‘Oh, I didn’t know. I thought they left the next day like they’d planned to,’ Siya said.
‘How could you know? You left after their party because some work came up, right?’
‘Right,’ Siya lied smoothly. She couldn’t tell him the real reason why she left that night. Abhay’s words echoed in her mind, making heat flare in her chest.
I am not letting you go this time, jaan. I promise you.
The sincerity in that vow struck a chord so deep, she had chosen to run in the middle of the night instead of facing him the next morning. After all, she had experience running away from him.
‘And I know that once Meera is back, there is no hope for our dinner. You’re going to abandon me for her home-cooked biryani,’ Swayam replied, bringing her back to the present.
‘As if you won’t do that. Besides, I always leave a good apology note.’
‘A good apology?!’ he asked, surprise dripping from his tone. ‘You ditched me last week with a one-word text that just said “GTG” in all caps. I almost got worried that you were being held hostage.’
She didn’t know how he could make sulking sound like a stand-up performance but he clearly hadn’t lost his touch since their college days.
‘I was! By my work! And forget editing, overexaggeration is your talent. Try to make a career in that field.’
She was caught in that perfect moment of fond irritation only old friendships allow when he shrieked in a high-pitchedmimicry of Meera. ‘Oh! You’re my bestest friend ever and you’re the bestest thing that has ever happened to me!’
She burst out laughing and had to quickly drive when she heard a car horn from behind her. Steering it into a turn, she pulled over into the parking lot of The Imperial Grand.
‘You’re so annoying,’ Siya said as she pulled into an open spot and got out of the car.
‘And yetyoukeep callingmewhenever Meera is out of town.’
‘That is a deeply hurtful accusation, Swayam.’
Her heels clicked onto the marble floor as she made her way into the lobby of the hotel. Nodding at the doorman, she checked her watch and sighed in relief. She’d just made it in time.
‘Which is why it’s probably true. Have you heard from her or is she still pretending that New Zealand is her new permanent address?’
Her gaze flickered to her reflection in the brushed steel doors of the elevator. Frizzy hair again. Great. As she reached up to smooth a strand, she recounted their conversation to him. ‘Mihu said if she could, she’d prolong the trip for a little longer.’
Her hair looked marginally better but her posture looked stiff. Or maybe, that was just her trying not to look tense and failing at it.
‘I can’t blame her for avoiding coming back to real life. It’s tragic here.’
Siya laughed and said, ‘You’re so dramatic!’
‘You know who else is dramatic? You, when you’re around Abhay,’ Swayam said suddenly.
She froze, and her eyes narrowed but she played dumb. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Oh, please. Are you seriously going to pretend you don’t know what I am talking about?’
‘I honestly don’t know. Anyway, I think I should go—’
‘See, see! This is what I’m talking about. The second anyone mentions him, you either walk out of the room or behave as if he doesn’t exist.’
Siya rolled her eyes, but it dawned on her that maybe she hadn’t handled this as discreetly as she thought she had. ‘Whatever,’ she mumbled, the only thing she could think of.
Swayam sighed on the other end of the call and all she wanted to do was throw her phone away and run as far from it as possible. Talking about Abhay was not helping, especially just before the meeting with her dad. Just hearing his name induced a flutter in her gut and she did her best to ignore it.
‘One of these days, you will have to tell us what happened between the two of you. We have guessed that you have a history, it’s obvious. So it doesn’t really make sense when you go out of your way to avoid him.’
‘Nothing happened between the two of us. Abhay means nothing to me,’ Siya lied through her teeth and felt relieved that Swayam couldn’t see her.
