One Indian Girl by Chetan Bhagat

all, he was speaking to a distracted idiot like me.
‘Yeah, Goldman is on California Street, downtown.’
My phone buzzed a few more times. I swore to myself not to check it. I focused on Brijesh.
‘So we have to decide whether we’ll stay downtown or near Menlo Park, which is in Palo
Alto,’ Brijesh said.
‘Yeah, sure.’
‘Sure what?’
‘You are right.’ I had no idea what he just said.
‘I said you have to choose. Downtown or Palo Alto?’
‘Why do I have to choose?’
‘Radhika, are you okay? I said, we have to choose where we’ll stay.’
I finally figured out the conversation.
‘Uh-oh. Well, I am easy, actually. You are already staying in Menlo Park, right?’
‘Yeah, but my lease expires in two months.’
Just one little peek, I told myself. I will have a quick look at the phone and then pay full
attention to Brijesh.
I lifted the phone. Among the many messages from Debu, one read: ‘I love you.’
Fuck. Fortunately, I did not blurt the word out. I immediately shut the phone. I placed my hand
on my face.
‘I was keen to move out anyway,’ Brijesh said. ‘Radhika, are you okay? Everything under
control?’
‘Actually, I need to go back. Mom needs something. Jewellery issues,’ I said.
‘Ah. Indian weddings,’ Brijesh said.
Yeah, I had lied to my husband-to-be, within one hour of his arrival. What a wonderful bride I
am going to make, isn’t it? See, I told you, you won’t like me very much.
‘So I will see you again soon?’ I said.
‘Of course,’ Brijesh said, with a twinkle in his eye. ‘I am going to be your husband, you are
going to see me all the time. Come, let’s walk back.’
I gripped my phone tight as if otherwise the messages would leak out and fall on the floor.
Brijesh left me at the lift lobby, where he met one of his cousins who wanted to talk to him. The lift
door shut. I pressed the button to the fourth floor, and took a deep breath. I checked my phone. It had
tons of messages from Debu.
‘For the past few months I have been thinking of you constantly.’
‘Only had the courage to text you now.’
‘I made the biggest mistake. I didn’t value you.’
‘I love you.’
What the hell is he talking about?
Ting! The lift reached my floor. I walked up to my room and rang the bell. Aditi didi opened
the door.
‘Where were you?’ She gave me a mischievous look. ‘With Brijesh?’
I smiled, as if caught red-handed. I am the coy bride. I have to smile whenever my would-be-
husband is mentioned.
Didi had opened one of her suitcases. It was the kind of giant bag murderers use to hide
bodies. She had six dresses spread out on the bed.
‘What is Brijesh like?’ she said, as she unfolded a red dress.