Have

‘Delusional?’ the voice in her head commented.
Because that’s the most sensible explanation. He sounds completely delusional, either unable to grasp reality or deliberately avoiding it.
Who behaves like this, twisting words out of context and pretending they were the exact words spoken?
“Now, can I go sit?” Priya asked, annoyed, not wanting to continue the conversation. She’d had enough.
“Didn’t you ask me earlier if I had an allergy, so couldn’t you rub it? Maybe it’ll make me feel better,” Priyank said, his eyes wide, giving her the most innocent expression he could muster.
It was the same expression he always gave his mother, and now, to Priya.
These were the only two people he showed his inner child to, maybe with Priya, he could show all his sides, even the ones he tried to hide from his mom.
“I didn’t cause any allergies. I never touched you to cause it, so why would I rub it? And since when does rubbing heal an allergy?” Priya asked, struggling to maintain her balance.
Her feet were ready to give out, never having been physically strong. She’d always been more of a nerd, not someone who was active physically. Standing for over an hour was taking its toll, something she couldn’t believe she was enduring.
But if he knew she was in pain, maybe he would let her sit. She couldn’t keep standing or she’d end up falling on her face, her feet in agony.
“You can, if you run my allergy down, do it, then maybe I will let you sit”
Priya’s frustration boiled as she struggled to make sense of Priyank’s irrational behaviour. She couldn’t understand why he would twist their words and manipulate the situation to suit his own narrative.
With a heavy sigh, she realised that engaging in further conversation with him would only lead to more frustration. She needed to prioritise her own well-being and sanity over trying to reason with someone who seemed determined to misunderstand her.
“No, I am not going to do it,” Priya muttered, her voice tinged with resignation. “I’m going to sit down now. If you want to continue doing this, you can do it alone.”
“Try it, sweetheart. If you even attempt to move your feet from here, I swear it won’t end anytime soon. You’ll be standing even longer, and don’t blame me for that because it’s not me trying to get on your nerves,” Priyank pointed at her, his gaze intense.
His eyes seemed to challenge her, daring her to defy him. He wanted to test her resolve, to see just how much courage she possessed.
Already standing before him, with all the innocence and courage she could muster, Priya felt a surge of determination. But now, he wanted to see just how far she was willing to go, to push herself to the limit.
“I’m not scared of you,” she said firmly, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.
“Who said you need to be scared of me? I don’t even want that,” Priyank’s lips stretched into a wicked smile as his eyes scanned her from top to bottom.
He put his fingers under his chin, tapping, looking intimidating in the moment.
“Then what do you want from me?” Priya asked, summoning whatever strength she had left, unable to continue standing and arguing with him.
He had made her stand for over an hour.
She had done it, not wanting to provoke him.
She didn’t know why he blamed her for looking at that employee; she had only glanced out of pity.
‘Now see, it’s you who’s looking pitiful,’ her conscience mocked.
“Guess sweetheart”
Priya’s frustration grew as Priyank continued to play mind games with her. She couldn’t understand his motives or why he insisted on exerting control over her every move.
Feeling drained both mentally and physically, Priya struggled to maintain her composure.
‘Calm down,’ she chanted in her head, knowing her anger would only give him satisfaction.
He would revel in getting on her nerves, something she desperately wanted to avoid.
The more she reacted, the more he would tease, finding joy in provoking a response from her.
That’s exactly what he wanted: to provoke her into speaking out, only to play innocent and shift all the blame onto her when she was the one who hadn’t done anything wrong.
“I have no guess. Tell me what exactly is your problem?” she asked, her voice tinged with frustration.
“I already told you, but you still can’t guess. Such a skill issue. But didn’t I tell you to rub my allergy off, and I will let you sit,” he said, his tone smug.
Priya took a deep breath, trying to keep her cool despite the mounting words.
She refused to let Priyank’s taunts get the best of her.
“I’ve already told you, that’s not happening,”she replied, her voice steady. “But you seem to enjoy playing games rather than addressing the issue.”
She could feel her patience wearing thin, but she knew she had to stay focused if she wanted to get through to him.
“And as for your ‘allergy,’ I’m not going to entertain that nonsense.”
Priya’s words were firm, her resolve unshaken.
No matter how hard she tried to control her anger, Priya found it impossible with Priyank. He had a way of pushing her buttons and then acting as if she was the one speaking the hurtful words he spat out.
It seemed like he was only capable of senseless behaviour, both in his actions and his words.
“Then you’re also not sitting because that sounds like nonsense to me too,” Priyank retorted, his tone dripping with arrogance. “It’s not just about giving orders; it’s about compromise, Priya. I’ve already told you what I want, now it’s on you. I don’t mind if you want to keep standing here day and night. The office is big enough for me to work and sleep, while you keep proving how strong your feet are.”
“Then stand with me. Why do I have to stand while you get to sit?” Priya challenged.
“Because I have work to do. You were so free to look at other men, that’s why you’re standing here. Now you can’t say you’re not free. See, I’ve been working since I got here, while you were just sitting and staring at people,” Priyank taunted, his words dripping with sarcasm.