“And Seth already thinks I’m coming,” he helpfully reminded her. “You’d have to come up with some excuse about why I couldn’t make it. Wouldn’t that be a bit suspicious?”
She stared at him until a look of resignation crossed her face. “Fine,” she said. “But you’re going to do exactly what I say. We’re setting real terms this time.”
Her words sent a thrill of anticipation down his spine. “Of course,” he said. “I completely agree.” She pivoted away to face the window, and he did the same, taking in the blur of the city lit up at night. Without fully realizing it, he let out a small smile.
“It’s Monday. The show’s about to start. And I have pizza with goat cheese, Kalamata olives, and hot honey,” Ankita said from outside Meghna’s apartment.
Meghna looked at the door and sighed. She should have suspected something like this was coming. She’d been dodging Ankita’s calls for too long. And last week had been the first time one of them had skipped out on their weekly reality show watch night in years. She shot the door another wary glance. She was dreading this confrontation, and part of her was tempted to just pretend she wasn’t home.
“You have to let me in,” Ankita called out. “The pizza’s getting cold.”
Meghna was quiet for a second, then shouted back, “I like cold pizza.”
“I know. And I think it’s disgusting!”
Meghna rolled her eyes, but got up to let her in. Even though she was still upset with Ankita, it was probably time for them to have it out. Besides, Ankita hated olives. Her ordering them for Meghna was a true peace offering.
She swung the door open. Ankita held a large pizza box, a slightly nervous expression on her face. Meghna took the box from her hands and gestured for her to come in.
“I didn’t mean to just show up like this, but you weren’t returning my calls. Or my texts and—”
“I needed some space.”
Ankita swallowed. “Right. Of course.”
They stood there for a moment, awkwardly facing each other, until Meghna put the pizza down on the coffee table and spread a blanket on the floor. They sat down, but neither of them moved to turn the television on.
“I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to explain what…” Ankita stopped, letting out a loud breath.
“How long has this been going on?” Meghna asked. She thought that was as good a place to start as any.
“Nothing’s going on. We didn’t plan this. I haven’t talked to Samir in…in years. Not since he moved to India.”
“Then how did it happen?”
Ankita shook her head. “I don’t even know. I saw him at your parents’ table and that was…fine. He came up and congratulated me and Rishi on the engagement. I thanked him. Rishi thanked him. It was all very civil. And then I went to the bathroom and he just…He followed me inside and said he needed to talk to me. And then…I mean, it wasSamir,and he was kissing me, and so…I kissed him back.”
Meghna went still. “What do you mean it wasSamir?”
Ankita shifted uneasily. “You know I’ve always liked Samir.”
“Yeah, sure. But I also thought you were in love with your fiancé. I mean, seriously, Ankita, this is your explanation? You kissed my brother even though you are engaged to someone else because you had a crush on him as a kid?”
“It wasn’t a crush. I was in love with him!”
Meghna snorted. “What? When you were five?”
“No. In college. And he said he was too, but he must have been lying because he literally left for India the next week and I—”
“In college?” Surprise jolted through her, and Ankita snapped her mouth shut, guilt spreading across her face.
Meghna closed her eyes, realizing what this meant. Ankita had lied to her. Somethinghadhappened between Ankita and Samir that summer.
“I wanted to tell you about it,” Ankita said. “I wanted to tell you everything, but Samir didn’t want anyone to know. And then it was over and it seemed pointless to bring it up. And embarrassing. And too much time had passed and I…”
Hurt blossomed in Meghna’s chest. They’d both lied to her. For years.
“I’m sorry,” Ankita said. “I am. I mean, I could tell you all about it now and we could talk and—”
