Half Girlfriend (1)

lobby, my eyes fixed on the entrance.
I waited for twelve hours.
I didn’t allow myself to use the bathroom lest I miss her again. I
didn’t eat food or drink water all day either. My eyes scanned every car
arriving at the hotel.
At seven in the evening, Samantha, Chris and Rachel returned
from their trip. Their faces had turned black with Bihar’s dust. They
looked exhausted.
‘Madhav?’ Samantha said, surprised.
‘Oh, hi,’ I said, pretending to be equally astonished. ‘I came for
another meeting.’
‘At Chanakya itself?’ Samantha said.
I nodded. Chris said he needed a shower or he would die. They
left me in the lobby and went up to their rooms.
At 8.30 p.m., an Innova pulled into the front porch. Riya stepped
out of it. My heart started to play hopscotch. A part of me wanted to
run away. It shuddered at the thought of facing her. Another part had
made me sit here without a break for twelve hours.
She didn’t notice me. She went up to the reception.
‘231, please,’ she said. The receptionist turned towards the key
rack.
I walked up to the reception. ‘Excuse me, which way is the coffee
shop?’ I said. I had to make it seem like she saw me first. That’s Riya.
She had to find me. If I found her, she might just run away.
‘Oh my God,’ Riya said. ‘Madhav Jha.’
‘Riya... Riya Somani, right?’ I said.
‘Wow, you have difficulty recollecting my name, Madhav Jha!’
‘Riya Somani,’ I said, giving up ah pretence of indifference. The
receptionist seemed surprised at the happy coincidence right at her
counter.
Riya took her keys and we stepped away from the counter.
‘What are you doing here?’ she said. ‘Wow, I still can’t get over it.
Madhav Jha.’