Some Short Tales

United by the Exes

Just as he saw Nisha and her equally pathetic husband making the woman, who happened to be the ex-girlfriend of his ex-girlfriend's husband (what a weird connection though), he thought of an idea.

"So, Amy, are you still single?" Tanmay mocked at her. "I mean, I know, you cannot possibly have anyone better than me, yet, still lamenting?", he continued. Nisha alongside him let out a small, snideful snicker.

Just as Amyra was about to snap at him, now, infuriated with him and his wife, a hand enclasped her shoulder in a firm hold.

"Hey sweetheart, what are you doing here? Weren't we supposed to meet for our date tonight? I was waiting for you.", she heard a deep baritone. Angling her neck, she saw a tall man, his arm on her back, palm grazing the shoulder, yet, holding it in a firm grasp. She was startled and was about to give this intervening man a piece of her mind, for his unfound behaviour, when she heard a dramatic gasp.

"Ohh Gautam, is that you?", Nisha exclaimed.

"Ohh, heyy Nisha, I did not realize you are here. By the way, what are you doing here with my girlfriend?", he glanced towards a baffled Amyra first and then towards Nisha in a questioning and rather intimidating manner.

"Just play along Amyra.", he whispered in his 'girlfriend's' ear, whose name he had learned a few seconds prior.

"Tanmay, this is Gautam, my ex-boyfriend, the writer, I told you about.", Nisha introduced Gautam to Tanmay, pronouncing the word writer in a demeaning tone.

Amyra's ears perked up at that.

'Oh, so that's the matter. Well, let's have some fun now. Let them taste their own medicine.', she thought to herself.

Just when Tanmay was about to greet Gautam, Amyra said, "Hey baby, I was waiting for you. Just done with the meeting. And of course, how can I ever forget our date?", Amyra replied dramatically looking towards Gautam.

Gautam smiled towards her when he realized she had decided to play along. That smile was replaced by a smirk when he glanced towards Nisha and her annoying husband.

"So, is he the Tanmay you told me about.", he said looking towards Tanmay, who was now surprised learning that Amyra had spoken about him with her new boyfriend.

"The Tanmay who thinks that penguins live in every cold region.", listening to this, Tanmay's ears turned red with embarrassment and he averted his gaze.

'How does he know this.', Amyra thought, flabbergasted at Gautam 's words. 'I will ask him later. Let it be.'

She immediately recovered and glanced towards Gautam with an amused glint in her eyes.

"Yes, Gautam, he's the same Tanmay, my ex-boyfriend. Gautam, is she the same Nisha?", she asked, abruptly cutting her own statement, confused with what to speak about her.

Nisha frowned at her words and tried to wonder what insult is to come her way, following her husband. To avoid any such insults or remarks, she decided to divert the conversation.

"You see Tanmay, your ex and my ex are together now.", she looked towards her husband.

"Yes Nisha, after all, we have dumped these two, they would certainly flock together.", replied Tanmay with an annoyingly smug expression on his face.

Gautam clenched his jaw, now, exasperated and infuriated with the audacity of the couple in front of him. He was about to yell at Tanmay, when he heard the lady besides him starting to say something.

"Tanmay, I have been nothing but patient with you and your wife here. So has been Gautam.", Amyra's voice was now, a tone higher. This had caught the attention of a few passers-by and those lingering around in the restaurant.