Half Girlfriend (1)

‘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