SS : Handa- The Loner, Part 13 Pg 35[19/03/19] - Page 17

Shot Ten

'We met, talked and then went home,' Maan said. Then after some pause, he added, 'Alone.'

Maan was in Aditya's office and the blinds were off indicating the staff that they were in some serious logistics discussion.

'Ha. Ha. Some editing skills you have!As far as I know, she didn't leave alone. Now if you will be out with the unabridged version?' Aditya tapped his fingers on the table as per his habit. He had chucked his coat and his sleeves were half rolled.

'Is it necessary? If you know that she didn't go alone I'm sure you know the rest of it too.' Maan said remembering the last night events. Wasn't it embarrassing enough that Aditya knew his date left with someone else?

'I'm not trying to embarrass you here. Just want to know what went wrong. It just seems such a waste.' Aditya shook his head at the miss of opportunity of his love disciple.

Whether he admitted it or not, Aditya had begun assuming the role of love instructor in all its seriousness.

Maan tried to feel sorry that the date didn't turn well but couldn't. It no longer bothered him now. Not since after waking up. In fact he realised, he didn't care. Neither about the girl nor about the date.

His mind was too occupied by some other eccentric woman, his eyes filled with her vision and his nose filled with her soft vanilla fragrance.

'She was the best among all the single potential candidates I knew.'

'I have never been a hot girl's magnet,' Maan provided.

'Nothing stopping you from becoming one now.' Aditya reasoned.

'You see me,' Maan said pointing at himself, 'Women like Riyah don't really show interest in me. For them I don't exist. When they see me it's either for a one night or for a rebound. I've always been looked through and it's totally fine with me.'

'Are you telling me, Aditya Mehra, B-school topper, that I can't sell a product?'

Maan moved uncomfortably in his seat. How did it become an ego topic? He didn't want to work up the boss.

'I didn't mean it that way, Sir.'

'Call me Aditya. We are friends now.'

'Are we?'

'Of course we are.'

Maan put on a smile outwardly but his insides were shivering. Befriending the crocodile of the pond sure had its benefit but once you fell out of favour what then? Living in the office and being enemies with the Aditya Mehra.

'Look Khurana, you're underestimating your market value. You are one of our highest paid employees.'

Market value? Maan wondered. But he was no product on sale.

'The company depends on your research.' Perhaps he'd said too much, Aditya thought.

'Thank you,Sir. I mean Aditya.'

'You've earned a degree from a Statistics school that selects only 13 students every year.'

You are handsomer than most of us but I am not going to say that, Aditya thought to himself. And damn sure you've better teeth. Better than mine. He had to replace two of his molars in the last two years.

'Your face isn't too bad. And we've too many products these days. Fair n Handsome or Garniers should do the trick.'

'Definitely Sir... Adi...'

'Your personality is outdated. We'll work on it. But at least you don't have bad breath, unlike Ashok.'

'I agree, Sir. That's a consolation.'

'Hmm. So we just have to focus on your good qualities.'

'Yes, Sir. I mean Aditya.'

'Hmm. So I will fix you another date with let me see...' Aditya began scrolling through his phone.

'Apurva...no She has a husband, Bina Di she's my sister so no, Biswajeet... but he's a guy. Carol, she's good but she works here. No work romance. Diya Ben, but she's unhappily married she keeps calling me to tell that. Karuna...no.Ketaki. No.'

'Aditya, I think there's really no need for it.'

'Lara. Quite a hottie.But she's in Africa. Do you mind traveling to Africa? Obviously you'd.'

'Aditya. Sir. Yes. Africa would be too far. The climate wouldn't suit me. Sir. Actually I have someone.'

'Megha, a divorcee. But she's young. Do you have prejudices against divorcees?'

'Not at all Sir,' said Maan

'Aditya.' His boss corrected him.

'So I will introduce her to you. Fill you in with her information'

'Aditya, yesterday it so happened I found someone. Actually she found me. We spent a night together,' That caught his boss' attention.

'I think I like her. So I don't need to go on dates anymore.'

'Did I hear you right? You don't need me anymore? Mr. Khurana I would remind you were after me and not vice versa.' The tone was glacial enough to freeze the entire building.

'No Aditya...' And when his boss stated at him enough to make a hole on his face, 'I mean Sir. I think it came out wrong. What I meant was you don't need to look for potential dates. I have a girl I want to impress. Of course I would need your help.'

But Aditya was no more interested. This wasn't how he had envisioned the whole thing to be. He had spent two nights studying the softer emotions, psychology books on it. He had watched Partner, Love Guru and movies alike. He had made notes diligently. He had taken it like a challenging project.

He had imagined himself to be the sculptor and Maan as a lump of clay, a statue which he will give an appropriate shape to, taking Maan under his wing, miraculously changing Maan's personality overnight, introducing Maan to the hottest woman, soon chicks would come flocking to him. People would want to know the reason behind the change. Aditya Mehra, the master mind behind all the change. He would soon appearing in Ted's Talk, writing books like Mehra's Maan-malion.

And now, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been splashed over him. The guy for crying out loud, had spent a night with a woman. She had herself found him which meant he had charmed her on his own. Without his, the professor of love, Aditya Mehra's help.

'I have a meeting Khurana. Let's talk later.'

'Aditya...'

'Later man, later.'

'Ok,' Maan stood up and was taking his leave when his boss interrupted him.

'Who's she?'

'My neighbour.'

'That bitch you were talking about?'

' Please don't use that word for her again. She's not that bad.'

'Sure. I don't even know her. You were the one who called her that.'

'I was wrong,' Maan admitted.

'She came to you.'

'Yes, Aditya. On her own. I am surprised too.'

Aditya nodded sagely. Then Maan put forward one question that had been worrying him the whole morning.

'Aditya what do you think, she means by that? Coming at my place in the dead of the night, staying the night and sleeping with me. Is she interested? Does she like me?'

Aditya feeling a little appeased now merely shrugged his shoulders then assuming an air of importance said, 'Of course but you know as far as my experience goes she's just being a trifling woman. I think you should go with this Megha or we can create a tinder account for you.'

It was a probability that Maan was trying to ignore since the whole time.

'I don't think that's the case Aditya.'

'Hmm,' the boss said, 'Like I said, we'll talk later.'

'Sure Aditya.' Maan was at the door when Aditya called him again.

'And Maan,' he said, 'Don't drop that Sir. The staff would think I am favouring you.'

'Of course. Of course Sir.'

'Sir, she's a tough nut to crack. Hopefully you'll help me.'

'Sure.' Like hell he would, Aditya thought.

'I hope we're still friends.' Maan offered tentatively.

'Absolutely. Did you have any doubts Khurana? Do you take me to be petty?''

'Sorry Sir. Of course not Sir. I knew we'll still be friends. We're still friends.' Maan was very relieved to hear so.

It was an hour later, when someone informed Maan that the boss had asked him to report all the analyses by today.

'But that was due next week'

'I don't know. Sir has asked.'

Talk about magar se vair.