The Office Affair

Chapter 14: I wish I didn't

She slowly closes the gap in between us and bends down to kiss me. I push her off just before her lips can touch mine and walk out of my cabin towards the washroom. I wash my face and stare at the sink for a while contemplating the last few moments or maybe... the last few years. I feel a hand on my shoulders and get startled. Its Riya. I take a sigh of relief and hug her tightly.
"Are you... ok?" , She asks with uncertainty.
"Now I'm better", I reply, as I feel the warmth of her body and inhale the sweet fragrance of her shampoo.
"What happened inside, Anika?", Riya enquires.
I don't know how to answer this question. I don't wanna hide anything from her. But again if I do tell her I know its gonna give rise to many insecurities. I first need to calm down and not make her worried. I need to handle this on my own. Once things are settled I am gonna tell her.

"Dont worry, Riya, I'm seriously fine. ", I answered.
I could understand that she didnt believe it but she stopped enquiring for the moment cause she knew that I would tell her once I'm comfortable and she didn't wanna force me.

I return to my office to find that Helena is no longer there. I sigh.

Riya's Pov:

I know she is hiding something for me. But if she doesn't want to tell me, I won't force her to. I know there must be a good reason for the state she is currently in and I wish I could help her get through it but I know she feels like she can solve everything by herself. I don't wanna invade her privacy but again, I feel... jealous? rather insecure... Who is that women? What does she want? I need to find out somehow. I'll somehow try to console her and ask her about it when I meet her after work.

As soon as the clock strikes 8, I leave the office, book a cab and go to Anika's house. I enter using the spare key she had given me, go to her room and decide to wait for her to come back.
I notice an old, dusty journal on the desk. Didn't think Anika would be the kind of people to store her memories in journals. I was gonna go and lay down on the bed when I noticed something. There was a small peace of paper peeping out through the journal. I know I shouldnt touch me but like they say "curiosity kills the cat". I take it out. Its an old picture labelled- 23/01/2010.
I take a closer glance at the picture. It's a picture of Anika in her childhood with another girl slightly older than her and two elder people who are maybe her parents. The girl somehow seemed familiar. That's when I reckoned. Its that lady who has been visiting her lately. Maybe she is her elder sister. I wasn't gonna think much of it but... when I flipped the picture... it was labelled - MY FIRST LOVE. My heart started aching. If she is her first love... then what is she doing here after so many years? I needed answers. I wanted to wait for Anika to come back but I was restless. Maybe she would again refuse to tell me. I needed to find out. So... I ended up opening the journal. I wish I didn't.