Shatakshi couldn't get Sriansh out of her mind. The whole week she thought of him. She even thought of visiting him at the lab but then dismissed the idea. What if she looks desperate to him?

The whole week passed like this and today is a Monday again. She knew he would be at work.

She didn't have anything to do today. Even her roommate had taken an off from work.

"Mini? Tu free hai aaj?"

Her roomie asked and Shatakshi nodded.

"Great! Mall chalte hai na. I want to get a few things."

Shatakshi groaned and sunk more into the couch.

"No! Mai nhi jaaungi tere saath. You always do this. You take me along and make me walk the entire mall for three hours only to get one pair of jeans."

Nisha chuckled and said.

"Achha baba! Iss baar jaldi krungi pakka. And tere liye bhi children section se kuch dilwa dungi."

She joked but Shatakshi didn't like it. Although she didn't say anything. A sudden thought struck her and she decided.

"You know what? I do have something I have to do today."

She said and rushed to her room. She might look desperate but she wanted to see him. What if he didn't remember her? Dekha jaayega Shatakshi! Just go!

And so she did. She reached the address written on the card he gave her. He had said that she wouldn't have any problem at entry. And she didn't.

The person at the reception asked her where she wanted to go and she told him the name. He made her entry in the register and she was told the way to his lab.

She was standing in front of his lab. Her palms got sweaty now. What if he really didn't remember her? That would be too embarrassing. But she'd come so far. Going back from here would be a waste.

She knocked on the door but there was no reply. She knocked again but still. Was he not inside?

She twisted the knob and peeked in. An amazed expression formed on her face. She walked inside and looked around with awe. She'd never seen a botany lab before. And it was pretty. All these instruments and so many plants.

"Excuse me?"

She heard a voice from behind her and turned around to see Sriansh. He was wearing a lab coat and and a mask. His eyes covered with science goggles and he had headphones around his neck. This might be why he didn't listen to her knocking on the door.

His eyes widened in recognition. She was here! He'd spent the whole week thinking about her.

"Shatakshi?"

"You remember me?"

She asked biting her lip and walked towards him. He removed his headphones, goggles and mask.

"Ofcourse I do! I didn't expect tum aaogi."

His face had a wide smile on his face. He discreetly raked his eyes down her body and looked into her eyes.

"You're wearing lotuses."

She frowned at his words and her gaze moved down to her top. It had lotuses printed on it. She smiled and shrugged.

"Suits you! And your personality."

"What does it mean?"

She asked and he smiled taking a step closer to her.

"Lotuses grow in muddy and swampy water. But even then, they're considered the purest flowers. Just like you Shatakshi. In this muddy and swampy world, you're a lotus. So pure and so pious."

She fell short of words at his description. No one had ever described her like that. It was so...so beautiful. She felt beautiful. She lowered her head and tucked her hair behind her ear in shyness.

Sriansh smiled seeing her reaction. He wanted to kiss her forehead but stopped himself. Instead, he ushered her forward.

"Come on! Let me give you a tour of the lab."

She looked at him excitedly.

"Yes! That's what I came here for."

He chuckled and said.

"I promise it'll be worth it."

She nodded and he passed her a few things.

"Lekin safety first. Wear these gloves, mask and glasses. She did as told and gave him a thumbs up when she was ready.

"So you know, botany is not just about flowers. It's about all kinds of plants. Including medicinal herbs and even weeds."

She listened to him with rapt attention.

"You grow weed here?"

He chuckled at her question and shook his head.

"I don't grow weed. But I work on the other uses it might have. For example, a small amount of these drugs are used in medicines."

She nodded again and he took her near an area where a lot of herbs and flasks were kept.

"You can take off your mask to take in the smell if you want to."

She did so excitedly but put it back almost immediately when a stench smell hit her senses.

"Eww! What's that?"

"That's medicinal herbs."

"Bataya kyu nhi they stink?"

He chuckled and said.

"I did say "smell"".

She gave him a side eye and he explained her about it. He then took her to another area where some more plants and flasks were kept.

"You can remove your mask and take in the fragrance."

She looked at him cautiously and asked.

"If this also smells bad na toh meri naak gaali degi aapko."

She said removing her mask and carefully bending down to take in the fragrance as he asked. And oh boy! It was the most soothing scent she had ever sniffed.

"What is this? This is so soothing."

"This is Lavender. It is considered to have the most soothing fragrance and which is why it is also sometimes said to have therapeutic qualities."

She nodded and took in the fragrance again.

"We extract it using scientific methods jisse pure essential oil extract hota hai. No chemicals or hazardous substances involved. Lekin ye oil direct skin pr nhi laga skte. It is too pure and direct reaction ho skta hai. Even a drop of these oils cost thousands. Even a drop."

He said and her eyes widened. When he said that they extracted it she was going to ask for some but hearing his cost she dropped the plan.

He showed her more instruments and things in his lab. 

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