Sambit

The first thing that tipped him off was the evasiveness of their answers.

He knew they had never warmed to him but Siliguri was a small town. They all moved in similar circles. Circles with money, a penchant for exotic music, travels plans, close fitting clothes, and actual Ray-Bans. That no one had plans that weekend they could share with him was odd.

"Yeah, I don't know what I'm doing on the 28th," Rishi said. On a different day, Rishi would have followed up with "but let's do something, yaar". Not this time.

Sambit noticed the absence, chafed at it.

His glance around the table was met with lowered eyes furiously texting. With a start, he realized that phones other than his were buzzing.

"Were they talking about me?" he wondered. He'd die before he asked anyone that.

"So, anyone's heard from Nidhi? Is she still in Kolkata?" he asked no one in particular.

Mona looked up at him, then quickly look over at Rishi who shifted a little in his seat. "She quit that job a few months ago and moved back in August. Thought you knew."

Rishi snapped his fingers at the waiter, beckoned him over. "I'll take a lemon tea. Make sure it's piping hot otherwise I'm sending it back for reheating," he said.

Sambit noted the easy arrogance with which Rishi bossed the waiter around. Gone were the torrent of "Sorrys" and "Thank yous" which bookended every conversation with him when he first returned from the States.

"Man, remember how you used to find us incredibly rude," Sambit said, trying to find common ground with this man who no longer felt like a friend.

"Yeah!" Rishi said. He sipped his water and rearranged himself on the sofa. His arms were stretched on the back behing Mona who shifted slightly to find a more comfortable nook. Their easy chemistry gave Sambit a pang. A hundred questions about Nidhi came bubbling up.

Rishi seemed to be gathering Mona into him before she said more about Nidhi. That conversational door was now closed.

The waiter arrived with the tea, picked up Rishi's plate, and placed the steaming cup in front of him.

Rishi inhaled appreciatively.

Sambit waited until he took the first few sips. "Ok, I'll be off now. Here's five hundred for my sandwich and coffee," he said.

"Ok", Rishi said. "See you around."

"Good catching up."