Meet Me At Our Spot

Two

What even was her purpose of life? Was it to repeatedly hear the director yell for another cup of chai? Was it to hear the DOP wail and ramble about her disrupted love life in between shots and nod sympathetically? Or was it to eat pani puri on her way back home and pretend she didn't even look at it when asked by her mother?

Sigh, what a monotonous life she was living! Ritika loved vibrant, adventures and thrill but for some reason she had fallen into this tedious pattern.

Her mother had remarked her as toofan while her father loved to tease her by calling her name a synonym for chaos.

It wasn't her fault that for some reason she ended up being a trouble magnet, she huffed internally.

Admittedly, working with Yuvi pa was fun, she was shit scared the first time she had walked into his office but the way he had readily welcomed her with a jhappi, she instantly felt comfortable in his surroundings and oh she loved Hazel even more.

But it was now time to step up a little and build her cv more strongly. She had learned so much at her first job and then working as Yuvi pa's manager but Yuvi pa now felt like a family and she felt like she was settling too much into her comfort zone.

She needed challenges. Calm and collected sounded way boring when you can be dramatic and fanatic.

Today was her last day as Yuvi's manager and she watched in amusement as he tried scaring the assistant director into getting more of his heroic shots.

The phone bussed in her hands and her eyes brightened reading Virat's name.

She silently slipped out of the set and pressed it to her ear and cheerfully greeted him, "what's up?"

"what what's up? Itna busy ho gayi ki tu toh bhul hi gayi hai humko," Virat accused from the other end.

[you have become so busy that you have forgotten about us.]

Ritika gasped dramatically, "you have been busy traveling from place to place for some series or other. Maa was telling me how she would twist your ears when you come home," she mimicked, "mein dasangi usko, ek call bhi nahi karda si aajkal."

[I'll tell him, he doesn't even call these days.]

Virat laughed nervously, "I'll catch up with masi too after this."

Ritika grew up in a big fat Punjabi family but never had any cousins her age except Virat. The two of them grew to be a close knit pack. She cherished the relationship she had with Virat and even though she wouldn't say it outrightly, God forbid to boost his ego even more, he was very important to her and naturally everyone close and important to him became pivotal to her well except that swine of a best friend but that was a story for some other time.

She loved Anushka. The genuine love and care they had for each other always leaves Ritika beaming with unfiltered love for both of them. She also liked Virat's teammates, having met them on various occasions and also through Yuvi pa.

"how are you Ritu?" Virat voice cut through much more softly this time.

She gulped, shaking her head to get rid of the overwhelming emotions, "I'm good, yeah. How are you? How's everyone at home? Anushka?"

"everything's great. Anushka has just gotten back from filming and she has ordered me to call you and tell you that she demands you for dinner today," Ritika could hear him grinning.

"how may I reject the offer of your majesty," she grinned too, "I'll be there."

"good. Also have you applied anywhere else for job yet?"

"not yet. I was thinking of looking through a few job sites today. It's not easy to find jobs in recession though," she joked the last bit but it was true, she had left her current job very confidently but finding new employment isn't as easy as it seems.

Maybe she should have thought about this before resigning.

"I do know somebody who needs a new manager-"

"Virat I told you, I don't want to find jobs that way. I want to do it solemnly based on my own merits," she sighed.

Virat had offered to connect with famous people multiple times but she didn't want to use his name in the business and though the offer does sound tempting, it wasn't kind in long run for her market reputation of sources and connections and by chance if she fails, she doesn't want to hamper Virat's image too.

"no no I know," he immediately assured, "I haven't reached out to anyone. Infact they reached out to me asking for a manager--for you."

A little lie wouldn't harm anyone, Virat had assured himself in his head.

Ritika frowned in confusion, she wasn't that big of a name yet that people recognize her by her name.

"who?"

She waited impatiently as Virat went quiet for a few moments before mumbling lowly, "Rohit Sharma."

Ritika's back instantly straightened and a scowl formed on her face, "no."

"you said you only want to do jobs in sports. This is a walking opportunity. Would be great for your cv and you can travel with us, we get to spend much time together," Virat pleaded desperately.

"no means no Virat. I don't want to work with him. You know we wouldn't survive one day without ripping each other's hair out. I don't even believe that he reached out to you for me," she huffed.

"he did but it's okay I can't force you," Virat sighed gloomily, "it's just that he's going through a really rough patch professionally and personally and even though you guys don't like each other, you know he's different when at work and he knows that you're the best at your job but it's okay I'll see what else I can do."

"wait-" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath analysing Virat's words, even though Rohit and herself weren't on great terms, she had seen him with his teammates and the love and affection they had, Virat had for him, he was not an asshole to others atleast. She also knew about his struggles with injury and being in and out constantly.

She wasn't that heartless nor stupid to let go of a walking opportunity so clearing her throat, she spoke, "I'll think about it but I want to talk to him before this."

Virat mentally whooshed in the air, "of course, he's coming for the dinner too so you can talk and discuss as you wish."

"wait you decided to invite us together for dinner, what if I had said no?"

"if you guys would create any scenes at the dinner today then bless you, it's between you two and Anushka Sharma," Virat laughed almost evilly making Ritika roll her eyes but deep down she knew this threat would keep both her and Rohit seated calmly or atleast she hoped.

"chalo I'll see you. I should go inside and stop Yuvi pa from terrorising the poor crew," she chuckled before putting the phone back into her pocket.

She crossed her fingers for a moment, a habit she had developed and was almost superstitious about.

Let the dinner end without her heels on his feet and his hand pulling her hair.

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a/n: chap two! Ritika's side this time. Hopefully (not) the dinner will go well. Lovelies also about to meet XD