CHUNDARI PENNE (PART 2) - A SHORT STORY ABOUT LOVE

(For those of you new to this short story about love, we would recommend you read PART 1 first at - http://goo.gl/lWmL7X. If you have already read that, then please continue)

It was flashback time for Preet as she sat on a chair looking through her room's open French windows and watching the dying chaos of the capital as lights switched off and the city was ready to sleep. But the opposite was true for the girl as the song, but mostly those two words – CHUNDARI PENNE had started a storm in her mind. Thoughts running to and fro. Oh yes! The Flashback.

“Hi. You are Preet, right?” questioned the stranger. When Preet nodded, he introduced himself. “I am Karthik. Welcome to Kerala”.

This was Preet’s first visit to God’s own country. She had always hoped that a visit to Kerala would have been for leisure and not business. But here she was on a 3 day trip to Thiruvananthapuram as part of a team that was to help the southern team in gauging the problem areas in their functioning.

“Srinivasan sir had informed me that I would be working with you. I was hoping to catch up with you after lunch,” Preet lied. The girl wanted a breather actually. New places, new people made her uncomfortable. Her Delhi team had arrived from the airport and landed straight at the Kerala office. Introductions and a quick meeting with Mr. Srinivasan, the Kerala boss and his team followed and a break for lunch was announced. She had begged her team to quickly run for lunch instead of chit-chat in the conference room. Karthik had stopped her in the lunch line of the cafeteria.

“No problem. We can surely catch up after lunch. Once you are done, just ask for my cabin on the 4^th floor,” Karthik coolly replied before joining the lunch line a few people behind her.

 Junior Sales Manager had a cabin for himself. Great! At her office, at the same position as Karthik, she was yet to get her own space. Only the Senior Sales Manager had a cabin for himself.

She took a few things from the buffet and joined her Delhi colleagues on a table. While they were eating on one table, Karthik and his colleagues were on another. And with the awkward glances from each side, it was sure that each group was talking about the other.

“You are lucky to be working with a handsome guy like him,” stated Usha, her team-mate and friend.

“What has that got to do with our work?” Preet asked miffed.

“Na, just saying. Considering your reputation to keep guys at bay, I don’t think this one will get a chance even if he is single,” blurted out Usha. Another colleague laughed.

“Not funny! I just don’t like mixing work with pleasure. Unlike you!” Preet shot back. Then she softened her tone and said, “The guy you are working with is a smarty himself. You can have your affair, if you like and my lips will be sealed,” she winked at Usha, who only laughed at her good friend's quip.

After lunch, each headed to catch up with their respective counterparts. Preet headed to the 4^th floor and was directed to Karthik’s cabin. She knocked on the door and opened it only to find him goofing around in his seat. Realising her presence, he quickly straightened out. She was about to close the door again, when he shouted, “Oye, Chundari Penne! Come, come in!

(Preet's and Karthik's story continues when they start working together. You can read PART 3 at - http://goo.gl/nzef01)