Page 71 of 12 Years

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‘We’re not—’ Yashodha said, but Payal interrupted her.

‘Mom, please, I beg you. Just meet him. Think of him as my friend. Okay?’

I felt bad about Payal having to beg like this. She was fighting for me. For us. And it made me fall in love with her even more.

‘Male friend?’ Yashodha said.

‘Meet him as a human being,’ Payal said. ‘Only once? Please?’

‘What do you think, ji?’

‘I can meet anyone, beta. But don’t expect me to say yes. Also, you know Jignesh’s family are our old friends. We can’t just say no to them.’

‘For now, one meeting,’ Payal said. ‘That’s all I wanted to ask you tonight.’

‘I’m going to bed,’ Anand said.

‘And I’m going to playFortnite,’ Vansh said.

‘Good night, Dad,’ Payal said. ‘Bye, Vansh.’

I heard footsteps as Anand and Vansh left the room.

‘Are you close to him?’ Yashodha said, now alone with her daughter.

‘Yes,’ Payal said.

‘How close?’

I guess she wanted to know if we’d had sex.

‘Not close in that way,’ Payal said.Okay, lie number two delivered.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yeah, Mom.’

‘What all has happened?’

‘We’ve hugged,’ Payal said.

Seriously, Payal? How can you lie with such a straight face?

‘That’s all?’ Yashodha said sternly.

‘We’ve kissed,’ Payal said.

‘Kissed?’ Yashodha said, her voice tense and upset at the same time.

‘Once, barely. Just once. Accidentally,’ Payal said, back-pedalling immediately.

Ladies and gentlemen, the award for accidental kisser and best fibber of the year goes to—drum roll—Payal Jain!

‘It looks beautiful!’ Payal said on a video call with me.

I sat in the outdoor section of the coffee shop at the Leela, Goa. The beach was right in front of me.

‘I’m in Goa, baby,’ I said. ‘I could move here.’

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