The Gala
The stairs were very long.
The floor was covered in carpet. This red carpet was really thick. Walking on the red carpet in high heels was not easy. These high heels were four inches high. They were made of steel which made them very heavy. Esha felt like she was going to fall down because of the heels and the thick red carpet.
Esha held on to the man. She had a grip on his arm. The mans arm was really hard. It felt like a rock when she touched it even though he was wearing a velvet jacket. The man was pulling Esha up the stairs. He was not being gentle, with her. The man was actually dragging Esha up the stairs a bit.
There were so many people there.
The people at this event were all dressed up in tuxedos.
The women had on long gowns that caught everyones eye.
These gowns were super shiny they really stood out.
The people were holding glasses of champagne they looked like they were having a time.
The people were laughing the women were laughing the people were laughing loudly.
This loud laughing sounded fake, to Esha it did not sound like laughter to Esha.
Zaviyar leaned close to her ear. He wanted to say something to her so Zaviyar leaned in close. Zaviyar was next, to her ear now.
The man told me not to trip. He spoke in a low voice. If I trip the cameras will snap a photo of me.. If they do that my picture will be, in the newspaper tomorrow. The big headline will say that I am a person. The man does not like people who're clumsy he really does not like clumsy people, especially me being clumsy.
Esha said "I will not trip". She looked down at her feet. Esha focused on putting one foot in front of the foot. Esha did it like this: one Eshas foot, the other Eshas foot.
The people finally got to the top of the stairs. They were, at the top of the stairs now. The top of the stairs was where they were.
It was warmer here. I think this was because of the heaters. The heaters were really blowing a lot of air on the people. The people were feeling the air from the heaters.
Arjun was just standing there. He was not doing anything just standing. Arjun was looking around. Arjun did not seem to be looking at anything, in particular. Arjun was simply standing there.
Arjun was there. Arjun was ten feet away, from me. Arjun was talking to a woman who was wearing a dress. This woman was laughing at Arjuns joke. Arjun looked really happy. Arjun looked very relaxed.
Esha felt really sick. She had a pain in her stomach. It felt like Esha had swallowed a rock or something. The rock felt heavy, in Eshas stomach.
Arjun turned his head. He looked to the side. Arjun was really looking at something. The thing that Arjun was looking at was very interesting, to Arjun.
He saw Zaviyar first. Then his smile just disappeared. His face became really hard and stern. He looked like something stinky was right, under his nose like he smelled something very bad.
Then he saw Esha. He was looking at Esha. Esha was standing in front of him and he saw Esha.
He saw the girl wearing a dress. The green dress really caught his eye. Then he noticed her lips. They were very dark. He also looked at the diamonds that were on her neck. The diamonds on her neck sparkled. He kept looking at the diamonds, on her neck. The green dress she was wearing.
The man frowned. His face scrunched up. He squinted his eyes. The man looked really confused.
The man did not know who the woman was. The woman was a stranger, to him. He did not recognize the woman all.
Esha felt relief. She felt sad too. The thing is, he did not know Esha. Esha was his cousin. He had no idea. Esha grew up with him they were family.. When he looked at Esha he saw a stranger someone he had never met. The makeup Esha wore did its job. Her new hair style was convincing. Even her attitude was different. It was like Esha Roy did not exist anymore. Now there was Anya Sharma.
Zaviyar walked towards him. Zaviyar pulled Esha with Zaviyar.
Arjun Zaviyar said. He did not put out his hand for Arjun to shake. Zaviyar just stood there looking at Arjun. Arjun thought Zaviyar looked really tall. Zaviyar also looked like a person.
"Zaviyar " Arjun said. He put his glass down on a tray. Then he stood up a little straighter. "I really did not think you would come to see me. I thought Zaviyar was busy losing all his money in America."
Zaviyar smiled. This was not a smile. The smile did not go all the way, to his eyes. Zaviyar had a smile on his face.
Zaviyar said that he is never too busy for charity. He also wanted to introduce me to someone. Zaviyar thought this was an opportunity to do that. Charity is something that's very important, to Zaviyar.
Zaviyar put his hand on Eshas back. It felt warm, to Esha. Zaviyar pushed Esha forward a bit. Zaviyar wanted Esha to keep moving. Esha took a step forward because Zaviyar was pushing her.
"This is Anya Sharma " Zaviyar said. "She is my Chief of Strategy, at our company Anya Sharma is really going to help us out with our plans and I think Anya Sharma will do a great job.
Arjun looked at Esha. He looked into Eshas eyes. Arjun wanted to see what Esha was thinking. He kept looking into Eshas eyes.
Esha stopped breathing. She held her breath in her chest. Esha waited for him to say Eshas name. Esha waited for him to say "Esha?"
The person did not do it.
The man just nodded his head. He looked really bored like he did not want to be at all.
"Ms. Sharma " Arjun said. "It is nice to meet you. You have a tough job to do. Fixing the mess that Zaviyar made is not going to be easy all. Zaviyars mess is a problem and fixing Zaviyars mess will take a lot of work.
Esha let out her breath. Then she spoke. Esha used the voice that was not really hers. It was the voice that Esha had learned to use. The American voice that Esha had practiced much.
Esha said that she likes jobs that're really hard. The easy jobs are just not interesting, to her. She thinks that jobs that are difficult are more fun to do. Esha likes jobs because they are not boring like the easy ones.
Arjun laughed. "You do sound confident. Zaviyar likes people who're confident. He usually ends up firing people after a month but at first Zaviyar likes them a lot. Zaviyar has this thing, for people it is just that it does not last very long with Zaviyar.
Esha said "I do not get fired. I get results." She meant that she is very good at her job and people like what she does. Esha gets things done that is what she does. Esha said it like that because she is confident, about her work and she knows that Esha always does a job.
Zaviyar squeezed her shoulder. He really liked the answer she gave. His fingers pressed into her skin a little bit. Zaviyar liked that answer a lot.
Ms. Sharma is really good at what she does Zaviyar said. The American division is in trouble. Ms. Sharma is going to make it better. Ms. Sharma is also going to stop the leaks, in the division.
Arjuns face changed it was really quick for a second. His eyes did this flicker thing. He looked pretty nervous all of a sudden.. Then he was back, to normal again like nothing had happened to Arjun.
"Leaks?" Arjun said. I do not know what he is talking about. He tells me that leaks are a problem. I think this is something to do with water pipes. Arjun says it sounds like a plumbing problem that needs to be fixed. The leaks are probably causing a lot of trouble.
Zaviyar said it is a problem with rats. Ms. Sharma is really good, at catching these rats. She knows how to deal with the rat problem.
The air between the two men was really heavy. You could feel the tension. It felt like they were going to start punching each other at any moment.. They were not throwing punches. The two men were fighting with words. They were saying some mean things to each other. The two men were having an argument. The words of the two men were, like punches.
Esha stood between them. She felt really strange like nobody could see her. Esha was on Zaviyars side she liked being with Zaviyar. But her blood was related to Arjuns family so she had a connection to Arjun too. This was all very confusing, for Esha. It made Eshas head hurt a lot.
Arjun said "Well I wish you good luck with the rats. I really have to go because my father is waiting for a call, from me. The rats are going to be a lot of work. I hope you can handle the rats. I will talk to you later my father is waiting for the call.
Arjun looked at Esha one time. He could not. Notice the diamonds that were on Eshas neck. The diamonds, on Eshas neck were really beautiful.
Arjun said that the necklace is really nice. Zaviyar has taste when it comes to jewelry. The thing about Zaviyar is that he usually buys things like this necklace just to show them off to people. Zaviyar likes to wear jewelry, like this necklace because it looks good on him.
Esha said it was a gift. She said this was, for the evening.
"Be careful " Arjun said. He leaned in a bit. "The gifts that Zaviyar gives you always come with a price tag. When it comes to the Khans you do not get anything for free. Zaviyars gifts and the Khans they just do not mix with things."
Arjun walked away. Arjun disappeared into the crowd.
Esha stood there. She felt really shaky. The high heels were making Esha feel like her legs were going to give way. Eshas legs felt very weak in those heels.
Zaviyar looked down at her. He saw the way she was standing. It made him feel something. Zaviyar was really looking at her taking in every detail of her face. The way Zaviyar looked at her said a lot, about what he was thinking. Zaviyar looked down at her. He could not help but stare.
The man said that the person did a job. The man told them they did good.
Esha said "He did not know me."
Her voice was really quiet.
He looked at Esha but Esha could tell he did not know who Esha was.
Zaviyar said "Why would he do that?" He looked at her. Said "You are not Esha Roy tonight. Tonight you are Anya Sharma. Anya Sharma is the woman who is going to destroy him Zaviyar thought to himself. He said it out loud "You are Anya Sharma, the woman who will destroy him".
Zaviyar took two glasses of champagne from a waiter. Then he handed one of the glasses of champagne to Esha.
The man told me to drink something. I really do look pale he said. The man was looking at me with concern saying that I should have a drink.
Esha picked up the glass. Then she drank from it. The bubbles, in the drink really burned her throat.
The drink was very cold. Esha did not like that the bubbles burned her throat when she drank the drink.
She said what now.
"Now we mix with people " Zaviyar said. "Now we show everyone that the people who are, with us are happy. We smile at them. We laugh with them. We tell them things that're not true so they think we are winning with Zaviyar."
He took her arm again. Then he pulled the woman into the room. He pulled her into the room so they could talk. The woman and he were now, inside the room.
The room was full of people. The room was full of noise.
Esha walked with him. She held her head high. Kept a big smile on her face making sure her teeth were showing the whole time. Esha was happy to be walking with him.
She was Anya Sharma. She was the weapon.
Down she was still just a girl. This girl really missed her cousin. The girl wanted to go home. She was a girl who felt homesick. The girl just wanted to be, with her family again.
Zaviyar whispered to me "Smile."
Esha smiled. She had a smile, on her face. Esha was really happy.
It was the hardest thing she ever did.