Arranged Roommates

|2| Cancelled Dates

I saved his contact number on my phone and started to type an acceptable enough message. Come on, I just needed to think of something not too formal or too personal. It can't be that difficult.

Ria: Hey, I got your number-

No. Backspace. DELETE.

Ria: hi, my dad sent me your details-

No.

Why is this so tough? Ughh!

Sending messages or instructions has never been this difficult for me. Ever.

But it's not every day I have to text some stranger to meet me so we can talk about how wretched both of our futures will be because of this cursed trap called marriage.

Ria: Hey, it's Ria Raichandani. My dad gave me your number. I was hoping we can meet up sometime to discuss this marriage thing and see where it goes.

I hit send before I can contemplate and overthink it further and burn my brain cells.

I frowned as I read it again. So stupid.

Marriage thing? Really Ria? That's the best you could come up with?

Don't overthink it. It's fine. It's okay. I chanted this mantra eleven times and buried my head in my pillow when I was still not able to digest how bad that text sounded.

I screamed, irritated and angry. Why did I have to grow up fast? Why can't I become twenty-four again?

I need a drink. That's the only sane solution to escape this fast. My parents would make me a drunkard someday. Sigh.

I went towards my dressing table where I kept my Royal stag bottle. Taking out some ice cubes from my mini room fridge, I threw a couple of pieces in the glass and poured a big portion of whisky which would hopefully make me forget all about today's mess. I chugged it all in a blink and thumped my chest when the burn didn't fade but only got worse. Bad move. Never repeat this again.

But thankfully my brain started to relax as the burn waned slowly. And now I was hungry again. A lot hungry and a little bit drunk. Maybe a lot drunk too. Or maybe not.

I still had a burger patty left and the raw materials too. So, I made myself a burger again and sided it with an extra-large packet of chips. After I finished everything, I patted my tummy and said goodnight to myself, now that I was feeling much better. Maybe I was a bit too drunk after all.

-x-

I woke up late today again all thanks to the intoxication I made myself go through yesterday night. I jumped off my bed and stubbed my toe at the door while running inside the bathroom.

Yay me. What a great day.

Taking a ninety seconds shower, I moisturized in thirty seconds and brushed my teeth in sixty seconds. That should be a new world record. I quickly packed myself some parathas for lunch and heated a leftover burrito roll for breakfast.

Just as I was eating the burrito with one hand and trying to get my shoe on with the other, all while standing, I twisted my ankle. I winced. Sitting down to examine the damage, I pressed my thumb over the swollen ankle but surprisingly it didn't pain much. We are good to go. Thank god.

I picked up my bag, files, and phone and drove to the office. Thankfully the traffic wasn't bad today so I reached on time. I slumped into my office chair. I still had ten minutes spare before my first follow-up meeting today. I rechecked the files, organized my to-do, and sent reminders to my juniors. All set now.

I unlocked my phone to see if I had any important messages and saw that I had got a Whatsapp text from Aryan Arora.

Aryan: Hi, I am free today after eight. Does this time work for you?

I checked the schedule for my last meeting of the day.

Ria: A little busy today at the office. Would nine be ok?

Aryan: Sure. You work in the BCG office, right?

Ria: Yeah.

Aryan: I will pick you up at nine outside your office.

Ria: Just text me the place. I will be there. Can't leave my car in the office.

Aryan: Taj Vista, Worli.

Of course, nothing below five-star dining must be acceptable for him. Being a consultant, I was no stranger to luxurious outings and money spending, it was basically a part of the lifestyle but when someone like him, a billionaire, spends so much money on just a casual dinner, you are bound to title it as cliché.

I kept my phone aside and silently dreaded tonight's dinner as I walked towards the meeting room.

-x-

Half an hour.

It's been a total of thirty-one minutes that I have been waiting with no sign of Mr. Arora's arrival. My foot was unconsciously tapping on the hard marble, possibly digging a hole in the ground.

Working in a highly demanding corporate job, time has been a luxury for me, and wasting time like this is a sin in my book. I was still in office clothes for god's sake!

I begin to mentally make a list of things that I could have done in this half an hour instead of sitting here and staring at the entrance door.

Could have cooked myself a delicious homemade dinner.

Try a new cheesecake recipe.

Complete at least a hundred pages of the new romance novel I had started.

Analyse and delegate the next day's work.

Edit my new Youtube DIY video.

Watch-

Oh, he finally remembers to message.

Aryan: Sorry for not informing earlier, but I had to leave for Delhi for an urgent investor meeting. Hope you understand. Can we postpone this to Sunday?

Ria: No. I would have agreed to postpone if I hadn't already been waiting for you like an idiot here for more than half an hour.

I immediately video-called my dad.

"How are you, Ria? Did you talk to him?" he asked enthusiastically before his expression turned into that of confusion, "Why are calling me from an office dinner?"

"It's not an office-related dinner, papa. Your 'affluent' guy had invited me here before he ditched me and wasted my precious time." I tried to sound calm but anger was highly evident in my tone and was possibly very visible in my frown.

"Just give it one more chance. He is a busy boy."

I picked up my purse and exited the restaurant. As soon as I sat inside my car, I threw my purse on the passenger seat and shouted, "And I am a busy girl, papa. You know, how much I value my time. Is that the kind of person you want to tie me to? He can't even cancel the plans properly. How do you expect him to care for me and my happiness when he doesn't even bother showing up on time?"

I was breathing deeply after my outburst as I stared at him, waiting for answers. He sighed, "Just talk to him once. Trust me, Ria, he is the best prospect and his family background is also incomparable. I will talk to him and make sure this never happens again." Yeah, sure, so that Mr. Billionaire can think that a peasant like me complains about everything.

"That won't be necessary. I will call him tonight and see where this goes."

"But, Ria-," he tried to protest before I cut him off.

"That's the best I can do, papa, because I am definitely not arranging another dinner with him."

-x-

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