‘Guess you don’t like such events either,’ she said.
‘Let’s just say I prefer conversations where no one’s trying to sell me something. I had other plans.’
That struck a chord so deep it almost hurt. ‘That makes two of us. Why are you still here then? You could be out there somewhere, celebrating the night.’
‘I had to meet someone,’ he said, giving her a casual shrug.
‘Mysterious,’ she said, trying to tease, but there was a thread of curiosity tugging at her chest.
‘What about you? Are you out here for the view or to run away from the crowd too?’
‘Just needed some air.’
‘So you’re not here plotting a daring escape, or thinking of throwing someone off the balcony?’ he asked, arching a brow.
‘Now is that the vibe I’m giving off?’ she huffed under her breath.
‘Kinda,’ he confessed sheepishly.
‘Fair point,’ she said, blurting out a short laugh.
They stood there for a moment, the sea stretching wide and untouchable before them.
‘If you could be anywhere else right now, where would you want to start the new year?’ he asked.
Her heart squeezed at the sight of the uncurated joy and the memories being made across the street. She thought of Meera and Swayam and how dejected they were when she told them she was backing out of their plan. She thought back to being atthat café they’d decided to explore, before she had to fly here at the last minute for this party.
‘Anywhere but here,’ she said. ‘Maybe somewhere that feels like home, with people who actually know me.’
‘Friends?’ he prompted.
‘Yeah. We’d probably be wandering the streets of Delhi, trying different places, until we got hopelessly lost.’
‘So why aren’t you?’
She let out a slow exhale. ‘I have a younger sister, Kashvi. She worked hard all year to ace her year-end semester, and as a reward, she made plans with her friends for today. Someone had to play the good daughter for tonight, so I figured if one of us gets to be free, it should be her.’
As she spoke, her phone buzzed in her tiny clutch. She slipped it out and tapped on the message bubble. A selfie filled her screen of Kashvi grinning widely, throwing a peace sign, the bright lights of the club behind her making her glow.
That smile on her sister’s face made her sacrifice feel worth it.
A cheer rose from the fair as the Ferris wheel began a new round, pulling their attention to it.
‘Sounds like they’re having the time of their lives,’ she observed dryly.
‘Now that’s the way to begin a new year.’ He turned to her and asked, ‘You know, we could be one of them too, just for a little while.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘We could sneak out,’ he said, a grin teasing at the edges of his mouth.
‘What?’ she asked, whirling around to look at him. The night air stirred a few strands of hair loose from her updo.
‘I mean, it’s right there,’ he said, pointing to the fair. ‘I can’t do anything about Delhi, but we could rush down there, take one spin on the Ferris wheel, and be back before the clock strikes twelve.’
For a beat, Siya just stared at him, stunned by how easy he made it seem.
‘I’m supposed to give a toast at midnight, so I can’t,’ she said, her mind clinging to duty.
