“Ok. Mai puchhta hu usse. Tu Tanishka se baat kr.”

“Oooo….kkkk….”

There goes the teasing. Aditya hid the smile that was threatening to break.

He was past the denial stage now. She was special to him. 

He entered the interns room and walked straight to her desk. He leaned in behind her and whispered in her ear making goosebumps rise on her skin.

“Pack your stuff. We're going somewhere.”

She turned to look at him and uhhohh! He was too close. 

“Another meeting?”

Why did she sound breathless? Oh right! His proximity.

“Nah! Clubbing!”

He grinned and she looked at him wide eyed. She looked around to confirm no other intern heard that and then looked at Aditya with a wide smile.

“Really? But aise office hours mai? Allowed hai?”

“Who cares? No one is going to notice.”

Anshika hurried up and started packing her bags.

“Aditya sir?”

A voice slurred. Anshika's movements slowed down and Aditya closed his eyes in irritation. He looked up and gave the girl a stern look.

“Do you have a few minutes? I can't understand this. Please explain it to me.”

She batted her eyelashes and Aditya cringed.

“Harshita-”

“Parnika sir!”

“Right! Ms. I have an urgent meeting right now. Besides you have your mentors allotted. Go and ask them for help. They'll guide you.”

“Nevermind!”

The girl sat back again while rolling her eyes.

“Excuse me! Get up and get your queries solved. This is not a garden ki jab mann chahe wo krenge. Such callous behaviour while working! Not acceptable.”

He scolded and the girl immediately ran out with her doubt.

Anshika bit her lip to control her giggle.

Aditya and Anshika moved out first. Kanav and Tanishka were to join after some time not to raise suspicion.

“You know she has a crush on you right?”

Anshika spoke and Aditya gave her a look.

“So?”

“So you could have been polite to her.”

She shrugged although she liked how he scolded her. She was infuriating and unbearing even to the interns.

“I was polite to her until she took her work casually.”

Aditya cleared lest she thinks he was an impolite man. Anshika hid her smile as they walked towards his car.

“Aah!”

She hissed when her ankle twisted suddenly. Aditya’s arm shot out to hold her from falling. She clutched his shirt and hissed.

“Ahh! I think I twisted my ankle.”

She whispered in pain. He bent down and examined her foot. It would swell if not tended properly.

Without wasting another second, Aditya picked her up bridal style making her shriek and look at him wide eyed.

“What are you doing?”

“You can't walk.”

He put her down when they reached his car and opened the door. He helped her sit and held her foot in his hand.

“Have you ever had your ankle twisted before?”

“Haan ek baar.”

“Any fracture?”

“Never.”

He hummed and the next second he twisted her foot to the other side making her cry in pain.

“What did you do?”

She cried and he looked at her.

“Trying moving your leg now.”

“I can't! You just broke my le-wait! There's no pain! How did you do it?”

She looked at him wide eyed and he got up giving her a mischievous smile and he came to settle on the driving seat.

“I was in the football team in school. Bhut baar aise paer tuta hai mera. And I couldn't afford to see a doctor everytime. So I learned.”

His smile was small and sad. She looked at him curiously.

“I didn't want to burden maa with my finances. Wo already school aur tuition ka manage kr rhi thi. Seeing her struggle to make ends meet for me, made me promise myself ki mujhe kuch aisa krna hai ki meri maa ko kabhi bhi dobara isliye kaam na krna pade ki agar wo nhi krengi toh ghar nhi chal paayega. I wanted her to work because she liked working. Not because it was an obligation or need.”

He whispered. He had no clue why but he wanted her to know it. Wanted to share his feelings with her. Because he thought she'd understand.

“Your father-”

“Left me and maa after cheating on her.”

Anshika got quiet for some time. Aditya felt like he had overshared and started overthinking when he felt her hand slide between his and she intertwined their fingers.

“Kanika mam is the best professor who had ever taught me. And that's saying something because hamare college mai saare professors bbut amazing hai. But she tops it all. You know why? Because of her kindness and motherly warmth that students feel while talking to her. And she's done a great job raising you.”

He looked at her and gulped due to the emotions constricting his throat.

“She's so proud of you and it shows. Wo class mai aapko as example use krti hai. Proudly saying it as ‘My son’. Mai hamesha sochti thi ki itna bhi kya hi khaas hoga unke son mai. But she wasn't wrong. Having a son like you, every parent would be proud of them. You're an amazing person Aditya.”

She whispered and he looked away trying to hide his teary eyes.

“Chalo let's go guys.”

Kanav and Tanishka entered the backseat and Anshika quickly pulled her hand out of Aditya's. He instantly felt cold and wanted it back restrained himself

“Kaha jaana hai?”

“Bhai abhi upar toh baat kri thi. Club jaayenge na.”

Kanav said as it was obvious. Aditya gave her a bored look and asked.

“Club ka naam bhi hoga na.”

“Oh right! So guys! Kaha jaana hai?”

He asked making Aditya roll his eyes and Tanishka and Anshika burst out laughing.

They first had their lunch because everyone was super hungry. And then they took half an hour to decide which club to go to. Then they stopped at a mall because Tanishka wanted to dress up right for the place and wouldn't go in the boring office clothes.

It took the girls three hours to shop. In the meanwhile Aditya and Kanav also bought a change of clothes for themselves.

It took an hour and a half to actually reach the club. And so by 9 they were at the entry of the club. 

The four got themselves a table and ordered drinks and snacks.