Half Girlfriend

‘Can we please not do all this other stuff?’
‘Not now,’ I agreed,‘But maybe later?’
‘Madhav,’ she said, I don’t want to get your hopes up. So no
"maybe later",’
‘Why? Because of what I did in college?’
‘Are you crazy? Do you really think I will hold on to something
from years ago?’
‘So what is it? I’m not good enough for you?' I said.
She smiled at me.
‘What?’ I said.
‘I just said you are an amazing guy.’
‘Give us a shot, Riya,’ I said.
‘A shot? Wow. Someone knows English slang.’
‘A chance. Whatever. Anyway, let it be. Okay, fine, friends.’
I realized I had blown my moment. A failed attempt at kissing has
to be aborted, not converted into an argument.
We stayed silent for a minute.
‘My father is dying,’ she said. ‘And I don’t know what to feel.’
‘He is your father.’
‘Yes. I hope he makes it.’
‘I can’t live without you, Riya,’ I said, or rather, blurted out, She
turned to me.
‘Not again.’
‘Sorry,’ I said.
I turned the other way. Girls have no idea how much it hurts when
our love is rejected. Yet, men are expected to keep trying and take hits
all the time.
She held my hand. I pulled it away. Be a man, they say. Well, it
sucks to be a man sometimes.
‘Stop sulking,Your Majesty,’ she said.
‘One kiss,’ I said.
‘What?’
‘Just one kiss. After that I promise we will be friends. Just friends.'