Subject:Eleven hours in toilet hell!
Hey! (Hope you like the new subject title – I thought I’d make sure you never forget about my rite of passage!) I can’t tell you how jealous I am that you’re in Jodhpur – I’ve never been, but it’s always intrigued me. Mainly to see what camels are like up close and personal. I hear they smell and they spit? Is this true? Can you confirm for me, please?
I’m glad you made a friend, although I am 100 per cent certain that they aren’t as incredibly humble, endearing and enjoyable to hang out with as me. We can’t all be perfect, I guess.
The Kushal Project is going much better, as I’ve now taken to eating at least two of the bars myself – short term it’s great, long term maybe not so much. Anyway, after the desert, where to, my intrepid explorer?
Yours, very much on a sugar high, Jacob x
From:[email protected]
Subject:Camels suck
I think you can infer my thoughts on camels as a species from my subject title, but for clarity – yes, they smell and spit, sometimes directly into your eye (and no, I don’t want to talk about it). I’ll just say I was quite glad to be rid of them and find myself in Udaipur, which so far is my favourite city. The lake is beautiful!
I have to say, I am concerned by your tactics when it comes to the Kushal Project – it wouldn’t be my approach, but then again, what were the chances of you and me being aligned in our thinking? Just don’t make me re-route my plan to come and wean you both off the stuff; it’s not a sacrifice I’m willing to make. On that note, any news on if you’ll be leaving soon?
Yours, slightly worriedly, Olivia x
P.S. I totally forgot how incredibly self-deprecating you are, and your last email was a stark reminder of that, so thank you!
Jacob leant back in the creaking office chair and stretched his arms above his head. He was filled with the same feeling he always had after reading one of Olivia’s emails: a silly, boyish playfulness and a strange sense of hope. It flooded his entire body, right to the very tips of his fingers. And sometimes it felt nice to just bask in it for a moment, before hurrying to reply.
‘You’ve got that stupid look on your face again,’ Kushal grunted, lifting his sleepy head from the desk, where it had been laid for the past fifteen minutes. ‘Let me guess, your girlfriend replied?’
‘For the fiftieth time’ – Jacob sat forward, the glorious feeling he had just been experiencing disappearing in a flash – ‘she’s not my girlfriend. But yes, she’s replied.’
‘I don’t know why you don’t just ask her to be.’
‘Oh Kushal, so young and so innocent, with so much to learn.’
The boy scowled, shooting Jacob a look of annoyance. ‘I hate it when you say stuff like that.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘No, you’re not.’
Jacob laughed, patting his friend’s thick shoulder affectionately. ‘I know, but sometimes you have to say it regardless.’
He turned his attention back to the screen, scrolling up through the messages he’d exchanged with Olivia over the past couple of weeks. At first his replies were unintentionally staggered, but now, as time had gone on and the excitement of their conversation had built, he had to make a concerted effort to restrain himself. The fact that he was even having a back-and-forth with someone should have been a red flag, but he’d managed to convince himself that it was harmless. Deepdown, they both knew their connection would fizzle out in about a month and turn to nothing. Her world was completely different from his, and there was nothing that would change that, especially not a couple of innocuous emails.
It was fine.
Everything was fine.
‘Are you going to reply, or can I have the computer back?’ Kushal asked. ‘I want to finish my game.’
Jacob’s fingers hesitated over the keyboard. He could respond now – there were enough things he wanted to share – or he could wait until he’d rolled his dice tomorrow and found out if he was staying or going.
‘You need to get out more – you know that, don’t you?’
‘Oi, can I have the computer back or not?’
‘Yes, yes, you can have it back – give me one second.’ Jacob clicked out of the conversation and back to his inbox.
He froze instantly.
‘Good, because honestly, if I lose another round against this idiot I’m playing, I’m going to go crazy!’ Kushal sighed, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a half-eaten chocolate bar. ‘I’m off my game and I don’t like it. You don’t fancy doing a two-on-one, do you? Me and you team up together?’
