Monami climbed the stairs of the building and closed the door of the terrace shut. She then climbed the stairs that lead to the rooftop deck and went to sit in the middle of it. The rooftop deck was quite large and so when she sat in the middle, nobody could see her from below. And nobody in their sane minds would climb the deck.

She discovered this place shortly after she moved here. And since then, this place had become her little secret rendezvous spot. Whenever she was sad and needed a good cry, she came here. Whenever she was happy and needed a drink, she came here.

Every emotion, little or big, this place had seen it with her. It’s been three years since she shifted in this area and this rooftop deck had become like a friend to her. She whispered her feelings to this place.

More than her own apartment, this place gave her peace. She felt home here more than she felt it at her own home.

“And… I am back!”

She whispered to the place with a smile. As she took a seat and finally felt at peace, she sighed. The day was hectic. Things have been a little tough at work for a few days. Monami had a bad feeling that something was going to happen. Something that she wasn’t going to like.

And her gut feeling was correct almost every time. And she wasn’t wrong this time either. It happened a week later.

She was at work doing her work diligently when she received the mail. Now, Monami usually didn’t check her mails immediately, but something in her told her to check this one. She clicked it open and read through its contents only to freeze on her place.

No! This has to be a mistake. Maybe she was CC’d by mistake. Maybe someone mistakenly sent it to her name. Maybe she was reading it wrong. But no! No matter how many times she checked it, she read the same thing.

Her contract with the company was being terminated. Terminated! She was being fired. This email was a notice that was statutorily required. She had a month to look for a new job. Or she’ll be jobless.

She still is considering this email she just received. But in one month’s time, she’ll be sitting at home if she doesn’t find another.

“Come in.”

Getting the permission, she entered in the HR’s room.

“How may I help you?”

“Good morning, sir. I just received mail informing me that my contract is being terminated. May I know why I am being fired?”

The man looked at her from top to bottom and then sighed.

“The mail stated the reason.”

“Yes, it did. It said that the company is downsizing. And I understand that. But on what basis am I being laid off?”

Monami countered and the man sat straighter.

“That is the management’s decision, Miss. I just follow the instructions and orders.”

“But you’re responsible for the terminations and recruitments.”

She exasperated and the man now clicked his tongue in annoyance. Clearly, no one has ever questioned him for his decisions.

“I was given an eligibility criteria and I am sure your profile didn’t match and that is the reason you’re being laid off. Now if you may please go back. Unlike some people I still have work to do.”

Monami looked at the man with an enraged expression. She wanted to bang his head somewhere. Three years! She gives three years to this company working her ass off day and night and this is how they treat her?

Fine! She got up and marched out of his cabin, closing the door with a bang making him jump at his place.

Monami didn’t do any work the whole day. What are they going to do if she doesn’t work? Fire her? Hah! What a joke! She started searching for jobs that matched her profile and started applying to them.

When she reached home that night, her mood was very unpleasant. She didn’t even bother changing her clothes. She just kept her bag and stuff in her apartment, locked it again and walked towards the terrace.

As soon as she climbed the rooftop deck, she came to a halt. Her secret place wasn’t empty. There was somebody already there. Sitting in the middle where she usually sat. Her heart broke even more. Somebody had found her secret place and was sitting there.

The frustration from all day and now this, made tears pool in her eyes. She didn’t know why she was crying. Because of her job? Or because somebody was at her place? Her home?

The person sitting there must have felt her presence because he turned and looked at her. She couldn’t see his face clearly because of the tears in her eyes.

“Oh hi!”

He said and waved at her. But she didn’t reply and marched back. Tears now falling from her eyes as she entered her apartment.

Karan sat there stunned. What just happened? He had, like a normal human being, greeted someone. But that person had very surprisingly run away the moment he uttered his greeting. Did he scare her off? Did she think that he was some ghost or something?

He shrugged and crossed his legs in front of him. He leaned back, resting his body weight on his hands and stared ahead.

The view from here was beautiful. This could become his go to place. This place was so peaceful.

Monami had cried herself to sleep that night. She had no energy to get up and go to the company the next day. But she dragged herself. She was in the society compound waiting for her cab to arrive when she heard someone call her from behind.

“Hey! How are you?”

The man asked with a grin and Monami frowned.

“I…umm… who are you?”

“You didn’t recognise me? Kal mai chhat pr tha, aur tum mujhe waha dekh kr bhaag gyi thi.”

(I was at the terrace yesterday, and you ran after seeing me.)

He clarified and she felt her anger return. He was the one who stole her spot! She gritted her teeth and took a threatening step towards him making him take a step back because of the sudden shift in her mood.