Page 100 - Half Girlfriend

‘What?’ I turned to Riya.

‘I told you, you don’t want to know.’
I composed myself and summoned the resolve to read the full
card. It went like this: Shri Vishnu Somani and Shrimati Kala Devi

Somani humbly invite you to the wedding of their granddaughter So.

Riya Somani
(d/o Mr Mahendra Somani and Mrs Jayanti Somani) with Chi. Rohan

Chandak
(s/o Late Shri Manoj Chandak and Jamna Bai Chandak) on 25

January 2007 at 8p.m.
at the Taj Palace Hotel, Delhi Programme and RSVP details

attached. Request no gifts.
I didn’t read the other cards in the box, which had details of the

other ceremonies. I simply sat there frozen. I clutched the silk pouch
like a stress ball and looked straight ahead.

‘It happened so fast,’ Riya said.

I remained quiet. Shock waves ran through me. Numb, I traced the
golden embroidery on the pouch.
‘A part of me can’t believe it is happening,’ she said, to fill the

awkward silence.

‘You’re getting married?’ I whispered, my tone unusually calm, my
gaze still averted.

‘In two months,’
I smirked and turned to her. ‘Wow, Riya. I’ve never faced such a

dodge, even on the basketball court.’
‘What do you mean?’

‘I wanted us to be friends again. But you are leaving college.
Getting married.’

‘That’s life, I guess.’
‘You’re nineteen.’

‘Will turn twenty after the wedding, later the same year.’
‘Have you gone mad, Riya?’

‘You’ve lost the right to talk to me like that,’ she said.