Poles Apart

Chapter Ten

I pay the bill for my shopping and take the bags. "Is that all? I'm hungry. I didn't have breakfast," I complain to my friends.

"Why not?" Sam asks.

I make a disgusted face. "Idli."

She rolls her eyes. "Seriously, Vi? What's wrong with idli?"

"It tastes bad! It's bland, tasteless and sick people food. I don't eat sick people food for breakfast."

"Tell me one food you like," she says, narrowing her eyes at me.

I look at Dhriti, who shrugs as if she can't help me. "You sound like my mother, Sam. Can we just get some food? That's all I want."

"We'll get ice-cream," Dhriti declares. "That is one food that you do like. Isn't it, Arvi?"

I raise my eyebrows at Sam and point to Dhriti. "See, that's the kind of supportive bestest friends I want. Not you. Who tells their friend to eat idli? God knows I wouldn't do such a heinous thing."

"Aren't you being overly talkative today?" Sam asks, pulling me into the elevator by my elbow.

I give her a look. "Aren't you being extremely dodgy today?" Sam has been avoiding the agenda of our meeting today, like the plague. We came shopping because I needed more formal outfits, but Sam just won't open her mouth about what's bothering her.

Sam pretends not to ignore me as she tucks a few strands of her hair behind her ear and stares ahead.

I look away, letting her act her heart out. I'll force it out of her in the car.

~.~.~.~.~

I park my car in front of the ice cream parlour. We give our orders to the waiter, and then I close the windows and lock the doors.

"You tell me Sameeksha, and you tell me now," I demand. Dhriti looks between Sameeksha and me like she already knows what's going to happen.

By now, I'm pretty sure this conversation has something to do with Pranav and Sameeksha.

"Well..." she drags, alternating between looking at her hands and Dhriti.

"Sameeksha."

She looks at me and gulps. "I like Pranav," she raps so quick, it takes me some time to decipher what she said.

I raise my eyebrows at her and tilt my head slightly. "What a surprise," I remarked drily.

Her eyes widen. "You knew?" she asks, looking between Dhriti and me as if to form a connection. Dhriti shakes her head at Sam, denying having said anything to me.

"Your blubbering actions around Pranav tell me all I need to know," I tell her in mock solemnity. "Dhriti doesn't have to tell me."

"So...?" she urges hesitantly.

I raise my shoulders, shaking my head subtly. "Give me the whole deal, Sam."

She frowns. "What do you mean whole deal?" she asks defensively, "That's all. I like Pranav."

I raise my hands slightly, suggestive of surrender and questioning. "Why are you getting defensive?" I ask her, half-surprised and half-amused. "Why were you so nervous about it? I wasn't going to eat you up for liking my brother."

She bites on her lower lip, offering me a small smile. "I know you're protective of your family, I just... I thought..." she sighs, "I didn't know what to think."

"So, Arvi," Dhriti addresses, making me look away from Sam. I pull my eyes away from Sam, unable to ignore the feeling that she may be holding back from saying something. I look at Dhriti, prompting her to continue what she wanted to say. "Is that approval?"