As the days passed, Aashi and Rishabh came intimately closer. Aashi's initial hesitance and nervousness slowly shed away. And she mastered the art of kissing. Even, her parents noticed changes in the earlier dull and robotic Aashi. They asked her many times for the reason, but she kept refusing. Until Rishabh doesn't commit, she has decided to not involve their parents. Everything was going wonderful for the two best friends who are now madly in love with each other. The only problem, and reason of their occasional fights was Rishabh's hesitance to commit. Aashi knows he loves her, there is no doubt, but also, she doesn't want to be in nameless relationship. She wants commitment, she wants to settle down with him, officially. But, Rishabh still has commitment issues. He thinks their relationship might not be the same with the tag. Aashi sees this fear as irrational and stupid.

One day, Aashi woke up with a bright smile. She checked her phone and her smile widened on seeing a video message from her parents. Happily, she clicked on the video.

Her parents had their face pressed against the mobile screen as they sang for her the Happy Birthday song. It's twelfth of November and it is Aashi's birthday. By the time the video ended, she had happy tears in her eyes. She then checked her emails for her friend's sarcastic and interesting messages. She frowned on seeing none of them had bothered texting her. She felt slightly offended. She scrolled down her mails. All those who have wished her are mostly her colleagues, all of them not important. Aashi pressed her lips tightly and removed the duvet from over her. She slid down the bed and wore her slippers. Tugging down the hem of her grey over-sized night Tee she walked towards her wardrobe.

************************

Aashi climbed down the car. She adjusted the knot of the belt of her mustard pencil dress and ironed the pleats of puffed sleeves. She took out her phone from the pocket of her dress, stared at it and got disappointed on seeing no messages. She stuffed it back in the pocket and hung the sling of her laptop bag.

Aashi walked confidently into the office building. Many staffs greeted her, and she smiled warmly at them. She kept looking around hoping to catch Himanshu or Rishabh. To her bad luck, she spotted none of them. The elevator door opened, and she sighed entering the empty elevator.

She kept feeling restless and to distract herself she announced a surprise review. She knew many of her team members must be cursing her, but she can't help it. She wants to see Rishabh. He hasn't called or texted her. On normal days he always texts her then why not today, today was special.

*********************

Aashi entered the boardroom meeting and noticed that everyone from her team were present. As she walked towards her seat she scanned the room and immediately spotted Rishabh. He looked smart, as usual, in Lavender slim fit shirt. His hair perfectly combed and side parted. She kept looking at him as she sat in her seat, but he was too busy playing with his black tie. Aashi forced herself to look away.

'Shall we start?' Aashi addressed the room at large. There is a unison mummer. She eyed Rishabh as she spoke, - 'Shruti.' – she looked away and at a girl on the extreme end at the right side, - 'Shall we begin with you?'

The girl nodded nervously and stood up. She was an intern and this review meeting was a serious shocker for her. She was visibly nervous and kept fumbling. Aashi sighed rolling her eyes. She toyed with her pencil as she said, - 'Please sit, Miss. Shruti. And have a glass of water, please.' She avoided the girl's gaze as she spoke. Aashi then turned to her left, eyed Rishabh briefly before asking the man right next to him to start with the review. Rishabh looked up as well. Their gaze met but Aashi looked away quickly. If he was ignoring her, she will ignore him too.

Aashi ended the meeting within one hour and she didn't ask everyone's review, only handful of unlucky members. Rishabh was the one who was ignored. Aashi didn't like the fact that this didn't bother him. As everyone dispersed Rishabh looked at her as he passed by but Aashi looked away, haughtily.

*************************

Aashi hoped he contact her during lunch but he doesn't. She waited ten minutes before deciding to grab something to eat. As she rose from her seat there was a knock at the door. She smirked sitting back in her seat.

'Come in.' She tried to not sound excited. Her smile dropped when she saw Himanshu enter. He had a smile on her face.

At least he remembered my birthday - Aashi thought sadly.

'Hey, Lunch?' He said brightly. Aashi frowned.

Why didn't he wish her? Shouldn't that be the first thing he said? – Confusedly, Aashi thought.

Aashi doesn't correct him and quietly followed him to the elevator. Many times, he probed her to tell if something was wrong, but she doesn't tell him. To cheer her up, he even complimented her look, but nothing lifted her mood. Just then he exclaimed, - 'Rishabh.'

And Aashi's head shot up, she looked towards the direction of Rishabh's cabin. He waved at Himanshu but ignored Aashi. Angrily, she looked away. Rishabh stood beside them, greeted and side-hugged Himanshu while only chirping a "Hello" to Aashi.

Suddenly, she lost her appetite.

'I am not hungry.' She muttered with her head lowered. Himanshu frowned.

'Arey, Why? Have at least some-' She doesn't let him speak and quickly turned around. Quickly, she walked away.

Aashi ordered something from the canteen and tried working, but she couldn't. Rishabh's behavior hurt her and she couldn't stop her tears. She blinked her tears, but they kept pooling in her eyes. She angrily wiped them and continued to work.

This was not fair, Rishabh has never forgotten her birthday. Okay, it has been years, still, they are back to normal now, in fact, more than normal. Still?

Aashi sighed and wiped her tears again. She stared at the top of her pen as she twirled it in between her fingers. Rishabh has hurt her very much on her birthday.