Chapter 223 - Who gave you the right to meddle in MY life?

Srinivas patiently waited outside Zee's apartment. He sat down beside the door bunching his legs in front of him.

Even though the security around Zee was eased a bit since Naren did not seem to be concerned with Zee, Shreya still had someone drive Zee around to wherever she went. So, it would be really much of use to wait for her outside the club. And no matter what, Zee never stayed over the whole night anywhere. She always comes back to her apartment.

By the time Zee stumbled back to her apartment completely exhausted, it was well past midnight.

She stopped in her track seeing the figure waiting for her. She recognized him right away which just pissed her off so much more than she already was. When did she start recognizing vague shadows of a person in dark corridors? When did she start having that much interest in a person outside of work?

She did not like these questions and nor the answers.

"What are you doing here?" She asked straight away with an irritated voice.

Srinivas's lips twitched at her tone. He leisurely got up from his place and went ahead and pressed is the thumb on the security lock. And the doors unlocked after a beep. He opened the doors as waiting for Zee to go in first without saying a word.

Zee glared at him. She really wished she could beat that sickeningly happy smile off his face. Because she knew he was probably amused at her expense. She still stomped into the apartment without arguing.

She went in and straight-up crashed on her couch head first without really bothering to take off her shoes. Her purse landed unceremoniously on the floor with a clinking sound.

Srinivas just shook his head sighing before picking up after her. He first switched on some lights. Then he placed her purse at the table and then came back and removed her heels.

He got used to her like that from when he was following her around like a hawk.

"Switch off the lights!" Zee's voice commanded and he instantly dimmed the lights in the living room.

"Come on. Go back to your room and sleep. You will get sore muscles in the morning if you end up sleeping here." Srinivas said then coming to sit beside her on the floor.

As soon as her head hit the cushions, her exhaustion came back to her.

She did not even have the energy to get angry.

"Why did you come here?" Zee mumbled weakly. She barely had the strength to keep her eyes open. She shifted her head and snuggled into the couch's pillow. This was her habit from forever. Srinivas had seen it each and every day for as long as he had been with her.

She would just tire herself to the point where she could practically pass out before coming back home to actually pass out. It is almost like she is afraid to come back home any less exhausted. It was almost like she couldn't fall asleep without being at the verge of going unconscious when she reaches home.

"I just came to see you…" Srinivas replied. His voice unconsciously became soft as his hands caressed over her head.

"Why do you have to show up in front of me?" She mumbled irritated this time keeping her eyes half-open.

"Why? You don't like it when I am in front of you?" Srinivas asked as calmly as ever.

"I don't like it… You are already crowding my head… where would I go if you are going to crowd my apartment too!" Zee said her voice unconsciously became as if she was whining. It was almost like she was throwing a tantrum like a kid.

Srinivas couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Although his voice was soft, it still reverberated in the quiet apartment.

Zee's eyes flared up all over again. But before she could say anything, Srinivas caressed her head soothingly and said softly, "Okay. Okay. Don't get angry. I am not smiling anymore. Just get some sleep now. We can talk tomorrow…"

"I don't want to talk to you tomorrow!" Zee stuck on to just one piece of his sentence ignoring the rest.

"Okay… we won't talk. Now just get some sleep okay? You look exhausted!" Srinivas still patiently coaxed.

"Who do you think is the reason for that?" Zee frowning complaining.

"Okay. It's my fault okay… now I will leave you to sleep. I won't disturb you anymore, okay…? Now go to your room and get some sleep…" He still said calmly and patiently in spite of knowing that Zee was being extremely naïve and childish.

Seeing as she was going to keep arguing as long as he was around, Srinivas actually walked out. Anyways, as long as Zee was going to watch what Shreya had sent her, she will know what actually happened. He did not really have to explain anything. So, he needn't be here and annoy her more than she already was. If he goes overboard, Zee was going to run so far away so fastly that he wouldn't have the time to blink… he did not want to see that happen.

He was a very patient man and he was in no hurry to win a race. So, he can afford to wait.

Just as the doors clicked, Zee peeks from the corner of her eyes before going to her bed and fell asleep in a blink.

The next day, Zee stormed into Shreya's office early in the morning looking extremely pissed.

Shreya just gave her a perfunctory look as she always does before going back to work.

"It was you, wasn't it? You did it… purposely… He wouldn't do something like that. He is not good with trickery!" Zee said really pissed. Her voice was seething with annoyance and anger.

"Not bad. You know him well!" Shreya just said smirking without really bothering to deny or explain.

"Why did you do that? From when did you start getting nosy? Haven't you always been too lazy to bother about anybody else's life?" Zee flared up. She did not even know why she was so angry over a simple prank but she was.

That small prank had brought out the feeling she had so desperately denied. It brought out the things she did not know she had buried deep inside her heart. She did not like this feeling. It scared her.

And the fear always came out as anger as long as Zee was concerned. She would never admit she is scared of anyone. Because being scared and not being scared had always been the difference between being alive or being a victim for her. She hated herself being a victim. She had long before promised herself to never be a victim again.

"I have always been nosy but had been just too lazy to care so far when it came to you since you did not like it." Shreya just answered still very indifferently.

"So, why now? Why did you do that?" Zee pressed.

"I just wanted to test whether you are lying to others or lying to yourself… I guess it is a bit of both seeing you…" Shreya answered. 

Zee just glared at Shreya without really replying to anything.

"Stop lying to yourself, Zeenath. You want to let someone in… you want to be happy with someone. Just because you keep saying you do not need anybody in your life doesn't make it true." Shreya just lectured sternly.

But before she could say some more, Zee raised her palm and said, "Stop it, Shreya. Stop it before its too late… Who do you think you are? Who gave you the right to meddle in MY life? If you think just because I have been around you for a while now will invariably give you the right to poke into mine… let me tell you… you are wrong… You have no right whatsoever. So just stay out of it!" She no longer cared about what she said or did. She was riled up beyond any reason by then.

Shreya did not even flinch after hearing Zee. She just sat back on her chair and crossed her legs as she looked at Zee calmly and started talking.

"I know I am a 'nobody' to you. I have always known that. I know where I stand when it came to you. I would never cross that line. But Srinivas is somebody to me… and planned or not, you have become someone he cares about. And I care about him… So, it had nothing to do with you. And I do know too well that I have no right poking into your life… And I also know that just because I trust you doesn't mean that you should reciprocate it. I would never cross those lines with you… And rest assured, this is the first and last time I ever did something for him when it regards to you. So, you may leave now. I am done explaining." Shreya's voice went ice cold at the end of the sentence.

Zee turned around walked without a word but before she could leave completely Shreya said one last thing, "Oh, yea. If you have decided to rot in your own personal hell all alone for life… I wouldn't meddle in it… But next time I introduce someone to him for real, don't go scratching him. You have no right to do that to him either… not when you have no thought of ever letting him in…"