Page 197 of 12 Years

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I contemplated what to do with the call.

‘What happened? It’s okay. Take it,’ Payal said.

I picked up the phone.

‘Hi,’ Tania said.

‘Hi Tania. I’m in a meeting. Let me call you back, yeah? Thanks. Anyway, I’ll be a lot more free after today, so let’s speak then. Bye.’

I kept the phone down on the table.

‘You didn’t have to do this,’ Payal said.

‘Do what?’

‘Telling me you’re on a break with her or whatever,’ Payal said.

‘I am.’

She shrugged and took a sip of her coffee.

‘Nothing to eat?’ I said again.

‘No. Also, I better get going soon.’

‘I’ll drop you to your hotel,’ I said.

‘I can order a cab, Saket. Please, stop doing this,’ she said, her voice irritated.

‘Doing what exactly?’

‘Nothing,’ she said and looked away.

‘What’s the matter, Payal?’

She took a few deep breaths. ‘Why did you do this whole thing?’ she said.

‘What thing?’

‘Making me spend the night. Sleeping together, holding each other.’

‘You offered. You said you would do anything I ask you to.’

‘Why couldn’t we just have sex, Saket?’

‘What’s the issue?’

‘This messes me up,’ Payal said. ‘I don’t ever want to get in that zone again.’

‘What zone?’

‘That whole emotional, getting-the-feelings zone. I’m happy alone now. And you’re happy in your world. We didn’t have to do all this.’

‘But having sex would’ve been okay?’

‘Yes. Would’ve been easier to deal with than this.’

Could someone in the world please write a book on girl logic? I’d be the first buyer.

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