‘There’s only two here.’ I looked at him.

‘I know,’ he winked. I excused myself from Sakshi and grabbed Rishi’s arm.

‘We didn’t come here this weekend for you to be my wingman,’ I protested. Rishi burst out laughing and patted my back.

‘Ashray. You spent five days travelling to work in the same train carriage, all to find the girl you spoke to on day one, and now here she is. Amongst all these thousands of people, she happened to walk past us. That’s serendipity. The universe is speaking to you both, and who am I to stand in the way of the universe?’

‘But what will you do?’ I asked.

‘I’m going to stay down here and watch that you two love birds don’t get up to anything I wouldn’t do.’ He laughed and smacked my back again.

‘Ashray!’ Sakshi called from the line. People were getting off the wheel and those waiting began to move to the front.

‘Go,’ Rishi insisted. I took a deep breath and joined Sakshi in the queue. Instantly she locked arms with me again. Butterflies exploded in my stomach.

‘Everything all right?’ she asked. I nodded. Everything was perfect.

The ride was exhilarating. Sakshi clutched my arm as the wheel turned, and we both laughed with the rush of its drops and lifts. As the ride came to an end, she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. I took her hand in mine as we got off the big wheel. Rishi was talking to a young woman who was animatedly explaining something to him.

Sakshi looked at me and said, ‘I wonder what’s going on there.’

We walked hand in hand to where Rishi was standing. A new feeling of butterflies erupted in my stomach, and my mind yearned to know this woman deeper. I could see my life with her, though I barely knew her.

‘Ashray! How was the ride?’ He looked down to see me holding hands with Sakshi and gave me a thumbs up. I shook my head.

‘This is my friend Latika,’ he said, indicating the woman with him. ‘Latika’s boyfriend is some big shot social media star who has a VIP pass.’

‘He’s an idiot! Right now he’s running around trying to get back together with his ex-girlfriend while he is still dating me!’ she yelled.

‘Anyway,’ Rishi said with a laugh, ‘we’re going to wait until the VIPs leave their special waiting area, and then Latika is going to get us into a private party. What do you say?’

Sakshi answered, ‘Actually, Rishi, I was hoping that Ashray and I could spend a little time together tonight. I have to fly back tomorrow, so …’ she trailed off.

‘You just give him your number this time,’ Rishi said, before turning his attention back to the young woman who immediately began complaining about her boyfriend again. I thought I saw the hurt in his eyes, but before I could say anything, he was walking off with Latika.