Ajay Gupta

Detectives have case files on AJAY GUPTA. It reads that they are a TWENTY-NINE year old CISGENDER MAN. They had met Maddison Halles and they were CLASSMATES FROM MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL. HE lives in NORTH AVENUE and work as an ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER. They can be considered NURTURING but also STUBBORN. They couldn’t have possibly had anything to do with the disappearances…. could they?

“Do I look like someone who has time to pity date?” She laughed as she rolled her eyes at the man. “I’m here, you’re here so we may as well make the most of our nights hadn’t we? You’re attractive too so that’s a win for me.” She shrugged. “Did you want to go home or something? I wouldn’t want to keep you.” She asked.

Ajay laughed along, realizing that he might be overthinking this opportunity. Here’s someone who is clearly interested in him, why can’t he simply allow himself to go along with it? Bashful as ever, Ajay runs his fingers through his hair. “No, I don’t mind staying here with you at all. I’m just not used to someone being as direct as you are.”

Eden raised a brow. “Okay, it kind of sounds like you’ve been stood up. Sorry.” She smiled gently, resting her head back on the questionable leather seat. “Don’t judge me…. but it wasn’t planned. I was just kind of hoping we’d run into each other. Yeah… that sounded lame and a tad stalkerish.” She half laughed. 

Ajay downed the little was left in his glass as he listened to Eden. “It doesn’t sound lame. I kind of respect that you left everything up to fate.” He liked the idea that the universe could pull something together. “Sorry it didn’t work out the way you wanted it to. But the night is still young, maybe they’ll show up soon.”

x

Dallon grimaced as he took a sip of his beer. He’d been there before, not that he’d ever admit to it. “Probably isn’t much of a loss”, he tried to console the other man. “Claybourne isn’t really full of great catches. All the good ones are already taken.”

“That can’t be right, there’s gotta be someone to date in this town.” Ajay thought over the actual chances of meeting someone where he lived. While it wasn’t impossible, what are the odds he’d find someone after living in the town for years now?  “I’m not looking to move anytime soon, so my options appear to be limited to mainly Claybourne.”

“I’ll keep them coming, don’t you worry. We’ve all been there, my friend,” Kai gave a friendly smile, he’d heard many people’s stories working in a bar. “That doesn’t sound stupid at all. There is no stupid thing to say. I’m here for you to say anything to,” he nodded, wanting to reassure him. “You relax, you talk to me, you play some pool, maybe even get brave enough you chat someone up.”

“That sounds like a plan. Now is there a way to get the satisfaction of doing all those things without actually having to do it?” Being in this position was a bit out of Ajay’s comfort zone, having to be by himself led him to a lot of over analyzation of his actions and it was not something he liked to do. “I’m just not good at these sorts of things, interacting in general, I guess.. It’s a reason as to why I teach kids, they’re easier to talk to.”

“I like that very positive attitude. You wanted to believe the best in them,” she laughed gently. “Free donut or any other dessert of your choice. Let it get you through,” Belle joked with him. “Hmm, but the coffee. Okay, I’ll throw that in too. You deserve it after tonight.”

“I don’t ever want to doubt people. It’s a terrible way to look at the world, to always expect the worst in others.” Ajay’s faith in humanity is something he’d like to rely on but sometimes the world, even Claybourne, makes it hard to. “Maybe I should plan to get stood up more often if it’ll lead to more free meals.”

Brooke flopped into the seat beside Ajay. Looking around the bar. “Ah you can do better then.” He looked around the bar. “I can see at least three potential dates that would be way better for you anyway. Come on, let me be your wing man. Like old times.”

“No way, not letting that happen.” Ajay could feel pressure lifting once his good friend arrived to help him. “I’m not sure if I want to talk to other people tonight,” Putting himself out there and being rejected made Ajay want to hide once again. “Getting stood up might’ve just been a big warning that it’s not my time to date. Besides, how can I possibly talk to anyone else when you’re here?”

Melody felt for the other and it showed in the way her doll-like eyes glossed over and her bottom lip poked out in some form of a pout. Being stood up was never fun, she knew from experience, but she also had more confidence in her big toe than most people, so she brushed those rare moments off. “Well, I think they missed out on a dashing young man. Dating apps should totally come with a review section.”

Ajay could feel his face warm up, he could never take compliments that well. "Dashing?” The word alone stunned him, he needed a quick second to process it. “This is the first time I’ve been called that. Not sure it’s an apt descriptor, maybe a better identifier would be someone who could use a haircut.”

“Now who in their right mind would stand you up?!” Emilia exclaimed, shocked that anyone would pass up the chance to meet up with the gentleman next to her. Ajay was on of the few people Emilia remembered from her time here before she moved away and his kindness and humor seemed to have only grown since she left. “Well, I’ll take that as a sign that you were obviously meant to spend the night drinking here with me instead then. It’s fate.” She tried the make the man she once called a friend feel a bit better about the situation.

“Someone from Tinder, apparently” Ajay revealed. Thinking it over, he felt it was better that his date was a complete stranger. There was very little chance there’d ever be a chance for face-to-face confrontation. “You did catch me on the extremely off chance I’d be at the bar so fate does seem like the obvious explanation.” Truth be told, had Ajay not gone out tonight he would’ve been at home looking over his student's lesson plans or assisting anyone who was in need of help, essentially focusing on anyone but himself. “Were you planning on drinking alone before you noticed me?”

“Well they’re dumb.” She said has she knocked back her shot and slid the glass to one side, taking a seat next to him with a smile. “You’re hot so the jokes on them.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll be your date, your night was not wasted and well.. I look good today so my outfit won’t be wasted either.”

Ajay found himself a bit tongue-tied at the notion of a gorgeous girl openly being flirty towards him, he wasn’t ever really used to this treatment. “T-that’s really nice of you to do and say that.” Blame his childhood for his skepticism, but Ajay did have to question one’s intentions. “But if you’re doing this out of pity, that’s not necessary. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Listen, it happens to us all.” JC shook his head as he laughed. “I’m here now so was it a complete disaster?” He offered to join the man with his drink. “Their loss, mate. You probably dodged a bullet if they couldn’t at least let you know they didn’t want to join you.”

“Now that you mention it, my night did get significantly better now that you’re here,” Ajay teased. Is it teasing if it actually is true? Ajay did find the night less stressful at the sight of a familiar face, no longer doomed to manage small talk. “Yes, exactly. It’s not the fact they essentially cancelled on me that bothers me, it’s that they haven’t sent a message or given me a call back.”

“It happens to the best of us, mate.” He laughed as he joined the other with his drink. “Put it down to them being freaked out and scared if that helps.. although saying it out loud makes it sound worse.” Nate said with a puzzled look on his face. “I mean with the situation in town.. not because you look like a serial killer.”

Ajay listened and nodded along to the other trying to cheer him up, it was working. He even managed to get a genuine laugh out. “I don’t think I’ve ever thought about blaming the town but I will now use that as an excuse for everything. Do you think I could blame parking tickets on the town as well?”

Hana had not been able to find any rest - again - and so she found herself at a bar, hanging on to a glass of wine as if it were a lifeline. She furrowed her brows when she heard the stranger beside her speak and then turned a little towards him, shoulders raised and eyes tired. “Well, from what I have gathered this place is always ready with a few surprises so I am pretty sure you can still manage to turn the evening around”, she looked at him for a moment before shrugging her shoulders, “And besides if they treat you like this they surely ain’t worth crying over them.”

“You’re right,” It’s possible Ajay put too much trust into a stranger. The other’s words stuck with him. “This place is a bit odder than others but it can’t be that much different, could it?” He never thought about the town much after Maddison’s disappearance. Maybe it was a coping method to simply ignore the bad and focus on the good, he put all of his attention towards his students and work. “Is there anything else you’ve gathered about this town? I’d love to hear an outsider’s perspective.”

Eden glanced over at the man, he was attractive and it seemed difficult to imagine anyone standing him up on purpose. “Have you called them?” She asked curiously. “But sure take a seat, i’m on my own tonight… I was hoping to meet someone too. He’s not here.”

Ajay smiled at the other for offering to keep him company, he took the next nearby seat. He nodded his head, “I’ve even left a voicemail but no response.” He shrugged, honestly he just wanted to move on. No point in dwelling. “How late is whoever you were planning on meeting?”

Kai placed the another drink in front of the guy, laughing gently. “Stood up? A nice guy like you? Well, they’re stupid. Should I keep these drinks coming? That one is on the house.”

“Thanks, just keep ‘em coming.” Ajay used his phone and drink as distraction, swiping up and down through apps whilst sipping his way to an empty glass. “This might be stupid,” he takes a pause before confessing, “I don’t think I’ve gone out on my own for a while now. What am I expected to do?”

Natalia knew she’d recognised that voice, and gave his shoulder a squeeze as she took the seat beside him. “That is totally their loss. Are they super late now?” she nudged him. “Bartender make that two and I’ll get them.”

“Nearly an hour now. I hope they’re alright,” Ajay tried remaining optimistic, he didn’t want to express any distain. “Ah, you don’t have to do that,” he could tell his coworker was just being polite in offering him a drink. “Anyway, what are you doing here? Don’t tell me you’re in the same boat as I am...”

Belle sat beside him, letting out a small laugh. “How late are they now?” she asked with a smile, recognising the regular breakfast goer from her cafe. “I promise I will give you a free donut on Monday. You deserve it. Anyway, their loss.”

"It’s almost been an hour. I probably should’ve left after thirty minutes but I’d like to think they’re just stuck in terrible traffic.” Seeing a familiar face brought up his mood, it was in an ironic turn of events for Ajay's night. "The promise of a free donut is enough to get me through the weekend so thank you. While I’m at it, would it be too much to ask for a free cup of coffee as well?” He teased.