‘What?’ I jumped off my seat. ‘Who told you?’
‘Kittu told me,’ she said.
Kittu was my first cousin and Shipra masi’s daughter. Kittu’s father was
Pammi aunty’s cousin. In some sense, Dolly was my third or fourth cousin,
though we weren’t related by blood.
‘Kittu? How did she know?’
‘Shipra masi must have told her. And your mother must have told Shipra masi.’
‘And now the whole clan knows,’ I guessed.
‘Sort of.’
‘What else do you know about her?’
‘Nothing,’ Dolly said as her eyes shifted around.
‘Tell me.’
‘Oh, some stuff. That she is very aggressive and clever and has you totally
under control. But South Indian girls are like that, no?’
‘Do you know any South Indian girls?’
‘No,’ Dolly said as she twirled her straw. ‘Sorry, I didn’t want to tell you. You
guys serious or is it just time-pass?’
I tried to curb my anger. ‘What about you? You have a boyfriend?’
‘No, no. Never,’ she swore.
‘Not even time-pass?’
She looked at me. I smiled to show friendliness.
‘Just one colony guy. Don’t tell my mom, please. Or your mother, or even
Kittu.’
‘I won.’
‘He sent me a teddy bear on Valentine’s day.’
‘Cute,’ I said.
‘Have you kissed anyone?’ she asked. ‘Like this South Indian girl.’
nora
(Nora)
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