Still sleepy after his second cup of coffee, he walked towards the tall building. He was definitely not a morning person.

But this firm is worth it.

No pains, no gains.

As he entered the building, he saw the receptionist talking over the phone with a slight smile on her face.

Those dimples - mesmerising.

He smirked.

This firm is definitely worth it.

He walked over to her and kept his hands on his table and bent towards her.

"Hey love, can you -"

"Are you the new trial boy?" She spoke in a pace faster than he was used to.

"Uh… My name is Abhijeet."

She gave him a curt nod and pulled out a sheet of paper.

"I need you to read and sign this agreement."

"Anything you need."

Upon getting no response from her, he quietly signed the paper after having read it and then handed it over to her.

"Since I told you my name - it's only fair for you to tell me yours."

"Flirting with the receptionist is not going to get you hired," she said in a matter of fact manner, "If anything, it will just make Rick keep an eye on you. Trust me, that's not good."

"Well I beat a dozen candidates at the interview, it must be worth something."

"The rejection rate after the interview stage is 70 percent," the pace of her speech didn't seem to slow down no matter what and how much she spoke.

"Maybe this was a bad idea."

She gave him a lopsided smile, her gaze fixed on him. It would have been extremely intimidating if it weren't for those dimples.

"Come I'll introduce you to someone."

As they walked across the hallway, they heard panicked whispers.

"What is it Shreya?" the receptionist asked.

"I messed up the order of the files."

Shreya too, like Purvi, spoke faster than usual.

"Again?"

"Again! Rick is gonna kill me."

"You're a dead woman."

"Ab kya karu!"

"Let me just get Abhijeet settled, phir mein aake madat karungi."

"Thanks - You're the best."

Before any of them could say another word, a man ran past them.

"Sorry ladies!"

"All okay there Sachin?" Shreya asked.

"I'll be a jobless, homeless man if Rick sees me like this. Forgot my tie."

"He should just keep spare ones in the office," Purvi said as she and Shreya chuckled.

"Morning Shreya ma'am," a male voice interrupted them.

"Daya!" the receptionist said, "I was just coming to you. I'd like to meet Abhijeet. Abhijeet this is Daya, the newest member of our firm. He will help you out."

"Welcome," Daya shook his hands.

Finally, a smile and welcome.

"Purvi," the receptionist said.

"Haan?"

"My name."

"Oh.. I…"

"Well Daya...he is all yours now."

"Let me take you to your desk. It's right next to mine."

Daya led him through another hallway, past five cabins.

"So… does everyone in this office talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like Really fast and curt."

Daya laughed.

"You'll get used to it."

"If I get hired."

"You will - you just gotta impress Rick."

"Don't make it sound so simple. I heard about the rejection rate."

"She gave you that on your first day?"

"What does that mean?"

"Purvi...she told you that as soon as you showed up?"

"Um...yeah...is there something...something wrong with that?"

"What did you do man, flirt with her?"

"She single?"

"I don't know man. Wo apne private life ke baare mein bahot private hai. Tumhe pasand aa gayi kya?"

"Arrey nahi nahi bhai. Mein toh bas mazak mein puch raha tha."

"But you did flirt with her."

"Just to try and get an advantage for getting hired which didn't go as planned."

"Well since she did tell you about the rejection rate, I'll tell you it isn't easy to impress Rick."

"Rick, Rick, Rick….Rick seems to be all over the place. Ye hai kaun?"

"The youngest partner of the firm. Kehne ko toh wo bas 3 partners mein se ek hai… but you impress Rick, you're in. And if you don't, you're definitely out. Rick takes care of almost everything -"

"Hey trial boy!" A man in his late forties spoke, "You're up."

"Thanks Freddy," Daya said.

"I'm up?"

"Yeah Abhijeet -"

"Yeah wait right there - why does everyone call me trial boy.. I have a name?"

"Rick's idea."

"What! That's….ridiculous."

"It is what it is."

"Rick seems to be -"

"Arrogant. Bossy. Controlling."

"Why doesn't anyone say anything?"

"No one dares to."

"Hey trial boy!" Freddy called again, "YOU'RE UP."

"Oh yeah, he's right … you don't wanna be late."

"But what does he mean I'm up?"

"You gotta go meet -"

"Let me guess - Rick"

"See… you're already up to speed. Rick's cabin is right at the corner."

When he walked into the cabin, he froze in his place. Rick was the opposite of what he expected.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Rick's voice reflected a strange sense of calm.

"N-no I was," Abhijeet stuttered, "I didn't expect…"

"A woman?"

"You...You're Rick?"

"Tarika."

"So...you're not Rick?"

"Ta - RIK - a…. Ta - RICK -"

"Got it! Took me a second but got it."

"Alright then," her voice was still as calm as ever.

"Well Rick or Tarika," Abhijeet muttered, "I'm going to impress the shit out of you."

"Cocky."

"Cunty!"

"Save the retorts for court," Tarika said, getting up from her chair, "You're second chair. It's a pro bono."

"We're leaving now?"

"You can read up on the way."

As she stepped away from her table, Abhijeet looked at her from head to toe.

Beautiful.

Her body was just as beautiful as her name and her face.

"Trial boy…"

"H-haan?"

"Did you expect a man's body?"

"Certainly not a beautiful woman's," Abhijeet muttered again.

As soon as he realized that she heard him, he chided himself.

"So after my receptionist, you're flirting with me?"

"Well… I was...not… how did you know...that I...uh…?"

"It is my job to know what happens here. It also my job to make you do yours and I do my job damn well. So make sure you do not make any further unwelcome advances."

What about welcome advances?

Abhijeet wanted to ask her but he held that thought.

"Now walk with me."

"Yes ma'am."

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