For the rest of the day, Tara avoided me. I went home and I fell asleep earlier. The late nights, the stress finally got the best of me and I collapsed.
I would have slept longer on Saturday if it weren’t for my phone ringing non-stop.
Fumbling, I finally find the damn phone answer it.
“Hello,” I say groggily.
“Are you still asleep?” Armaan asks.
“I was, until you called.”
“Do you know what time it is?”
“No dumb ass, I don’t know what time it is and I don’t want to know.”
“What’s got you all pissy?”
“No sleep for a very long time and an exhausting product launch. Does that pass your standards for sleeping in?” I ask irritated.
“I was actually calling to congratulate you for your product launch. I read an article in the paper yesterday. Does that pass your muster for calling you at noon on a Saturday afternoon?”
“Thanks, man.”
“Did Tara work on the product with you?” Armaan asked.
“Yeah, of course. We both work together so we’re on all of the major product launches.”
“I tried calling her this morning, but she didn’t answer.”
“Because she was probably smarter than me and turned the ringer off,” I growled into the receiver.
“Speaking of Tara, how is she?”
“What do you mean, how is she?”
“I mean I usually speak to her almost every other day and I’ve barely spoken to her in the last few weeks. Is something going on with Tara?”
“Armaan how the hell am I supposed to know what’s going on with Tara?” I say irritated with a tinge of guilt.
“Because you work with her!” Armaan responds with some irritation of his own.
“Exactly, I work with her. I’m not her gossip buddy that I should know what’s going on with her,” I say, but silently, wondering what is going on with her.
“What’s got you so wound up?”
“Nothing has me wound up, I’m just tired. Look if you’re worried about Tara, then wait a little while and call her back. Do you really speak with her every other day?” The guilt is now working itself into physical pain moving from my stomach up to my throat. Was she avoiding Armaan because of what had happened between us?
YOU ARE READING
Gossip, Weddings, and Manipulation
RomanceGossiping aunties, nosy neighbors, lots of expectations and plenty of hypocrisy all thrown in with lots of food, celebrations, music and dancing. Yup that's how I'd summarize the Indian community. It's a lot of pressure to be an Indian kid. There...
