Chapter 22

For the uninitiated, this was my first late night in Mumbai. I reached home post-midnight after all the shopping revelry. I didn't buy anything and post that expensive coffee, I won't be able to hail a taxi even in an emergency for the coming few weeks.

The frantic calls from bua were giving me nightmares of the worst kind on my way home. Though Mumbai never slept and was much safer for women than Kolkata, my bua's paranoia was worse than that of my mother. Her repeated calls every fifteen minutes about my whereabouts made me jump. In our bid to try all kinds of clothes from the numerous designers on display, we completely forgot that we were getting late for home. Pooja had no qualms about reaching home late. Her parents were used to her late-night shenanigans in Mumbai.

The most I dreaded from my bua was not a scolding but her call to my parents for disciplinary action. The girl was going out of control in the big, bad city. My bua could pull the rug out from under my feet anytime and she would not hesitate to do so. She created a fuss about turning in so late, but this was my first time and I apologized profusely for not informing her well in advance. This was going to create a problem in the coming days for sure.

The next morning I made sure to be of as much help to bua as possible without any fuss. The reeking onions had now become my friend and I did not loathe them as much as I hated bua's conversations about early marriage, kids and family planning.

Since afternoon shifts began at around one, I desisted entering the canteen. It was thronged with people and most of them would be hounding Narayan uncle for lunch. I harassed him later in the afternoon at around four for a cup of his famous filter kaapi which I had discovered while talking to this loving, old man in the mornings. Our conversations were limited to food and my erratic schedules, beyond that we would lapse into a comfortable silence.

Pooja insisted on going to the canteen in the afternoon so did Prashant who never brought lunch. I had nothing better to so I tagged along. The canteen was a mess. There wasn't an inch of space for people to stand and the noise was deafening. I pleaded with Prashant and Pooja to move out. They reluctantly agreed when they could not find a place to sit and eat.

"Why don't you guys buy food from the aunty that comes to the office with packets?" I offered some help since I ruined their plan to enjoy lunch in the canteen.

"You are so haughty. We don't have an aunty to feed us hot, home-cooked food in Mumbai." Prashant spoke with much disdain.

I stuck out my tongue at him. "Okay, sorry. Let's get you food from someplace I know you would love."

"Totally dependent on you." Pooja sang in a tune.

While we were on our way out, Bini, Jesse, Swati walked in with packets of food in their hand.

"Going out for food?" Bini enquired.

"Yes, we missed aunty," Prashant spoke to her like a lovelorn puppy.

"We have got lots of food. Please feel free to join us." Bini spoke with much sincerity.

Pooja looked at me and so did Prashant as if I was the one in need of food and the decision rested on me.

"I would hate to see the food get wasted," I spoke on their behalf when the agonizing silence could have been misinterpreted by them as our high handedness.

"Lovely," Swati said. "We are eating in the lounge today. The cafeteria is so crowded."

"Is it allowed?" Prashant asked.

"Obviously!" She huffed. "Have you broken any rules Prashant, ever?" She spoke to him in a rude tone.

"I agree with him, it's too risky to have food near the studio."

"Rasik knows and he is joining in too."

I was put in my place by Bini without many words. The three of us followed her like errant students after the headmaster. There was enough food for thirty people while we were barely twenty present in our office. What a wastage of food!

I don't know what the party was for but it seemed like someone with deep pockets had thrown this spectacular food bonanza. Prashant and Pooja helped themselves while I stood wondering what the occasion was.

"The pizza is really yummy," Pooja told me to get her plate filled with 3 slices of them.

"Umm..." I nodded my head in agreement.

"Don't nod without eating."

"You're really missing something special," Prashant spoke with a mouthful of noodles.

"I know the food is tempting but I am full. Maybe if there is something left I will have it later in the evening."

"Looking at the way everyone is gorging the food it won't last for long."

The entire group of interns were there except Manto. People barely noticed her presence.

"Where is Manto?" It was more of a question I asked myself than to anyone present there. However, Prashant answered it for me.

"Manpreet has gone to take a byte of the Chief Minister."

"Wow! Great!" And time for me to wallow in self-pity.

"Why don't I get such opportunities?"

"Because there is nothing to be done, except hold the mic while the others ask the questions."

"Care to explain," I told Prashant. He had learnt more of the working ways of the channel than I had ever bothered to learn.

"So the scene is Siya was busy covering a report on BMC (Bombay Municipal Corporation) and couldn't make it on time for the CM's (Chief Minister) byte. Well, what they needed was the CM to answer a few questions on the BMC loopholes and well that's anyways going to be asked by the other reporters."

"So... what is left to be done for Manpreet is just to stand and hold the mic? That's shallow and very..."

I was interrupted by the loud shout of Binny which drew our attention to her object of admiration. And there standing and grinning was the man himself. Since the warm conversation we had shared last evening, something warm and fuzzy was growing inside me with respect to him. It was stupid of me to be infatuated and I had to stop myself from making a fool.

Pooja nudged me to see where he was coming out from. She whispered in my ear, "What on earth is he doing in the Editor's office?"

I shrugged. Prashant offered to help. This man had all the gossips in the world.

"Winds of change."

I coughed at his theatrical utterance. And that made everyone turn around to me. I coughed a little harder to act it was thoroughly natural. Bini's source of affection was in front of us and he surreptitiously winked at me. However, it didn't miss Pooja's sharp eyes.

"What was that?" She enquired candidly.

"What?"

"Don't tell me you didn't notice?"

"What didn't I notice?"

"He winked at you."

"Who?"

"The Star Reporter!"

"Have you lost your mind?"

"I totally believe you saw that otherwise, you wouldn't have been so defensive."

Our sweet nothings did not get unnoticed by Prashant who was standing right next to us munching on food from his plate.

"What is the matter with you two? You guys are whispering, the moment he has been here. Tell me the goss."

I made a sour face at him to indicate really, he thought so low of us. The loudmouth that Pooja was, she wanted to put me in a tight spot, and before she could do that, Bini and her conversation with Agam turned everyone's ears.

"What's the party for Bini? Am I missing anything?" Agam enquired.

"A girl can splurge her money other than on clothes, shoes and accessories."

Pooja and I snorted in unison. Bini looked at us with scorn. Prashant remained poker-faced and kept himself busy with the food.

"We aren't laughing at you." Pooja tried embalming her wounds amidst fits of laughter.

"Sorry," I said tersely. "Please continue, we are having our own share of fun and thank you for the food." I tried to diffuse the situation as much as possible. We left the place we were standing at and went near the desk where Rasik and the other producers sat. Bini and Agam continued their conversation while Pooja pinned me for details about what happened a few minutes back.

"Can I keep my phone here?" Agam intruded on my interrogation. I was tongue-tied, lest Pooja would interrogate me more about him. He kept the phone on the table and left.

"Of all the tables he found this one," Pooja remarked.

"It was the nearest to him." I defended.

"What is wrong with you? Have you got a problem with him?" Prashant chimed.

"No."

"Good then. Concentrate on the pizza." Prashant meticulously concentrated on the food and decided to add more to his plate. To escape Pooja and her unnecessary questions, I decided to get myself a slice of pizza too.

"I am going to join you. I need a pizza. Can't resist."

"Go girl! Pooja encouraged me, "Good food with other's money is always supposed to be enjoyed." I raised my eyebrows in mock disgust. She laughed at my antics. I grabbed myself a slice of pizza while Prashant headed towards the Biryani. His whisperings in my ear raised my hair and got me so nervous that I would have dropped my food, had it not been for his adept hands in handling it.

"Shit! You gave me a scare of my life."

"Is it?" His words were laced with sarcasm.

I made a face at him. Pooja's eyes were on my back and it made me cautious of my behaviour and my body stiffened in response.

"What happened?" He asked genuinely curious about my stiffened stance around him.

"All eyes on you and me. Unless you would enjoy the office gossip that you and I are the next best thing in the office to talk about."

"Humour me!"

"Humour you?" I had filled my plate and requested him not to turn back and stare at me like a total jerk.

"You're the first to tell me that?"

"What?" I said in between showering my pizza with generous bouts of oregano and chilli flakes.

"A jerk!"

"Then you better get a reality check sooner than before."

"Oh...kay," he said with such a straight face that I couldn't help but smile.

I left his side and he dutifully obeyed me. Pooja was still eyeing us suspiciously but I did not give her an opportunity to say a thing about my familiarity with Agam. Instead, I concentrated on asking Prashant about his interview experience. Prashant was all excited to share the details. Both Pooja and I got sucked into his storytelling.

"How was Tiggu? Did he live up to his reputation?" Pooja asked with her childish enthusiasm

"More than that," Prashant replied.

"Out with the deets," I asked injecting as much liveliness as possible. I was not in awe of Tiggu and had hardly seen a couple of his movies. Thank God Mihir chose Prashant, at least he could play the part of a star-struck fan appropriately.

"Well, he turned out to be one dick."

"Language." I reprimanded him.

"He is a Cunt with a big C, literally. All the respect I had for him as an actor got vanished in the few hours I was with him. Mihir was super calm and I sort of respect him for not losing his nerve."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief.

"Mihir asked him about the recent controversy surrounding his film and being accused of stealing people's credit for their rightful work. While he answered this question quite respectfully and with tact; when Mihir enquired him about his stance on supporting new talent in the industry, he asked us to switch off the camera. What he spoke after that shudders me every time I recall his words."

We didn't interrupt him and let him continue his story.

"He told us off-camera that he is open to taking in new scriptwriters and directors under his wing. He is even open to listening to new scripts and making a film out of it if it is worth the effort."

"But what was the clause..." Pooja was the most intuitive amongst us.

"He said that the newcomers should approach him with zero expectations of credit. He refused to give them their due because it was his money, his credibility that was riding on the film, so..."

"So, he desires the best of scripts and talents but none that could shake his stardom." I completed it for him.

I don't know what I felt more for Tiggu at that moment, hate or disgust. But whatever it was it didn't have to last long to affect me. Perhaps he was of no consequence to me and therefore even after the story, I heard, he only evoked some emotions and nothing more.

We stood quietly for a while engrossed in our own thoughts. The startling ring of the phone made us jump out of our skin.

"Gosh, that's eerie. Whose ring tone is that?"

I saw Agam standing at the end of the office waving his hand to me. He requested me to get his phone for him. Pooja offered to give it to him but as soon as he saw her leaving the desk he called out my name.

"Hey Abhilasha, can you please give me my phone?" He asked me in front of the entire team. "It's lying next to you on the table." He added it for more effect. Pooja flashed his phone to me. And I pretended to be as nonplussed as I could be.

I took my own sweet time to take his phone to him. And just as I was about to reach him, he exited the office into the smoking zone. I had to follow him out. And before I could find him, I crashed right into him as he turned over to take his phone from me.

"Gosh, check it out, man."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." He was quick in offering an apology.

I straightened myself and handed him his phone.

"What time does your shift get over today?" He asked casually.

"I don't know. Nothing clear as of now."

"I was thinking I could show you your favourite coffee outlet around here for you to enjoy your frappe and calzones."

I beamed but declined immediately. I had no money to splurge on such extravaganza. Last evening's coffee cost me my emergency fund. I don't know what kind of insane amount this would cost me. I was reluctant.

"I am not sure."

"Of...timings, coffee or going out with me?"

"If I say all the three..."

"Then I would ask you the reason for all the three."

"a) my shift has just started and I haven't done anything to say I have done some work. b) Coffee every day is not my scene. No, I love coffee but not in a café and c) I don't know if you're asking me for a coffee date on the pretext of showing me around." I dared to speak so cheekily. His face broke out into one of the widest grins possible.

"You and your smart mouth. You don't get rattled by me?"

"Did you with my high handedness in the train?"

"Well said!" And yet he persisted. "Is it a yes or no?"

"I don't know!"

"Fine. I will see you at nine at the parking lot and I have got my bike today."

I rolled my eyes at him surprisingly.

And before I could say anything more in denial, Pooja was out asking for me to join her in for a work briefing. I am sure I was not out for too long to have grown her suspicions. I decided to let the cat be out of the bag and tell her what she wanted to hear but only till the part I wanted her to know.

Agam nodded in understanding and made a move back to his office.

"So, you're still denying something exists between you two," Pooja asked with hurt evident on her face. What's with people and their nosiness in our business?

"Pooja, I swear nothing is going on between the two of us. But the one thing I haven't told you is that I know Agam from Kolkata." And I paused for a second to consider whether I wanted to reveal more intricate details about the story. But I decided to keep certain facts to myself.

"No, not as closely as Bini knows him. Bini is Agam's best friend's sister and they are roommates too. That explains their camaraderie. But we are more of acquaintances rather than friends and if I can take the liberty of understanding then you would understand that he just looks after me in the new city and keeps enquiring about my wellbeing."

"I trust you," Pooja said with such conviction that I was floored by her belief in me. No, I didn't feel a twinge of guilt for hiding facts when it was totally necessary to fall into a trap and get myself into harm's way.

"Thank you," I said to her genuinely touched for her faith in me though.

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The rest of the day was uneventful, unlike the afternoon. The boredom of sitting at the lounge and tiring my ass was just taking a toll on me when Mansi called me out to inform me that she wanted me to assist her on an interview tomorrow. My hopes surged and I was super excited for an opportunity like this to come my way. I jumped in ecstasy and thanked her profusely promising her to not let her down ever.

Mansi was genuinely nice and could not understand my excitement to work on the first onsite interview ever. She asked me to calm down and meet her at Filmcity sharp at 11:00 am. I wouldn't be late even if I would be damned.

I had been dreaming of this opportunity day and night. I kept on planning and playing all types of the scenario for the next day in my head and how to impress everyone with the right questions at the right time.

When I told Pooja and Prashant about my assignment they were more than happy for me. Pooja wasn't a bit disappointed that she was the only one left out from the group to get an opportunity to work on-site. Prashant was busy researching for a story of Mihir and Pooja and I left him in peace to talk about the details of my assignment.

"What are you planning to wear tomorrow?" Pooja asked innocently.

"Normal everyday clothes."

"Girl you are going to Filmcity, don't you think you should dress the part of being..."

I stopped her midway. "I am going to Filmcity for an interview not getting interviewed myself. Don't you think there is a vast difference between the two?"

"Yeah, but I mean to say please don't wear these kurtas of yours, instead opt for something killer in your wardrobe."

"You know Pooja you are mad."

Pooja replied with a "huh" and a long sigh. "When will you grow up and dress to kill. You are so pretty, you just need to wear the right things to accentuate your beauty."

"Me and pretty, this is a first."

"Why? You are fishing for more compliments or what?"

"No, it's just that I was never known amongst my friends and family as a pretty one. I have always considered myself as an average looking girl and I have no intent to win any beauty pageant ever in my life."

"Duh, Abhi, get your eyes checked. You are a perfect combination of beauty with brains. You look beautiful."

"Okay, if you say so," I replied complacently.

"Who the fuck has brainwashed you into believing, you aren't pretty?"

"No one. I kind of look at the mirror every day."

"Then I am going to argue that you haven't seen yourself in the mirror properly or better still you are blind to your own beauty."

"Whatever is the case let us rest this here." I stalled our dispute.

"What is the time?" I enquired, for a change in topic.

"Eight I believe," Pooja answered.

"Let's leave if there is nothing coming up."

"Sure."

We waited for a few more minutes and it seemed like a far stretch that there would be a story breaking out at this hour. We packed and swiped our cards to log out for the day. We were out of by 8:15 pm.

Seeing the quietness around the FBN office I wasn't quite sure if Agam would have been waiting for me. It was so stupid of me to never exchange numbers with him despite agreeing to go out with him the second time. Wait, but I never agreed to his proposition.

I decided to check him in the office and inform him about me calling it a night.

"Pooja, do you mind if I check in on Agam and inform him about me leaving for the day." I decided to avoid any speculation by playing it fair and square. This would avoid unnecessary questions as well as inappropriate thoughts in her mind about us.

"Abhi, I am sorry. I know I kept on egging you to tell me what was going on but trust me it was just to you know tease and have fun."

"I know about the bug called curiosity that lives within you," I joked.

"Thanks for understanding. Why don't you go and tell him while I will wait for you at the parking?"

I raised my eyes in question.

"I've got my own bike to ride to work."

"Oh! When did that happen?"

"My baba (dad) brought it for me this weekend."

"Super cool."

"I will give you a ride to the station."

"Yes. Just don't kill me."

"I have a license and I drive well."

"I take you for your word."

She grunted and I left her simmering in anger while I went to see Agam. The entire office space was dimly lit. There were hardly any people in the office. The studio was functioning while the cubicles were near empty. I went to Agam's desk but he wasn't there. I decided to check him in the vanity room. I was just about to enter when I saw Agam and Mansi exiting deeply engrossed in a conversation.

I turned to my heels and left but Mansi noticed me around and called out to me.

"Abhilasha, looking for me?"

I turned around. And before I could formulate a reply she realized that she hadn't exactly told me wherein film city I was supposed to meet her.

"Wondering where would I meet you tomorrow?"

"Yes," I said hesitatingly.

"Meet me at the gate and don't forget your ID."

I nodded in acknowledgement. "I will take your leave. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." She replied back politely.

Agam stood beside her throughout without betraying any flicker of emotion and not acknowledging my presence. Something pricked me at that moment. His behaviour shouldn't be affecting me and it was much better I stayed away from him. Any sort of involvement with him could make matters worse for me professionally and I couldn't risk that. I quietly left replacing hurt with excitement on my face to ride a bike with Pooja. I clutched Pooja tightly and once again reminded her that my life depended on her so she should think twice before throwing me off.

She cast an angry look on me and I decided to keep my mouth shut. Just as we were leaving, we saw Mansi and Agam heading out on the bike together.

"Guess a new office romance story is brewing," I said wryly.

"Well thank God for my senses to be put right in my place with respect to you and him. I think they will make a cute pair. He is hot and she is well a fair maiden to be taken."

I laughed at her silly rhyme.

"What? What was so amusing?"

"Nothing." And off we drove to the station and call it an end to the day.