Half Girlfriend by Chetan Bhagat Read Free Book Online Page B

background.Two kids
    at under a tree with an old man.
    'Who are they?’
    'Random people, perhaps some visitors. I told you, people come to
    us with their problems. For them, we are still the rulers.’
    'I'd love to go see it.’
    I laughed.
    ’What?’ she said, puzzled.
    'You? In Bihar?’
    ‘Yeah, why not?’
    I shook my head and laughed again.
    ‘What’s so funny, prince?’ she said and tickled me.
    ‘Stop it, I’m ticklish,’ I said and laughed uncontrollably.
    ‘You think I can’t leave my sheltered life, huh?’ she said, poking
    my stomach with her fingers. I grabbed and held her. She realized it
    only after a few seconds.
    ‘Hey,’ she said.
    ‘What?’
    ‘You’re holding me.’
    ‘Good observation.’
    I looked straight into her eyes. She did not look away. Even though
    I had zero experience with girls, I could tell this was a good sign.
    ‘What?’ she said.
    I leaned forward to kiss her. At the last moment she moved her
    face away and I ended up kissing her cheek.
    ‘Madhav Jha,’ she said. ‘Behave yourself.’
    She said it in a firm voice, though without the anger she ha shown
    that day on the lawn.
    ‘I am behaving like myself. This is what I want to do.’
    ‘All you boys are the same,’ she said and slapped my wrist.
    ‘You’ve experienced all boys?’ I raised my eyebrows.
    ‘Shut up. Okay listen, before I forget, I have to invite you to a
    party.’
    ‘Don’t change the topic.’
    ‘Don’t stick to one either,’ she said and extracted herself from my
    grip. She shifted into the study chair.
    ‘Come here. Near me,’ I said.
    ‘No, sir. I don't trust you.’
    ‘Really? Your best friend?’
    ‘Who is not behaving like a friend ,’ she said, emphasizing the last word.
    I lay back on the bed in a sulk, dangling my legs. I picked up
    basketball from the bookshelf and spun it on my little finger.
    ‘I said I want to invite you to a party. Are you paying attention?'
    she said.
    ‘Why do you want attention from someone you don’t trust?’
    ‘Next Saturday, my house. At 100, Aurangzeb Road,’ she said
    palms resting on her lap.
    I sat up on the bed.
    ‘Your house?’ I said.
    ‘ Yes, the party is at my place.’
    ‘ You’re making me meet the parents?’
    ‘Yeah, why? There are going to be loads of people there. It’s a
    party'
    ‘Oh, what is the occasion?’ I said, back to spinning the ball ol my
    pinkie.
    ‘My birthday party.’
    ‘Your birthday is next month. 1 November. See? I remember.'
    ‘Dad wants me to celebrate it next week. We have family friends in
    town.’
    I nodded and continued to look at the ball. With one swoop of her
    arm she took the ball away from me.
    'Hey!' I pmtested.
    'Is that a yes?’
    'Do I have a choice?’
    She threw the ball at me. It missed my face and hit my neck.
    'You're making it sound like a punishment. It’s a party invitation,’
    she said 'I'll come on one condition.’
    'What?’
    'Come sit next to me.’
    I patted the bed. She rolled her eyes, stood up and came to sit
    down next to me.
    'Why don’t you let me hold you?' I said and took her in my arms
    'Well, you are now.’
    You don’t like it?'
    'Madhav...' Her policewoman voice was back.
    'What is so wrong with it?’
    'I have issues with this stuff. I do.'
    'Issues? You know what? Forget it.’
    'See, you don’t want to listen. Anyway, I am not ready for it.’
    'Ready for what?’
    She shook her head. I brought my face close to hers. She looked at
    me.
    'There you go again. What is it? A compulsion, huh?’ she said. I
    kept quiet. Her light brown eyes continued to stare me down.
    'No woman has ever meant more to me than you.’
    She laughed.
    ‘What?’
    ‘That could mean two things. I am really special, or there’s not
    been much choice.’
    I couldn’t answer. I bent forward and gave her a light peck on her
    lips. She didn’t protest, but didn’t join in either. Her lips felt soft and warm. I gave her another peck.
    She placed her hand on my chest and