Chapter 6

Amaya

I'm so tensed right now. It's been 15 min since Sarah went into his cabin. His Secretary said that he wanted to meet Sarah first. Now I'm sweating and panicking, this situation feels familiar. It feels like the day where I got caught while cheating in an exam, and the principal called my grandparents. Don't judge me okay I'm no saint. The door opened, and Sarah has a poker face. Give me some expression woman or else I'm gonna go crazy.

"Did he yell at you,? Is he gonna tell on us? Is he mad?" I started with all the stupid questions I had in the past 15 min.

"Calm Down Amy, the answer is a no for every question he was cool about it, and he told me to invite him if we have dance parties." she replied and then my heart calmed down a bit.

"Then why were you there for a long time?" I asked her thinking of the 15 min which felt like an hour.

"We were talking about the project and everything, he is so cool and super-hot. If I was not married to Riyadh. I would have definitely tried for him you know." she exclaimed and winked at me. I am amazed by her words she was not a person who says things like that. Does she like him?

"Ms. Amaya! Mr. Browne is ready to meet you." said his secretary breaking my chain of thoughts.

Sarah gave me a hug and wished me luck as we departed in our own ways. The secretary lady knocked on the door and announced my presence and left.

The view from where I am standing is fascinating. I could see all the skyscrapers. To my right there was a lounging area. To my left there was a book rack nope it's a library and in the middle of the room was the man I should hate in all glory. He is still giving me the angry look. You know what? He should be in the angry bird world, he would fit in there for sure. I smiled at myself thinking of swinging his face through the slingshot.

"If you are done smiling into to the outer space, you can have a seat Ms. Amaya." Mr. Browne said to me. I pulled the chair out and sat in front of him.

"Thank You, Mr. Browne, You can call Amaya." I told him. No one is talking, this is so awkward. Should I talk? Why he is staring? Does he want me to say sorry?

"I'm so sorry Mr. Browne. I will make sure that this will not repeat we were stuffed with all information. We needed a break, and all this happened." I told him breaking the silence.

"I beg to differ Ms. Amaya. You are by far the most careless person I met. First you forget your car keys on your car. You jump in front of my car and then dance on a table when those wounds are not completely healed. Let me remind, you almost fell again today." he said with a serious look on his face. Sarah said he was good with her why is he being so racist. Don't get angry Amy remember ignore the Step-2. Before I could open my mouth and defend myself, he said

"What were you thinking getting a 60-year old man on the table? How can you be so dumb? Do you at least think of the consequences before doing something?" Larry is old I agree, but he looks so fit, if he doesn't have a problem why is he yelling at me? He called me dumb again. 2 strikes Amy one more I don't care if he is your boss, I'm gonna smash him said the angry hulk inside me.

"I'm not dumb Mr.Browne. I know I made a mistake and I accept it. I didn't jump in front of your car, you were driving fast it was a mistake on both sides. I don't have to justify my actions. you don't have the right to yell at me on my behavior if it's not related to work." I told in a polite tone and as cool as I could do it. He looked baffled with my reply and said something when made my angry hulk come alive.

"Let me refresh your memory Ms. Amaya. Technically I'm your boss and dancing during office hours is not what I pay you for. And I don't know how your parents put-up with you. I thought Indians have a strict and disciplined upbringing."

My parents, mother and father I try not to think about them because they are not there in my life. They died when I was 3 and Niya was 7 in a car crash, my aunt (mother's sister) and my grandparents took us in. My aunt moved here when I was 9. After that we stayed in boarding schools and colleges as my grandparents live in a village.

"My parents are extremely happy with me. I do have a good upbringing, I already asked you to not comment on my personal life. If you have an issue with me, you can hire another developer." I hissed at him and got up from the chair. Before I could reach the door, he yanked my hand and pulled me to the left side of the door. He caged me with his stupid tall body. I could feel his breath on my shoulder which gave me a tingling sensation and goose bumps.

"I didn't ask you leave Amaya" he whispered enjoying the position we are in. This is it I'm not gonna accept him hovering over me. Just because he is my boss, he doesn't have the right to touch me. So, I stomped on his feet and punched in stomach. Pushed him back and left the room and ran towards the elevator.

There was an Indian man in his 50's in the elevator. I went into to the elevator, and he asked me which floor and I said 9.

"Are you okay?" he asked me in Telugu my mother language. I nodded my head in a yes because I was so overwhelmed with all the feelings and I didn't wanna talk.

"You are hand's bleeding and you are crying" he said with a concerned look in his face.

"When I get angry tears come out, and people think that I'm crying ." I told him brushing the tears off my face to which he chuckled.

"Let's stop this bleeding first. And if you don't mind me asking what made you angry?" he asked me and I nodded because it's bleeding as the black shell broke.

"I don't know how you work with this stupid boss of yours, he is so confusing and racist." I told him implying on how he treated me and Sarah differently.

"Who was racist? Was it Jameson or Andrew" he asked me with a confused look.

"It's not Mr. Jones. I don't know who Jameson is. The one who yelled at me was Mr. Browne" I told him as we walked towards the reception.

"Mr. Browne is Jameson. I'll go and get the first-aid kit" he told me before leaving. Jameson that's a funny name for jerk face.

"Why did he yell at you? He generally doesn't yell at anyone." he asked me looking at my wound and started to clean it.

"It was my mistake we were having this meeting, we were so bored with it and decided to take a break. Then it converted into a dance party, when he came in check on us he saw us dancing. He didn't say anything to others, but he told me that I'm careless, dumb and I have a bad upbringing for an Indian. That's the reason I'm telling you he is a racist." I told him the whole story.

"If you don't believe me, he is the reason my hand is bleeding now and how I got hurt in the first place." I told him justifying my answer, and then I told him about how we met at United Tech and everything even the kiss. He looked at me like I said something inconceivable.

"My name is Amaya and thank you so much for helping me." I told him as he completed bandaging my wound.

"I'm Shaurya and I believe you, it's just that I'm just amused by the things you told me." he said smiling at me and went to return the first-aid kit.

Shaurya is like the happy, cool Indian uncle I guess, he didn't judge me, he helped me without knowing me. I would consider him as Indian fair, and he wore just a plain black T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. And then it hit me the stupidest thing I did as I saw Andrew's secretary leave the office building.

I punched him and ran away from his office. He could fire me and my team. Oh God how can I be so dumb, and he is correct I don't think of the consequences, What do I do now? And I broke all 3 rules today. Shaurya signaled me to come near him, and he gave a glass of water and a pain killer.

"Do you think he will fire me and my team?" I asked him as I am worried about Sarah and Rick

"Don't worry he won't fire you or your team?" he assured me holding my hand. His voice was so soothing and convincing he should definitely try to be a politician.

"3 more days and I can go back. I'll try to keep low profile." I told myself and Shaurya as we reached our floor, I gave him a hug and thanked him for everything.

When I went back Sarah and Aarav asked me why I took so long. I told them that partial truth that my hand started to bleed again, and I had to get it cleaned. It's been an hour no one said anything. So Shaurya was correct he is not firing us. I thanked God and went home.