17 Chapter 17

When they reached home, Rohan could feel the tension. He sensed that Sneha was upset but he hadn't said anything to Sneha about Stella so she couldn't know anything about her. What was it that was affecting her usually happy spirit?

Sneha, on the other hand wanted to ask so many questions and yet cry at the same time. She went to the bathroom on the pretext of changing. She picked a casual pink cotton shirt and black shorts. She bolted the door behind her, sat near the bathtub and started crying uncontrollably. Her lips trembled and she tensed up. Her tears weren't stopping. Her hands covered her face and mouth so that she doesn't make a sound. She was trying her best to keep the volume of her cries quiet so Rohan wouldn't know she was heartbroken, she had too much pride to let him know she was crying.

After sobbing for about fifteen minutes, she felt drained. She washed her face and splashed water on her eyes more than required so that the redness that had formed could reduce. Once regained her composure she opened the door of the bathroom and headed to the kitchen to prepare tea.

Rohan was sitting in the main hall and saw her coming out. She went past him without acknowledging his presence. He followed her.

"I would love to have some," said Rohan from behind her. " And I've ordered us some food since you have a headache," he added.

Sneha didn't reply because her mind was in a different zone. She was preparing the questions she needed to ask Rohan to get some clarification. After preparing tea and handing over the cup to Rohan, she asked him whether they could talk. Rohan was more than happy to, he wanted to talk to her, spend time with her and at the same time look at her. He sat down on the sofa in front of the couch where Sneha had perched herself. He was looking fondly at her with a smile on his face and tea in hand. He hadn't known that Sneha looked so pretty in shorts. She was wearing black shorts and a pink shirt, everything looked perfect. Her long legs were alluring! He found himself gazing at them shamelessly - it was kind of a visual foreplay!

His thoughts drifted a little further and he thought he might take Sneha away from here and find a new job. 'Thank God my parents chose Sneha for me; she is so pretty and elegant. I have yet to see someone so calm, with a good head on her shoulders instead of flying high with an attitude. Talk to me, I want to hear you,' he gladly spoke inwards.

"Who was that girl in your office, the one who was sitting beside you?" she asked. She had dropped all courtesy and instead asked him a direct question.

Rohan was taken aback and scrambled to get his thoughts together and answered, "That was... Stella..., a colleague." He stuttered. 'Where did that come from?' Cold water poured over his happy thoughts.

He knew his tender thoughts of Sneha were going to get bashed by her future bombardment of questions. He was expecting more and waited nervously. The cup of tea seemed like a rock in his hand and he wanted to drop this conversation and start something else but Sneha's light brown eyes were staring at him piercingly. He could sense her anger and disappointment.

"Can you please be a little more explicit? I really want to know about her." 'So that I know what to do next,' she thought. She didn't mention about what Paritosh said because she wanted Rohan to come out with it himself. She deserved the truth and needed to understand the dynamics between Rohan and Stella and had to know so she could move on with her life if she had to. It wasn't too late, or was it..?

Rohan tried to dodge the question but his efforts were in vain. So he got up and went to the balcony and waited a few minutes but thought it wise to return and answer Sneha. He came back and sat on the sofa, his tea was cold and he lost interest in having it.