“Oh, so you think that you are designer? Really? Getting an engineering degree in computer science and building some websites does not make you a ‘designer’! You understand that, right?” Aabha says so while trying not to be furious and maintain a professional tone. She seriously does not like Kirti to interfere in her work or rather doubt her work.
“Oh, so you getting some degree in strategic design makes you a designer? And it suddenly makes you an expert in ‘website design’, is it? It makes you understand the psychology behind choosing colours or prioritising certain colours, the placement of stuff on screen? Seriously! You think that getting an engineering degree gives you all this? Who are you trying to fool?” Aabha walks away, pulling out all her designs from the table and tearing them apart, throwing them into the trash bin.
“Aabha, come on yaar, this way we will never get to complete our website. You know all engineers think the same way! They think that designers are just some people who know how to draw and use colours! Be an evolved person here! And you know Kirti. She is just freaking out!” says Anmol trying to coax Aabha to get into the meeting. He did not know that Kirti was freaking out or not! But he knew he could bring Aabha to understand and also she did not have a gargantuan anger. It was easy with her. Kirti, on other hand has always been a tough person to negotiate with. But, then this website, this was their idea, his and Aabha’s. Kirti was one of the best programmer they could hire in their tiny budget!
“All right.” Aabha shrugs her shoulder and gives a fake smile to Anmol. “Lets set down certain rules or what ever and get back to work!”
“Yes” Anmol fist pumps in triumph. He walks with Aabha down the corridor, towards the meeting room. He opens the door. “Well, ladies first.”, smiles at Aabha while closing the glass door.
“So, should we start?” He asks looking at the two young promising talented women.
“What we will do is, Aabha will get in her design mumbo jumbo and Kirti will get in her programming mumbo jumbo. All right?” Both women give him a stern stare. “See, I don’t understand any of it, nor design, nor programming. In the same way you guys don’t understand finance. So, lets try and understand everybody’s point of view and make the best website we can! OK?”
“Ok.” Kirti opens her laptop, cables it up for projector.
“Ok.” Aabha shrugs, removing all the paper from the paper from trash bin, joining the pieces, trying to remove wrinkles off it.
“So, you understand that your main page is important. Right?” Kirti looks at Aabha with a scorn.
“Oh, really? I thought it were the rest of the pages.” answers Aabha with a sarcastic tone.
“Seriously Aabha?” Anmol is staring at her.
“OK. Sorry!” Aabha answers to Anmol. “But, don’t you think that we all know that?”
Kirti sighs. “I am sorry. Lets start again. So, basically, you know our first page of website should not be much of design elements nor too much of script. Our first page has to come down to a maximum of 500kB. This gives us a better speed ranking in google search. So, which means that the logo, the colours and the design should fit in that range. More over, as I know that your budget is low and you guys are going to go for shared hosting, this limit still goes down to 250kB. So, basically, the header, that is the first part of website should be really light! As in space wise.”
“You know Kirti, I know that. This is not my first web design project. You know that right?” Aabha is still angry, but atleast she is not that sarcastic.
“I am sorry. All right? Let us just give this a rest now! Show me your basic designs. Your phone is vibrating Anmol. Please pick it up. That noise is so irritating.”
Anmol leaves the room, to attend the call. When he comes back to the meeting room, he is very surprised. Aabha, the real sarcastic one, smiling and explaining her ideas. Kirti, the tough nut, smiling and really listening to her ideas. What happened during the call that these two suddenly got along so well? He is a bit sceptical, but if this means that both these women have started working on the project then his day is good.
“Oh, here returns the God of management and finance. Bathe him with flower petals.” Aabha retorts as Anmol was almost out for two hours.
“Aabha.” Kirti slaps her arm.
“What? You are now suddenly on his side?” Aabha asks Kirti.
“When were you both on the same team?” Anmol asks both stunned.
Kirti just shrugs her shoulder. “Well, we are decided on the look and the feel of the first page. We are just giving in a few touches here and there. It will be done in a few minutes. Till then, please stop bickering you two.”
“Ok.” both answer simultaneously with mildly disappointed tone.
“Here, we are done with basic mock up of first page. You can run your ‘mumbo jombo’ on it.” Kirti marking inverted commas in air by hand while mentioning mumbo jumbo and giving a tired smile.
“Wow. Its great. So, lets meet next week?” Anmol asks, certainly happy with results in-spite of a rough start.
“Yes.” Kirti collects her laptop and leaves the room.
As soon as Kirti leaves the room, Aabha lashes out at Anmol. “Why the hell you did not tell me that you found this Kirti for our project?”
“Well, first, stop shouting. Second, she is one of the best. You saw how quickly she did her work!
“I know she is the best, but she is also stubborn!”
“As if you are not stubborn!”
“You know what? I am leaving. I have had enough of drama for one day, I just wished you should have told me her full name.” Aabha collects all her designs very quickly and leaves before Anmol could answer her anything.
——–
Aabha is really tensed to ring the bell at her own home. She has been standing in front of her door from past half an hour, mustering courage to face whatever happens, when that door is opened. Even few of her neighbours eye her curiously but they do not approach her as they are too polite to be meddling in other’s life.
Finally, she rings the bell. As soon as the door opens, Aabha starts rambling. “I know, I should have told you about the website and all that we were planning from few months. I am so sorry. You know I wanted to surprise you with it. I did not know what Anmol was doing and who he was hiring. I seriously did not want to do what I did today. I behaved really bad with you. I am sorry.”
Kirti has a huge a smile on her face. “Come here you sarcastic talented girl.” Kirti pulls her in by tugging her shirt and closes the door. She pushes Aabha against the door, pins her hands above her head and plants a passionate kiss on her lips. Kirti cups Aabha’s face, looking into her eyes with love she cannot express with words. “You know you are my home. Right? Don’t wait for so long.”
