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Back Meet Me In the Middle Save as PDF
Chapters (45)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. Acknowledgements
  44. About the Book
  45. About the Author

The woman nodded her head evilly at Anu and walked away, while Anu’s mates stood around her protectively. Anu had never felt so hated and loved at the same time.

Images

Pete did come for the tennis session that afternoon. Once Anu and Pooja briefed him about the eventful morning, Pete shook his head. ‘I don’t come one day and I miss all the drama?’

‘That is what happens if you put work before exercise.’ Anu reprimanded him. ‘Don’t you have twenty minutes to invest in your wellbeing?’ She tut-tutted. She was joking but she missed Pete.

‘I missed all the sweets too. What was today’s special?’ Pete asked.

‘What happens in the class remains in the class, mister,’ said Anu packing her shoes. Then her eyes fell on a little boy standing around Pete’s twins and Vicky. There was a woman, probably the boy’s mother, holding on to what looked like invites. The next minute the little boy was walking away with his mother, the twins had invitations in their hands, and Vicky ran to her crying.

‘Mumma, that boy did not give me the card. He gave it only to Jason and Justin. I want one too.’ He wailed.

Justin handed Pete the invite and said, ‘They have a bouncy castle and a cotton candy machine. It is that boy’s birthday party tomorrow.’

‘Mumma, I want to go to that party too. But the boy did not give me a card.’

Anu consoled him. ‘I am sure he missed giving you the card, Vicky. He will give you later.’

Vicky shook his head. ‘No. His Mumma asked him not to give it to me.’ Anu could not believe her ears. Could someone be nasty to a child? Then she felt incredibly sad, angry and shocked. Now the meanness is directed at Vicky?

Pete picked up Vicky. ‘That is not a nice party because they made you sad. Tomorrow, nobody will go to that party. I will take the three of you to a place with bigger bouncy castles, larger cotton candy machines and also racing cars.’

Pooja whispered to Anu. ‘I have seen that woman hang around with your nemesis Meena.’

Anu felt a wave of dejection wash over her. What had she done to Meena that she harboured such hatred for her?

31

31

Images

That Friday, Sanju made no dinner plans. Wonder why, thought Anu wryly. She and Sanju had begun to talk but there was still tension in the air. Simply put, they talked very abnormally in monosyllables. Anu decided to pack herself and Vicky off to her mother’s place for the weekend. She texted Sanju the same and got back a thumbs up for a reply. She hated emoji replies. How hard is it for people to type a few words?