Can't stop Loving You

#19 Am I in love?

Akshara

After several straight days of reporting from the field, Akshara is back in her channel's office, sorting through her desk.

A journalist's job isn't mostly reporting live, or digging up issues, there's more to that. Today she's penning down a few articles for the channel's web-news portal. Now that's not a monumental task. It's actually easier than running around, gathering information and exposing crimes, but it's not fun.

Akshara finishes typing away the articles and forwards the documents to the editing team, soon only to receive a complaint that she'd made many mistakes.

"Please, can you recheck everything before you forward me the details? There are spell errors and you've got the names of the prominent leaders of the city all wrong, Miss Akshara..."

The receiver of her desk phone pressed against her cheek, Akshara listens to what the sub-editor, Trinath, has to say, a hand pressed against her forehead.

"I know you reporters rarely do the writing part... but why volunteer when you can't do it?"

Sub-editor Trinath doesn't hold back. The tales about him lashing out at anyone and everyone who made mistakes had earlier reached her ears. Akshara curses herself for not believing in them.

"Sir, I will fix those mistakes. I only volunteered to take this up because I wanted to be of use to the channel..." she interjects before her superior can scold her some more. "Sir, I won't disappoint you again. I'll correct everything and forward it in a minute!"

"See that you do!"

Trinath's voice resounds in her ears. The call ends, and Akshara slumps back into her chair. Bringing the hem of her dupatta to her face, she wipes at the sweat that's gathered on her forehead. It's not like her to get distracted at work. Why did she make such mistakes? And why was she even distracted?

Pulling her head out of her thoughts, she returns her gaze to her computer and edits the documents once again.

***

That afternoon—

Those documents took her a while to finish, but she'd rechecked everything before forwarding them, and she didn't receive any complaints from the editing team afterwards.

Akshara smiles, relief flooding through her veins. She rises from her seat, intending to step out, head to the cafeteria to grab her lunch, when her desk phone rings again. This time the caller is her boss, the channel's editor who right now wants to discuss something urgent with her.

He wants her to fetch some files from the log room and drop them by his cabin.

She mumbles a yes into the phone and hangs up, letting out a sigh. She's tired and hungry but looks like lunch has to wait.

Seeing boss comes first. She picks up the files meets her editor inside his cabin.

"Akshara, these aren't the files I asked you to bring..."

The editor's words are a blow to her face. Akshara fumbles, trying to make sense.

"But those are the exact documents containing all the details of the sting operation that we—"

"Carried out last year... didn't you check the date, Akshara?"

Akshara can do nothing but stare at the date the editor points to. How did she not notice it before? That's an outdated file. The dust gathered there is the proof.

Now, what can she do but apologize repeatedly and fly out of the cabin to bring in the correct file...

.