‘I’m glad you find it so amusing.’ She bristled, brushing herself down once more and unfolding the crumpled map in her hand. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to find this phone shop before the sepsis sets in.’
‘Which one are you looking for?’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Phone shop,’ he repeated. ‘There are a few around here.’
‘I was told to go to Airtel, but at this point I’ll take anything.’ Her gaze refocused on her map, eyebrows knitted in deep concentration. ‘I think …’ she mumbled, turning the paper 180 degrees, ‘it’s this way. Yes! It’s this way!’
‘I think you’ll find it’s that way.’ Jacob pointed gingerly in the opposite direction.
‘For God’ssake,’ the girl cried, the anger in her voice now joined by desperation. ‘What’s the point in being given a map if it’s totally and utterly useless.’
‘I’ll take you.’ The offer was out of his mouth before he knew what he was saying. ‘If you’d like.’
Her expression morphed seamlessly between irritated, confused and relieved. It was quite mesmerizing to watch.
‘Are you sure?’ The act of accepting his help looked as though it was physically paining her.
Washe sure? This girl was rude and aggressive and clearly had very little patience for Jacob, and yet he knew deep down he wouldn’t be able to leave her stranded, heading in the totally wrong direction.
‘Why not! I don’t have anything else planned for my day.’ Guilt tapped its fingers at the edges of his conscience. Hadn’the promised himself that the second he landed in India he would email home? There was no doubt a message from his mother was waiting for him in his inbox, wishing him a happy birthday and asking for updates. But home was always there. This girl needed him now. ‘Come on, we go this way!’
‘Hold on! I don’t even know your name.’
‘A very sensible thing to ask,’ he noted, lifting his sunglasses off his face and extending a hand to her. ‘I’m Jacob.’
The girl gripped him firmly with her ghostly hand and shook hard.
‘Hi Jacob, I’m Olivia.’
Olivia
When Olivia had left the hotel that afternoon, she couldn’t have imagined things getting any worse. Now, here she was with two grazed knees, covered in God knows what, following a total stranger to a phone shop she had no hope even existed at this point.
‘How far away is this place?’ she asked, trying to match Jacob’s long strides as best she could, whilst swerving through the crowded streets.
‘Not far now, why?’ He turned to look at her, his face suddenly dropping in realization. ‘Wait, it’s not painful to walk, is it? Do you want me to slow down? Do you need to rest?’
‘No, I’m fine!’ she barked back. ‘I was just curious, that’s all.’
‘Well then, it’s about ten minutes this way.’ He nodded ahead.
‘Good.’
She had no idea why she was being so unbelievably horrid to this man. Maybe it was the throbbing in her legs, thestinging of her palms, the intensifying heat that seemed to bore down through her skull into the very centre of her brain.
Or maybe you’re embarrassed at being so useless.
The thought made her body tense instinctively in defence. It was bad enough feeling inadequate by herself, but in the presence of another person … well, that was her idea of hell.
‘How long are you staying in Delhi for?’ Jacob pressed on, apparently undeterred by her impoliteness.
‘Three days.’
‘Not too long, then. Where are you staying?’
‘In a hotel.’
