Not Likely

Exes Galore!

I can tell you something with certainty. My luck in India has 90 percent shit. Before you raise your eyebrows and say 'hey, but what about your work or Dhruv?' I can tell you that that contributes to 10 percent of my good luck.

Ninety percent is bad because I keep running into my GODDAMN EX!

Why was he even here? I thought he would have skedaddled back to SF after Shraddha's wedding, and here he was, two months later, in the flesh and right in front of me!

"How come you're here?" I asked, flabbergasted.

He looked as constipated as I probably did, and in fact, when he looked at Ma and Dhruv, he looked slightly green. "Family get together before I leave in two days," he said almost apologetically.

"You're the last-minute family get together that Rita was bitching about?"

"I assume so?"

Next to me, Dhruv just sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in a resigned fashion. Lavanya stared between me and Parth with interest. Only Ma, bless her oblivious soul, was looking at this scene like it was nothing short of ordinary.

"This is your friend no?" Ma asked brightly as she patted Parth's shoulder. "Hello. Your parents are also here?"

"Yes, aunty."

"You're leaving to the US?"

"Yes aunty", Parth parroted, stealing me another uncomfortable look.

I just wanted to melt into the ground once again. I felt the rising sense of panic grip me, and having Dhruv and him in the same space was not giving me any comfort.

And it made matters infinitely worse when Parth looked at me and said, "Can I speak with you?" in a soft, almost desperate tone.

"Uh- no."

"I just need five minutes." he pleaded.

"It's...I-don't..."

"Arey, Dhriti, he's leaving in two days, go say bye no", Ma said, overriding my objections in a totally maternal manner. "Dhruv, dear, you don't mind, do you?"

"I don't but Dhriti doesn't seem comfortab-"

"Oh, Dhriti doesn't like talking to anybody, that is just her face", Ma said airily as she patted my cheek. "Go talk. I will take these people to breakfast. Come join us okay?"

"Dhruv-" I began desperately, my fingers curling around his wrist tightly.

I can't say I can't talk to Parth now, not when he's leaving in two days, and definitely not in front of Ma who will ask me ten billion questions.

He smiled at me, his expression softened as he squeezed my hand back. "You're forced to smile in front of cameras at 9 am for me. This is nothing."

Despite myself, a grin formed my face as I shook my head at him. "You're cool", I said, feeling unnecessarily shy.

He snickered and rolled his eyes before he looked at Ma. "Sure, let's go", he looked back at me and dipped his head low to whisper in my ear. "If you feel too overwhelmed, call me."

"Okay", I said, feeling my stomach unclench a little.

Lavanya gave me a tiny wave as she, Ma and Dhruv walked away, while I tried very hard to maintain maturity and not flip her off.

He was super mature about my ex, I must follow suit.

It would have been so much easier to do that if I weren't so petty by nature, but it is what it is.