Unexpected

Chapter 18

BARKHA

I was sitting on the front porch reading when the cab came to a stop in front of the driveway. I knew we were expecting Samay to come home today. So I jumped up. I was too excited to welcome him home. I had missed him.

"Samay," I flung my arms around him as soon as he was out of the cab. It felt so comforting and cosy in his arms. He held me close for a second, and then as if he was hit with a realisation, he pushed me away forcefully. I looked at him, and he looked angry. Like actually angry.

"What is wrong?" I asked.

He did not reply and went to retrieve his luggage from the cab. He walked into the house, I followed him. Then his parents received him and they were fussing over him. Samay had grown a couple of inches taller during the two months he was gone. Now he was a few inches taller than me.

A couple of hours later, I was in my room and there was a knock on the open door of my room. I was doing some workouts on the floor, so I sat up. Samay stood leaning to the door frame. All lean and stylish. But I frowned as he was ignoring me the entire evening.

"Did you realise I am alive?" I asked him.

"Oh! So did you know all this while that I am alive?" he asked walking in.

"What did I do?"

He walked in and sat at the edge of my bed. "Why are you doing work out?"

"To get in shape. Why else?"

"For your boyfriend?" He asked, stressing the last word. He said it like an insult. I got up from the floor. For some reason, I felt guilty. Then I realised why. I never told Samay personally that I am dating Neil. I could not. Telling Samaya about Neil felt like an uncomfortable talk. And how was I supposed to tell him? I still have not sorted out my feelings for him I have just shut them away, stored them in a separate compartment of my heart.

But it seems like that uncomfortable talk needs to happen now. Samay is my friend, he deserved to know. "I am dating Neil Sanderson," I said.

"So I've heard." He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Why did you never tell me?" He asked.

And here comes the discomfort.

"Well, I did try to call you. Except for that one time, you never picked up my calls." I also had a bone to pick with him. "Why were you ignoring my calls?"

"I was not," he said, but he did not meet my eyes.

"You so where."

"But this is not about me. It is about you making boyfriends... without telling any of us."

"I told Hailey. She knew from the start."

"And when was this start?" He turned to me.

"The day you picked up my call. Neil and I ended up kissing."

I clearly saw a dark anger flash through Sam's expression. But why was I giving him the details?

"So proud of you. Kissing guys on your parent's death anniversary." He said, spitefully. There was hatred in his words. It hurt. He really had hit a place I was conscious about. So I avoided his eyes. But Samay went off, "there I was concerned for you, and you were going around smooching guys."

I at him angrily. "I did not go around smooching guys. I kissed one guy. And he is my boyfriend now. Why are you being such a jerk about this?"

He turned around not avoiding eye contact again, and just appeared supper annoyed, his arms still crossed.