When we returned Shailesh was just taking delivery of a bag full of snack boxes from the canteen downstairs. I told him that the meeting was over and we were going to do it again the same time tomorrow. He looked confused at first and then a little pissed.

After he’d sent all the boxes back to the canteen, Shailesh walked over and asked me if Bansal had called me about flats. I told him he had and informed him of the conversation I had had with Bansal and of my complete confidence in my abilities to find a ‘makaan’ on my own. Shailesh told me that it would be difficult and I should use a broker.

I told him that I needed no help whatsoever. When he went away it struck me that perhaps Shailesh was in cahoots with this Bansal fellow in some way.

I must be careful in this city.

By 5.30 I was beginning to feel much better. There had been a lot of comings and goings in the office but nobody spent any time talking to the new kids, we spent all our time filling out paperwork and no one made a mention of the YouTube video or the party.

That was till we all left office and I took a taxi back to the hotel with Jenson and Reema. They both sat in the back and I sat in the front with a driver who kept hurling abuse at other drivers on the road. I noticed that Jenson’s hand was awfully close to Reema’s thigh. Not that I care, but still… Anyway, just as we passed by that church in Mahim, Reema asked me who the girl in the lobby was from the night before.

I told her that I didn’t remember talking to a girl in the lobby the night before. Reema then threw her head back and laughed and Jenson joined her and slapped her on the knee!

DOG!

‘Of course, you wouldn’t remember it,’ she said. ‘We were carrying you to the lift when the girl stepped up and tried to talk to you. You were quite unconscious at the time.’

I asked Reema if the girl had mentioned a name. Reema looked at the roof of the cab for a long time, trying to jog her memory. And then Jenson suddenly remembered.

Gouri.

I was sombre the rest of the way back to the hotel and, upon reaching, immediately cried a little and then began to write this entry.

I saw my previous tequila-fuelled entry. In my piss drunk state I had written down Gouri’s name.

This was a nightmare. Twice, back to back, Gouri had seen me make a complete fool of myself.

I want to die now.

I need to go eat before they close the buffet dinner at the coffee shop.

8 p.m.

I asked at the reception if anyone called Gouri was staying at the hotel. They said that they did not divulge such information.

Bastards.