It was the second day in the new office and Maya was still on her own. Except the man who had taken her induction, there was no one else who had said a hi to the young woman.
Not only was it a new office, it was also a new city. While she had successfully climbed the corporate ladder for a better salary, she hadn’t really made any acquaintances in the new city or office yet. Looking at the whole workplace from her seat at the end of the hall, Maya felt a sob coming. But she was a grown woman and that was simply not an option.
She decided to eat her lunch, as lonely as it might feel. Her tiffin box revealed a fried rice with vegetables and an old memory hit her from the recesses of her mind.
It was fifteen years ago and their sports period had just been cancelled. The children had bought little knick-knacks from the school canteen to the classroom and were chomping nosily. The class teacher came in with a young girl in tow. “This is Tina, new to Delhi and your school. Make her feel welcome, y’all,” she said.
While the students said a big ‘hi’ to her in chorus, that was all they did. Tina was seated right next to Maya, something the latter didn’t like. So, she turned to Tina and said, “My best friend sits next to me. You have been given this seat because she is absent today. Tomorrow, you have to find yourself a new seat, ok?”
Tina sadly nodded her head, but Maya didn’t care. The popular girl in class, Maya had a lot going for her—she had many friends, the teachers loved her and she was the queen of debating. So, she hardly spoke to the new girl who sat next to her for a whole week. When Maya’s best friend returned to school after a bout of fever, Maya immediately made Tina move to the back of the classroom. She never gave her much thought and after a year, Tina had left their school.
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