Pratishtha ran around her house in a hurry. She was super late. She had somehow forgot to put an alarm last night resulting in her sleeping in late.

“Aise bhaagne se kaam jaldi toh ho nhi jaayega. Ab late ho hi gyi toh aaram se kr le na.”

Her mother said but Pratishtha shook her head.

“Nhi mumma. Abhi toh pehla hi week hai. Abhi toh kuch khaas impression bhi nhi bana hai. Aise late jaaungi toh ganda impression jaayega na.”

She had just started working and didn't want to spoil her image in the office. She wanted to portray herself as serious and punctual.

“Achha chal paranthe pack kr deti pack kr deti hu raste m khaa lio.”

Her mother said and quickly packed two paranthas before she could deny and handed it to her. 

She was in so much hurry that she didn't see the man walking towards her and bumped into him. 

“Ouch!”

She hissed rubbing her nose and glared at the man. He had the audacity to grin. 

“Dekh ke chalna nhi aata tumhe?”

She asked angrily and he put his hands in his pocket while taking a step closer to her.

“Tumhe toh aata hai na. Phir bhi kyu takraati rehti ho? Pasand wasand aa gaya kya mai?”

He teased and she felt her cheeks flush. She gritted her teeth not wanting to show her reaction.

Dheer Ahuja. The man who just moved in next door to her home with his parents. He was in his late 20s. Very good looking and extremely flirty.

“Hato saamne se! Late ho raha hai mujhe.”

“Bhaag kaha rhi ho phir? Where's your car?”

He asked peeking behind her when he didn't see her car parked at its usual place. The spot which they initially fought over. And the reason Pratishtha remains angry at him.

“Engine mai kuch problem thi. Thik hone gyi hai. Ab tumhari inquiry ho gyi ho toh mai jaau?”

She asked, twisting her lips and he grinned mischievously.

“Matlab mai apni car laga skta hu na? Jab tak tumhari gaadi nhi aati?”

“You-”

“I'll drop you. Come.”

He said before she could reprimand him on his previous statement.

“Tumhare saath? Sapno mai bhi kahi na jaau mai.”

She scoffed and mentally waited for him to ask again because she really was very late and taking a metro would be too time consuming.

“Come on now! I'm being nice. Don't be rude. Besides tum already late ho. Aur late hona hai kya?”

She bit her lip and looked at him. He raised his eyebrow knowing she was dying to take the offer but wouldn't until pushed.

“Dobara nhi puchhunga!”

“Fine! Chalo!”

She rolled her eyes and he chuckled. He pulled out his car from the driveway and drove towards her destination.

“You’re not bad when you're being nice.”

She mumbled and he smirked.

“I'm always nice. You were the one who started these fights.”

She gasped and turned towards him sharply.

“YOU were the one who stole my parking spot.”

She narrowed her eyes at him and he huffed.

“Where else am I supposed to park?”

“In front of your house!”

“Papa parks there! Mai apni car kaha park kru?”

She got mum and turned her face away. He sensed he might have said something wrong and looked at her for a moment before looking back on the road.

“What's wrong?”

He asked, not liking her silence. 

“You don't have to flex having a car of your own.”

That was where the problem lied. They were almost the same age. Dheer was only an year or two older than her. And her parents liked him a bit too much. 

‘Dheer is such a good man. He is so smart and intelligent. He is doing so good at such a young age. Making assets of his own. Helping his parents financially. Blah blah blah!’

And what was she doing? Starting her second job within 3 years already. And she still used her father's car. She still couldn't help much financially in her house.

“Hey! I'm not flexing. Pratishtha! Listen to me. Don't be so harsh on yourself. You're new right now. I've been working my ass off for almost 8 years now. And I got this car just last year. Things take time. That doesn't mean you're doing wrong. Just believe in yourself. Everything will happen when it's time. Hmm?”

She didn't know why his words felt good. The way he explained her felt reassuring. Just like she felt when she shared things with her father.

“But I've already left a job in the middle. This is my second job in three years.”

“Changing jobs doesn't mean you're going wrong. If you think there's no progress where you're working. It's better to leave. A good job means stability and growth, both of them.”

He gave her a look and she nodded. Then she realised that she'd just shared something very personal with him. She didn't want to share her insecurities with anyone.

She looked away awkwardly and then remembered the food her mother gave her for the way. She took the box out and the car filled with the aroma of the freshly made paranthas.

Dheer took in the aroma and looked at her.

“Are those methi ke parathe?”

He asked. A childlike excitement evident in his voice. 

“Ummhmm.”

She nodded while taking a bite.

“Don't you think it's rude not to offer it to the person before you first?”

“Nope! These are for me. And I don't share my food. Atleast not with spot stealers.”

“Hey! Not fair! I sacrificed my breakfast to drop you. Ek parantha toh sacrifice kr skti ho tum.”

She shrugged and said.

“Maine force nhi kia tha tumhe mujhe drop krne ke liye.”

“Bhalai ka toh zamana hi nhi hai.”

He said and twisted his lips while giving her a mean look. She looked at him and then at her paranthas. 

She didn't want to give him the whole parantha. Maybe if she offered him her half eaten one he'd deny because it was hers and then she can have both.