Pevious chapters; 0. Prolong 1. Chapter One – The Boy Everyone Knew, Yet No One Knew
Just after two in the afternoon, Mrs. Zaman arrived and took her seat, just a row ahead of Ajit, facing him.
Ajit felt relieved at once; at last, his working partner was here to help finish the project on time. As he glanced at her, his mind wandered. He found himself thinking about her name—not the one she carried from her husband, but her own. Was it Liza? Or Lisa? And the surname—what was it? He had forgotten entirely.
He chuckled softly to himself. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I never had a girlfriend—forgetting the simplest things. Then again, there were plenty of reasons.
As Ajit scanned the list of documents waiting to be printed, Mrs. Zaman’s voice broke his thoughts.
“Ajit, did you check my files? Should I go ahead and print them, or do you think I need to review some?”
Ajit looked up. “I’ve checked them all, Apu. But I’ll need your attention on the financial proposal. I couldn’t address everything there.”
Mrs. Zaman nodded. “Okay, boy. We’ll go through it together.” She paused, then added with a smile, “By the way, who’s supposed to be with you at home today? Didn’t you have any plans with friends or family? After all, it’s a holiday.”
Ajit shook his head. “Nope, Apu. Today was supposed to be my movie-and-gaming day. Usually, I just watch films all day or play on my Xbox.”
Mrs. Zaman laughed. “Oh God! You’re still single? Why? I thought by now you’d be married and living with your family.”
Ajit gave a small, embarrassed smile. “Nope, still single. I never had enough courage to get married.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Ajit, you really should have by now. Even if it’s bittersweet, you should have someone in your life. If I were to borrow a line from a novel, I’d say—who wants to die alone, huh?”
Ajit looked down at his hands, then quietly replied, “You’re the first lady who has ever asked me about my personal life… about family. I never really had the opportunity to share such things with any girl before.”
Mrs. Zaman tilted her head, her tone half-serious, half-teasing. “What are you saying? Why so gloomy? Maybe I should look for your fiancée myself. Though I’m not sure who’s even available for arranged marriage nowadays… still, I’d give it a try.”
Ajit flushed, his voice low but honest. “Apu, I feel ashamed hearing that. Maybe it’s tough for me to find a wife… a life partner. I may not be a suitable groom. Everyone enjoys talking with me, working with me, but no one sees me as the right match for life.”
A moment of silence passed between them. The only sounds were the clicking of keyboards and the hum of printers, filling the empty office with a strange, fragile life.
