Canvas of Destiny

Chapter five

Happy reading!

~~~

Author's POV

Ishika collapsed onto her apartment's living room couch, exhaling a sigh of relief upon their arrival. Nitiya, curious about the recent banter downstairs, inquired, "What was he saying?"

After a moment of silence, Ishika responded, "He offered to pick and drop me at the office because it's on his way."

Nitya, seeing the practical side, remarked, "That's great! It'll save you time and the hassle of bus travel and walking."

Ishika's expression twisted in disapproval; despite Nitya's logic, she wasn't keen on the idea.

"No, thanks! I prefer the bus," she declared before retreating to her room.

On the footpath, Ishika strolled effortlessly, intentionally leaving home earlier than usual to avoid crossing paths with Siddhant. Arriving at the bus stop, she patiently waited for the bus, which promptly arrived.

Morning bus rides appealed to her; the bus was relatively empty, mainly occupied by a handful of college students. Selecting a window seat in the sixth row, she felt the morning breeze caress her face, allowing her hair to dance in the wind.

Her thoughts drifted to the past when she and Siddhant were on good terms. Initially, it was one-sided; she harbored silent feelings for him for two years. He was her tuition teacher's younger brother, the first time she laid eyes on him, or so she believed.

Upon reaching her stop, she disembarked and began walking towards the office building. Opting for a different bus this time, she anticipated an early arrival, having chosen the twenty-minute ride over her usual routine.

"Good morning," Rishi greeted her upon her arrival at the department. "Early bird again! Did your friend give you a lift today?" he playfully teased.

"Good morning to you too, and no, no lifts today. I caught an earlier bus, twenty minutes ahead," she replied.

As per routine, she headed to the department's kitchen, brewed a strong coffee for herself, and immersed in her work.

Meanwhile, Siddhant, having prepared for the day, stepped out of his apartment and patiently awaited Ishika's arrival. Considering she usually appeared around this time yesterday, he waited for ten minutes. When an additional five minutes passed without any sign of her, he decided to climb the stairs to reach out to her.

Ascending the stairs, he found himself in front of her shared apartment's door. After a couple of knocks, the door swung open, revealing Nitiya. Clad in her office attire, she, too, worked as a fashion designer in a reputable but not overly prestigious company.

"Um, is Ishika ready? It's getting late," he inquired awkwardly.

"Ishika? She didn't tell you? She left very early today," she informed him, glancing at her wristwatch. "She should have reached by now."

Siddhant was taken aback. Anticipating some reluctance, he didn't expect her to leave so early without notifying him. It felt like being stood up.

"Okay," he responded and walked away. His tone carried a hint of disappointment and hurt, not escaping Nitiya's notice. She simply shrugged and prepared to depart for her workplace.

---

Ishika, having invested hours in uninterrupted work while seated, gracefully stretched her back. With the onset of the lunch break, she powered down her computer and rose from her seat. At that precise moment, Rishi approached her, and shortly thereafter, Divya joined the gathering.

"Let's head to the canteen already. I'm absolutely starving!" declared Divya.

"When are you not?" teased Rishi.

Divya retorted with a mock sweet smile, "While sleeping!"

Rishi smirked, "Who knows, you might be dreaming about food in your sleep!"

Before Divya could counter, Ishika interrupted, "Guys?"

"If you don't cease your banter and start walking towards the cafeteria this instant—" she warned.

"Let's go!" they both said in unison, interrupting her warning, initiating their journey toward the lift since the cafeteria was situated on the ground floor.

"—toh main akeli chali jaungi," Ishika mumbled, completing her sentence. She questioned herself, "Did they think I got angry?"
(Then I'll go alone.)

"Wait for me!" she yelled, swiftly running behind them. Ishika strategically positioned herself between Rishi and Divya in front of the lift, ensuring she wasn't left out of their lunchtime escapade.

They exchanged pleasantries in casual conversation, and as the lift came to a stop in front of them, Ishika's heartbeat mirrored the sudden pause.

A gasp of surprise involuntarily escaped her as she fixed her gaze on the figure standing before her within the elevator.

Siddhant Joshi stood before her,a vision of elegance. Draped in a sharp white shirt paired with sleek black trousers and a matching blazer, he exuded an air of refined style. A black tie elegantly wrapped around the collar of his shirt completed his impeccably curated look.

Rishi's sudden push propelled her into the elevator, snapping her out of her dreamlike state. Siddhant, however, keenly observed the interaction. His gaze bore into Rishi, a mixture of scrutiny and displeasure evident, clearly disapproving of the physical contact. It was a gesture that didn't sit well with him.

It held no element of surprise for him to unexpectedly run into her, considering their shared workplace and the inevitable likelihood of their paths crossing sooner or later.

However, he had initially planned to share some news with her earlier that morning, aiming to provide a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, he couldn't execute his plan as she had left the premises earlier, a move he recognized as a deliberate attempt to avoid any encounter.

Despite the facade of normalcy he maintained, he acknowledged the complexities stemming from their shared history. While he recognized the difficulty she faced, he couldn't deny his own struggles. However, this time, he was resolute not to surrender; giving up was simply not an option.

~~~

Thank you for reading.

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