Half Girlfriend

‘I am not comparing anything. I want you to stop making me out
to be this gold-digger.’
He staggered and sat on the oversized grotesque sofa in the
drawing room. ‘Sit,’ he said, patting the seat next to him.
I complied.
‘Mom said you didn’t talk to her properly when you were leaving
home today.’
‘Of course I did.’
‘Is she lying?’
'I was late for class. She wanted me to go with her to the salon. I
said we could go tomorrow.’
‘You don’t say that to my mother. Ever.’
‘I had a class, Rohan.’
‘What class? You haven’t even got admitted to a college.’
‘Yes, that’s next year. I have joined prep classes for music. It isn’t
that easy to get admitted to one of these colleges. I’ve told you all
this before.’
Rohan went up to the bar. He picked up a bottle.
‘Stop,’ I said and tried to take the bottle from him.
‘What the fuck?’ Rohan said. ‘Let go. Now.’
He pushed me hard. I lost my balance and slipped. He bent over
me. ‘Don’t touch me,’ I said and pushed him away.
I miss home. I miss college. I miss not being told how to speak to
someone elsc’s mother.
Good night, journal. It is a good thing you aren’t married.
7 September 2007
He has apologized. He said work stress was getting to him. ‘I have
a long way to go, Riya, I am nothing compared to the big hotel
moguls of the world.’
‘Why do you have to be a big hotel mogul?’ I said.
But he began to speak of his mother. ‘She’s suffered a lot in life.
My father did not treat her well. I want to be therefor her.’
Hangovers make him senti.