“And please stop calling me mam now. Kitni baar bolu tumhe.”

Tanishka said in exasperation, making Anshika laugh.

“I can't go around calling you by your name when we're working. You're my senior.”

“Sirf ek saal! Abhi 6 mahine huye hai mujhe yaha aaye huye. I'm not even that older than you. Call me by my name.”

“Aye aye captain!”

The girls laughed. Aditya looked at them with a small smile and shook his head while Kanav butted in.

“Aur mujhe bhi sir mat bulana please. I'm not much older either.”

“You're the same age as Aditya sir. And I call him sir.”

Anshika countered. Kanav glared at Aditya like it was his fault and said.

“You can call this grandpa whatever he likes but mujhe naam se bulana ab.”

Anshika laughed at how he addressed Aditya and Aditya glared at the man in return.

“I'm not a grandpa. We're the same age.”

He said smacking Kanav on his head. Kanav smirked and said.

“Then prove it! Ask her call you by your name too.”

Aditya knew he had walked right into this one. He was tonguetied and couldn't meet Anshika's eye. Especially knowing that she was looking at him. He was a very observant man and he wasn't unaware that she had a crush on him.

Female attention wasn't new for him. A lot of his female friends have complimented him about his good looks. He had been gazed at with seductive eyes a lot of times because of the hot nerd looks he has. But Anshika's gaze felt different.

“I don't need to prove anything to you, you fool.”

He said playfully. Anshika deflated and resumed having her drink while eyeing him occasionally.

“Huh! I know you don't have to prove anything. Because we all know you're an oldy inside.”

Kanav said dismissing him. 

“It's not called being oldy. It's called being polite. I can't force someone to call me someone they don't want to. Some people still have decency unlike your shameless asses.”

“Hey! My ass is cute!”

Tanishka protested making Anshika almost choke on her drink and look at her wide eyed.

“I agree on that one.”

Kanav said winking at Tanishka who blushed and Anshika burst out laughing this time.

“And if that's the problem, leave it to her no. Give her the options of calling you by your name but leave it up to her that she could address you however she wants.”

Kanav challenged and Aditya glared at him for putting him in the spotlight. Aditya gulped and slowly met Anshika's hopeful eyes.

“You can call me whatever you want. My name or sir whatever you're ok with.”

He said and she nodded with a shy smile.

“Okay….Aditya.”

He might have just died. She had just taken his name and he had felt it in every fibre of his body. Why did it make him feel that he want to listen to her call his name all his life.

“You ok brother?”

Kanav teased and Aditya held him down with a sharp glare before excusing himself and leaving the place.

Tanishka and Kanav exchanged mischievous glances, happy at being successful at executing their plan. The two had been shipping Anshika and Aditya since the day she had joined.

Aditya splashed water on his face. What the fuck was wrong with him? Why was he behaving like a teenager having a crush? She had just taken his name and his heartbeat had skyrocketed like she had kissed him or something. What would happen when that actually happens?

Wait! What the hell was thinking? Why would she kiss him? And why did he want her to?”

He had to make distance with here to maintain his sanity.

It was easier said than done. The more Aditya tried to create distance and keep away from her, the more he got pulled towards her.

“Aditya? Didn't you have a meeting with the investors today? For the upcoming project?”

Kanav asked Aditya who was working on that very project's finances.

“Hmm. Just leaving.”

Aditya mumbled absent mindedly and started packing his stuff.

“Chal okay man! See you tomorrow!”

Aditya said and gave a firm pat on Kanav’s shoulder.

He had just stepped out of the office area into the common passageway when he stopped short.

His legs seemed to have gotten a brain of their own and he walked towards the very end of the office area and opened the door to the interns room.

A lot of new interns have joined now. One of them had been flirting with Aditya a lot. He never reciprocated but that didn't stop her. 

As soon as Aditya stepped inside the room, she looked up and grinned wide.

“Hi Aditya sir!”

She slurred his name, making Anshika's attention go to him. She smiled at him but it faltered when Aditya started walking towards him. Suddenly feeling nervous with his unwavering gaze, she tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Pack up your stuff. We have somewhere to go.”

He whispered and she nodded in daze. When she processed the words he spoke, she started packing her bag only to stop and look at him.

“But you gave me these files to work on.”

“Do them tomorrow. This is important. Come on quick.”

She nodded and hurried up. They walked out of the office together. Her steps faltered seeing him pull out his car keys and unlock the car with the button.

She'd be sharing space in his car. Alone? With him? The thought made her giddy and excited.

“Where are we going?”

She asked in a soft whisper. 

“I have a meeting with the investors of the project I made you work on last week. The finances that you studied and the report we corrected together. That one.”

They settled in and she buckled herself in.

“But meetings mai toh interns allowed nhi hai na?”

She asked a little confused.

“You've worked hard for it. It's only fair you see how a meeting actually goes on about. It'll help in future. Besides, you won't snitch that I broke a rule right?”

He asked the last part in a teasing tone and she looked at him surprised. Aditya Mittal? Teasing her? Was she dreaming? She might be. And if she was, she never wanted to wake up.