‘About your chef thing . . . I . . . I end up telling Nisha everything,’ I told him, hoping he would understand. ‘I didn’t realize that . . .’

‘Maybe I should ask her then,’ he interrupted, his eyes blazing, ‘why you stopped talking to me five years ago.’

I felt my stomach fall away. I opened my mouth but couldn’t bring myself to actually say anything.

‘Why does it matter so much?’ I asked him finally. I couldn’t imagine having to tell him why I had distanced myself from him and revisit my humiliation, or make him realize how he was connected with all of it in my mind.

‘You were my friend, Ananya. One of my only friends,’ he said flatly.

‘You had Esha, no?’ I snapped, unable to stop myself.

He froze and looked at me briefly before turning away. We didn’t speak for the rest of the ride home.

17

At dinner that night, Raghu announced that he wanted to go back to Mumbai the next day. My heart sank. I had hoped that he would stay a while longer. Even Aunty V was surprised.

‘But I was speaking to people for a restaurant apprenticeship for you,’ she protested.

He shrugged. ‘I’ll come back when there’s something happening for certain.’

Stay, I wanted to tell him. I was having fun with him in the house and even though things had been awkward after the movie, I still wanted him around.

‘Arrey, it’s almost certain. I’ve spoken to a friend of mine who knows a lot of people and I’m meeting her soon. She’ll get you an apprenticeship somewhere for sure,’ Aunty V said.

‘Fine. So I’ll come be back then. Better still, ask her to find something for me in Mumbai,’ he said.

Aunty V frowned. ‘That’s not how it works,’ she said firmly.

Before he could protest, she spoke again, ‘We’re doing our college reunion here, in the house and we need all the help we can get.’

He looked at me then and I made a face but also smiled. The reunion sounded terrible but I would be able to tolerate it if he was around. He hadn’t spoken a word to me after my outburst in the auto. He didn’t return the smile and looked away.

‘That’s two weekends away,’ he said finally. ‘You want me to stay here till then?’

‘Yes,’ Aunty V said flatly. ‘There’s a lot of work that needs to be done.’

I glanced at Ma, who looked like she was happy that she had relinquished everything to Aunty V.

‘Why are you doing all this, Mom? Don’t you know that Ananya has her finals next month? And Aunty Chitra doesn’t need all this excitement and stress,’ Raghu said.

I was startled at hearing my name in the middle of their argument.