Aarav POV
-Flashback continues-
The most awaited Monday was here. I stood in front of the building, Rao Publications, written in big capital letters on the wall. I went inside the building and to the reception. I tapped the desk to get the attention of the lady who was sitting there.
"Excuse me. I am Aarav Rao, transferred from the Mumbai branch to join here from today as editor-in-chief." She nodded and went through her diary to check something, called someone, and took a few glances at me from head to toe. After a few seconds, she hung up the call and went for another telephone, pressed one button, and called for a person to come down to accompany me, but I couldn't hear it properly.
"Please wait for a few minutes, and someone from the department will come for you." She smiled politely and pointed towards the sofa where I could sit and wait.
I waited for a few minutes when another lady walked in but I couldn't see her face her hair were down and she wore a forest green long kurti with a black maxi length skirt she walked to the desk and the receptionist stood up to point towards me and so the lady also turned to look at me our eyes met and once again I could feel the world around me blur away but this time it wasn't just for me. The receptionist tapped her shoulder, and she flinched a bit as if she was suddenly brought back from her zoned-out state. She smiled at the receptionist and walked towards me.
"Well, I don't think we need an introduction, but still, for the formality," she extended her hand, "I am Kanika Bharadwaj, an assistant editor. Welcome to Rao Publications."
"Thank you so much, nice to meet you. I am Aarav Rao, transferred from the Mumbai main branch as editor-in-chief for the novels department. I am looking forward to us working together." 'This is what people call fate, right?' I barely controlled my excitement and extended my hand to shake hands, while she just gave me a forced smile.
"Let's go, I will show you our department and your cabin, and later someone will show you around the building." She led the way to the department. Her tone felt too stiff, too formal, as if this was our first meeting, as if she had forgotten that day, or more like doesn't want to acknowledge it.
Later, she showed me the department and my cabin and left without bringing up anything from that day. I can't even see her from my cabin because she sits so far away due to being just an assistant editor. The people around my cabin are just senior editors. I couldn't bear the distance between us, we were so close yet so far, 'I know I am being dramatic, but arghhhhhh.'
My day flew away in understanding the different roles of people under me and my predecessor's. I was given multiple files to go through first so that I have an overall idea of what is currently going on.
I leaned back in my chair, rubbed my face with my hands, and took a deep sigh. It was already evening, and people were starting to leave the office. With fewer people around, I could see Kanika now, but she was collecting her stuff, getting ready to leave. I immediately got up and went to the door, but before I could even touch it, someone opened it and walked inside, almost bumping into me, but we both stopped in our tracks. It was Mr. Deshmukh, a man in his mid-30s and one of the senior editors.
"Leaving Mr. Rao? I should come tomor-" he started hurrying and closing the file, but the file slipped from his hand, and all the loose papers got scattered around. I bent down and helped him pick up and arrange the papers.
"Thank you. I will get going now and ha-"
"But you wanted to say something, right?" he was about to leave, but I cut him off. Kanika has already gone, so what change does it make if I leave now or later?
"I came with the reports about the authors we signed contracts with this month and the work." He handed me the files, and I sighed again.
"I guess you should take the help of an assistant for the time being and adjust to the surroundings," he suggested.
"But everyone is busy, Mr. Deshmukh. I don't want to burden them." I spoke as I turned the pages, going through the file with names of authors and their work.
"You should take someone from assistant editors because they are new and less experienced, and because they lack experience is also the reason why nobody gives them any serious work until and unless it's something urgent, and at those moments they end up making mistakes so this way even they will be able to learn something." he had thought deeply on this matter. This way, not only will it lessen my load, but they will also learn something.
'I have an idea.' I smirked to myself.
"Hmm, you are correct, then how about the girl who showed me the department and led me to my office?" I kept the file away and looked at him.
"You mean Kanika?"