Page 38 - Half Girlfriend

inside me, ‘Did I, a commoner, just play basketball with the Raja Sahib

of Dumraon?' she said and burst into laughter, ‘I shouldn't have told
you,' I shook my head, 'C'mon,' she said and tapped my wrist, My arm
went all warm and tingty, ‘What about you? Which eighteen-year oId

girl comes to college in a BMW and calls herself a commoner?'

‘Oh, you noticed. That’s my dad's ear,*
‘You must be so rich:'

'My family is. Not me,'
As she spoke, three girls arrived at our table, “We’ve been looking

for you everywhere,' one of them said.
'Hey, girls’ Riya said. ‘Come, sit with us. Madhav. meet Garima,

Ayesha and Rachita, friends from my class, Girls, this is Madhav, my
basketball friend'

I realised my place in her life. Basketball Friend. Perhaps she had
friends for specific purposes.

The girls looked me up and down, down and up, checking me out.

'Not, bad, Riya,' Garima said and winked at her. The girls burst out
laughing and sat down with us.
‘Are you In the college team?' Rachita asked me. She wore a red-

and-black bandana on her head.

I nodded, nervous at their bold familiarity.
'Madhav has played state level,' Riya said and looked at me

proudly.
'Wow,' the girls said in unison,

'Would you like to order anything?’ I said,
The three girls froze and then began to laugh. It dawned on me that

they were laughing at me. My English had sounded like this: 'Vood you
laik to aarder anything?' I didn't know this was such a cardinal sin.

‘What happened?' I said,
‘Not a thing,' Garima said and stood up,‘Thanks, Madhav, we just

ate lunch, Hey, Riya, let's catch up later, yeah?'
The three girls left. We waved goodbyes,

‘What happened, Riya?’ I said.