One Shots Collection By Samayra Akhtar

It was the Monsoon season and the rain was pouring all over city M. City M is located near a sea and every year the water would escape the sea and enter the city. The people of city M got used to this type of Monsoon.

So like every year, when the rain didn't stop for continuous three days the government announced to close down school and colleges. Many other employment sector was also closed down for a day or two for the safety of the people.

But not all people get these day offs. Such was the case for Sanjana. In this heavy rain unwillingly she was at the office. At evening she left the office and went to the bus station.

The bus station was crowded as some people took shelter there because of the rain. Although Sanjana was having an umbrella she still got wet. While she was waiting for the bus someone next to her touched her b.u.t.t. She turned around but seeing the perverts face she just swallowed down her anger.

Soon the bus came and she rushed in. Although people didn't notice the perverts action a while ago but it did get caught in someone's eyes. He was standing on the opposite side of the road and he just shook his head in disappointment. He believed it's not only these perverts that are in the wrong but also the people who become victims. They should at least raise their voice.

On the other hand Sanjana was cursing the man in his heart. It was not the first time that he did something like this nor it was the first time that she ignored his actions. She can't do anything because he was her employer. She was in the need of money and she wasn't getting any other job with such a good salary. So she can't quit working for him.

The next day too she was at the same bus stop and the same man was standing next to her. She was occasionally smiling at him, although it was a forced smile but she was giving a smile and chatting with him. On the other side of the road the same person from yesterday was standing and looking at her. He was confused but then he thought 'It's none of his business.'

From the following day onwards Sanjana was not seen at the bus station again. The observer again looked at the bus station but didn't see Sanjana. Subconsciously he kept on looking for Sanjana everyday.

It was only after a week that he saw Sanjana again. She was a little upset it can clearly be seen on her face. He just started walking towards her. The man next to him immediately asked him "Where are you going?"

"You just go home." He replied and continued to walk.

He then followed her in the bus and further too. She went to the hospital. Her mother was in the hospital and she was struggling for money.

She was enduring that pervert for money but she too had a bottom line. Now she was jobless and the only source of income was cut off. How was she going to pay for her mother's treatment and her sister's study.

She was not getting any new job and the days were passing by. She sat with her sister outside her mother's room.

He saw them and then enquired about their mother. After knowing about their mothers health condition and their financial condition he decided to help them. He met the doctor to discuss that he would be paying for that 'particular person'.

When the sisters found that someone's paying the bill for their mother's treatment they wanted to meet that person to thank. But the doctor said that the person doesn't want to reveal his identity.

They could only thank the God for sending the angel to help them.

The young man was heading back from the hospital after doing the good deed. But he was confused. He himself didn't have any idea of his actions. He don't know the reason for following that girl nor the reason for helping her out. She don't even know his existence. Then why did he help her?

He thought may be it was out of sympathy. Anyways he was not going to see her again.

Two years passed and they really didn't cross path again. Sanjana's mother was twice more admitted to the hospital in these two years but again they didn't pay for her treatment. That anonymous person cleared the bill like before.

What was the sisters' angel doing now?

Dev was the heir of a well known business. They weren't the top businessmen of the city but they were indeed famous and had a good business.

Dev inherited the Telecom Company from his father and became the CEO. He was engrossed in his work completely but every now and then he would think about that girl.

However, Dev don't know why he would keep thinking about her. But to calm his mind he would always reason out that: she was a weak and needy girl and he felt sorry for her.

One day he saw Sanjana in his company. Two years has already passed but just a single glance was enough to identify her. He followed her again. She has came for the interview in his company. His brother has returned from abroad and decided to hire some new people.

Dev called his secretary and asked her to call his brother.

His brother came to his office.

"Don't you know to knock?" Dev asked his brother when he directly barged in.

"You called me so you'd definitely be free and probably waiting for me." His brother said while sitting in the chair in front of him. "By the way why you called me bro?"

"How was the interview?"

"It was okay. Not too good. I am not sure about anyone. I have selected few. Just look at them and help me out."

"Tell me about the candidates you have selected." Dev asked him.

"It would have been better if you were there for the interview."

Dev saw Sanjana's CV and said, "Sanjana"

"What?" Dev's brother asked when Dev murmured her name. He saw Dev holding a particular CV. "Oh, Sanjana! I think she is good but she is not reliable. She has quit three jobs in last two years. I want loyalty....."

Sanjana visited the office again the next day. But this time she was facing Dev in his office. He informed her that she would be his secretary from now on. Although this wasn't what Sanjana expected but she accepted the job. She needs money for her mother's treatment.

But two years ago didn't Dev took the responsibility of her mother's treatment? He indeed did but last time when her mother got sick, which was about two months ago, she was shifted to another hospital. Here no one was going to pay for them. So both the sisters worked hard for money.

Two months passed and Sanjana was serving Dev as his secretary. Sanjana's two months at office was not very smooth. She faced some bullying at the office. But this was particularly because of just one person, Richa, the ex-secretary of Dev.

When Dev appointed Sanjana as his secretary he transferred her secretary to his brother. Richa was good at work so Dev thought it would be helpful for his brother if she works with him.

So probably Richa was holding a grudge against Sanjana because she had a crush on Dev.

Sanjana was driving Dev to office when her phone started ringing. Dev would always find some or the other reason to keep Sanjana around himself as much as possible. He was oblivious of the reason for his actions but he liked keeping her around so nothing mattered.

She didn't received the call so, Dev asked her to answer her call. She started driving again after her call but her face was all gloomy. Dev wanted to ask when he noticed her face but hesitated for a moment.

"What happened?" Sanjana heard the question after a while. She shook her head and said, "Nothing."

"Is something wrong?" Dev asked again.

She didn't answer but Dev was persistent to know. This time his voice was a lot more gentle and caring.

She answered him, "My mom's condition isn't good. My sister asked me to come to the hospital...."

"Your mother is in hospital?"

"Hmm" She nodded.

"Take some days off."

"Huh?"

"Take some days off and stay with your mother."

"But Si....."

"You can go after dropping me home and take the car with you."

He then visited the hospital but found that the patient he was looking for wasn't at the hospital. Then the doctor who was responsible for Sanjana's mother told Dev that she was transferred to another hospital.

"We called you to inform about this." The doctor said to Dev.

The next day he called all of his staff and questioned them.

"Who received the call from XX Hospital?"

Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads. Dev looked furiously at his staff in front of him.

One of the staff said, "Sir.... may be Richa...."

"Ask her come here immediately."

Richa came with the thought that she would be serving as Dev's secretary. She has noticed Sanjana's absence so, she thought she would get his post back.

"Did you answer the call from XX Hospital?"

"...."

"I am asking you something?" Dev boiled in anger.

"Y-yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"S-sir... I.. I thought it was a fr.. fraud call."

"Fraud Call? Have you forgotten your position?"

"I am.. sorry Sir."

Soon after this incident a rumor started in the office. Everyone thought that Sanjana have a special relation with their Boss Dev. Everyone in the office knew that Dev was paying for Sanjana's mother's Hospital. Soon this news reached to Sanjana too.

She asked Dev to stop doing that.

"Sir, please don't pay for my mother's Hospital bill. I can take care of it myself."

"What are you talking about?" Dev asked him.

"...."

"How do you know that I am paying for the treatment?" Dev changed his question after a moment of silence.

"Sir... everyone in the office knows this and they are thinking I have some relation to you. It's not good Sir...."

"How does they know?"

She looked at him and shrugged her shoulders.

"Sanjana.... listen. I have been paying for your mother from two years...."

Sanjana looked at him in surprise.

"....Yes. I didn't know that your mother changed Hospital so, I wasn't able to pay that time. But now I know so I paid again."

She didn't know how to react. The person whom she wanted to find for the past two years to show the gratitude was standing in front of him.

"Thank you Sir. I am really thankful that you helped me. At that time it was really difficult for me to pay... but now I can pay. You give a good salary and my sister also earns now. So you can stop paying now."

"I am doing this even before you joined this Company. And it's my private matter. You don't have to tell me what I should and what I shouldn't."

"Sorry Sir. But people are misunderstanding things and it's not good."

"What's not good?"

"Huh?"

"Am I not good?"

"...."

After few days Dev found out that it was Richa who told that he was taking care of the hospital bill for Sanjana. Not only this, after researching more he also found that Richa deliberately not told Dev about the phone call from hospital. Sanjana and Richa were from the same school and Richa hold grudge against Sanjana since school days.

He was too angry to find out this. He would have fired Richa but she was currently working under his brother. But Dev did informed his brother about Richa and left the decision in his brother's hand.

Although the rumor that Sanjana have a relationship with Dev was cleared but people at the office indeed noticed Dev's different behavior towards Sanjana. They suspected that Dev have feelings for Sanjana.

Sanjana also heard these things. Her colleagues even teased Sanjana. Sometimes Sanjana would wonder if that was true but she believed it wasn't true. She thought it was just because of sympathy. Dev would have sympathy for her.

Yes, definitely it was Sympathy.

Dev also thought this way in the beginning.

But Dev's thought changed as he started spending time with her. Now he knows what he feels. He knows it wasn't sympathy but attraction. And that attraction changed into affection and than love with time. Although he didn't know about this changes exactly. But now he knows that he love her.

A year passed. Many things changed in the Company but nothing changed between Dev and Sanjana. Nothing changed except that Sanjana was living near Dev's house with her family now. Once Dev said that he would be working from home and it would be inconvenient for Sanjana as his secretary to run to and fro as her house was quite far from his. Even though after few months he started coming to the Company, Sanjana still remained in that apartment with her family.

Someone knocked on the door of Dev's office. He frowned at the impatient knock on his office door.

"Come in." He said while gritting his teeth.

Sanjana also has eyes on the door to see who was the person on the other side.

The door opened and the lady said, "Sir, Sanjana's sister is on the call. It's urgent."

Sanjana looked at Dev and after getting the immediate nod from him she ran out to take the call.

After Sanjana left he asked the one who informed, "What happened?"

"Sir.... Sanjana's mother.... passed away."

He immediately got and rushed out. Sanjana was already rushing towards the elevator after talking to her sister. He followed her.

"Sanjana....."

"Sir, I am sorry. I didn't inform you. But my sister said to come immediately. Some... something has happened to Mom..." She said while struggling to control her tears.

"Where's your mother? I'll take you."

Both arrived at the hospital and Sanjana rushed in while Dev went to park the car.

As soon as Sanjana's sister saw her, she hugged and started crying.

"Mom.... Mom left us." She said between sobs and Sanjana was not knowing how to react. She pushed her Sister away and ran off to see her mother. She was lying under the white sheets in the hospital bed. The tears finally found the way to escape.

Dev arrived and his heart ached seeing Sanjana crying hysterically. He took her in his embrace.

"She left.... She left me alone....."

"You are not alone. You have your sister and..... you also have me."

"Stop crying now Sanjana. If you are like this what about your sister? You have to take care of f her. You have to be strong."

After sometime Sanjana started calming down. He patted her head slowly. "Let's go home now."

He knows that he love her and he'd be by her side but.... what about Sanjana?

He didn't leave her side for two days.

"Sanjana... quit your job."

She looked at him but couldn't say anything.

Dev then continued, "You were doing the job because you needed money for your mother's treatment. You can just stay home now. I am there to take care of you and your sister. You won't have to worry about anything."

She said after looking at him for sometime, "Why? Why will you take care of us? Is it sympathy? We don't want that. I can...."

"Because you are going to be my wife soon..." He then continued after pausing for a second or two, "probably."

"I love you."

Sanjana just looked at him.

"Don't ask me since when because I don't know that too....."

Sanjana just kept on looking towards him. She wasn't knowing whether it was a dream or reality. She has also started liking him but.... she didn't know about his feelings. She thought he was helping her out of sympathy. He started helping her even before they met. How was it possible that he didn't do that because of sympathy. But now he was saying 'I love you'...

"Sanjana... If you want you can work but not...."

"Can you hug me?"

Dev was taken aback on Sanjana's question but he hugged her. "It's real, right?"

Dev smiled and said, "I am just waiting for you to become my wife."