The Serene of Hearts

Chapter 13:Console & Convince

"Vi..Vikram sir."Vikram who was expecting this to happen opened his eyes with a mischievous glint playing on his eyes.
A shiver ran through Isha's spine as his eyes met hers.Every time she feels a shudder when his eyes came in contact with hers.She really don't know why.

Putting his arm which was resting on his forehead till now on the back rest of the bench,he stared at her without saying anything,that made her hell nervous.

Why his simple gestures always making me anxious ?
she thought.Bending her head down a little she bit the inner portion of her lower lip in the pretext of gaining some courage and start again.

"Vikram sir,sorry for showing up myself in front of you again and again.May I know how many public properties you own,like the library.Please don't find it silly,I am asking because if I get to know ,I definitely am going to stop visiting there in case if I ever have to.As you said that day,I will never come across your life as a bad omen,no more meeting an ugly faced jinx like me,sorry sir this would be the last day you are seeing me,This won't repeat again".
All the while the tissues on his jaws kept on ticking,
indicating that, him controlling his anger hearing her utter nonsense.

"Please sir you don't have to feel sorry and feel guilty,a gentle request sir,please get back to home now itself,else you'll catch cold fever",saying this out of no where, she continued walking away from him.

She felt alleviated,because she wanted to tell all these things to him.But she couldn't, as she kept herself away from meeting him fearing that he will hurt her even more.
After struggling with the idea of speaking her mind out,she decided to go with the flow,even him apologising to her and his efforts to make his points obvious moments ago was also assured her to convey herself ,as per her calculation,today his mood seems to be good.So she poured and started to leave.

"Done lecturing your philosophy ma'am..or is there anything else left?",Vikram's sarcastic voice stopped her from walking further.She turned around with a frown.

"Come over here,Ishana",Vikram's voice was authoritative and louder than before.

Isha walked to him meekly,fidgeting her fingers,lowering her lashes down.

He drew a sharp breath as she stood right in front of him maintaining a proper distance.
"Look at me",he said in an almost authoritative voice,to which the mere puppet in front of him lifted her gaze towards him.
Vikram gestured Isha to sit in the same bench where he was.
Her eyes went wide like saucers, clearly showing her astonished state.

Vikram compressed his lips together,which made him attractive to an extend,getting annoyed by her antics.
Resisting Vikram's demands will never leads to something good,so she sat down beside him keeping an ample distance, with uneven breathing.

He turned to her side a bit in the same posture,but now his right leg was touching the wooden bench with his tucked knee resting on the seat,and his toned right arm was resting on the back rest leisurely.
Isha inhaled sharply tilting her head to the other side,as if it wasn't a big deal.Though his closeness created a havoc in her.

"Hey Ishana,stop worrying unnecessarily.I genuinely accept that I spoke to you in a harsh manner.But it was totally unintentional,I wonder how did I turned out to be a beast at that time,that too in front of a girl who came to apologise to me without any fake intentions.You were shattered,I sensed It through your eyes,as your eyes said it all",he said it in a go,with an angst laced tone.Isha kept on staring at him without blinking.Tiny drop of tears formed in the corner of her eyes,hearing him trying to dispel her dejected mindset which was killing her alive in these past days.

"Ok..listen carefully..answer my question",Vikram asked to change her mood.She nodded her head like an obedient kid.

"Two spirits are fighting inside you.One is the optimistic one,and the other one is the pessimistic one.Now you tell me who will win?",he asked her raising his eye brows,like a teacher asks a question to the kindergarten student.

Isha was trying hard to answer him in her best possible way,glancing at him time to time.He reassured her with his sparkling eyes.But she gave him a faint smile and said,I don't get any proper answers, in a feeble voice feeling low of herself for not answering him, she bent her head down.

"Hmm.. Ok..ok..fine.look at me now," he told her in a nonchalant voice.She looked up at him.

"The one who win is the one you feed the most."

Saying this with a cute eye blink he smiled at her.She returned him a soft smile feeling really satisfied with the answer.

Yh,he's hundred percent true.

"Thanks for your concern sir,it really means a lot,and if you don't mind may I take leave now?,as its getting late and cold.Even I don't want to waste your precious time.You must have loads of works by the way.So...."she trailed off looking at her hands ,hoping for a positive reply from him.

"Hmm..Ok ma'am.Permission is granted",saying this he chuckled at her antics trying to make some excuses to leave as soon as possible.

Running his fingers through his hair he brushed off the snow.He mentally slapped himself for not realising the downpour over his head and shoulders all the while,that too in front of this creature.

Isha giggled a bit seeing his eyes going wide a little ,but he didn't express it much,and brushed off the snow over his head nonchalantly ,as if it wasn't a big deal.She too brushed off the fallen snow on her her trench coat and hairs.It was less compared to his.

"Hmm..shall I drop you?,Only if you are comfortable",Vikram asked her hesitantly expecting a favourable answer."What if I am not?"she asked biting her inner cheeks to stifle her laugh."Ha..?" that was only he managed to say,slightly dissapointed with the reply,as he wasn't expecting this.

"I am just kidding sir don't mind it.By the way my residence is nearby isn't it?It's okay I will go by myself sir,thanks once again sir.I am leaving",she stood up saying this.

"One thing sir",she faced Vikram who also stood up followed by her.

"Please don't consider yourself as a polar bear sir"

"Polar bear huh?" asked a confused Vikram.
"Yh indeed a polar bear who can withstands cold temperature as low as -50° Celsius and use snow as a shield."Isha was controlling herself from chuckling more than necessary,thinking it would be too much."You are unpredictable Ms.Sharma,"Vikram shook his head in disbelief.

"Enough is enough,do you have any plans to return to home or are you going to tease me like this till the morning?"he said faking offended."Sorry sir I am starting now itself,saying so she started to leave with a content smile on her face.Today seems like,she was feeling comfortable in his presence."Good night Ishana"Vikram said a bit loud.

She smiled to herself thinking of the new side of Vikram.Turning around she said good night with a small smile and turned to walk away,but little did she know that he was standing at the same place,staring at her retreating figure in the pretext of making her feel safe till she vanish from his sight.

Suddenly something clicked in her brain,turning around she watched his retreating figure.As he might have felt that she was gone into a safe distance ,and he also started leaving checking something on his phone while walking as his head was bent down to his front.

"Sir my gifts?",She almost shouted like a small kid ,forgetting her age,and maturity.
It brought a smile and a chuckle on his face which was frowning all the while checking his official mails in his phone.

"I won't give" he shouted back without turning back.

"But why sir?"asked the confused Isha."First you just leave, curious cat"saying this Vikram headed toward his car with a small yet a content smile on his face.