CHAPTER 3

ARYA

The orientation program was hosted by Nathan’s company. It was one of a kind program where thirty students, this time thirty-three including Sri, Raghu and I, from all over the world were chosen and taught by Nathan himself. Day one comprised of multiple sessions, and day two was about assessment and getting to know each other. It was kind of an adventure and as per Sri and Raghu, only the brightest of all were selected for this program and people formed lifelong friendships in these two days.

Our adventure began the next day at 6 AM when we three – Sri, Raghu and I, checked in the hotel Plaza, the venue of the orientation. The previous night, we had received emails detailing the schedule and agenda. Where Sri and Raghu were beyond excited, I was lost. Sri and Raghu had packed up all the fat books from their course to look up anything and everything that may come up during the session, whereas I packed my novels, sketch pads, drawing pencils and all tools needed when creativity inspired me.

Something inside me said that something magical was going to happen on the trip, and I was all prepared to go for it.

The session started and the first one was from Nathan himself.

My elbow slipped from the desk on which I was resting my face in bored fashion when he took the stage. He was wearing a silver-grey suit with a black shirt and tie. He had a headphone attached to one ear and he was walking the dais, talking to the group.

I was sitting at the back, alone in a corner, and not listening to a word he was saying, well after his very first introduction.

“I am Nathan Anderson, you all can call me Mr. Anderson.” His tone was so dominating and different in comparison to when he had whispered in my ears, you can call me Nate. My mouth had watered at the memory of his proximity and his warm, minty fresh breath on my face and ears.

As the sessions progressed, everybody was engrossed in the words that Nathan was saying. Everybody except for me. Finance was not my subject and its terms were alien to me. Nathan was showing many graphs, charts and formulas to everybody. And everybody was soaking in his every word like a dry sponge. But I, well I was the only one who was just soaking in his voice, his physique, his body, his stance, his gestures and his everything. His voice seemed like music to my ears, a rhythm that one knows since forever, but had forgotten the lyrics.

The session had given me a full reign to stare at him, observe his every move, every gesture. How he lifted his glass to take a sip of water. How he wiped his moist lips that I so desired to chew upon. And how he raked his hair every time his gaze moved in my direction and lingered on me for a few seconds. While my eyes didn’t leave his profile for a second, my pencil was moving constantly. I had a talent of being able to draw without looking at the paper much, and today, my talent was coming to perfect use.

Yes, he knew that I was staring at him shamelessly, but did I care? Well, yes and no! Yes, because I felt something hot and raw for him that I knew I could never share with him in real life. And no, because I had until tomorrow to soak in every aspect of his personality, and post that he will only shine in my dreams and in the sketches that I was drawing non-stop, without blinking, or without even looking down at my paper.

*

NATHAN

Maybe inviting this girl to my orientation program was a mistake… a huge mistake. What the hell was she doing? Was she staring at me like I was the object of her fascination or was she just sitting glassy-eyed and thinking of someone else altogether?

No matter how hard I was trying, my eyes kept flickering to her corner every few seconds. And she was not blinking. With her face resting on her left palm, elbow tucked on the table stably, she was doodling non-stop with her right hand. She had her stupid geeky glasses back on, which were hiding almost half of her tiny face, and today her hair was tied in a loose ponytail. Everyone around here was immaculately dressed, they were here to impress me, but not this girl. She was wearing yellow floral two sizes too big top and baggy jeans. I couldn’t help but notice how stiff her body felt and how much I wanted to massage those tiny shoulders and relax them. I was trying too hard to shake off this feeling again and again, but yet again I was drawn towards her. She was biting her lips now, why? Thank God she chose the last seat, god forbid if she were sitting closer.

“Err…” I paused as I literally forgot what I was saying few seconds ago. Fuck! What was happening to me? Everyone in the room moved but not her. She was still staring at me with the same expressions. “Any questions?” I spoke abruptly.

Almost every single hand shot up in the air and an inadvertent laugh escaped my lips. “I will take three questions, just three at the time…” and as I randomly chose three students to ask whatever they wished to, I decided firmly not to glance in her direction – a decision that I knew was absolutely useless!

*

NATHAN

Only I knew how I went through the first four hours of the day. I had never felt such kind of pull towards any girl, ever. She was different, she was unique, and there was something so raw about her that I could not help but make a beeline towards her during the lunch break.

The event management team of my company, i.e. the hard-working people behind the event who planned out everything meticulously from picking up the right hotel, to transport and every minute thing required to make the orientation program a success, had arranged for a five-star buffet for lunch. I never attended the lunch hour with the students as my presence made them nervous but today, today was different.

A hush fell when I stepped into the room. A lot of students tried to gain my attention, but I just smiled and waved at them. As I looked around, I spotted her friends, but she was not there.

As I saw a couple of students making their way towards me, I quickly pushed two sandwiches on a plate and walked back out, waving like a celebrity. Well, to them and many more, I was equivalent to a celebrity, I mused.

“She is in the backyard of the hotel,” Daniel spoke from behind me, making me jump.

“Holy!” I swore as I turned around. “You do know how to sneak up on me!”

“Isn’t that why you went to the buffet hall, sir?” Daniel asked with raised eyebrows.

I pretended to look around, then asked rather casually, “And which way is this backyard?”

Daniel masked his laugh and led the way.

And there she was… Sitting all by herself, on a broad railing on the hotel boundary, facing the ocean. Her unkempt hair was rippling in the breeze and her very loose top was getting blown away, but she was not bothered. Her legs were dangling from the side wall and she was shaking them and enjoying the view as if she had no care for the world.

As I walked up to her I couldn’t help but notice how perfect her body was, which was now evident as the breeze was making her shirt hug her torso tightly. Why on Earth does she always wear such weird clothes?

“What are you doing here?” I asked and she jumped so wildly that I instinctively grabbed her.

“Umm…” she spoke as she stared into my eyes. We were so close now that her hair were blowing in my face and tickling me, sensually. Suddenly, I was super aware of my hands wrapped around her body. Her smell, lavender with a hint of roses, despite getting mixed in the sea breeze was raising havoc in my body.

I exhaled heavily and felt her stiffen in my arms. Did she feel the same way for me?

“Umm…” she repeated. As she was partially dangling from the boundary, I secured her in my arms and pulled her back. Her eyes widened as I walked back. All I wanted to do was take her straight up to my suite and place her on my bed and… but she fidgeted in my arms and I planted her feet on the ground.

Her hands were fisted on my chest, and before I could bend a bit to taste that flowery scent, she dropped her hands and stepped back.

Despite what I wanted, I too dropped my hands and let her go.

“What?” She was speechless, and for the first time, so was I. I was speechless in the company of this weird, gorgeous woman.

I wanted to say so much, but her phone went off. I saw that she had put up an alarm for the time of the class.

“Shoot!” she cursed and ran away.

“Lunch?” That was all I could shout after her. Her untouched plate of sandwiches was still on the boundary, looking sad and miserable, just like I was feeling.