Page 46 - Half Girlfriend

5

Alter our movie date, we started to spend even more time together.
During lunch break, we would sit on the college lawns and eat home-

cooked food from her house. She brought an elaborate Marwari thali
in a three-tiered tiffin box.

‘How’s the food in the rez?’ she said.
‘Not as good as the Somani Cafe,’ I said.

We sat facing the red-brick college building. The winter sun

warmed us as well as her cold tiffin box. I ate three of her four
chapatis, and most of the paalak-daal along with it. She never touched

the sweet churma. I ate it with a plastic spoon.
‘How’s your room?’ she said.

‘Like any other rez room. Basic. Books, Basketballs and bed linen.’
‘Do you keep it clean?’

I shook my head and grinned.
‘What? You don’t clean it regularly?’

‘Once a week.’
‘Awful.’

‘I don’t have six servants like you do, Miss Riya.’
‘I want to see your room.’

‘You can’t,’ I said.‘Girls are not allowed.’
‘I know. Just kidding,’ she laughed.

‘Hows your family?’ I said.

‘Same. My brothers, male cousins and uncles are busy planning
how to increase their wealth. The women are gushing over their last

shopping trip or figuring out which marriage to attend next.’
‘Good, everything is normal then,’ I said.

‘I bought a guitar,’ she said.
‘Nice.’

‘Yeah, I barely talk to anyone at home. Me and my guitar, we’re
happy.’

‘You talk to me,’ I said.