Shape of the Sun

Playing hostess

Manmeet had never felt so glad to be home as she did right now as she walked the steps to her apartment on the fourth floor. Apparently, some useless person had decided that it was okay to take a shit in the elevator and the cleaners went on a strike, insisting they didn't get paid enough to clean up such messes. Well, Manmeet had never seen anything wrong in climbing the stairs. Boohoo for them.

Tonight, she was in an exceptionally sensitive mood and there was this faint regret that she had joined her co-tenants in refusing to pay the service hike. Manmeet really wished she could get to her door any faster. While she couldn't wash her eyes with soap in a bid to unsee that terrible dinner date with Abhiraj, she could at least wash off his sweat on her skin. Apparently, the stupid man had revealed his true self after dinner and forced her into a kiss. In his opinion, she was his woman and he was entitled to her whenever, wherever.

Wtf?

Manmeet didn't hesitate to give him a bitch slap and uber it out of there. What a loser.

However, a surprise was waiting for her in front of her door when she arrived there. A living, breathing one, sitting on the occasional chair she had placed out in the hallway.

"Rajkumar Reddy?!"

He looked up from his phone screen and at her, his face filled with fatigue. As a result, the enthusiasm in his voice unmatched hers. In fact, there was none there to start with.

"Why the hell does your building elevator smell like purgatory on Earth? It's illegal to have to walk all these steps to your door, Manmeet."

"Hey, that is no fault of mine." she wanted to clarify before giving him a one-over, "Besides, I didn't know you were coming. What are you doing here?"

"At least invite me in, will you?" he bit on his words.

"Rude." Manmeet said but she still opened the door with her keys and allowed him in before entering herself, shutting the door firmly behind her and switching on the lights.

Rajkumar took in his new surroundings and made a mental note of Manmeet Chatterjee's tastes. Comfort. Vibrant colors.

"I am going in to change. You can help yourself if you need anything."

"Huh?" he hadn't realized she had been talking to him and missed what she said.

"I want to change my clothes. Fill yourself if you are hungry."

It was when she mentioned it that Rajkumar noticed her Versace jumpsuit. The lighting in the hallway had been very poor.

"...date night?" he asked, a meaningful look appearing in his eyes.

Manmeet sighed at his words and her subsequent reply made him chuckle.

"Oh goodness, don't even remind me about it, Rajkumar. The firefighter turned into a literal fire hazard."

"Haha. You poor darling."

"I know, right?" she pointed to her left, "There's the kitchen. I have to go and take a quick shower. Will be out in a minute."

Rajkumar nodded and watched her leave, quite unable to voice his thoughts. The woman actually left him puzzled, just like the time back at the hotel. Did she trust him that much to be a gentleman?

Well, he scoffed, he was one, wasn't he? No desires and no sins to beg for forgiveness for. Rajkumar made a left turn into the kitchen, as she had pointed out, and rummaged through it. To his bewilderment, Manmeet Chatterjee's kitchen left a rather baffling sight. Her cupboards were totally empty but the refrigerator and freezer were packed full of food. How exactly did she cook all these meals, he asked in his head, as he reached for a bowl of frozen pasta sauce and placed it in the microwave.