Chapter 8: Rain, Naan, and Goodbye

In the private dining room, I ordered enough food for a wedding baraat. This place was fancy—Priya and I only came here after payday. Arjun picked at his food, but kept piling my plate with paneer butter masala and garlic naan, grateful for the distraction.

I said nervously, "Mr. Arjun, please eat, don’t just feed me."

He paused, spoon mid-air. "It’s after work. Call me by my name."

I stayed silent, awkward. In six months, we’d never sat down for a meal like this—always in between, you know. Now, sitting together, it felt weird. I buried myself in food.

After dinner, the rain came down heavy. Arjun jingled his car keys: "I’ll drive you home."

I opened my Ola app, but the queue was endless. Arjun said, "It’s raining, cabs are impossible. Let me take you."

I got into Arjun’s Audi, opening the back door. He raised an eyebrow: "What, I’m your driver now?"

I hurried to the front. "Let me drive, then."

He laughed. "Chalo yaar, passenger seat mein aao."

The rain drummed on the roof as we sat in silence. I fiddled with my phone, avoiding his eyes. Choosing to become Arjun’s bed buddy was the boldest thing I’d ever done. I always liked to keep work and life separate, but now… Now he was my boss. Can I ever relax around him again? Will someone find out? I hated this uncertainty.

Before getting out, I took a deep breath and looked at him. "Mr. Arjun, let’s end this. No more weekends."

He looked genuinely confused. "Why? Just because I’m your boss now?"

I couldn’t say that. "Just because. This isn’t a long-term solution."

His face darkened. I unbuckled my seatbelt and escaped into the rain, feeling both empty and relieved. It was like walking away from hot, buttery pav bhaji halfway through—a pain only a true Mumbaikar would understand.