Gabriel and Gyan were college sweethearts, and they thought they had found the love of their lives. Then Gabriel got an opportunity in Australia, and he left behind a heartbroken Gyan.
It's been more than five years, and Gabriel finds hims...
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The six of us sat at the table. My father and Anushka's at the ends while our mothers sat opposite of me and Anushka. She kept glancing my way as we ate chicken dum biryani with malai ki kheer fordessert. I focused on my food while the adults chatted in Hindi. Even if I was listening, I would have only been able to catch a little of what they were saying.
My father once called me a disgrace for an Indian because I couldn't speak Hindi fluently.
So, I blocked them out. The adults and Anushka. My mind was on one person.
Gabriel.
Fuck. I couldn't believe I gave in. This wasn't supposed to happen because he was supposed to stay out of my life. I was over him, and he had no place in my life anymore. Then he gave me that look and knowing he had nowhere to go bothered me more than it should have. I shouldn't have cared, so I didn't know why I agreed to let him stay with me.
He listened to me by staying out of my way. We didn't talk much, and we kept our distance. That was what I wanted, so I didn't understand why I was discontent. I also didn't understand why I couldn't stop thinking about him.
"Beta," my father called out, and my gaze shifted to him. He smiled. "Isn't Anushka beautiful?"
I looked over at the girl, who had a closed-lip smile. She had brown highlights in her wavy hair, and her eyes were a rich dark brown. She was from the north, like my family. Then again, my father would have never allowed me to marry a girl from the south or anywhere else in India.
"Yes," I said with a forced smile. "She's very beautiful."
She was. If I wasn't mesmerized by dick, I would have been excited to fuck her every night.
My father released a hearty laugh. "Let's get this marriage over with, so we can have some grandchildren."
Anushka's parents laughed while my mother stayed silent. My parents already had grandchildren—Nila's children. I guess he meant grandchildren with the Gupta name.
The adults continued talking while I finished up my meal and moved onto my dessert. Anushka leaned over my way. "Are you as miserable as I am, right now?" she asked, and I stared at her. "Come on, you look like you want to be anywhere but here."
I wanted to be home. Reading a book. Going for a swim. Playing chess. Anything. I stopped my mind from wandering to a certain man.
"Am I that obvious?" I said.
Anushka leaned over to her side. "No. I just read people."
"Oh, yeah?" She nodded. "Well, I think you look like a nice girl."
She chuckled. "If you think I'm a nice girl, then you suck at reading people."
