The air in the building had an essence of sophistication laced to it, in every breath that I took. The compelling combination of grey walls, with white and black marble interiors, excluded any doubts that I had regarding the people working here. For I was sure now, from the looks of expensive-tailormade formals worn by every second human being here to the exquisite interiors of the building, that these people were highly expert and professional in their work. They were the best in their work. A multinational company! Holy shit!
The woman behind the reception desk, who didn't seem any older than me, smiled amusingly as I gawked around the lobby. Blushing sheepishly, I turned away from her as I took a seat on the cushioned chairs in the waiting area of the lobby- which also had a coffee making machine by the way. An automatic one that, too!
I felt jitters. Excited and thrilling jitters crawl over my skin and roll in the pit of my stomach. Every time I looked at people walk in and out of the lobby, I could only admire them. Working and being successful in life ― It was like watching people live my dream.
Mumbai was known as the "city of dreams" in India. Mumbai was that one place where millions of people migrated every day from every part of India, for even a five per cent chance to live their dream. From Bollywood to working in the most successful business cooperation. It was all here. And it only made sense that I, a person born and brought up in the soil of this dominating western coastal city wanted to do the same. Use the city to my advantage!
I wanted to wear a tailored made formal suit. A tight blouse and an intimidating blazer. A fitting pencil skirt and heels that clicked in echoes of success whenever I walked. I wanted to be a successful writer ― a travel blogger. To the people who would be my fans, I wanted to be fun. I would help them connect with the world from my viewpoint. But to the people in general, I wanted to beam in success and sophistication. For what was more powerful? then a woman who silenced those around her because her work was fun and successful.
I was lost in my daydreams when the elevator doors across the waiting area chimed and opened for the nth time. But this time, Aahan stepped outside from it.
Dressed in his finest grey suit and a checkered blue tie, he looked good. His hair that usually was a black curly mess now was combed in the gel to sit back on his head in all firmness. But the jawline was the same. So were his coffee-coloured eyes. Dark, roasted coffee beans.
I rose from my seat, clutching onto my handbag as he approached me. I had never seen him like this or even imagined him as such. So, professional.
It was hard to imagine that, this was the exact same man like the one I had been fighting on the station three weeks back. He looked so much older and sexy!
"You're late." He hissed, his smile dropping as he got close to my vicinity.
"I'm sorry!" I winced at the sound of his voice, something about him right now really intimidated me. I wasn't sure if it was his suit or this entire building itself. But it did. "I had a wardrobe malfunction! I missed my local train."
"Whatever." He sighed, taking in my appearance.
I was dressed for the occasion, I had made sure of that. I had my sister's indigo-blue coloured pencil skirt tailored and cut to fit my waist and height. My handbag was a professional one too, though inside there was hardly anything professional. It had slippers inside for heaven's sake! I wouldn't trust myself the entire day in my formal heels; Which I should be thankful for to Vahni, who so selflessly lent it to me. My t-shirt was a formal red buttoned-up one, which I had tucked inside the skirt and I even went an extra mile wearing pantyhose underneath and a high ponytail.
"Who wears a dark red shirt with a dark blue skirt?" He criticised and my heart fell. This was the part that made me uneasy. "I ruined my white shirt while having breakfast. It was my mom! She was trying to feed me and― it's a long story. I'm so sorry. I can go and I understand if I don't get this―"
But he cut me off mid sentences as he waved his hand in a motion to cease all words. "It looks bad, but not horrible. It will do. I brought you here for your personality. Not for you to exhibit your clothes. They will be least bothered by the wardrobe malfunction, trust me. All they care is how much money you bring to the table ― profit that is."
"Thank you." I nodded, "After you." I encouraged him to lead me on to the office where the meeting was to be held, which he then fell into the action of doing so. And so I fell into a bee-line behind him, following after Aahan.
How did I end up here and with him? One would wonder, given our history which only a week ago we had resolved to a mutual basis. I'm as shocked as the next person who is watching us together. And how did this happen? I could only say, as Aahan had said last week at Utsav, fate.
Well, actually no. No, it wasn't completely fate. In fact, it was a series of events that lead me here; to where I was currently. Which I don't mind recalling right now as I stood idle in the lift waiting to go up, to the twenty-fifth floor of the building.
It started back on Sunday morning when I woke with a slight hangover in Henna's rental apartment. She told me how Aahan had helped her track me last Saturday night so that he could hand me over to her safely; all of which I remembered but barely.
That Sunday I spent the first half whining over a tiny hangover, the other half is telling Henna everything that had happened. The day had ended with me promising to her to update her more and then leaving for home before my mom could go nuts and file a police complain about me.
Ever since Aahan had mentioned about his so-called complicated girlfriend, I had planned to make my distance from him. Which didn't last long because Henna had passed me the number that he had left behind? He wanted to talk to me, again. The fact he wished to talk me had me at the edge of my seat for two days before I called him and thanked him for taking care of me and of performing a safe transaction of me, between him and Henna.
He had laughed at that. Really hard, before he had asked me to join him for dinner the next day.
Vanhi and Henna had fallen into a debate, one called it a date the other clearly meant for business.
And Henna was right, for it had been business.
"You said something Saturday night that made think some things." He admitted over dinner, that Thursday night.
"Oh god, please tell me it's not something stupid. I talk shit when I'm drunk." He had laughed again, assuring me it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
"I called you here today because I had a proposal. Not the matrimonial one Saloni." I grinned as he said my name. "I meant as a job proposal. Come to my company– my office next Monday. I'll let you know everything then. Just promise me you'll say yes to everything I'll ask you to do there."
"That's one way to be vague."
"I could be more confidential but I'm really counting on you."
"And why would I do this for you?" I was so stupid. Questioning the opportunity when I had nothing else to do in life. I'm really counting on you. Something about that made me feel a little over the edge.
But he only smirked, the one where he couldn't but still did it anyway? Yeah, that one. It was turning into an irresistible one.
"Because you asked for a city adventure and I can give you that." He definitely had me there. City life? That was what I hadn't experience in years. But what really signed the deal with him as much as I hate to admit (plus find it weird how it acted as a catalyst) was what he said following the previous sentence.
"You know that incident caused me to lose my girlfriend. She was gonna do this job, but I'm willing to put you there instead now."
"I promise you. I'll do as told."
and that had been how.
All the details had been discussed via text. And the next thing I knew, I was awake at six am on a Monday morning; dressing up to be miss perfectionist.
And, now I was here. Next to Aahan, in one of the best magazine publishing company. We exited the elevator only to walk down a marbled hallway in silence.
"Saloni." He said, looking into my eyes. I turned to him and smiled lightly. Every time he took my name, it felt different to my ears. "Yes?"
"You'll be fine. I brought you here for a reason." We entered through the double glass door, stepping inside a dimmed lightning room which had a long conference table with speakers at the head chair and a huge whiteboard paired with a projector at the front. Oh. A presentation. Conference room. Of course.
"What was the reason?" I asked, lowering my voice. The room felt too big in comparison to me.
"Because what I'm about to present today, is gonna need someone strong." He shook his head, smiling knowingly. "And I know how hard-headed and strong you can be."
That was a compliment? Yes, definitely. Quick, say something back!
"You look amazing in that suit."
"...uh, off the point and totally random but, thanks." He was grinning and I wanted to kick myself that very moment. What was wrong with me? Why was I being so nervous? It was so unlike me. I blushed in a shade of red hoping to disappear at that moment.
But, soon the room was filled with four more people besides us. Three were men and one was a woman. Everyone was dressed to the point, with a stern look in their eyes.
"When we elected you, to come up with something new, we also did warn you how much we would hate to be losing anything at all, Didn't we?" A man, who was probably in his sixties wearing a burgundy suit said, leaning over the desk. They were all facing the whiteboard. Aahan was setting up the projector with his laptop and he nodded, looking up at him with a wide and confident smile― which, I don't know how the heck he could pull off that well under their intimidating glance. "Yes, you did."
"Hm, that's good." The man settled back in his chair
The projector lit up and a presentation rolled onto the whiteboard screen. I looked at it in puzzlement. It seemed like a vlogging project. THE DATES was used as a title. And then there were pointers. Many of it. Did Aahan know what he was doing? This wasn't the best presentation I had seen.
"Saloni, could you come ahead and help me present this?"
"What?" Silence. Pin drop silence surrounded the room.
The four other people suddenly took into my presence. The woman in a whole red suit raised her eyebrows as she acknowledged me.
"Present this," Aahan said, in a manner of fact voice.
This man hates me, doesn't he?
"I didn't make-" I sucked in my words, not daring to complete my sentence. The way Aahan looked at me reminded me of what he had said at the dinner a few days back. Just promise me, you'll say yes to everything I'll ask you to do there.
"I mean..yeah, sure." I stammered, walking closer to him. My eyes were wide in fear as I looked at the four people, all of them looking bored and ready to leave.
"If you could let me just go over the presentation quickly," I said, hurriedly going over the slides and it's pointers.
"Should have come more prepared for this, miss..?" The woman said from her seat.
"Neves." I informed her, "And yes ma'am you're right. I'm really sorry, but it will take just a moment." I wasn't going to let this opportunity slip through my fingers. There was a reason why Aahan was doing this. There had to be. For he didn't have a reason I'd kill him for this.
It took me five minutes to understand what exactly was going on before I looked up at Aahan in surprise. My dark brown eyes meet his coffee-coloured ones and we communicated. He nodded and urged me to explain.
Which surprisingly, no one could do better than me. Because this was me. This presentation was, based on me.
"So the presentation is regarding the new vlogging series. You might have seen that now there are youtube original stories." I was surprised at how easily I was talking, "And it's a brilliant idea indeed." I smiled at Aahan.
You can do this. His eyes lit up like his plan was working. 'be you,' he mouthed to me and I nodded.
"Can I cut to the chase. Be frank?"
The men looked confused but the woman was smiling. "We are all short on the time, I'd love that. Wouldn't you all too, sir?" The men agreed and I sucked in a deep breath before smiling widely
"What I'm trying to present here is the idea of the next splitsville, only there's no villa and a bunch of boys and girls. It's all vlogging. What I'm saying is, we'll have a host ― charming, adventurous and an enigmatic person. This host is on a mission, of living seven dates in a whole weekend." It was wild. The idea was completely wild. But I could see how it helped me and Aahan.
"What's so good about this? It's like a girl who just wants to play with men." The man in the burgundy suit said while the other two agreed.
"Our target audience is usually a woman. Woman in their early and/or in their late twenties, maybe even thirties. Do you ever wonder why they buy your magazine?" I hit the demographic slide and walked to whiteboard tapping onto the statistics. "Look at the survey's statistics here. The most woman read your magazine for the latest trends, fashion, beauty and health awareness but most of all for love."
"Interesting, how does that connect?" The woman said.
"It connects when a common girl from a suburbs lives their dream, to go on dates they always fantasize themselves in. If weblog all of this, the subscriptions will hit the roof. It's entertainment and insider information. It's a small-town girl living their dream. It's a guide." I explained, looking at Aahan who nodded with a smile. I got it right.
"And who will be this girl?"
"I guess that's exactly why he brought me here, sir." I felt powerful, I felt like in charge of an exciting mission. I had a shot at this. "And I have an idea or two on how to execute this."
A/N: This chapter is completely unedited. I'm trying to finish the book first before I get down to editing. So sorry if it bothers some of you.
ALSO, thank you soooooo much for the 700+ reads. It means a lot!
Q: the idea has been proposed and Saloni seems to like it..what are your thoughts on the story so far?