second was adding an extra weight on her mind. She could still hear the harsh words of her manager from the last time she was late. “I’m keeping you on this job despite your very poor performance, only because I have sympathy for your financial condition. And you repay me by coming in late every single day” Even though she had never been late before and was late on that day only because she had a medical emergency, her health wasn’t a concern for Mahua the Monster (that’s how she referred to Manager Mahua Gupta in her head) In a way her mother was right. If only Priya could get over her timid nature and stand up to the monster… “I’d get fired”, she reminded herself. “Madam! Don’t take up so much space. Scooch a little” An annoying nasal voice penetrated her ears. Priya looked up to find a woman with two protruding front teeth trying to fit herself and her son in the space beside her. “Yes of course” Priya sat quietly, trying her best to dodge the several kicks and pokes from the very squirmy boy beside her who in his own words had “egg roll hunger”, whatever that meant, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. “Hello!”, the perfectly round face of her former schoolmate gleamed from the seat behind her. “Rupesh! How are you?” “Not too bad. Isn’t it a bit formal for pandal hopping?”, he pointed at her shirt. “I’m not… I have to work today.” “Ooh that’s bad! Are you still working at the Northside mall?” “Yes. Still a salesgirl.”, Priya said with a small sigh. In a tiny stroke of luck, the woman beside her took her obnoxious son and moved to an empty seat somewhere at the back of the bus. Seizing the opportunity Rupesh quickly slid beside her. His face glowing with a reddish hue as it had always done. “So where are you headed?”, Priya asked. “To Maddox Square. I’m meeting Sonali and Mayank” “How are they?”, the names of these old friends filled her heart with nostalgia. “All good!”, he replied cheerfully, “hey why don’t you join us! I’m sure they’d love to meet you!” The idea, tempting as it was, was quite impossible. “I can’t. I have to reach the mall by 10!” “So you’ll be a bit late! They’ll understand. It’s the Pujas! Better yet, take the day off!” “Are you crazy?”, Priya shrieked startling Rupesh a bit. She didn’t mean to but the idea was so preposterous that she couldn’t help herself, “My manager will kill me” “At least give it a try!”, he kept insisting. “I really can’t. I’m so sorry. She’ll never agree. Trust me!” 4
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