8. The first date

Anika

A few days later, Jai texted me about our planned date:

Jai: Hey, how's it going?

Me: Hey there! I'm good. What about you?

Jai: I'm good too.

Jai: So, there's something I wanted to ask you...

Jai: Will you go out on a date with me, Anika?

I couldn't stop grinning while reading these texts. It was a mix of surprise and happiness. This whole arrangement was formal, and I didn't expect him to formally ask me out. It was incredibly sweet of him.

Me: I'd love to go on a date with you, Mr. Singhania.

Jai: Great! When are you free? Let's discuss the place and time.

Me: Anytime works for me.

Jai: Awesome, got to run. Catch you later, beautiful.

Just then, my boss walked by my cabin, and I had to quickly appear busy, so I left my phone without replying. She called me into her office shortly after.

"Heyy"

"I wanted to talk to you about the next event,"

she began, and we dove into discussing the details. It was a major event, so we needed to coordinate with multiple people.

After a full day of work, I headed home exhausted. Changing into comfortable clothes, I crawled into bed for some much-needed rest.

The following morning, Jai's message greeted me:

Jai: Good morning!

Jai: Are you free today?

We figured out a convenient time and place to meet. I felt like a kid in a candy store, excited about the upcoming date.

Since I'd be going straight from work, I had to pick my outfit beforehand.

After around 10 minutes of rummaging through my wardrobe, I settled on a white top which was more like a cardigan, paired with high waisted black jeans. I slipped into white heels and left my hair down.

Completing the look with a black bag, I snapped a picture and sent it to Aarav.

Me: Date with Jai. How's the outfit?

Aarav: Hot damn!! He's gonna melt.

I laughed at his response and gave him a call.

We chatted for a bit, catching up on everything that had been happening. With our busy schedules, Aarav and I couldn't meet as often, which made me miss spending time with him.

At least, if I end up marrying Jai, I'll get to see Aarav more often. That's if my thoughts about Jai ever fade.

After wrapping up my work, since there was only a meeting today, I texted him that I'd be ready to go in about 10 minutes.

Taking a quick restroom break, I freshened up my makeup. I went for a light touch – some lip gloss and kajal, a quick hair comb, and I was set.

Exiting the building, I spotted him waiting, leaning against his car.

I smiled; this guy was something else entirely.

"What brings you here?" I teased.

"Here to pick you up, my lady," he answered, opening the car door for me before taking his seat behind the wheel.

We were off to our destination.

The car was so good. I didn't know what model the porche was but it looked super good. How did I end up with a person like him.

My total savings won't even get me a normal car and this guy has so many of them. We were so many classes apart.

No worries though. I was already planning to buy a car, so maybe in 2-3 years, I can get one on my own. Can't lose hope, right?

After a short while, we arrived at the destination. The place was absolutely stunning, with a sleek black aesthetic.

It exuded class and modernity. We got out of the car and handed the keys to the valet. As we entered the venue, I was captivated. I could easily imagine living in such a place without a second thought.

Jai was wearing a suit that suited the ambiance perfectly. "I think I'm underdressed. You could have given me a hint on how to dress," I playfully remarked.

"You look perfect. Don't worry about it," he replied, our eyes meeting in a brief but charged gaze.

He also had a bouquet of red roses in his hand. Such a gentleman, and I had a soft spot for flowers. I gladly accepted them.

When we headed towards our seats, I noticed that the crowd was quite sparse. The place looked fantastic.

Menus were already placed before us, and when I opened it, I was taken aback. This was genuinely different. Who lists items on a menu without mentioning the prices? And I could barely pronounce half of the dish names.

"What kind of place is this?" I inquired.

"One of the spots I come to for some privacy," he revealed.

"Ah, got it," I nodded.

"What would you like to eat?"

"Anything works for me. What's their specialty here?" I asked, curious.

"Their burgers are fantastic," he replied, and I was relieved it wasn't some complex dish.

"Then burgers it is!" I decided. We placed our orders and picked our drinks.

I went for a simple mojito, while he opted water. "So, how was your day?" he inquired.

I then proceeded to tell him about my day, the meeting, the event, and even my boss. He listened attentively; I don't think he was judging me.

Soon, our burgers and drinks arrived, and let me tell you, they looked and tasted amazing. One bite of that burger, and I was hooked. I was genuinely contemplating how to steal the recipe.

"How's your CFO position going?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

"It's going well. I've pretty much interacted with everyone I'll be working with. There are always a couple of troublesome individuals, but the rest seem good." That's it? I had just spent the last 20 minutes sharing my day's details, and he summed up his past few days in two minutes?

I needed to get him to open up a bit more.

"So, how did you find out about this place?"

"An old friend recommended it to me. Her dad used to have business meetings here," he explained. I couldn't help but wonder who this "her" was.

We kept the conversation light, and I managed to crack a few jokes that even earned a smile from him.

He called them lame, but hey, a smile's a win in my book.

"I have something to tell you," he finally said.

"Sure, go ahead," I replied, curious.

"Anika, my grandfather has this rule. I need to be married within a year." I already knew about this, but I decided to keep quiet and let him continue.

"Look, Anika, I really like you, and I want to marry you. I don't see any reason to prolong things. We could be a great match. So, take your time, not too long, but let me know your decision soon."

"Okay," I managed to reply, though I needed some serious contemplation.

As we were leaving, I realized we hadn't settled the bill.

In a hushed tone, I asked him, "What about the bill?" He looked down at me; he was easily 6 feet tall, and even with my heels, I only reached his chin.

The height difference was cute.

"It's already taken care of. I'm a regular here," he explained.

"But what was the total amount?"

"Why?" he inquired.

"I just want to know," I said, feeling the need to clarify.

"More than a few thousand," he answered. Just rich people things.

"If we're going out next time, I'm picking the place," I declared.

"Sure thing, ma'am," he responded, his expression neutral.

We hopped into the car, and after a few minutes, he dropped me off at home.

We exchanged goodbyes, and then he added, "Think about what I said."

"Yeah, okay," I replied.

"Text me when you're home," I instructed him. He gave me this look like I had suddenly grown two heads.

"I'll reach home safely, Anika," he reassured me.

"I don't care. Text me," I insisted.

"Fine," he conceded, and then he drove off. A few moments later, I got a text from him: 'reached.'

Am I really going to mull over what he said? That's a question for tomorrow. For now, I headed straight to bed.

.................................................................................

❀₊˚⊹♡

I need a Jai in my life!!😩

I wanted to show that Anika and Jai were so different in the matter of money, I hope I conveyed that.

I hope you liked it. Do comment and engage so that I know what y'all think🤍

I post every Tuesday and Saturday, so wait for the next one😉Don't forget to vote and follow me🤍