Page 100 of A Lab Rat's Guide to Fated Love
“Over Diwali dinner, one of Ryan’s friends jokingly asked when we were planning to get married,” she said. “Our parents were there, too, and they—our dads, specifically—thought it was a good idea, and the next thing we know, there’s this wedding announcement in the local newspaper. I was getting married in a month, and I had no idea.”
The pufferfish in Vir’s chest began shriveling at her words. He didn’t want to hear this particular story.
“I confronted Ryan, and we found out his dad had taken it upon himself to get the ball rolling, since we were clearly too shy to initiate things ourselves. Used an old photograph of us, too.” Nori sighed. “I thought it was ridiculous and laughed it off at first, but then Ryan asked me if we should just go along with it, and I didn’t know how to respond. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great guy. But I’d never seen him that way, you know, and I didn’t think he saw me that way either.”
Of course, he didn’t.The now raisin-resembling pufferfish in Vir’s chest took out a butter-knife and proceeded to stab itself to death. For someone so observant, Nori was still too painfully oblivious.
But why washe, the forgotten ex, listening to her talk about her best-friend-slash-fiancé?
“I asked for some time to think,” Nori said. “I couldn’t see a logical reason to say no. I mean, I’d dated a bit before but had always found the experience… lacking. I didn’t think I’d ever find anyone. Or want anyone, honestly.
“But I also didn’t want to say yes either, just because the idea of growing old alone bothered me on some level. Ryan deserves someone who chooses him, not settles for him. That would be a horrible thing to do to your own best friend. I knew he’d understand, and we’d eventually laugh it off.” She grimaced. “So, a week later, we met for dinner. And as I was about to speak, he pulled out aring.”
“Hewhat?”
“Everybody at the restaurant started cheering. I couldn’t say no, because it would’ve been awkward, and he’d have felt insulted. But how could I say yes, either?”
“But you said no.”
Nori shook her head.
“You said yes?” Vir scanned her bare fingers for a ring.
She shook her head again with her beet-red face and the fresh swirl of emotion inside her spelling GUILT in all caps.
“Nori… what did you do?”
“I ran.”
Twenty Seven
Stupid First Love
A few weeks ago:
Calgary, Canada
Nori
Nori had appeared at Ryan’s doorthe next morning, fully expecting him to slam it in her face. But he invited her in and made her some chai instead.
“Why aren’t you mad at me?” she asked, before eyeing her cup with mock suspicion. “You didn’t poison this, did you?”
“No, not mad,” Ryan replied, stirring a spoonful of sugar into his. “I’d figured you might respond like that. Well, notexactlylike that, but… you know.”
“What do you mean?”
He offered her a small smile. “You don’t remember. But you’ve already rejected me in the past.”
“What? When did I—” Nori frowned, attempting to draw memories from the blank nothingness that was her lost years. She got nothing.
“I’ve had feelings for you for a long time, Nor.” Ryan shrugged. “When I first confessed, you were so shocked, you told me we were likesiblings, and asked what was wrong with me. I got so embarrassed, I ran away to Delhi without telling you, and we didn’t speak for months afterwards.”
She stared at him in stunned silence. “Thatwas the reason you’d moved to Delhi? Not because of your mom?”
“I mean, momhadbeen asking me to come over, and then the courses offered there were really good, too… but, yeah. Sort of.”
“You disappeared… because I said we were like siblings?”
