The Bachelor

The Suitor

14th February, 11:50 pm, Bandstand Promenade, Mumbai.

I took another puff of my cigarette as I watched the waves crash against the coastline of my city. Mumbai-the city of dreams...or more appropriately-the city that crushed dreams. Millions of people came to the city every day to try and make a name for themselves, and faced several hardships. Many struggled to put a roof over their head or to pay for a decent meal.

Fortunately, I wasn't one of them! Yes! I-Manik Malhotra-had been born with a silver spoon! At least that's the way the media described me! My father-Shrikant Malhotra, owned one of the biggest business empires in India-Malhotra Industries. So, you can imagine the extent of my family's wealth! And being the one and only heir to the Malhotra fortune, I had unlimited access to almost all accounts and assets of the Malhotra empire.

I looked to the side, to see a couple embracing, just a few feet away from me. I watched as the woman slowly wrapped both her and partner's head with her stole and leaned forward to kiss him.

I smirked as I saw them smooch, purely due to the irony of the situation. The stole was doing the exact opposite, of what she wanted. It was drawing more attention to them instead of making them inconspicuous to prying eyes.

Idiots! I hated people who indulged in PDA! Why couldn't this night just get over already? I hated this day! Valentine's day was for losers! Why would anyone celebrate something that didn't even exist?

That's right! According to me, there's no such thing as -'LOVE'. It's all an illusion! Every relationship in this world is just give and take! So why celebrate it? That's probably the reason why I haven't had a steady girlfriend or partner in the longest while. I just liked to have fun! Hookups, flings, etcetera-that was more my thing!

However, I wasn't always like this...at one point, I was just as pathetic as the people I made fun of now! Until two years ago, I celebrated this day with great enthusiasm...but thanks to her...I've come to hate this day! It's because she left me on this day...exactly two years ago...

I felt my stomach churn as I thought about that fateful night...screw it! I'm not going to waste time thinking of her!

Although, being a Casanova was fun, it had its demerits. The biggest one being the wrath of my 'beloved' father! According to him, I was ruining the image of the Malhotra family in public by sleeping around, like this. He said, the future CEO of Malhotra Industries needed some stability in his life! Stability, my ass! If stability meant cheating on your partner, fighting all the time, and pretending to be happily married in public, I didn't want it! I didn't want to be part of the charade that my dear parents-Mr. and Mrs. Malhotra- had perfected over the years!

But would my parents leave me out of it? Of course not! They had the perfect plan to clean up my image-marriage! And not just any marriage-one which would be publicized, to no end, and revamp the society's perception of me in the process. That's right! They wanted me to be the suitor in India's first season of 'The Bachelor'!

It was absolutely ridiculous! How could they just expect me to choose a life partner from a bunch of strangers? That too, while it was being telecast on national television!

I'd flatly refused at first, but obviously Mr. Malhotra had something up his sleeve to force me to do the show! In plain and simple words, he was blackmailing me! I really do have an awesome family, don't I?

So after contemplating my options, I had finally decided to be party to this circus of a reality show!

I looked at my watch which read-11:59 pm.

Ugh! Why couldn't this day just get over?!

I waited for a few seconds, until the needles of my Rolex watch finally struck twelve. I threw away the cigarette butt, and dialed Mr. Malhotra's number.

The phone rang twice before he picked up.

"So Manik, what have you decided?" He asked authoritatively.

"I'll do it!" I said, in a frustrated voice.

"Great! For the first time in your life, you've made a wise decision!" He said, in a satisfied tone.

"But remember, the conditions of our deal...if I find that they're not being fulfilled, then nothing will stop me from walking out..." I replied, my voice filled with menace.

"Don't worry, the very same day you choose your life partner-I will inaugurate a new music label in your name!" He replied.

"Fine-don't go back on your words!" I warned, as I cut the call abruptly. I didn't want to spoil my mood by arguing with him all over again.

I smiled as I looked at my phone. Really, Mr.Malhotra? Aapko lagta hain ki aap jeet gaye? Main aapka beta hoon 'Dad'-and I am just as devious as you!

No one can make Manik Malhotra do something he doesn't want to! Not even you!

So just wait and see what unfolds, in the next few weeks!

I got up from the platform that I was sitting on and made my way towards where I'd parked my car.

On the way, I found two children sleeping on the footpath. It seemed like the elder one, was caging the younger one from the cold by putting her arms around her. Maybe, they were sisters...

I walked up to them, removed my blazer and covered them with it. The older child seemed more at ease after I did so. I took out a two thousand rupee note from my wallet and placed it in the blazer. After all, the amount was negligibly small compared to my family's bank balance.

As I entered the car and looked at the children snuggling together, once more, I had an emptiness inside me.

I knew that I had enough money to last me several lifetimes...but why did I still feel so poor?