Talk of the Town

16 //

A week passes and Ria's scandal is still as hot as it came. In the course of seven days, a few more pictures have been released. They are pictures from the set, and honestly speaking, it looks completely non-romantic. The most talked about is the one in which Ria flicks something off Shray's hair. She can understand that it can be misunderstood to be cute and lovey-dovey but it's natural for friends to do that too. Miraya has done it multiple times at school.

She is pissed at how Ria isn't bothered to comment about the issue. What is she thinking? Does she want people to think Shray and her are together? Is it a cheap idea for their movie promotion? Is that what this is?

Miraya tries not to think about it but she has read every trash article about them and stared at the pictures a million times. She reasons that it might be because she wants to know if she is right about Shray. Or know if he is really in a relationship with Ria.

Mrs Nandhini and the other directors of the office are in a meeting in the cabin room. Miraya is sitting in front of her computer, editing a troublesome piece on aesthetic culture. She can't help but feel Mrs Nandhini glance at her through the glass windows once in a while. Miraya is worried, already making a list of all her mistakes to try and find which one she is going to be whooped for.

1. She had accidentally knocked Mrs Nandhini's cup of coffee when she went to submit her file but had quickly cleaned it up and blotted out the stains on the paper.

2. Miraya had been very late last Thursday because her car broke down (She slept through her alarm).

3. She had sent an email to the main quarters without attaching the file, only to realise it much later. That was the fourth time she pulled that shit.

4. Miraya had also been late yesterday because of traffic (Dakshina had forced her to drink hence she woke up late with a hangover).

She can remember only so much. Or was there more?

Miraya slowly slips off to the pantry to help herself to a cup of coffee. Yes, a beautiful life-saving coffee machine was installed and a refrigerator too. Priscilla was in charge of maintaining the pantry and refilling the sachets. She was a gem.

Miraya adds no milk but an extra sachet of sugar before leaning on the counter and sipping the hot liquid. Fiya was on leave today so Miraya was missing the usual chatter. On one side, she was a bit happy because she can push in a lot of work without getting distracted but on the other side, she felt bored.

Giri walks in. "Hey, Mira. How's it going?" He always wears collared t-shirts. Most of them are striped, the others solid-coloured. Polka dots are a no-no. He prefers darker shades.

"Just the usual. What about you?"

"I am actually preparing to pitch an idea for the next issue."

Miraya pushes herself off the counter with her hip. "Oh, that's great. What's it about? Maybe I could be of some help."

Before he can answer, Priscilla barges in. "Mira, Mrs Nandhini called you to her room immediately."

Oh, here it goes.

The coffee loses its magic and instead swirls inside her stomach uneasily. She has a feeling that whatever this is isn't anything good.

And... she is right.

Mostly.

"Take a seat, Miraya," Mrs Nandhini says.

She does.

There aren't a lot of papers on her desk unlike the usual. Her son's picture frame on her table is accompanied by a new one she hasn't seen before. It's a picture of Mrs Nandhini, her son and his wife. It must have been taken at the wedding.