Page 81 of Pillow Talk
‘I didn’t know you had this many friends,’ he added.
‘Neither did I. Since when is the town’s pharmacist my friend? I think Anni may have gone overboard.’ Sam smiled indulgently.
‘And it’s awesome,’ Sen replied.
He spotted Shona at a table with Anni and her sister Aruna. They were doing shots.
Shona scrunched up her face when the liquid entered her mouth.
They were three hours into the party and she’d said only one word to him: ‘Hi.’
He still didn’t know why he was being ignored and he couldn’t corner her to get an answer. She was sticking to Anni like glue.
‘Are we buddies?’
‘No. I’ve just stuck with you all these years because I’m a sucker for punishment. What a dumb question, Sam.’
His friend laughed.
‘Are you drunk?’
Sam shook his head.
‘I’ll ask you that question again later tonight,’ Sen teased, ‘butfor now, stop talking in riddles.’
A ballad came on.
‘I’m going to ask my wife to dance,’ said Sam and went to fetch Anni.
Sen watched him lead his wife to the dance floor. Aruna then went off to dance with a man she’d introduced to him as her fiancé.
Shona sat alone at the table. He put down his bottle and went over, taking a seat opposite her.
‘Are you going to run off?’
She rolled her eyes.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she lied.
‘You’re not avoiding me?’
‘Why would I do that?’
He pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘I’ve been asking myself the same thing. What’s with the hot and cold attitude, Shona?’
He saw a flash of anger cross her face and then she switched to pretend mode.
‘There’s no attitude. You’re busy. I’m busy. Our arrangement has reached its end,’ she said, clearly trying to sound matter-of-fact.
‘So you decided that on your own. You never thought to tell me you’re dumping me? You just ghosted me. How mature,’ he replied, an edge of sarcasm in his voice.
She sat forward and glared at him.
‘Don’t you dare play the victim here,’ she hissed.
‘Typical, complicated Shona,’ he replied.
‘Fuck you, Sen.’ She stood and stormed off.
