Half Girlfriend

‘Even though you eat all my lunch,’ she said and smacked the side
of my head.
‘Do you like me?’ I said. She had heard this too many times.
‘Not again, Madhav, please.’
She lay down on the grass. She wore a white-and-maroon salwar-
kameez and a black cashmere cardigan, which she had removed and
placed on the grass next to her.
She scrunched her eyes to avoid the sun. I shifted and sat in front
of her, so my shadow would cover her face.
‘Ah, that’s nice.Tall shady tree, thank you.’
‘People in college talk about us. How we are always together,’ I
said.
‘So? Let them. As long as we know there is nothing between us.’
I tilted my body sideways in protest. The sun was back on her face.
‘What?’she said and cohered her eyes with her hand.‘Where did
my tree go?’
‘The tree is not feeling appreciated.’
'What do you mean?’
‘Why is there nothing between us?’ I said, my upper body still bent
to the side.
‘Should there be? First, can you sit like you were sitting before, so
people don’t think you are weird and my delicate skin can be protected
from the sun?’
I sat up straight once again.
‘Better,’ she said. ‘I need a pillow. Move forward please, tree.’
She put her head in my lap.
‘Nice. Now, what do you want, pillow-tree?’
I’d had many such arguments with her over the past month. She
had become an expert at dodging the issue, always getting away with
some nonsense, like now.
‘Give me your cardigan,’ I said.
Why? Are you cold? It’s a girl’s sweater, pillow-tree,’ she said and
giggled.