I thought back to the many different moments with him, the time we spent playing chess in the park, the few times I’d caught him looking at me and looking away quickly, the moments in the kitchen and during that party. During the horrible time in the hospital when I was worried about Ma, having him with me had helped defuse my tension tremendously.

Nisha smiled. ‘I can’t really tell you what to say to him or how to behave with him. Just be normal. Anyway, both of you are going to be busy now.’

I frowned. ‘Why? He’s busy, yes. But me?’

Nisha raised an eyebrow. My eyes widened in understanding.

‘Oh shit. Our finals are starting in two weeks!’

I thought about all that was going on at home, and how Ma and Papa were worried about her and the baby. It was odd that I no longer felt any resentment towards this baby, even though it was taking all the attention away from me. Normally, my parents would have been after me to make sure I studied enough and would have pestered me to think about what I would do for my undergraduate degree. I was relieved at the reprieve.

‘Why don’t we focus on our exams for now? Then figure out things with Raghu eventually,’ Nisha suggested.

Since the finals were so near, the lecturers were giving us old question papers to work out. Many students weren’t even in class, although some continued to come diligently for the attendance.

Anirudh’s record of a 100 per cent attendance had come down to a dangerous 79 percent, something that had shocked him. Nisha and I had barely scraped by, with 76 percent each.

Raghu hadn’t messaged me since yesterday. I had been getting used to the fun banter, the memes he sent, and to hunting gifs to send him. Had I ruined all that by being so blunt? That was so unfair. When I said this to Nisha, she pursed her lips.

‘So you message him then. Get back that thread of comfort you had with him,’ she suggested.

I brightened at the prospect of reaching out to him. I didn’t know why I hadn’t already. I knew just what to send him. It took a little time to hunt down the exact gif. Nisha frowned when she saw it.

‘Um, really? You want to send that?’

I nodded.

‘We were up all night and the TV in the hospital waiting room was playing Animal Planet!’ I told her, grinning.

‘I still don’t get it,’ she said.

‘Never mind. He will,’ I told her and hit send.

We both watched as the gif filled the screen—a buffalo attacking a lion and then getting killed—on repeat.

‘Gross,’ Nisha muttered.