Page 151 - Half Girlfriend

I looked around. I wondered if I should have eaten some more.

That was when I spotted a tall girl, her back to me, at the other end
of the coffee shop. Her long hair came down to her waist. She wore a
mustard salwar-kameez. If she wasn’t tall, I wouldn’t have noticed her.

If we had started breakfast a few minutes later, I would still be eating

and wouldn’t have noticed her. It had to be just that moment. At 8.29
a.m., when I stood up to leave, was exactly when she had stood up to

leave as well. She picked some files from her table.
‘Lovely meeting you, Madhav.’ Chris said. He extended his hand.

I nodded, my eyes still on the girl, as I shook hands with him.
‘All okay?’ Chris said. He turned his head to see what had

distracted me.
‘Huh? Yeah, I am fine,’ I said, my eyes still on the other end of die

room.
She turned towards the exit. The waiter followed her to get a bill

signed. She stopped and turned towards the waiter. I saw her face for

half a second. Yes, it was her.
‘Riya Somani,’ I said.
‘Who?’ Chris said. Samantha and Rachel turned towards her, too.

Before any of us could react, Riya had left the restaurant.

‘Is she someone famous?’ Rachel said.
‘Excuse me, I need to go,’ I said. My fingers trembled as I shook

Samantha’s hand.
‘Have a good trip to Munger,’ I said.

‘We’ll see you soon in Dumraon,’ Samantha said, her voice
cheerful.

‘Yeah,’ I said absently. I walked towards the door. I wanted to run
towards it but I didn’t want to create a scene. I came to the lobby, but

there was no sign of her.
Did I hallucinate? I asked myself. No, I had seen her. The walk,

the gait, the face—there is only one Riya.
I rushed to the foyer and just about saw her leave in an Innova.

She had sunglasses on.The car windows were rolled up.