Picture Perfect by Jeevani Charika

Author:Jeevani Charika [Charika, Jeevani]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2022-08-22T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

After dinner, Lucien and Peter suggested that the men all go to the games room, ostensibly to play pool. ‘You joining us, Vimal? I’m sure you can show us how it’s done.’

Vimal, who hadn’t played pool in years, said, ‘Ah, no, thank you. I’m not very good.’

‘Hah, I bet you’re just being modest,’ said Lucien. ‘You must have angles and patterns all worked out in that boffin head of yours.’

What was that supposed to mean? ‘I don’t think it works like that.’

‘Come on, old chap, don’t be a wet blanket. What are you going to do, hang around with the girls?’ This was said with a hint of derision.

He really didn’t want to play pool. He didn’t mind spending time with ‘the girls’, as Lucien put it. He looked over at Niro, who was still sitting at the table, talking to Felicia. She noticed him.

‘We’re going to watch Pride and Prejudice,’ she told him.

Kerry had just walked into the room. ‘Which version?’

‘Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, obviously,’ Felicia said. ‘I found the DVD collection and that’s the one they’ve got.’

‘I’ve not seen that version,’ said Kerry.

‘I have,’ said Niro. ‘But I don’t think anyone can be a better Darcy than Colin Firth.’

‘Sacrilege!’ said Felicia.

Lucien turned to Vimal. ‘Well, there you go. Come on, Vimal.’

Vimal looked from Lucien to Peter. It was exhausting trying to work out how to behave around them. He had thought that more people arriving would make the Peter and Lucien club seem less exclusive, but it had only made things worse. The rest of the guys all seemed to know both of them through university, or school or various clubs. Vimal felt like a complete outsider. He really did not want to sit in a room with them while they talked at each other. The more he got to know them, the less he liked them. The way they talked about people they knew, but no one else did. The way they seemed to always need to top whatever he was talking about. The constant drinking. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that he didn’t want to be friends with Lucien and his crowd at all. It was as though he’d been possessed by some inner demon that told him his worth would increase, in Kerry’s eyes at least, if he got in with them. It might, but it wouldn’t be worth the terminal boredom. Besides, they would never ‘let him in’. At most they would tolerate him. He would have to prove himself over and over. It wasn’t worth it. Not even for Kerry.

‘Actually,’ he said. ‘I think I’ll watch Pride and Prejudice.’

Niro came over and looped her arm through his. ‘Excellent,’ she said. ‘Another one for romcom movie night.’ She grinned at the other two men. ‘Excuse us.’ She steered him away.

Lucien said, ‘Whipped’ in a none-too-subtle voice and Vimal knew he had made exactly the right decision.

A few minutes later, they were sitting on the white sofas. Three of the other women in the group had joined them.

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