Page 195 - Half Girlfriend
P. 195

‘You want to sleep here?’

                No answer.
                I got a sheet and pillow from her bedroom. I placed the pillow
           under her head and the sheet over her.

                She smiled in gratitude, like a happy baby.

                ‘I’m going,’ I mouthed silently against her temple.
                She shook her head.

                What? I wondered to myself. What does she want?
                She held on to me when I tried to move.

                ‘I’ll stay?’ I said.
                She didn’t react. This is what girls do. At crucial moments, they

           won’t give you a straight answer. What’s a guy to do?
                ‘I’ll stay for a bit?’ I said.

                She nodded.
                Thank God for some guidance.

                ‘Okay, I’m tired too. If I stay, I need to lie down as well.’

                She moved aside, eyes still shut, making space for me. I was
           shocked. Riya actually wanted me to lie down with her.
                I slid in next to her, as quietly as possible, lest she woke up fully

           and came to her senses.

                ‘Sleeping?’ I said, giving her an awkward cuddle.
                She nodded. Girl nonsense, again. I grinned. How could she

           respond if she was asleep?
                ‘Me too,’ I said. I think it is acceptable, almost necessary, for men

           and women to lie to one another.
                She turned on her side and placed her arm around me. She also

           curled up a little, so her chest would not come too close to mine. Only
           her arms and knees touched me.

                Girls are really good at such stuff. Even in sleep, they can contort
           themselves to maintain the boundaries of appropriate physical contact,

           I shut my eyes. Of course, I could not, just could not sleep. I wanted
           to hold her close. I wanted to kiss her. Restless, I placed an arm

           around her. I think girls actually believe guys can casually place their
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