‘Why? What’s wrong?’ I asked.
‘I am not comfortable with the disfigurement that comes with it,’ she said.
‘So no train tracks? Or hanging? Or burning?’ I asked.
‘No.’
‘Sleeping pills?’
‘Too risky. Too much time to change your mind and for regret to seep in.’
‘But knives? That takes time too.’
‘Knives are knives,’ she said. ‘Should we talk about this with such frivolity?’
‘We wouldn’t talk about it if not with frivolity,’ I said.
We both nodded, surprised at my seemingly intelligent observation.
She sighed and said, ‘If there are other factors that determine our choice of you know . . . then I think we are safe. If we were serious about it we would have done it by now, not matter what the means.’
‘Not bragging, but I am surprised at how intelligent we are,’ I said.
She giggled. Like a real giggle, not the sorts she fakes, if and when she finds herself in a group of girls who don’t know she’s different. It wasn’t annoying at all. Giggles are the best.
‘Touchwood. Can I sit here and study now?’
‘I don’t see why not. Are you not going out today?’
‘I have no money and you haven’t lost a bet to treat me. Though the next time you do, there’s a new burger Nirula’s has added to their menu.’
She fetched a book to read and sat next to me. Her invitation was at best dubious but it would do for now. By the time we walked out of the library most of the students were already in class. The corridor was deserted. We had barely walked a few yards when the cooing of a dog drew us to a class long abandoned.
‘We will be late for the class,’ I said.
‘I didn’t ask you to follow me,’ she said.
‘Now that’s unfair.’
We jumped over broken desks and props stored from previous annual day functions.
‘There,’ she said.
In a corner, a pregnant bitch scrambled to her feet seeing us and fell right back. I swear I saw tears.
‘Poor thing.’
‘Dogs can’t cry the way we do. It’s some allergy. But she does look like she is in pain,’ said Brahmi. She took off her sweater. ‘Give me yours.’
‘I can’t! It’s new. Maa–Baba fought tooth and nail for a discount on this.’
Her stare wore me down.
‘Fine,’ I said and took it off.
She linked our sweaters, arms tied to each other, and draped it on the bitch. Then she cradled her on her lap till she drooled all over her skirt and went to sleep.
‘I wash my clothes myself,’ she said when I pointed at the mess.
