Rules of the Game

Neelam

"Look at this, Sameer," I show him the photo of Sunny. The whole 6'1 inches of him standing tall with his shirt half open hinting at perfect abs further down. He is looking intensely at the camera. "He posted this today. What does this say to you?"

"It says, look at me. I am hot. I ain't scared of nothing. I got my eyes on the prize."

I look at him confused, "Are you like gay for Sunny?"

"Who isn't gay for Sunny? You said so yourself. Honestly sometimes I wish I wasn't so into brown women. It will be easier!"

I make a face, "Are you trying to score points? Anyway, look at this." I open an old photo of Shaan wearing the same shirt. "Now what do you think?"

"Neelu, maybe they both bought the same shirt. Shopping with your friend is not a crime."

"Sameer, shut it and shoot the truth. What did you really think?"

"I thought: friends with benefits?"

"Right! That is exactly right. Who in their right mind does this shit when they want to avoid rumors about being in a relationship with their best friend?"

We are interrupted by a knock on my door. The boss's EA peaks in and tells me that I am needed in his office immediately. I check my phone but there is no meeting scheduled. I gesture to Sameer incase he knows what is up. He just raises his shoulders, and shakes his head. I follow the EA.

Sunny's team lost the second game of the playoff, and is done for the season. I got on the first flight out so I can talk to him in person. I wanted to get look him in the eye and say my piece, to decipher how well I was played, before I agree to handover his account. I called him as soon as I got off the plane. The tone of my voice, and that I was in town to see him, alerted him to the urgency. He quickly suggested meeting at his team hotel in one of the conference rooms.

"I got a surprise from my boss yesterday." I take out the shots of Sunny and Shaan. The photos show Sunny leaning into Shaan, who is standing flush to the elevator wall. Sunny's head is bent as if on his way to plant a kiss on Shaan's lips. Sunny hand appears to be caressing Shaan's cheek. There lips are inches apart.

"What is this?" he says.

"Photos that prove how bad I am at my job." Sunny is staring at me. "And, no they are not deep fakes."

"I know they are not deep fakes. They are worse. Where are the rest that explain what is actually happening?"

"Enlighten me. What is actually happening?"

"I remember this elevator. I was getting a lash off of Shaan's face so he can make a wish."

"Oh...so cute! Sunny stop lying to me!"

"I am not lying. Neelu, can you start from the beginning? I am totally lost."

"Apparently I am giving you bad advice. I am feeding your greed. I am heel bent on growing your audience without a thought to what's right for you. I was supposed to ignore what you wanted and was expected to keep you in line. I have failed. You are clearly out of control!" I take a deep breath, "If you or your sister had a problem with me or my work, I deserved to hear about it from you first instead of my boss. Your account will be switched to someone more 'competent'."

"Neelu, I promise you I didn't have anything to do with this. And Shani won't go behind my back like this. I can fix this."

"Sunny, put aside my job for a second. This," I pick up the photo for effect, "is a warning. You could lose all your endorsement money if a serious scandal broke out. It will affect your reputation enough that nobody will be willing to play you in the league, forget playing for the country. The things you have spent years building will be gone in an instant."