam replied, “there’s none in the fridge.”
Radhika, “I’ll be glad to go and get it.”
Sam nodded, “black current.”
Radhika nodded and moved out. As soon as she closed the door and turned she bumped into somebody, “sorry.” Radhika gave me a big smile. And he too reciprocated, “hey do you live here?”
Radhika responded, “yes….i m samaira khanna’s new room mate…radhika mishra.”
The guy burst out laughing…radhika pouted, “what’s so funny?”
Guy, “sorry sorry….you are THE samaira khanna’s room mate?”
Radhika, “yep…that’s me. I wonder why everyone is so obsessed with this fact. She seems fine to me.”
Guy, “how long ago did you shift?”
Radhika, “two hours ago…” radhika now heard what she said and burst out laughing herself…and the guy also laughed.
Radhika, “and you are?”
Guy, “ohh, I am so sorry….*forwarding his hand for radhika to shake* I m neil malhotra…..i work in the same company as samaira and *giving a wink to radhika* unfortunately or fortunately I am her next door neighbor as well…”
radhika smiled, “you know what…I work there as well…and its fortunately now that I m living next door.” Radhika teased him. Neil took an instant liking to radhika. She was the opposite of samaira…..he smiled knowing she wont be able to adjust with her, “you know…I am looking for a room mate as well…now I might as well keep it empty…soon you’ll be needing a new space.”
Radhika understood he was teasing her, “no!” she showed her tongue to him. He asked, “so where?”
Radhika gleamed excitedly, “ice cream!!”
Neil smiled seeing her happy…..he just knew that he and radhika are gonna be great friends. He never had a sister and instantly he knew she was going to be, “accha okay baba…its my treat…lets go ice cream party!!”
Radhika giigled, “ice cream party?? Yayyy!!!!!”
Radhika took his hand and walked him out. All the while giggling and talking.
At the ice cream parlour…neil spoke between munches, “so you say you work in the same company as me….never say you there?”
Radhika, “actually I joined a week back….i m from rishikesh….i got the opening for the copywriter…”
Neil, “hmm…”
radhika spoke after a pause, “you know neil….i have a elder brother…he and I used to go on ice cream treats like this.”
Neil, “don’t you worry, from now onwards you have a brother in Mumbai as well.”
Radhika teased, “a best friend too.”
Neil , “well, I m honoured.”
Radhika, “arrey budhu…I meant teji, the HR guy…u know him?”
Neil with a fake angry face, “you’ll make me your best friend too…and yeah he is my good friend.”
Radhika smiled, “maybe you already are.”
Neil, “I just don’t get you girls…why cant your species decide on something the first time…firstly you I am not…and now you are saying I am…..god…you are complex.”
Radhika punched his arm, “say that again and your nose with be the next.”
Both neil and radhika smiled…they walked back to their apartment…radhika because of all the masti and chatting with neil had forgotten samaira’s ice cream.
Radhika after wishing neil a good night…entered her apartment and saw samaira still siting on the dining table, with her face grave.
Precap : samaira’s jealously…radhika makes sam comfortable.